Lohikeitto Recipe: Creamy Finnish Salmon Soup with Dill

I once spent a long Finnish summer evening at a lake house outside Tampere where the kitchen window overlooked a sauna and a swimming dock and the dill was growing in a clay pot on the windowsill. Someone had caught a small salmon that morning. The soup that came out of that kitchen was almost unsettlingly simple, four ingredients plus dill, a knob of butter at the end, and somehow it tasted like the entire summer in a bowl.

That is lohikeitto. Finland’s national soup, eaten weekly in homes from Helsinki to the arctic circle, served in restaurants from Michelin-starred to roadside diner. The dish is built on technique that gets sloppy in most English-language adaptations, which tend to over-cook the salmon into chalky cubes and use russet potatoes that fall apart into starch. Both of those problems are easy to fix once you know what to watch for.

The version below uses three small choices to honor the original. Waxy potatoes that hold their shape. Salmon added off the heat at the very end so residual warmth finishes the fish without going past doneness. Dill stems steeped in the broth while it simmers, fronds added fresh at serving. Metric and imperial measurements throughout.

What You’ll Need to Make This Recipe

A heavy enameled Dutch oven is the right pot for this. The even heat prevents scorching at the bottom and the wide diameter lets you arrange the salmon in a single layer at the end. A fish spatula is the gentlest tool for lifting cooked salmon out of soup without breaking it. The microplane gets shavings of citrus zest for garnish. Mason jars are for the leftovers, which are excellent the next day.

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Why This Lohikeitto Works

The most common mistake in salmon soup is dropping raw salmon cubes into actively simmering liquid and walking away. By the time the broth comes back to a simmer with the salmon inside, the fish has been at 90°C for several minutes and the protein has tightened past the point of pleasant. The cubes get chalky, the salmon flavor leaches into the broth, and the texture is gone. The fix is one of the simplest moves in fish cookery, you cut the heat completely before adding the salmon and let residual warmth do the work. Three to four minutes off-heat, lid on, and the fish is exactly cooked through with a silky, just-set texture.

The potato choice is the second hidden variable. Russet potatoes are high-starch, designed to fall apart in mashed potatoes and to thicken stews. In lohikeitto, that disintegration turns the broth cloudy and starchy, which is not the elegant clear-creamy texture the dish should have. Waxy potatoes (Yukon gold, fingerling, or red bliss) hold their shape through the simmer, keep their distinct dice, and leave the broth clean. The visual difference is immediate and the textural difference is even bigger.

The third move is the dill stems. Most recipes call for dill fronds chopped on top at the end, which is correct. They miss that the woody dill stems are full of flavor and willing to steep into the broth during the simmer. Bundle the stems together with kitchen twine and drop them in when you add the bay leaf and allspice. Fish them out before serving. The broth gains a layered dill depth that fresh fronds at the end could never deliver alone.

Lohikeitto Ingredients, Briefly

Salmon. Fresh skin-on salmon, cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) cubes. The skin gets removed before cubing but keep it, you can render it crispy on the side as a textural finish. Atlantic salmon is traditional but wild Pacific salmon works beautifully. Avoid pre-frozen salmon if you can, fresh has noticeably better texture.

Waxy potatoes. Yukon gold, fingerling, or red bliss. Diced into 1.5 cm (½ inch) cubes so they cook through in about 12 minutes. Russets fall apart and are wrong for this dish. The waxy potato holds its shape and lets the broth stay clean.

Leeks. Use the white and pale green parts only. The dark green tops are too tough and bitter for a delicate soup like this. Slice in half lengthwise, rinse under cold water (grit hides between the layers), then slice into half-moons.

Carrots. Two small carrots, peeled and small-diced. Optional in some Finnish households, traditional in others. They add a faint sweetness and a touch of orange color to the broth.

Heavy cream. Whole, full-fat, room temperature. Cold cream added to hot broth can curdle, so let it come up to room temperature on the counter while the soup simmers.

Fresh dill. A generous handful. The fronds get chopped fresh at serving, the woody stems get bundled and steeped in the broth. Dried dill is not a substitute.

Whole allspice berries. Four to five berries, added with the bay leaf, fished out before serving. Ground allspice is too aggressive, whole berries release a softer aroma.

Butter. Unsalted, a tablespoon stirred into the broth at the very end for sheen and richness. The Nordic kitchen’s quiet final flourish that most home recipes skip.

Salt and white pepper. White pepper instead of black for a clean cream-colored broth. Black pepper specks look like dirt against the pale liquid. Fish stock or water can serve as the broth base, fish stock is more flavorful but water plus butter at the end gets you most of the way there.

Tips and Variations

Salmon skin garnish. Render the reserved salmon skin in a hot dry pan until it crisps, then crumble it on top of each bowl. The textural contrast against the creamy broth is excellent.

The fish stock upgrade. If you have time, simmer salmon trimmings (head, bones, skin) with water, a bay leaf, peppercorns, and a halved onion for 25 minutes for a quick salmon stock. Strain and use it in place of water in the main soup. The depth-of-flavor jump is significant.

Smoked salmon version (laxsuppe). Substitute hot-smoked salmon flakes for the fresh salmon, added off-heat in the last 90 seconds (smoked salmon is already cooked and only needs warming). The dish takes on a smoky depth that Swedes and Finns both make for celebrations.

