Fish Pepper Soup
Fish pepper soup provides spicy, comforting, and flavorful goodness with fresh fish, warming spices, and vibrant herbs. This West African staple is known for its spicy kick, thanks to Scotch bonnet peppers. Its aromatic base often includes ginger, garlic, and locally available spices.
Traditionally an appetizer or main course, we love fish pepper soup for its invigorating heat and restorative qualities. This Lenten must-have is perfect for cooler weather or whenever you’re craving something hearty that won’t weigh you down. Utter simplicity with fresh ingredients builds layers of flavor in a short time.
Plus, this African fish soup is so easy to adapt to personal preferences, including the spice level. It’s one of those recipes you can switch up every time you make it, depending on what’s in your fridge and how you feel that particular day.
Which Fish Works for Fish Pepper Soup?
Any firm white fish will work well in this pepper soup. You can use tilapia or croaker, but catfish pepper soup is quite popular! Use your favorite fish or whatever you have on hand. Cameroonian and Nigerian pepper soups are similar.
How to Make Fish Pepper Soup
Traditional Method
- Bloom the Spices – Heat a saucepan with about a tablespoon of oil, then add the garlic, ginger, bay leaf, paprika, and hot pepper. Sauté everything for about a minute. (Photo 1)
- Add Flavor – Next, throw in the onions, celery, white pepper, green onions, bouillon powder, and other spices. Continue stirring for another minute. (Photo 2)
- Simmer – Add 3-4 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes. (Photos 3-4)
- Fish – Add the fish, basil, and salt. Continue cooking until the fish is cooked (10 minutes or more), adding more water if necessary.
- Adjust – Give it a taste test and adjust the seasonings and thickness of the soup with water and spices. Remove the bay leaf.
- Serve with boiled green plantains, rice, or on its own. (Photo 4)
Quick Method
- Spices – Place all the spices (except the bay leaf) in a blender or food processor. Pulse until everything is pureed.
- Simmer – Place the blended spices in a saucepan with the bay leaf, then add 3-4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for around 10 minutes. Next, add the fish and continue cooking until the fish is cooked through. Discard the bay leaf.
- Adjust for seasonings and thickness as needed.
- Serve hot. Enjoy!
Flavor Variations
- Add other seafood. A seafood medley adds different textures and flavors, making it an even better special occasion dish.
- Make it creamy. Add coconut milk to give this soup a creamy texture with a rich and slightly sweet flavor.
- Thicken it. You can thicken this soup with blended vegetables like tomatoes and onions, giving it a light, stew-like consistency.
- Add extra depth. Use fish or chicken stock as your base rather than plain water. Homemade broth adds a subtle richness, making the soup even more flavorful.
Recipe Notes
- Fresh fish is key for flavor and texture. Fresh frozen also works. Opt for firm, white-fleshed fish like tilapia, catfish, snapper, or sea bass. 🐟
- Fish with bones enhances the soup’s flavor, but filets work well for a more refined version.
- Scotch bonnet or habanero peppers are traditional for intense heat, but can easily overpower the dish. Start with a small amount, and add more to taste. For a milder soup, remove the seeds from the peppers or use only half.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
To make this dish ahead of time, cook the broth, then refrigerate or freeze it. That way, the flavors meld for an even more flavorful base. When you’re ready to serve, reheat the broth until it’s gently simmering, then add fresh fish pieces and cook until done. Doing so prevents the fish from becoming too soft or losing its delicate texture.
Transfer leftover fish pepper soup with fish already in it to an airtight container and refrigerate. It can last in the fridge for 2-3 days. Keep in mind that the fish may soften slightly over time, but the flavor should remain delicious.
Gently reheat the fish pepper soup on the stovetop over medium heat to avoid overcooking the fish. You could also add a splash of water or stock if the broth has thickened.
