Sopa de Rape: Comforting Spanish Monkfish Soup with Saffron (61) 2026

Sopa de rape is a warm, deeply savory Spanish monkfish soup that comes together with a handful of everyday ingredients and a good pot of fish stock. The monkfish stays meaty and tender while the tomato, garlic and almond base gives the broth a rich, slightly thickened body.

It is simple enough for a weeknight yet elegant enough to open a celebration meal, which is exactly how it is often served in Spain: as a comforting starter before something bigger. Ask your fishmonger to clean and cut the monkfish for you, and bring home the bones too, since they make an excellent stock.

For the very best flavor, use a good homemade fish stock, though a high-quality packaged one works well too. The soup is also easy to personalize: add shrimp or clams for extra sweetness, or serve it with hard-boiled eggs to turn it into a more complete dish.

Ingredients for Sopa de Rape

This makes 2 servings.

• 2 monkfish tails (350 g)
• 3 ripe red tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 slice of bread
• 60 g onion
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 10 g almonds
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• Salt
• Ground black pepper
• 700 ml fish stock

How to Make Sopa de Rape Step by Step

1. Cut the monkfish

Remove the skin and the central bone from the 2 monkfish tails, then cut the flesh into bite-sized pieces. Set the pieces aside while you build the base of the soup.

2. Grate the tomatoes

Grate the 3 ripe red tomatoes on the coarse side of a grater and keep the pulp and juice ready for the sofrito. This gives the soup a smooth, bright tomato base without any need for peeling.

3. Toast the bread with the garlic

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and briefly fry 1 pressed garlic clove for a few seconds. Toast 1 slice of bread in the same oil, then lift it out and set it aside for the picada.

4. Cook the onion

Peel and finely chop 60 g of onion and add it to the pan, cooking for 6 minutes over low heat until soft and translucent. Stir now and then so it sweetens evenly without browning.

5. Add the tomatoes

Stir in the grated tomatoes and 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika, then cook the mixture for 10 minutes, stirring, until almost all of the water has evaporated. The sofrito should look thick, glossy and deeply red.

6. Make the picada with the bread and garlic

Prepare a picada with the reserved toasted bread, 10 g of almonds and 1 teaspoon of parsley, seasoning it with salt and pepper. Crush everything together into a coarse, fragrant paste.

7. Pour in the stock and cook

Pour 700 ml of fish stock into the pan and cook for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, then stir in the picada at the end. This lets the almonds and bread melt into the broth and thicken it slightly.

8. Add the monkfish, cook 10 minutes and serve

Blend the prepared broth until smooth, then add the cut monkfish, lightly seasoned with salt. Cook for 10 more minutes and serve the soup hot.

Tips for the Best Sopa de Rape

Start with a good fish stock

The ideal base for this soup is a good homemade fish stock, though a high-quality packaged one will also serve you well. If you can, ask your fishmonger for the monkfish bones, which are excellent for making stock.

Make it your own

You can personalize this soup by adding shrimp or clams, which round out the seafood flavor beautifully. Served with a few hard-boiled eggs, it becomes an even more complete dish.

Let it rest for more flavor

As with many traditional recipes, if you prepare this soup the day before, it will gain flavor as it rests. Reheat it gently so the monkfish stays tender.

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