Caldo de pescado translates to fish soup is especially popular during lent. For today’s caldo de pescado, I also added some shrimp. You could prepare it with all fish, all shrimp or add a mix of seafood. Growing up, my Mom didn’t really prepare a lot of seafood recipes. I remember a few dishes for lent, but they were very simple. A quick pan seared fish fillet or tortitas de camaron seco (dried shrimp cakes). In all honesty, I think my Mom felt intimidated cooking seafood. She grew up in Monterrey, Mexico where beef, pork and chicken were more popular.
If you don’t enjoy shrimp, it can be prepared with all fish. Not a fish fan, just add all shrimp! It’s that easy.
Before you begin the recipe read the entire recipe and post for extra tips. I apologize for not stating in the instructions that I use a Vitamix blender for my chile sauce. If you do not have a Vitamix blender, I would suggest you strain the sauce using a fine wire mesh strainer to remove any chile skins.
Caldo de Pescado y Camaron (Seafood Soup)
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 cup carrots diced
- 1 cup potatoes peeled and diced
- Oil
- 1 medium onion roughly chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic sliced
- 1 serrano sliced
- 3 chile California or chile guajillo stems and seeds removed
- 2-4 chile cascabel or 1 large chile ancho stems and seeds removed
- 3 large roma tomatoes quartered
- 6 cups of water
- Salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 epazote leaves if available
- 1 pound firm white fish
- 1 pound large shrimp deveined with shells on
Garnish
- 1 Lime or lemon sliced into wedges
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- 1/2 cup Onion diced
- 2 teaspoons Chile piquin crushed
- Corn tostadas or corn tortilla chips
Instructions
Directions
- In a medium pot, add the carrots and potatoes. Cover with water and heat on medium. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Continue cooking until they are fork tender, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
- In a large pot, add 3 tablespoons of oil and heat to medium. Add the onions, garlic and serrano pepper. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Add the dried chiles and saute for another 3-4 minutes, turning often.
- Add the tomatoes and cook for another 7-8 minutes. Stir as needed. Pour in 4 cups of water. Add salt to taste, peppercorns, cumin seeds, oregano and bay leaves. Bring up to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Transfer all of the ingredients from the pot with chiles into the blender. Cover tightly, holding down the lid with a kitchen towel. Start on low to blend, then slowly switch to the high speed to blend the sauce until very smooth.
- In the same large pot, pour the sauce from blender back in and heat to medium. Add the last 2 cups of water and the epazote leaves. Add the reserved carrots and potatoes in. Stir well to combine and taste for salt.
- Bring up to a light boil. Taste for salt. Add in the fish and the shrimp. Gently stir making sure the seafood is immersed in the soup base. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cover with lid. Let sit for for another 5-6 minutes.
- Serve right away. Garnish with lime, cilantro, onion and piquin. Serve with warm corn tortillas or tostadas .
Notes
The vitamix blender has changed my life! I have not had to strain any sauce since I started using it. I secretly miss the satisfaction of straining and seeing that beautiful finish. But my wrist is the most relieved! No Straining!
Hi. In step 5, you mention epazote leaves. How many fresh leaves – or if I used ground epazote, how much should I use?
Hi Jenny,
You could use 5-6 fresh leaves or 1 teaspoon of dried epazote in the recipe.
In step one you mentioned the carrots and potatoes. What do you do with them after you put them aside?
Hi Martha, thank you for bringing that to my attention. I just forgot to add the instruction of adding them into the soup towards the end. I edited the instructions and fixed it. Thanks again!
Epazote from your freezer? It looks fresh. You can freeze it?
Yes, I freeze it flat in between paper towels and then in freezer bag.
Great recipe! I added about 6-8 chile de arbol for a spicy kick , also added chopped celery to carrots & potatoes… added 1 Tbsp knorr chicken bouillon when I added shrimp & fish. Along with onion & cilantro, also had chopped avocado as part of condiments. Delicious!
Thank you for the feedback Sorina! It’s one of my favorite seafood soup recipes.
The recipe never called for a Vitamix blender. I used a regular blender and now I have an edible soup with chunks of chili floating around in it. This should have been made clear at the beginning not the end.
Rita, I do apologize for not being clear right from the beginning of the recipe. I should have written right in the instructions to strain the chile sauce. I will go in and revise the instructions right away. So sorry.
Is this soup spicy with the chiles? If so, can I do something to avoid the spice without taking away from the flavor? My daughter cannot eat spicy foods.
Hi Shannon, if you want a more mild broth, I would only use chile guajillo. Use 4 chile guajillo.
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l loved your recipe and my family too! Gracias por mantener nuestra cultura culinaria viva! VIVA MEXICO!
Thank you Nohemi!!!
This was my FIRST time making caldo de pescado Y camarón. I read and followed your instructions the only thing I added was corn (I love corn) made them into 2 inch pieces and added them first while I diced the potatoes and carrots. I doubled the recipe. I am so glad I came across your recipe. I loved this caldo, perfect flavor, and my family loved it. Thank you for sharing
Thank You Aleli! I really do enjoy this recipe too!
What type of fish did you use?
I typically use cod. Any firm white fish will work.
Not sure what to do with the california (anaheim) chilis. I’ve never seen them in dried form. Also, do you remove the bay leaves before using the blender?
Yes, remove the bay leaves before blending. The dried chiles can be used for all kinds of recipes like enchilada sauce, chile con carne, pozole, birria…