What Goes With Fish Pepper Soup
Fish pepper soup pairs beautifully with traditional fufu for an authentic experience. For an extra touch, pair it with njama njama (stir-fried greens) to keep the meal rooted in African flavors. Alternatively, you can serve it with a tossed salad and crusty garlic bread for an American twist.
More Spicy African Soup Recipes to Try
Africa boasts many soup recipes, and here are just a few.
- Slow Cooker Oxtail Soup
- Groundnut Soup
- Goat Pepper Soup
- Mbongo Tchobi (African Spicy Black Stew)
- African Chicken Pepper Soup
By Imma
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”v88DcDRf” upload-date=”2019-11-20T11:16:51.000Z” name=”Fish Pepper Soup” description=”Fish Pepper Soup – A quick and easy robustly flavored African Fish Soup.” ]
This blog post was originally published in February 2015 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video
Fish Pepper Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) cooking oil
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon (15g) grated fresh ginger
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon (8-9g) smoked paprika
- 1 or more hot peppers, chopped or whole (scotch bonnet, habanero, serrano, etc.)
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons (15-20g) or more diced celery
- 1 teaspoon (7-8g) white pepper
- 1-2 green onions, chopped (whites and green parts)
- 1-2 teaspoons (3-8g) bouillon powder
- ethnic spices (optional; see note)
- 2-2½ pounds (900-1,200g) white firm-fleshed fish, cut into the desired size pieces
- 3-4 leaves basil, chopped
- salt to taste
Instructions
Method 1
- Heat a saucepan with about 1 tablespoon of oil, and add garlic, ginger, bay leaf, paprika, and hot pepper. Sauté for about a minute.
- Toss in the onions, celery, white pepper, green onions, bouillon powder, and optional spices. Continue stirring for another minute.
- Add 3-4 cups of water and bring it to a boil—simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Add fish, basil, and salt. Continue cooking until the fish is done (about 10 minutes). Add water as necessary.
- Adjust the seasonings and thickness of the soup with water and spices. Remove the bay leaf.
- Serve with boiled green plantains, rice, or on its own.
Quicker Method 2
- Place all the spices (except bay leaf) in a blender or food processor—pulse until everything is pureed.
- Place in a saucepan with a bay leaf, add 3-4 cups of water, and bring it to a boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Then add fish and continue cooking until it's done. Discard bay leaf (add water as necessary).
- Adjust for seasonings and thickness. Serve hot. Enjoy!
Tips & Notes:
- Add the fish during the last 10-15 minutes before turning off the stove. You could blend all the spices, boil for about 10 minutes, add the fish, and simmer for another 10 minutes, depending on your fish
- Optional ethnic spices include lemongrass, Njangsa, ehuri (African nutmeg), negro pepper, alligator pepper, allspice, cumin, curry, fennel seeds, and fresh herbs like thyme. My favorite herb is Thai basil because of its stronger anise flavor
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe
Ohhh this looks amazing. I want to make this, but I would like to make it as authentic as possible. Would you recommend that I use all of the african spices that you listed or to just follow your recipe as it? Also, what type of bullion do you use?
Hello Glad 🙂 ,
If you can easily get a hold of the other African spices I would say Go for it! If you can’t, no worries. It will still be delicious!
Made this yesterday…..it was so good. I added corn, a little potatoes, carrots, and shrimp. I used boneless cod fish….the flavors were awesome.
That’s good to know . Thanks for the feedback.
That sounds delicious! Will try that soon. Thanks for stopping by!!
I made this tonight for the first time and i must say I really enjoyed it. Surprisingly my kids did as well, they always say they dont like fish. Tonight they liked this soup. I always come to your site to try to cook new things. Mostly because my husband is Nigerian so I’m learning dishes I can make for him. Thank you. I used catfish nuggets worked just fine.
Oh and i used Thai basil like you suggested that you like to use. I never even new it existed. I chewed a fresh piece. It does have a light licorice lemony taste to it but it doesn’t come out it the soup strongly.
