This traditional Russian fish soup recipe for Ukha (уха) is clear fish broth with chunks of salmon, veggies, topped with parsley and dill and the secret ingredient - a shot of vodka.
This recipe has been passed down from generation to generation in my family - and now it can keep you warm on those cold winter and fall days. Today I make Instant Pot ukha, but you can cook it either way you like!
In my family, we would make ukha whenever we had a whole fish. Usually, this would come after long days in the datcha, or a summer cabin in the woods, when my dad would successfully catch some local trout or carp. My grandmother would take the "catch of the day", cut off the fish head, and use the fish bones and fish pieces along with potatoes and carrots to build the flavor of the stock - the fish broth. In the broth, we would gently float poached fish fillets. My grandmother would bring the soup to the table in a big pot, and we would ladle our individual bowls. We would decorate the bowl of ukha fish soup with fresh herbs - dill, parsley or cilantro if that's all we had - and sit down to slurp the delicious broth while it was hot.
Today, I make ukha whenever I come across a fish head in my local supermarket. The beauty of this simple fish head soup is that it uses all parts of the fish, and it can be made with various types of fish, including white fish, but my favorite fish to use for ukha are salmon and trout. My ukha recipe is made in the Instant Pot to save time (though I will give you both the Instant Pot ukha recipe and the stovetop recipe to cook ukha!), and it includes a secret little ingredient of a shot of vodka at the end.
If you love fish, you have to try this Russian fish soup recipe, made the traditional way!
This ukha recipe was inspired by my family's recipe, though it also reminds me of my traditional Ukrainian borscht, as well as my grandmother's cold haddock dish. This Russian soup recipe pairs well with Russian plov, my grandmother's paprika chicken and my gluten free Russian honey cake or gluten free apple sharlotka for dessert.
What is the history of Russian Ukha?
Russian Ukha is a delicious fish soup that has been part of the Russian cuisine for centuries. It is believed to have originated in the 11th century, though it was not a fish soup back then. It was made from game and animal cheeks, and only became a fish dish in the 15th century. By the 17th century, it made its way to the courts and became an elevated dish fit for royalty.
After it became a soup made with fish heads instead of wild game, the original Russian recipe called for only fish, onions, and salt, but it has since evolved to include more ingredients such as potatoes, carrots, celery, dill and parsley. Today, Russian ukha is still considered one of the main dishes served in Russia - and it is far from limited to Russian cuisine alone. In fact, Ukrainian ukha is also quite well known!
How to serve ukha fish head soup?
Historically, Russian ukha was most often cooked over an open fire outside. To this day, it is believed to taste better when cooked in a clay pot outdoors (that's why my family would cook it at the cottage!).
Ukha can be served hot or cold, in winter or summer. Regardless of the temperature, this fish dish is always served accompanied by fresh herbs and lemon wedges.
I also recommend serving it with bread. I usually eat gluten free bread, but my rosemary sourdough is a great fit if you can eat gluten.
Ingredients for Russian soup recipe
- Whole fish, or head and spine of a large trout - old recipes for Russian fish soup (ukha) usually call for carp and trout. In Northern Russia, around Siberia, ukha is made with salmon and trout. I like to use salmon, trout or rainbow trout for this soup, though my family has also made it with perch. Truly, you can buy any fish at a grocery store and use it for ukha - it's that forgiving of a fish soup recipe!
- trout fillet - If you are not using a whole fish, I like to buy some nice skinless fish fillets and use them for the soup. Try to use the same fish you used to make the broth.
- water - used to make the fish broth from the bones.
- onion - use regular yellow onion.
- carrots - though not part of the original Russian fish head soup recipe, carrots are used to sweeten the flavor of the broth.
- potatoes - potatoes help bulk up the soup and make it into a full meal. Add the potatoes to your ukha if you want a simple one-pot soup that makes up a great main dish!
- salt - depending on your salt preferences, you can skip it or add it to individual bowls, to taste.
- whole allspice - we use whole spices in our fish soup to flavor the broth without changing the color. Allspice is also known as fragrant pepper in Russian, or Jamaican peppercorns.
- whole black peppercorns - if you don't have whole peppercorns, you can also use ground black pepper - though avoid adding it to the general pot to not color the soup
- bay leaves - use fresh or dried bay leaves
- vodka (optional) - vodka is the secret ingredient that helps keep this fish soup clear and beautiful! It will not impact the flavor, nor will it impart any alcohol by the time you eat the soup. You can skip it, but I found it makes a big difference to make a clear broth.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to cook Instant Pot Ukha
Make fish broth
If using a whole fish, fillet the fish and remove the fish head, the fish spine and tail.
Add fish head and fish spine (and fish tail, if available) to the Instant Pot. Cover with water and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.
Drain the soup from the fish. Discard the fish bones, and return the broth to the Instant Pot.
Cook root vegetables
Set the Instant Pot to sauté for 15 mins, and add potatoes. Bring to a boil.
Once boiling, add onions and carrots. Continue sautéing for at least 7 mins, adding time if needed.
Add remaining ingredients
Add fish fillets, salt, peppercorns, allspice and bay leaves. Close the Instant Pot lid and pressure cook for 4 mins, until all the ingredients are cooked and the internal temperature of the fish measures 165 F.
Add the vodka
Manually release pressure, open the lid and add vodka. Close the lid and leave it closed for at least 25 to 30 minutes before serving (this helps the alcohol evaporate and neutralizes the flavor, leaving a clear broth).
