Spanish Fish Soup Recipe: Hearty Seafood Stew Classic 2026

This traditional Spanish fish soup is the kind of dish that turns an ordinary meal into something special. A fragrant saffron and tomato broth, thickened with golden croutons, cradles tender hake, briny clams and plump shrimp for a seafood starter that tastes far more elegant than the effort it takes.

We build the base with white fish, clams and shrimp or prawns, along with the vegetables you would expect in this preparation. Those ingredients already make a delicious soup, but they can be tailored to your guests' tastes, the occasion or what looks best at the market. For example, it is just as delicious with any other white fish besides hake, such as hakeling, monkfish or grouper.

Needless to say, one of the most important ingredients for a truly flavorful fish soup is the fish stock. If you go with a store-bought stock, choose the best quality you can find, though the best option is usually to make it at home. As for the shellfish, the most common approach is a simple combination of shrimp and clams for a fine, balanced result, though this soup also works with a bigger seafood presence, such as steamed mussels, squid or even cuttlefish and octopus.

One last note before we start: we add a few croutons that give the broth body, though this is optional. You can simply leave them out or, depending on the occasion, add a handful of noodles or rice instead.

Ingredients for Spanish Fish Soup

This recipe makes 4 servings as a starter.

• 500 g clams or 250 g small clams
• Salt
• 1 medium onion
• 1 leek (white part only)
• 3 or 4 garlic cloves
• 1 pinch saffron threads
• 1.5 liters fish stock
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 150 g crushed tomato
• 1 small handful toasted croutons
• 300 g hake, skinless and boneless (or another white fish to taste)
• 20 shrimp or prawns (peeled and deveined)

How to Make Spanish Fish Soup Step by Step

1. Soak the Clams

First, 2 hours before you start the recipe, place about 500 g of clams or 250 g of small clams in a bowl of salted water so they release any remaining sand inside. In our case, we used Japanese clams.

2. Chop the Vegetables and Infuse the Saffron

When you are ready to start the soup, peel and finely chop 1 medium onion, wash and chop 1 leek as well. Finish by peeling and chopping 3 or 4 garlic cloves. Also, soak 1 pinch of saffron threads in a little hot fish stock so they release their flavor.

3. Make the Sofrito

In a pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and, once hot, add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the leek and cook the mixture for about 10 more minutes until tender. Stir in the garlic, sauté for 1 minute and then add 1 teaspoon of paprika. Mix quickly and add 150 g of crushed tomato right away so the paprika does not burn. Stir and sauté until the tomato reduces.

4. Add the Stock and Croutons

When the sofrito is ready, add 1.5 liters of fish stock to the pot along with 1 small handful of toasted croutons. Heat over high heat until it comes to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.

5. Add the Saffron and Blend

Next, add the infused saffron, remove the pot from the heat and blend the broth with the croutons and sofrito using a blender. You will get a broth with body without being too thick. Return the blended broth to the pot.

6. Cook the Clams

Bring the pot back to the heat and, when it boils again, add the drained and rinsed clams or small clams. Cook over medium heat until they have opened.

7. Add the Fish

While the clams cook, cut 300 g of skinless, boneless hake fillets into bite-sized pieces. As soon as you see the clams have opened, add the fish and count 2 minutes.

8. Add the Shrimp and Let It Rest

Immediately after, add 20 peeled and deveined shrimp or prawns. Cover the pot, remove it from the heat and let the soup rest for about 5 minutes so everything finishes cooking in the residual heat. After this time, your homemade fish soup is ready.

Tips for the Best Spanish Fish Soup

Choose Your Fish and Seafood

This soup is delicious with any white fish besides hake, such as hakeling, monkfish or grouper. For the shellfish, a simple mix of shrimp and clams gives a fine, balanced result, but you can add steamed mussels, squid or even cuttlefish and octopus if you want a more generous seafood presence.

Make the Stock Count

The fish stock is one of the most important ingredients for a truly flavorful soup. If you use store-bought stock, pick the best quality you can find, though making it at home is usually the best option.

Adjust the Body of the Broth

The croutons add body to the broth, but they are optional. You can leave them out entirely, or depending on the occasion, add a handful of noodles or rice instead.

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