🇳🇴 Norway 🐺 Norwegian Elkhound Pick 🌍 World Kitchen 🆓 Free

Norwegian Salmon Soup
for Dogs

Laksesupe — Norway's beloved salmon soup. Fresh salmon cubes with potato, carrot, swede and kale in a clean, unsalted broth. No cream, no salt, no onion. Omega-3 DHA and EPA built right in — no supplement needed.

⏱️ 35 min total
🍽️ 4 servings
🔥 295 kcal / serve
💪 32g protein
Norwegian Salmon Soup for Dogs — Laksesupe
🇳🇴

About Laksesupe (Norwegian Salmon Soup)

Norway is one of the world's largest producers of Atlantic salmon, and Laksesupe — salmon soup — has been a Norwegian staple for centuries. The traditional version is made with cream, butter, onion and dill, reflecting the country's rich dairy and fishing traditions. The dog-safe version strips away the cream, salt and onion while keeping everything that makes this dish exceptional: the fresh salmon itself, which delivers omega-3 DHA and EPA directly from whole food, not from a supplement bottle.

🏆 Why This Recipe Is Good For Your Dog

🐟
Omega-3 Built Right In
Fresh salmon delivers DHA and EPA omega-3 directly from whole food — the most bioavailable form possible. No separate fish oil supplement needed.
💪
32g Complete Protein
Salmon provides all essential amino acids dogs need in one ingredient — a leaner, omega-3-rich alternative to chicken or beef.
🫀
Heart & Brain Health
EPA reduces systemic inflammation; DHA supports cognitive function, memory and eye health — especially valuable as dogs age.
🥕
Vitamin-Rich Root Veg
Carrot, potato and swede deliver vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium and dietary fibre — supporting immunity, gut health and energy.
🦴
Joint & Bone Support
Omega-3 from salmon has proven anti-inflammatory effects on joint tissue. Eggshell calcium corrects the Ca:P ratio for long-term bone health.
Coat Glow from Source
DHA from whole salmon is more bioavailable than from capsule oil supplements. Expect a visible improvement in coat shine within 4–6 weeks.

🛒 Ingredients

Makes 4 servings. Use the calorie calculator to find the right portion for your dog's weight.

  • 400gFresh salmon fillet, boneless and skinless, cut into 3cm cubes — always buy boneless or check for pin bones
  • 2 mediumPotatoes, peeled and diced
  • 2 mediumCarrots, diced
  • 1 mediumSwede (rutabaga) or sweet potato, peeled and diced
  • 100gFresh kale or spinach, roughly chopped
  • 5 cupsCold water (no stock needed — the salmon creates its own broth)
  • 1 tbspOlive oil
  • 2–3 sprigsFresh dill — remove before serving
  • ¼ tspEggshell calcium powder per serving — stir in cold after cooking

🐟 No fish oil supplement needed! Fresh salmon provides DHA and EPA omega-3 directly. This is the one recipe in the World Kitchen collection that is omega-3 complete without any add-ons.

👨‍🍳 How to Make It

1

Start the root vegetables

Place the diced potatoes and carrots in a large pot with 5 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook uncovered for 8 minutes — the vegetables will begin to soften and their natural sweetness will start to flavour the water into a gentle broth.

2

Add swede

Add the diced swede or sweet potato to the pot. Continue simmering for a further 5 minutes until all the root vegetables are tender and can be easily pierced with a fork, but are still holding their shape and not mushy. The water will have taken on a light golden colour from the carrots and swede.

3

Add salmon — gently

This is the most important step. Reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer — you want barely any movement in the water, just the occasional small bubble. Add the salmon cubes and cook for 5–6 minutes until the salmon is opaque all the way through and flakes easily when gently pressed with a spoon. Do not boil the salmon — aggressive heat makes it tough, ruins the texture, and degrades the omega-3 fatty acids. Gentle poaching is the key.

