Salmon, veggies and potatoes get simmered in a gingery aromatic coconut broth for a cozy, Thai-inspired soup. The salmon is perfectly flaky, the potatoes are creamy, and lots of veggies and greens pack in fiber and nutrients. A final squeeze of lime balances out the richness from the coconut milk. Both the veggies and the protein you use are very adaptable – check out the substitutions section for ideas.
Ingredient highlight
Salmon! the fish we all love because it’s flaky, fatty and a lot harder to overcook/mess up than other fish. It also happens to be packed with more nutrients than I have space to talk about here. It’s one of the most nutritious fish because of it’s super high omega-3 fat content (DHA and EPA). It’s also a great source of protein, potassium, selenium, and vitamin B12.
Servings 4
Prep Time 15 minutes 
Cook Time 20 minutes Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced, white/light green parts separated from dark
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2-4 cloves garlic, smashed or chopped
- 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 2 cups water
- 1 (13.5 oz) can full-fat coconut milk
- 8-10 oz yellow potatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes (or use ½ cup jasmine rice)*
- 8 oz mushrooms, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
- 2- inch knob ginger, grated or thinly sliced**
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 lb salmon, cut into 4 fillets
- 6 cups chopped/thinly sliced kale or other leafy greens (spinach, bok coy, etc…)
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- Lime wedges, for serving
- *If using rice, increase the water amount to 2 ½-3 cups.
- **If you thinly slice the ginger make sure to let everyone know it’s in their soup.
- Make it spicy! ~ Add a thinly sliced chili pepper in with the ginger, etc…or you can stir in some sriracha or add red pepper flakes with the onion, etc…
- Add lemongrass! ~ To add more Thai flavor, chop up some lemongrass (or just smash it) and add it in with the scallions.
Instructions
- In a large pot, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the white/light green parts of the scallions, carrots, garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook until softened, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the water, coconut milk, potatoes, mushrooms, ginger, soy sauce, fish sauce, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Stir together, then nestle the salmon in, skin-side-up. Press down any salmon or potatoes that are sticking out so that they're covered with the liquid. You can add up to another ½ cup water, if needed.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer for 5 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through (easily flakes with a fork in thickest part, depends on thickness). If salmon is done, remove and let cool. If not, simmer for another 1-3 minutes and check again.
- Once the salmon is done, continue to simmer for another 5-10 minutes or until the potatoes or rice are cooked through.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the greens and lime juice.
- Remove the skin from the salmon and flake it up with a fork.
- Divide the soup into your bowls and top with the flaked salmon, dark green scallions (add cilantro if you have it), and a squeeze of lime.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Thinly slice 1 bunch scallions
- Chop 1 large or 2 small carrots
- Cut 8-10 oz yellow potatoes into ½-inch cubes (or use ½ cup jasmine rice)
- Thinly slice 8 oz mushrooms
- Grate or thinly slice 2-inch knob ginger
- Chop 6 cups kale or other leafy greens
- Make the soup
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian, use tofu in place of salmon and replace the fish sauce with soy sauce.
- Use any fish in place of salmon OR use whole chicken breasts or thighs. Simmer for as long as needed to cook through (some fish will cook a lot faster and chicken breasts may take a bit longer).
- Use any veggies in place of mushrooms (bell peppers, cabbage, cauliflower, brussels, etc…).
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up leftover soup on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through. The soup should be hot enough that you can just add your cold salmon into your bowl. Top with lime and herbs.
- Add rice or another cooked grain.
- Add some extra greens to the soup as you reheat it on the stove.
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