I’m sitting here at 10:41am eating leftover Spicy Shrimp Soup for breakfast because ITS DELICIOUSNESS KNOWS NO TIME NOR EARTHLY BOUNDS. Well, maybe earthly bounds. It’d be pretty hard to eat soup I guess…anywhere else?
Anyway, file Spicy Shrimp Soup under mission accomplished. See, there’s a wonderful Ecuadorian restaurant here in town that’s run by the nicest family, and was even featured on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. The food is succulent, cooked from scratch, and satisfying in the way that only your Mom or Grandma’s cooking can be. You feel the love put into every dish.
Watch How to Make It!
Only problem is that last year I got sick eating my very favorite menu item, Camarones al Ajillo, or spicy shrimp in garlic sauce, which this restaurant serves as a soup. It isn’t the restaurant’s fault, as their menu doesn’t even have gluten-free items listed (very small and the waiters know every ingredient in every dish,) plus I’d eaten the soup dozens of times with no issues. My only guess is that the cook sprinkled in flour to thicken the dish up that day or something.
Super long-winded way to tell you that, as a result, Ben and I have been trying regularly and unsuccessfully for the past six months to recreate the soup at home, and last week we FINALLY got it right! I have a feeling the recipe title might not jump out at you at first glance, but selfishly I’m so glad to have this recipe perfected and documented because we will be making it for the rest of our days.
Spicy Shrimp Soup is comfort in a bowl. A combination of chicken and seafood stock simmered with jalapeno, a truckload of garlic, dried herbs and lime juice literally warms you from the inside out. Jumbo shrimp are cooked in the broth for a minute or two before being ladeled into bowls and served with cooked white rice, fresh cilantro, and raw jalapeno slices. The simmered jalapeno gives the soup warmth, while the raw jalapeno slices give each bite a little kick. This soup is SO spectacular.
How Spicy Is It
I don’t love dishes that blow my face off so, as written, with 1 being ice cream and 10 being a ghost pepper, I’d rate this recipe as a 5 on the heat scale. Lincoln can even eat it without the raw jalapeno slices.
It’s one part refreshing, on account of the lime juice and cilantro, while the jalapeno and hot broth will warm your soul. PLEASE try this spectacular, gluten-free soup recipe!
How to Make Spicy Shrimp Soup
Start by melting 4 Tablespoons butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat (doooon’t even try to skimp on the butter – 4 Tablespoons is what you need for the best flavor!) Add 1 large shallot that’s been finely minced and 5 garlic cloves that have been pressed or finely minced then turn the heat down just a touch and saute until tender and light golden brown, 5 minutes. The butter should just barely be sizzling as you don’t want the garlic to brown, just soften.
Sprinkle in 1 Tablespoon gluten-free flour (could use all-purpose flour, but the soup will not be gluten-free,) then stir to combine and saute for 1 minute.
Next add all the flavorings and goodies: 3 cups chicken stock, 2 cups seafood stock, 1 cup tomato sauce, 1 jalapeno that’s been sliced away from the ribs and seeds (leave the ribs and seeds in for a spicier soup and/or use 2 jalapenos,) 3 small bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon each dried oregano and salt, and 1/4 teaspoon each dried thyme and white pepper.
I recommend using stock versus broth in this recipe to get a souper (see what I did there) rich and comforting soup. Gluten-free seafood stock can be tricky to find, but Imagine brand is awesome if you can locate it!
Bring the soup to a boil then place a lid partially on top, turn the heat down, and simmer for 30 minutes. When the 30 minutes are up, remove the jalapenos and bay leaves then season with fresh lime juice to taste. I usually end up using around 1/3 of a fresh lime.
Turn the heat to high to bring the soup back up to a boil then add 3/4lb jumbo shrimp that have been peeled and deveined. Leave the tails on or off – totally up to you.
The shrimp will cook in a minute or two, so once they’re pink and plump, scoop the soup into bowls then add cooked long grain white rice, plenty of chopped cilantro, and sliced raw jalapenos. The jalapenos that simmer in the soup add a wonderful warmth to the broth, while the raw slices lend a kick. Definitely don’t leave them or the cilantro out. Serve fresh lime wedges on the side and you are SET, my friend! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try – we really do love it so!! Enjoy!
