Pink salmon fish soup is a quick, budget-friendly Russian-style ukha with a beautiful rosy color and the gentle sweetness characteristic of salmon-family fish. It comes together in about 40 minutes from the most basic ingredients: a whole pink salmon, potatoes, carrots, onion and a small handful of millet or rice. The big advantage of pink salmon is that it's easy to find frozen at any supermarket and produces a clean, mild broth without a strong fishy aroma. Clean the fish, simmer with onion and bay leaf for 15 minutes, add diced potato and the grain and cook another 15 minutes. Pick the meat from the bones, return it to the pot and finish with dill. Proportions and tips for a clear broth inside.

Finnish trout soup with cream is a tender, creamy and remarkably tasty variation of the famous Finnish Lohikeitto, in which delicate red fish comes together harmoniously with cream, soft potatoes and fragrant herbs. Compared to classic salmon, trout gives a more delicate flavor and subtle aroma while keeping all the nutritional value of red fish. It's an ideal warming meal for a cold day, equally suited to a weeknight family dinner or to entertaining guests. Drop diced potato into boiling salted water, after 10 minutes add sautéed onion and carrot, bay leaf and peppercorns. Cut the trout fillet into large pieces and add to the soup 5-7 minutes before it's done. At the very end pour in heavy cream, add fresh dill and a pinch of white pepper. Serve with rye bread. Proportions for a 3-liter pot inside.

Lohikeitto is the national Finnish salmon soup — a creamy, delicate Nordic classic where rich salmon and fresh dill star alongside a velvety cream broth. It's a completely different style from Russian ukha: thick, creamy and gentle, with a subtle dill aroma and a touch of sweetness from carrots. Cut salmon or trout into large cubes, simmer potato, onion and carrot separately in water, then add 20% cream, the salmon and plenty of fresh dill at the end and warm gently for just 5-7 minutes — overcooking the fish makes it tough. Serve with dark Finnish rye bread, as the Finns do. Authentic proportions for 4 servings inside.

Sprat soup from canned fish in tomato sauce is a clever Soviet-era pantry trick that turns one can of sprats into a thick, deeply flavored soup in just 25 minutes — no one would guess it cooks so fast. The canned fish in its tomato sauce becomes the heart of the broth, contributing both protein and a rich, savory base. Build the soup in water or a light vegetable broth: add diced potato and sautéed onion with carrot, simmer 15 minutes until tender, then stir in the entire can of sprats with its sauce, warm through for 5 more minutes, finish with fresh herbs and serve. Proportions for a 3-liter pot and how to make it heartier inside.