Korean Fish Meatball Soup with Vegetables Recipe
A light yet filling soup with delicate fish meatballs, vegetables, and a broth flavored with soy sauce and garlic. It’s a bit like Polish fish soup, but milder and more “home-style,” without an intense fishy smell. In Korea, similar soups are often served as a warm, simple weekday lunch or dinner, especially when you want something lighter than meat.
This soup combines the comfort of home-style Korean cooking with familiar flavors for anyone used to European fish soups. The fish meatballs are delicate and mild, the broth is aromatic but not overpowering, and the vegetables add both color and lightness. It’s a great way to enjoy fish in a gentle, family-friendly form.
Chef's tips
Use a fresh, firm white fish such as cod, pollock, or hake for the best texture of the meatballs. Don’t overcook the fish balls – once they float and cook for a few minutes, they’re ready. If the mixture sticks too much to the spoons, dip them in cold water between forming each meatball.
How to serve
Serve the soup very hot, with extra chopped chives or spring onion on top. Put a bowl of rice on the table so everyone can add as much as they like directly into their bowl. You can also set out soy sauce and chili flakes so each person can adjust the flavor to their taste.
Ingredients
- white fish fillet - 400 g
- white part of leek - 1 piece
- carrot - 2 piece
- zucchini - 1 piece
- garlic - 3 clove
- vegetable broth - 1.2 l
- soy sauce - 3 tablespoon
- sesame oil - 1 tablespoon
- potato starch - 2 tablespoon
- egg - 1 piece
- salt - 0.5 teaspoon
- white pepper - 0.25 teaspoon
- chives - 10 g
Preparation
- Carefully check the fish fillet and remove any bones. Cut into smaller pieces and blend in a food processor or grind in a meat grinder to a smooth paste.
- Add the egg, potato starch, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, a pinch of salt, and pepper to the fish mixture. Mix with a spoon or your hand until the mixture is sticky and uniform. If it is too thin, add a little more potato starch.
- Peel the carrot and cut into thin half-slices. Wash the zucchini and cut into half-slices. Cut the white part of the leek in half lengthwise, rinse thoroughly, and slice into thin strips. Finely chop the garlic.
- Heat the sesame oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leek and sauté for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until it softens and turns slightly translucent but does not brown. Add the garlic and fry for another 30 seconds, until it becomes very fragrant.
- Pour in the broth, add the carrot, and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.
- Form small meatballs from the fish mixture, about the size of a walnut, using two teaspoons dipped in water, and gently drop them into the gently simmering broth. Cook for 5 minutes, until the meatballs float to the surface.
- Add the zucchini and the remaining soy sauce and cook for another 5–7 minutes, until the vegetables are tender but still slightly firm. Taste the soup and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Sprinkle the soup with chopped chives and serve immediately, preferably in deep bowls so the meatballs don’t cool down too quickly.
Storage
Zupę przechowuj w lodówce w szczelnym pojemniku i podgrzewaj delikatnie, aby klopsiki się nie rozpadły. Nie zamrażaj, bo klopsiki rybne po rozmrożeniu tracą strukturę i stają się gumowe.