More 2 Bowl Worthy Soup Recipes
- Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup
- Creamy Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
- Cheesy Taco Soup
- Easy Chicken & Rice Soup
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Green Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
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Spicy Shrimp Soup
Description
Spicy Shrimp Soup is a copycat recipe from our favorite Ecuadorian restaurant. Spicy, garlicky, and comforting, you will eat bowl after bowl of this easy soup recipe!
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 1 large shallot, microplaned or minced
- 5 cloves garlic, microplaned, pressed or minced
- 1 Tablespoon gluten-free flour
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups seafood stock (I like Imagine brand)
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 2 jalapeños, divided (1 jalapeño sliced from the ribs/seeds, 1 sliced into rings)
- 3 small bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 3/4lb jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 limes (1 cut in half, 1 cut into wedges)
- chopped fresh cilantro
- cooked white rice
Directions
- Melt butter in a 5 or 6 quart Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic then turn heat down a touch and saute until light brown and tender, 5 minutes - make sure butter is just barely sizzling as to not brown the garlic. Sprinkle in flour then stir to combine and saute for 1 more minute.
- Add tomato sauce then stir to combine, ensuring there’s no lumps in the flour/butter mixture. Add seafood stock, chicken stock, the jalapeño that’s been sliced from the ribs and seeds, bay leaves, and spices. Turn heat up to bring soup to a boil then turn back down to medium, place a lid partially on top and gently simmer for 30 minutes. Remove bay leaves and jalapeños then add lime juice to taste, and salt if needed. I usually use about 1/3 of a fresh lime.
- Turn heat back up to high to bring the soup to a boil then add shrimp and boil until cooked through - 1-2 minutes. Scoop soup into bowls then top with cooked rice. Add sliced raw jalapeños (these add a ton of flavor and heat vs just being a garnish so don’t skip!) and chopped cilantro then serve with lime wedges.
Notes
- For a spicier soup, leave the ribs and seeds on the jalapeno that simmers in the soup, or use two jalapenos.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Holly K 01.29.2018
This weekend was the weekend of the IGE soups as I made the Sengalese Soup to pack for lunches this week (it’d been a couple months since I’d made it, I had forgotten it’s deliciousness, can’t wait for lunch) and then I made this Spicy Shrimp Soup yesterday in preparation for dinner tonight when we’ll just heat it up and add the shrimp. I tasted the broth and it took every ounce of restraint I had to not just dish up a bowl sans shrimp last night because it was IN-CRED-IBLE. So excited for dinner tonight! I’ve already shared the recipe with coworkers even without having eaten the finished product because it was just so magical. WOW! All that to say, I’m eating GOOD (and healthy) this week thanks to your fantastic soup recipes! Thank you!
Kristin 01.30.2018
Oh my gosh, I love it!! I SO know what you mean about restraining yourself from eating it all up – it was so hard to leave enough for Ben to eat! ?
Racheal 01.28.2018
Thank you! This is one of my very favorite restaurants! I have never gotten this soup (I usually order one of the steak dishes or the rice dishes (the seafood one is wonderful). I’m going to try this recipe ASAP!!
Kristin 01.30.2018
Ooo the Churrasco is another one of my favorites there – so juicy and tender.
Karen 01.28.2018
Maybe dumb question…. but do you use already cooked shrimp or uncooked? 1-2 minutes doesn’t seem like enough time for uncooked shrimp?
Kristin 01.28.2018
Use raw, uncooked shrimp – it cooks very quickly in the hot broth!
Michelle 01.22.2018
I made this tonight for supper…delicious! There’s so much flavor! I didn’t meant to leave the jalapeno in, but I chopped it too small to pick out. It’s got a nice level of heat.
Kristin 01.28.2018
I’m sure it was awesome!! So glad you enjoyed it, Michelle!
Kelly 01.22.2018
Made this tonight, amazing! Actually chopped up the jalapeño and left it in the soup, with the seeds…perfect hotness for us.
Kristin 01.23.2018
I love it – super easy to adjust to your own tastes. So glad you liked it!
Kristin 01.22.2018
Made this tonight and both my husband and I loved it. Such great flavor! Thanks for the amazing recipe!
Kristin 01.23.2018
I’m so glad, Kristin! Thanks for your nice note, and star rating! :)
Kelli @ Hungry HObby 01.22.2018
Anything with spicy and shrimp together is bomb, this soup looks SOOOOOO good! I need to make it before it gets to hot in AZ to enjoy soup!