Dairy-free version. Substitute full-fat coconut milk for the heavy cream. The flavor profile shifts toward Scandinavian-coastal-meets-Thai but in a way that works. Skip the butter finish.

Brighter version. Add a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice at the very end, off the heat. Tilts the soup toward Mediterranean territory but still elegant.

What to serve alongside. Dark rye bread with salted butter is the obligatory Finnish accompaniment. A small bowl of pickled cucumbers cuts the richness. A glass of cold lager or aquavit if you are leaning into the cultural context.

Recipe: Lohikeitto (Creamy Finnish Salmon Soup with Dill)

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter, divided
• 2 medium leeks, white and pale green only, halved lengthwise and sliced into half-moons (about 200 g)
• 2 small carrots (about 120 g), peeled and small-diced
• 500 g (about 1 lb) waxy potatoes (Yukon gold or fingerling), diced into 1.5 cm (½ inch) cubes
• 1.2 L (5 cups) water or fish stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 to 5 whole allspice berries
• Stems from one small bunch of fresh dill (about 8 to 10 stems), tied with kitchen twine
• 500 g (about 1 lb) fresh skinless salmon fillet, cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) cubes
• 240 ml (1 cup) heavy cream, room temperature
• 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill fronds, plus extra for garnish
• 1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• ¼ tsp ground white pepper

Instructions

1. Melt 1 tbsp of the butter in a heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leeks and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the potatoes, water (or fish stock), bay leaf, allspice berries, and the bundled dill stems. Season with 1 tsp salt and the white pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 12 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a knife.
3. Slowly stream in the room-temperature heavy cream while stirring. Return to a bare simmer (do not boil, cream can split). Taste and adjust salt.
4. Cut the heat completely. This step matters. Wait 30 seconds so the broth temperature drops a little.
5. Add the salmon cubes in a single layer, then cover with a lid. Let the salmon poach gently in the off-heat broth for 3 to 4 minutes. The residual warmth cooks the fish through to medium, silky and just-set.
6. Remove and discard the bay leaf, allspice berries, and dill stem bundle. Stir in the remaining 1 tbsp of butter and the chopped dill fronds.
7. Ladle into bowls. Top each portion with extra dill fronds and a grind of white pepper. Serve immediately with dark rye bread.

Notes

The off-heat poach is the critical move. If you boil the salmon, the soup is still good but the salmon goes from silky to firm-rubbery in 90 seconds. Cut the heat, set a timer for 4 minutes, lid on, walk away.

The cream must be room temperature. Cold cream poured into hot broth runs a real risk of curdling. Pull it out of the fridge when you start prepping and let it sit on the counter for 20 minutes.

Storage. Lohikeitto holds in the fridge for 3 days. The salmon firms up slightly on reheating, that is unavoidable. Reheat gently over low heat, never boil. Add a splash of cream when reheating to refresh the texture.

Freezing is not recommended. The cream and the salmon both suffer in the freezer. Make what you will eat in 3 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is lohikeitto?

Lohikeitto is the traditional Finnish creamy salmon soup, made with fresh salmon, waxy potatoes, leeks, cream, and fresh dill, seasoned with bay leaf and whole allspice. It is one of the most iconic dishes in Finnish cuisine and is served regularly in homes and restaurants throughout Finland and the broader Nordic region.

What kind of salmon should I use for lohikeitto?

Fresh skin-on salmon fillet is the traditional choice. Atlantic salmon is most common in Finland, but wild Pacific salmon works beautifully and has more pronounced flavor. The fillet should be cubed before adding to the soup. Avoid using pre-frozen salmon if you can, the texture suffers noticeably after thawing.

Can I use russet potatoes in lohikeitto?

Russets are not recommended. Their high starch content causes them to fall apart and cloud the broth into a starchy puree. Waxy potatoes like Yukon gold, fingerling, or red bliss hold their shape through the simmer and keep the broth clean and elegant, which is the texture the dish wants.

Why is my soup curdling when I add the cream?

The cream was likely too cold when added or the broth was at a rolling boil. Two fixes: bring the cream to room temperature before adding it (let it sit on the counter for 20 minutes), and stream it in slowly while stirring rather than dumping it. The broth should be at a gentle simmer, not a hard boil, when the cream goes in.

Can I make lohikeitto ahead of time?

Up to a point. The vegetable and broth base can be made up to 24 hours ahead and stored in the fridge. Reheat to a gentle simmer, then cut the heat and add the salmon fresh. Salmon that sits in the soup overnight loses the silky texture that defines the dish.

What does lohikeitto taste like?

Creamy but not heavy, faintly sweet from the leeks and carrots, with a clean salmon richness and a strong herbaceous fresh-dill aroma. The allspice and bay add a quiet background warmth that you would not be able to name as a specific spice but would miss if it were absent. It tastes like the Nordic version of comfort.

Final Thoughts

Lohikeitto is the soup Finland makes when nothing else needs to happen. It is for cold afternoons and short summer evenings and birthdays and Tuesday dinners. The ingredients are humble, the technique is simple, and the result is a bowl that tastes more like a place than like a dish.

Make it once with the off-heat salmon trick and you will never go back. Serve it with dark rye, a pat of cold butter on the bread, and the windows cracked open enough to hear something outside. That is the right context.

Last update on 2026-08-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API