How to Make Ukha on the Stovetop
Make fish broth
If using a whole fish, fillet the fish and remove the fish head, the fish spine and tail.
Add fish head and fish spine (and fish tail, if available) to a large pot with a heavy bottom. Top with enough water to cover, close with a lid and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cook for 40 minutes, until fish is completely falling apart.
Drain the soup from the fish. Discard the fish parts, and return the broth to the pot (you can also wipe out the pot at this stage; my grandmother used to cook ukha in a big black pot and she claimed that wiping the pot helps the soup get clear).
Cook root vegetables
Bring the pot back to medium heat. Add the potatoes, cover the pot and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, uncover the pot and add the onion and carrots. Cover the lid and cook for 10 minutes on medium heat.
Add remaining ingredients
Add fish fillets, salt, allspice berries, bay leaves and whole peppercorns. Cover with a lid and cook and cook for 15 minutes, until the potatoes and carrots are tender and the fish is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 F.
Add the vodka
Open the lid and add vodka. Return the lid and leave it closed for at least 25 to 30 minutes before serving.
Serve ukha
Serve ukha in individual bowls with fresh parsley, dill, lemon wedges and salt and pepper to taste.
Hint: to drain the soup, I remove the bones with tongs first, and then run the soup through a big colander with small holes.
Variations
- Spicy - you can add fresh chillies to your ukha bowls to give it a kick, or serve it with Russian mustard or chrein (homemade horseradish).
- For a special treat, try adding a pinch of saffron to the soup along with the rest of the spices.
- Add peas or homemade pickled cabbage to the soup. You can also add celery along with the potatoes and carrots.
- If you're looking for a vegetarian Eastern European soup, I recommend you try my Polish sauerkraut soup, Ukrainian borscht soup or Pasulj Serbian soup.
- For another Instant Pot soup, try the Instant Pot bean and bacon soup.
Storage & Make Ahead
Leftover ukha soup will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days.
It can be frozen and stored for up to 3 months.
You can make the fish broth ahead of time, and freeze it separately for 6 months, or keep in the fridge for 3 days. I make it alongside a few vegan Instant Pot recipes and bulk freeze for conception during busy weeks.
Top Tips
- Try cooking Ukha in the Instant Pot at least once! It's so much faster.
- When cooking the fish head and spine, don't let it boil over high heat. Cooking the fish broth low and slow keeps it clear and beautiufl.
- Try making this fish soup with different types of fish. I love salmon soup made with salmon head and salmon fish meat, but it's also great with white fish like snapper.
- The more fish heads you use, the stronger the flavor of the broth will be.
FAQ
Absolutely. Though I am used to making it with fresh fish, you can absolutely use any frozen fish you find. Just make sure it's either the whole fish, or that you at least have a fish head to work with.
You can use the following fish for ukha: salmon, trout, rainbow trout, snapper, cod, perch, carp. It is usually made with freshwater or river fish.
Yes, this soup is naturally gluten free.
This soup can be attributed to both Ukrainian cuisine and Russian cuisine.
For more Russian recipes:
For more soup recipes:
Recipe
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Ukha Russian fish soup recipe (Regular and Instant pot recipe)
Equipment
- Instant Pot optional
- Large pot optional
Ingredients
- 1 Head and spine of large trout fish
- 500 g trout fillets cut into 2-inch pieces
- 6-8 cups water
- 2 small onions
- 6 carrots medium
- 6 potatoes small
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 whole allspice berries
- 2-3 whole peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 100 ml vodka
Instructions
How to cook Instant Pot Ukha
- If using a whole fish, fillet the fish and remove the fish head, the fish spine and tail.
- Add fish head and fish spine (and fish tail, if available) to the Instant Pot. Cover with water and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.
- Drain the soup from the fish. Discard the fish bones, and return the broth to the Instant Pot.
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté for 15 mins, and add potatoes. Bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, add onions and carrots. Continue sautéing for at least 7 mins, adding time if needed.
- Add fish fillets, salt, peppercorns, allspice and bay leaves. Close the Instant Pot lid and pressure cook for 4 mins.
- Manually release pressure, open the lid and add vodka. Close the lid and leave it closed for at least 25 to 30 minutes before serving (this helps the alcohol evaporate and neutralizes the flavor, leaving a clear broth).
How to Make Ukha on the Stovetop
- If using a whole fish, fillet the fish and remove the fish head, the fish spine and tail.
- Add fish head and fish spine (and fish tail, if available) to a large pot with a heavy bottom. Top with enough water to cover, close with a lid and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cook for 40 minutes, until fish is completely falling apart.
- Drain the soup from the fish. Discard the fish bones, and return the broth to the pot (you can also wipe out the pot at this stage; my grandmother used to cook ukha in a big black pot and she claimed that wiping the pot helps the soup get clear).
- Bring the pot back to medium heat. Add the potatoes, cover the pot and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, uncover the pot and add the onion and carrots. Cover the lid and cook for 10 minutes on medium heat.
- Add fish fillets, salt, allspice berries, bay leaves and whole peppercorns. Cover with a lid and cook and cook for 15 minutes, until the potatoes and carrots are tender and the fish is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 F.
- Open the lid and add vodka. Return the lid and leave it closed for at least 25 to 30 minutes before serving.
Serve ukha
- Serve ukha in individual bowls with fresh parsley, dill, lemon wedges and salt and pepper to taste.
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