Thank you for taking the time to let me know. Glad to hear your family loves it. 🙂
OMG, I just tried this recipe and it was a HUGE hit with my family. This is a keeper for sure. Thank you so much for sharing this !!!! I had no idea about smoked paprika!! So much flavor!! Awesome!!
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback
I want to make this soup…i have some Ida clusters can that be used as my ethnic spice or should I omit it…what is in ethnic spice?
Yes it can- as long as you enjoy the flavor of the spice.
I’m excited about this recipe and I can’t wait to try it out.
Please do let me know how it turns out for you, Grace! Happy weekend!
Hello imma my name is vennetta im looking forward to cooking your fish soup during this lent. Ive been looking for ways to cook fish soup and this recipe sounds right up my street. Thanks again
Awesome! Do let me know how it works out for you. Thanks
I absolutely love your recipes, this is the 3rd one I’ve tried and they have all been outstanding. This soup was a huge hit and I can see it becoming a regular weeknight dinner for years to come. I used flounder because it’s what I had on hand and it was just lovely. The flavors were warm and spicy, and this recipe gives me so many options to play with new spices and flavor profiles. Thank you for sharing your beautiful recipes!
Aww… thanks Amy So thrilled you would take time out to let me know.
Hi Immaculate,
What fish did you use for this recipe?
Hi Bisi, I used catfish .
Wow I love this am from Nigeria the way we cook our pepper soup is not this way but I live it because it colourful and am going to try it for my practical
Awesome! Do let me know how it works out for you.
I love your recipes, they give me life. I always try something and then want to make it at home and you have made that possible. Do you have suggestions for the kind of fish? I will try this one next week.
It really doesn’t matter – any white fish will do. I have tried different varieties and they all do just fine- Have not tried it with salmon.
I’ve made this twice, and we loved it both times. I omitted the hot pepper as it was hot enough for us and added cooked soba noodles to the final soup.
Yes to soba Noodles. Always a great addition to soups. Thanks for taking the time to share .
Cletus, so happy to hear it hit the spot and thanks for the feedback!!!
Thanks. It has been cold along the east coast this winter so this pepper soup is just what the doctor ordered. We followed your recipe but added a little njansa. Yum yum yum.
Thanks
This fish soup looks so flavoursome, aromatic and delicious – just like all your food! It’s perfect for lent, so I have to make it.
Thanks Thalia. Now go make it!
Oh my gosh, this looks and sounds amazing! So happy to have discovered your blog. You’ve got some seriously good looking recipes on here!!
Thanks Brooke!!
I have some unused pieces of fish in the freezer. They’ve been knocking around for months now, since I’ve been drinking plenty of veggie soup for the cold weather. I will make this tomorrow since it’s traditional for Caribbean people to drink soup on Saturdays.
Charlene, I never knew that! And am surrounded by Caribbean people. I guess not everyone follows tradition. Well let me know what you think of this soup.
Thanks for another fabulous recipe 🙂 For the ethnic spices…. what combination of them do you recommend? I have all of them and I’m very tempted to add all of them… but that may not be such a great idea….lol! Thanks again.
Nullacia, I would say about 2-3 ethnic spices, start adding about 1 teaspoon of each( if you have them ground already) do a taste test as you add in the pot. You know some spices are stronger than others.
African nutmeg is really strong and if you add too much it becomes bitter-So go easy on with that.
Njansa thickens the soup but can be overwhelming too. I usually just add about 1 teaspoon . Unless am making really thick pepper soup. Let me know if you have any more questions. Do let me know how it works for you . Thanks
I’m almost waiting for you to run out of ideas that continue to wow me. How is it possible that someone has such an amazing stash of recipes up their sleeve? Fish soup would ordinarily never catch my eye. Yours? Flavor kapow. I want. Now.
Thanks Nagi. You have got to try this African Fish soup, I know you would love it.
Looks yummy I need to try it.
Teejay , let me know how it works for you!
I got all the ingredients Making this for a late lunch
Awesome! Do let me know how it works out for you.