Red Snapper Soup
Submitted by wilma
Red snapper soup with sauteed potatoes, shredded carrots, arborio rice, and fish broth. An Italian-style fish soup finished with parsley and red pepper flakes.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
40 minREADY
60 minThis red snapper soup is built like an Italian fish broth with substance. Diced potatoes get sauteed until golden first, which adds a toasty flavor you don’t get from just boiling them. Shredded carrots soften quickly alongside, then everything simmers in fish broth with arborio rice until the rice turns tender and releases its starch, thickening the broth naturally.
The snapper goes in during the last 5 minutes. Cut into small pieces, it cooks fast and stays flaky rather than falling apart into the soup. A splash of white wine vinegar added early brightens the broth and keeps it from tasting flat.
Fresh flat-leaf parsley and red pepper flakes get stirred in off the heat right before serving. That way the parsley stays vibrant green and the pepper flakes add warmth without cooking into bitterness.
Pro Tips
- Saute the potatoes until they actually brown, not just soften. That caramelization adds a savory depth to the whole soup.
- Use arborio rice, not long-grain. The starchy short grain gives the broth body that long-grain rice can’t.
- Add the fish last and simmer gently. Boiling breaks red snapper into tiny shreds.
- Serve immediately in warm bowls. This soup doesn’t hold well because the rice continues to absorb liquid and the fish overcooks.
Variations
- Use any firm white fish like halibut, cod, or sea bass in place of snapper.
- Add diced fennel with the potatoes for an anise note that pairs well with fish.
- Stir in a spoonful of pesto right before serving for a Ligurian twist.
Ingredients
Directions
Peel and cut the potatoes into ½-inch dice.
Peel and coarsely shred the carrots.
Cut the fish fillets into ½-inch pieces.
Heat oil in a 6-quart soup kettle.
Add the diced potatoes and sauté over high heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
Add the shredded carrots and sauté until slightly softened, about 2 minutes longer.
Add the boiling water along with the vinegar and salt.
Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
Add the broth and rice and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the fish and simmer until fish is cooked and rice is tender, about 5 minutes longer.
Remove kettle from heat and stir in parsley and hot red-pepper flakes.
Adjust seasoning if necessary.
SERVING: Ladle soup into warm bowls and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.
Serve immediately.
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