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Pilar's Chilean Food & Garden

Pilar's Chilean Food & Garden

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Paila Marina Chilean Seafood Soup

May 3, 2022 by Pilar Hernandez
Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·★★★★4 from 1 review

Versión en español

Chilean Paila Marina is a traditional and beloved dish in Chilean cuisine, known for its rich flavors and fresh ingredients. Paila Marina typically includes an assortment of seafood, such as fish, shellfish, and mollusks, on a flavorful broth and various vegetables.

“Paila Marina” refers to the cooking vessel to prepare or serve the soup. A ‘paila’ is a shallow, wide metal pan or cooking pot.
The exact recipe for Paila Marina can vary depending on the region and the personal preferences of the cook. However, some common ingredients include fish (such as hake or conger eel), shrimp, clams, mussels, scallops, onions, tomatoes, garlic, cilantro, and other herbs and spices.
Chilean Seafood Soup Caldillo de MariscosThe seafood is often cooked in a broth, creating a rich and savory base for the soup. It is typically served hot and garnished with fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice for added zest.

Paila Marina is known for its hearty and comforting nature, making it a popular choice, especially in coastal areas where fresh seafood is readily available. It is often enjoyed as a main course, particularly during cooler months when a warm, satisfying soup is incredibly appealing.
It is one of the most traditional soups consumed in Chile on the coast, also popular in the Mercados (Central Markets) to recover after a long night of partying. Paila Marina can be made with any shellfish and fish available that day. Their raw cousin is the Mariscal.

Seafood
In the USA, I use the mix of seafood they sell at Costco or in supermarkets in the frozen products.
Typically, Paila Marina doesn’t include potatoes, but I grew up in a potato-lover family. If you want to be authentic, omit them from the recipe.

On this blog, the recipes come from Chilean home cooks who feed their families daily with what is available in the market and what is affordable. So, the understanding of what seafood means is flexible for each of these dishes:

  • Salsa Margarita Chilean Seafood Sauce
  • Chupe de Mariscos Seafood Casserole
  • Empanadas de Mariscos Seafood Empanadas
  • Machas a la parmesana (Chilean Razor Clams)
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Paila Marina Chilean Seafood Soup

★★★★

4 from 1 review

Print Recipe
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A comforting soup.

  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 6

Ingredients

Units
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 potatoes, optional
  • 1/2 red pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon of paprika powder
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
  • 1 pound firm white fish or salmon
  • 1 pound of shrimp
  • 1 pound of fresh (or frozen) mussels or 250 g of canned mussels
  • 1/2 pound of squid rings (calamari)
  • 3/4 white wine cup
  • 5 cups broth of fish or vegetables
  • Oil, salt, and pepper

Instructions

  1. Wash the mussels carefully (if you use fresh mussels).
  2. Cut the onion, peel the potatoes, chop them into wedges, and cut the red pepper into cubes. Cut the fish into cubes.
  3. In a large pot, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, pepper, oregano, bay leaf, paprika, salt, and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    Onion and potatoes for seafood soup onion and pepper for caldillo
  4. Add the potatoes, wine, and broth. Cook until it boils, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the fish and mussels. Cook for another 5 minutes. Discard any mussel that hasn’t opened. Fish and potatoes should be cooked.
    Scallops and potatoes for caldillo
  5. Add the shrimp and squid. Cook until the shrimp changes color.
    Caldillo ready on pot
  6. Serve hot, sprinkle with chopped parsley and accompany with lemon wedges.
    Chilean Seafood Soup, Caldillo de mariscos
  • Author: Pilar Hernandez
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stove
  • Cuisine: Chilean

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 395
  • Sugar: 4.3 g
  • Sodium: 1233.9 mg
  • Fat: 7.2 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 29 g
  • Fiber: 3.6 g
  • Protein: 46.9 g

Keywords: Chilean seafood soup, caldillo de pescado y mariscos, paila marina

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If you enjoyed this recipe, you would also enjoy my cookbook* featuring 75 Chilean recipes for all seasons. It is lovingly written and scrumptiously photographed, and you’ll delight in the best Chilean cuisine offers, with easy-to-follow recipes tailored to American ingredients and grocery stores.

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Category: Chilean Seafood, Chilean Soups & Starters

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  1. Isabel

    August 17, 2021 at 6:46 am

    Hi Pilar, I have made this soup (Caldillo) twice and my whole family and myself LOVED IT.

    Many thanks, for sharing your recipes with us.

    Isabel J

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • Pilar Hernandez

      August 17, 2021 at 11:36 am

      Oh, I’m so glad Isabel. Thanks for commenting.

      Reply
    • Pilar Hernandez

      August 17, 2021 at 11:37 am

      Oh, I’m so glad, Isabel. Thanks for commenting.

      Reply
  2. Pamela

    April 3, 2021 at 7:35 pm

    Thanks sooooo much for the recipe. !!! I love caldillo but i wasn’t sure about ingredients and how to cook this wondefull plate reminds me childhood in chile….thanks so much !!

    Reply
    • Pilar Hernandez

      April 5, 2021 at 12:58 pm

      Enjoy, so good to have you here.

      Reply
  3. Iliana MsLily Rodriguez

    October 12, 2020 at 2:02 am

    I’m sorry but these were terrible instructions.. you forgot to mention when to add the oregano and the bay leaf which are very important for taste. The measurements on the amount of broth was not enough for the amount of fish to put in the soup. Threw the home recipe off. Smh

    Reply
    • Pilar Hernandez

      October 12, 2020 at 12:57 pm

      I’m sorry it didn’t work for you. You can always add more broth, some families like abundant broth others a lot less. As long as you adjust the seasoning you will be fine. I added the specific instructions for the oregano and bay leaf. Thank you.

      Reply
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