4

Add greens, oil and dill

Stir in the chopped kale or spinach and cook for 1–2 minutes, just until wilted. Stir in the olive oil and add the dill sprigs. The dill adds a gentle herbal aroma that makes the dish smell irresistible — even to picky dogs. Remove the dill sprigs before serving so your dog doesn't ingest large quantities of stems.

5

Cool and serve

Ladle the soup into your dog's bowl — include plenty of the broth, as it carries nutrients and keeps dogs well hydrated. Allow to cool fully to body temperature (test with your wrist — it should feel neutral). Once cooled, stir in the eggshell calcium powder. No fish oil is needed with this recipe; the salmon provides it naturally.

🚫 What Traditional Laksesupe Has That Dogs Cannot Eat

The classic Norwegian version is a rich, creamy soup — several ingredients have been removed entirely for dogs:

  • Raw salmon — always cook thoroughly; raw salmon can carry Neorickettsia helminthoeca, a bacterium that causes salmon poisoning disease, which can be fatal in dogs within 2 weeks if untreated
  • Heavy cream — the hallmark of traditional laksesupe; removed as it is too rich for dogs and most are lactose intolerant
  • Salt — standard Norwegian recipes are generously salted; dogs should have no added sodium
  • Onion or leek — Allium family vegetables; toxic to dogs, damages red blood cells
  • Butter — saturated fat in excess is unnecessary and can trigger pancreatitis in dogs
  • Salmon bones / pin bones — always use boneless fillets; even small pin bones are a choking and injury hazard
🐺

Why Norwegian Elkhounds Love This Recipe

Norway's national dog breed was bred to hunt elk through dense forests in extreme Nordic conditions. This salmon soup is a perfect nutritional match for the Elkhound's specific health profile:

  • Dense double coat: The Norwegian Elkhound's thick grey double coat requires sustained omega-3 DHA and EPA to stay weatherproof and reduce shedding — fresh salmon delivers this more efficiently than any supplement.
  • Hip dysplasia risk: The breed is prone to hip and elbow dysplasia. Omega-3's anti-inflammatory effects on joint tissue provide ongoing support without medication.
  • High stamina & endurance: Originally bred to track elk all day, Elkhounds need sustained energy. Potato and swede provide complex carbohydrates for long-duration activity without blood sugar spikes.
  • Eye health: Elkhounds can develop Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) with age. DHA from salmon plays a direct role in maintaining the photoreceptor cells of the retina.
  • Fussy eaters: Elkhounds can be surprisingly picky. The natural aroma of salmon and dill is highly appealing — even to reluctant eaters.

📊 Nutrition Per Serving

295
kcal
32g
Protein
9g
Fat
22g
Carbs

Values are approximate. Use the calorie calculator to adjust portion size for your dog's weight and activity level.

🐟 Omega-3: Complete — No Supplement Needed!

Fresh salmon naturally contains DHA and EPA omega-3 — the same fatty acids found in fish oil capsules, but in a whole food matrix that is more bioavailable. This is the only World Kitchen recipe that is omega-3 complete straight from the pot, with no fish oil needed. Salmon is why Norway has some of the healthiest coastal dogs in the world.

✅ What This Recipe Covers

  • ✅ Complete protein (fresh salmon)
  • ✅ Omega-3 DHA & EPA (salmon — built in!)
  • ✅ Vitamin A (carrot)
  • ✅ Vitamin C & potassium (swede)
  • ✅ Iron & vitamin K (kale/spinach)
  • ✅ Complex carbohydrate (potato)
  • ✅ Calcium balance (eggshell powder)
  • ✅ Heart-healthy fat (olive oil)

💡 Safety Tip: Check for Pin Bones

Even "boneless" salmon fillets can contain thin pin bones running through the centre of the fillet. Before cutting your salmon into cubes, run your fingers along the centreline of the fillet and remove any pin bones you find with tweezers or fish pliers. It takes 30 seconds and ensures the meal is completely safe.

🧊 Batch & Freeze

This soup freezes beautifully. Portion into individual servings, cool completely, then freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and serve at room temperature — no reheating needed as dogs don't require hot food. Add eggshell calcium fresh after thawing.