01
Shrimp
10.0best for soup1 lb : 1 lb
Cut into chunks; heartier, rich seafood flavor
10.0
salmon substitute
in soup.
Salmon simmered in Soup provides hearty protein and rich, savory depth to the broth. The substitute must hold up to long cooking without falling apart.
top substitutes
adjustment for this dish
Shrimp cooks in 2 minutes at 180F vs salmon's 4-5; swap 1:1 lb but drop in only during the final 90 seconds of the simmer or the tails curl tight and the meat turns rubbery. Their shells build a better broth body than salmon ever does — simmer reserved shells 20 minutes in the stock before the aromatic saute for extra depth.
02
Tuna
10.0best for soup1 lb : 1 lb
Rich fish, works fresh or canned
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Canned tuna is fully cooked and falls apart in hot broth; swap 1:1 lb drained and stir in off heat after the pot comes off the burner to warm through only. Its flavor is muted vs salmon's richness, so bump the reduce-and-season step with 1 tbsp miso paste per quart to restore the savory depth.
03
Trout Fish
10.0best for soup1 fillet : 1 fillet
Very close flavor and fat content; cooks in the same time as salmon
10.0
show 9 more substitutes
04
Sardine Fish
10.01 oz : 1 oz
Oily and flavorful; use canned for salads or pasta in place of canned salmon
10.0
05
Herring Fish
10.01 fillet : 1 fillet
Oily and rich, especially pickled or smoked; best as canned or smoked salmon swap
10.0
06
Mackerel Fish
10.01 fillet : 1 fillet
Oily and rich like salmon but stronger; great grilled or smoked
10.0
07
Halibut Fish
6.71 fillet : 1 fillet
Milder and leaner; reduce cook time slightly to avoid drying out
6.7
08
Cod Fish
6.71 fillet : 1 fillet
Leaner and flakier; add olive oil or butter to compensate for missing fat
6.7
09
Tilapia Fish
6.71 fillet : 1 fillet
Much milder and leaner; best in saucy or seasoned dishes, not standalone
6.7
10
Haddock Fish
6.71 fillet : 1 fillet
Mild and flaky; swap in for baked or poached salmon preparations
6.7
11
Mahimahi Fish
6.71 fillet : 1 fillet
Firm and mildly sweet; holds up well on the grill like salmon
6.7
12
Tofu
3.31 fillet : 1 fillet
Firm tofu works in plant-based versions; press and marinate to mimic salmon texture
3.3
technique for soup
technique
Salmon added to soup stays intact only if you drop 1-inch cubes into 180F broth (never a rolling boil) for the final 4-5 minutes of cooking, because the collagen that holds the flakes together denatures above 195F and the fish shreds into stringy threads. Build the body first: sweat aromatics (leek, fennel, celery) in butter for 8 minutes, deglaze with 1/4 cup white wine, reduce by half, add 6 cups fish stock and a bay leaf, simmer 20 minutes, then skim the surface foam before the fish goes in.
A finishing spoon of cream (1/4 cup per quart) and dill off heat gives the depth home cooks want without masking salmon's own richness. 5 tsp salt per quart is the floor.
Stir gently and only once after the fish is in; repeated stirring flakes the cubes apart.
pitfalls to avoid
watch out
Don't drop salmon into a rolling boil; keep broth at 180F (tiny bubbles at the edge only) so collagen holds and the flakes stay intact instead of shredding into threads.
watch out
Avoid stirring more than once after the fish goes in; repeated stirring breaks the 1-inch cubes into a cloudy mess and the body turns gritty from the debris.
watch out
Skim foam off the broth before adding salmon; the surface scum traps in cubes and gives a muddy, off-flavored finish to what should be a clear depth.
watch out
Simmer aromatics a full 8 minutes before deglazing with wine; undercooked leek and fennel taste sharp and raw against the delicate stock body.
watch out
Season broth aggressively (1.5 tsp salt per quart minimum); salmon's fat disperses across the whole pot and under-seasoned soup tastes flat no matter how much fish you add.