Creamy Coconut Lime Fish Soup (Printable Version)

Silky coconut milk meets tender fish and zesty lime in this fragrant Southeast Asian-inspired soup ready in 35 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Fish & Protein

01 - 1.1 pounds white fish fillets such as cod, halibut, or tilapia, cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, grated
05 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
06 - 2 small carrots, thinly sliced
07 - 2 stalks celery, sliced
08 - 2 green onions, sliced for garnish

→ Liquids

09 - 13.5 ounces coconut milk, full-fat, 1 can
10 - 3 cups fish stock or vegetable stock
11 - Juice and zest of 2 limes

→ Spice & Seasoning

12 - 1 tablespoon fish sauce
13 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce, use gluten-free if needed
14 - 1 teaspoon sugar
15 - 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
16 - 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
17 - 1 small red chili, finely sliced, optional for heat
18 - Fresh cilantro leaves, chopped for garnish

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add a splash of oil and sauté onion until translucent, about 3 minutes.
02 - Add garlic, ginger, celery, carrots, and bell pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Pour in the fish stock and bring to a gentle simmer.
04 - Add coconut milk, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, and chili if using. Stir well to combine.
05 - Gently add the fish pieces. Simmer for 7-8 minutes, until the fish is opaque and cooked through.
06 - Stir in lime juice and zest. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with green onions and fresh cilantro.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • Its the kind of dinner that makes you feel like you nailed restaurant quality cooking with barely any effort
  • The coconut milk creates this impossibly silky broth that still feels light enough for any season
02 -
  • I once dumped all the fish in at once and crowded the pot, which made some pieces turn to mush, so give your fish room to swim in that broth
  • The lime zest matters more than you think, so please do not skip it because it provides that perfumed brightness that cuts through the rich coconut
03 -
  • Cut your fish into slightly larger pieces than you think you need because they will shrink as they cook
  • Taste your broth before adding the fish because once that protein goes in, seasoning becomes trickier to adjust

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