Investment in Loans (Schedule of Residential Mortgage Loans) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2022
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		$ 2,904,894	$ 2,366,724
Unamortized Premium (Discount)		(163,785)	(143,262)
Fair Value	[1],[2]	$ 2,884,627	$ 2,415,321
Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted Average Coupon		1.77%	3.52%
Weighted Average Yield		3.45%	3.24%
Weighted average life		6 years 6 months 29 days	5 years 11 months 8 days
Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		$ 2,452,210	$ 1,969,874
Unamortized Premium (Discount)			44,039
Amortized Cost			2,013,913
Gains			15,499
Losses			(13,184)
Fair Value		2,433,007	2,016,228
Residential mortgage loans | Non-performing
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		30,808	33,949
Fair Value		28,150	$ 30,806
Residential mortgage loans | Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted Average Coupon			5.63%
Weighted Average Yield			4.68%
Weighted average life			2 years 18 days
Consolidated securitization trusts [Member] | Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Gains		2,000	$ 11,500
Losses		41,600	3,700
Loans held-for-investment [Member] | Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		2,452,210	1,958,807
Unamortized Premium (Discount)		49,023	45,462
Amortized Cost		2,501,233	2,004,269
Gains		3,879	13,792
Losses		(72,105)	(13,173)
Fair Value		$ 2,433,007	$ 2,004,888
Loans held-for-investment [Member] | Residential mortgage loans | Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted Average Coupon		5.59%	5.63%
Weighted Average Yield		4.38%	4.67%
Weighted average life		3 years 3 months 10 days	2 years 21 days
Loans held-for-sale | Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance			$ 11,067
Unamortized Premium (Discount)			(1,423)
Amortized Cost			9,644
Gains			1,707
Losses			(11)
Fair Value			$ 11,340
Loans held-for-sale | Residential mortgage loans | Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted Average Coupon			4.58%
Weighted Average Yield			5.94%
Weighted average life			29 days
Non-QM loan securitization | Residential mortgage loans | Consolidated Entities [Member] | Securitized loans [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Fair Value		$ 1,317,567	$ 1,041,545	$ 1,318,000

[1] Ellington Financial Inc.'s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet includes assets and liabilities of variable interest entities it has consolidated. See Note 9 for additional details on Ellington Financial Inc.'s consolidated variable interest entities.

[2] Includes assets pledged as collateral to counterparties. See Note 11 for additional details on the Company's borrowings and related collateral.