Portuguese-Style Fish & Bean Soup 🐟🥣🌶 Hearty, Garlicky, and Brimming With Smoky Paprika and Coastal Soul

This soup is peasant food in the best way — humble ingredients elevated by balance and depth. Flaky white fish, tender beans, and rustic vegetables simmer in a brothy tomato base layered with garlic, smoked paprika, olive oil, and just enough chili to warm your chest.

It’s built for crusty bread, drizzle-it-yourself olive oil, and cold weather with a Portuguese soul.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

For the base

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small red bell pepper, diced
• 1 tsp smoked paprika (or sweet paprika)
• ¼ tsp chili flakes (optional)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
• ½ cup dry white wine (optional, or sub ½ cup broth)
• 4 cups chicken or seafood stock

For the hearty components

• 1 can (14 oz) white beans (cannellini or navy), drained and rinsed
• 2 small Yukon Gold or red potatoes, peeled and diced
• ¾ to 1 lb firm white fish (cod, haddock, halibut), cut into chunks
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

To finish

• Juice of ½ lemon
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley or cilantro
• Optional: drizzle of good olive oil, crusty bread for serving

Instructions

Step 1: Sauté the Base

In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook 5–6 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic, smoked paprika, chili flakes, and tomato paste. Cook 1–2 minutes until aromatic and slightly caramelized.

Step 2: Simmer the Broth

Pour in white wine and let it reduce for 2–3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, stock, potatoes, and beans. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer 15–20 minutes until potatoes are just tender.

Step 3: Add the Fish

Gently add fish chunks to the pot and simmer 5–6 minutes more, just until opaque and flaking. Avoid stirring too much — you want the fish to hold together.

Step 4: Finish and Serve

Stir in lemon juice and chopped herbs. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and chili as needed. Ladle into bowls and drizzle with olive oil if desired. Serve with crusty bread or cornbread on the side.

Flavor Variations

• Add sliced chorizo at the beginning for a smoky, meaty layer
• Use kale or collard greens — add them with the potatoes
• Swap beans for lentils or chickpeas for variation
• Make it spicier with piri piri or Portuguese hot sauce

Pro Tips

• Use firm white fish that won’t disintegrate — cod and halibut work beautifully
• Beans go in early to absorb flavor — but don’t over-stir or they’ll break
• A good smoked paprika makes all the difference — go Spanish if you can
• Soup is even better after resting 20–30 minutes covered, off heat
• For meal prep, cook everything except the fish, then add it when reheating

Final Thoughts

Portuguese-Style Fish & Bean Soup is rustic, warming, and full of honest flavor — a bowl that feeds hunger and soul alike. It’s coastal home cooking built from pantry staples, brightened with lemon, and rich in smoky simplicity.

Simmer it slow. Spoon it deep. Let the broth speak. 🐟🥣🔥

🦐 More Coastal Seafood Recipes

From cozy casseroles to zesty grilled fish and elegant seafood pastas, this collection of Seafood Recipes covers every ocean-inspired craving — whether you’re planning a dinner party or a quick weeknight win.

🐟 Classic Seafood Dish Recipes – Think pan-seared salmon with lemon dill and timeless coastal favorites.
🦞 Delicious Seafood Boil Recipes – Spicy, saucy boils packed with crab, shrimp, and corn. The ultimate feast.
🍝 Seafood Pasta Recipes – Elegant and indulgent, like shrimp linguine in a white wine sauce.
🍤 Shrimp Recipes – Versatile, fast, and flavor-packed; smoky grills to sizzling stir-fries
🐟 Salmon Recipes – Baking & grilling to bowls, pastas, and more — healthy, flavorful, and easy to make/
🦞 Seafood Casseroles – Bubbly, Buttery & Oven-Ready. Comfort food meets coastal flavor.
🥣 Flavorful Seafood Soups – Rich chowders, bisques, and broth-based favorites.
🍽️ Easy Seafood Dinner Recipes – Quick, delicious, easy recipes bring bold flavor with minimal prep and cleanup
🥗 Healthy Seafood Recipes – Light, fresh & packed with protein and omega-3s with bright, satisfying flavor
🍚 Risotto Recipes with Seafood – Creamy, silky rice dishes meet the richness of the sea.
🌊 Seafood Stews – Mediterranean, Latin to classic American, hearty stews with satisfying depth in your bowl.
🍝🧀 Seafood Lasagna – Lasagna meets the sea in these rich and satisfying delicious twist classic bakes.