Morgan 01.22.2018
I made this for dinner last night, my fiance and I LOVED IT. If you had not have advocated for it so hard in the post I might not’ve made it, so thanks for making sure this recipe came to my attention! To those who are considering making it- spring for the good shrimps, they really do make all the difference!
Kristin 01.23.2018
Oh I’m so glad, Morgan!! I know, I super sold it because I knew the recipe title wouldn’t really jump out at people. So, so glad you loved it!
Cassandra 01.19.2018
Hi there! I’ve made so many of your yummy recipes, they are hits with the boyfriend every single time so thank you. For this one, could you do all the steps prior to adding the shrimp, just let it simmer and then do the shrimp when ready to eat? It sounds like yes based on the reheating responses but just checking. Thanks again, love this site and check it almost daily!
Kristin 01.22.2018
That’s exactly what I did and it turned out great!
Kristin 01.23.2018
You bet, Cassandra! That works just fine! :)
Brittany | Words Like Honeycomb 01.19.2018
this sounds completely incredible and i am not even a huge shrimp person! will be trying this for a date night soon :) you have me totally convinced of its fabulous soupy self!
Food Hunter 01.18.2018
I love food and that’s why I write my reviews on different restaurants in Uganda. I love shrimp particularly and this is an amazing way to cook it, a way I haven’t seen before, definitely will try it.
Lindsay Rigelman 01.16.2018
I made this recipe tonight and it was fantastic! It was light, comforting, AND so flavorful! Loved it!
Kristin 01.17.2018
I’m so glad to hear it Lindsay!! You hit the nail on the head – light but also comforting. Thank you so much for your star rating too!
Laura 01.16.2018
Would cauliflower rice work in place of white rice? I have never tried it in soup.
Thanks!
Kristin 01.18.2018
I haven’t either, Laura! Let me know if you give it a go, and how it turns out!
rena 07.10.2018
Yes, cauliflower rice is a go for this soup. I’ve tried it and it’s just as good :)
Mary Ellen 01.16.2018
Oh, yah. Snow expected on Saturday here in AZ and this will be simmering on the stove! Thanks, Kristen! Can you share the name of the Ecuadorian restaurant for when we visit WDM next summer? Sounds like our kind of place.
Kristin 01.18.2018
Mi Patria – such an awesome place!
John 01.16.2018
So much flavor for simple and few ingredients. Saw it this morning and made it for lunch–really wonderful. More please! Very reminescent of San Francisco Ciopinno, so if you have any ideas there–or for bouillabaise–we would love to see them. Thank you for Spicy Shrimp Soup.
Kristin 01.16.2018
Oh my goodness, you totally made my day, John! I’m so glad you were inspired to give the recipe a try, and that you loved it. We were “trying too hard” when attempting to recreate this recipe, and when we simplified it, we hit the sweet spot. Again, so happy you enjoyed and thanks for your star rating!
Bonnie 01.16.2018
This might be the first seafood recipe that I make. I’m a “nothing from the sea but salt water taffy” kind of person, but he loves heat/spicy and seafood and I know he’d savor this for a change. Since he’ll be eating it all (main serving and leftovers), do you add in all of the shrimp if you know they’ll be leftover in it or just keep adding the fresher shrimp and cooking them as you prep it for the next time? … (BTW, three of your recipes were made on the weekend and in our fridge now – spicy tomato and turkey soup with ditalini with extra beans, sweet smoky turkey chili and turkey hot Italian sausage and leek soup … and the kale/caramelized sweet potatoes in on the menu for Friday with rotisserie chicken and fig balsamic.)
AGAIN, a thank you for so many delicious recipes that are part of our life. I did have one other question … on the little speedy videos that show, is there a way that you can put the name of what it is that’s being created throughout the video/above or below or in upper LH corner?
Kristin 01.16.2018
Hi Bonnie! I’m SO glad you’re making this soup! To answer your question, I would cook the shrimp fresh when reheating, vs reheating cooked shrimp. Good question. Also thank you for the video feedback – I will definitely keep this in mind. I too occasionally miss the first frame of videos then have to wait until the end to figure out what is being made. Again, thank you and I hope your guy LOVES the soup!!
Sheralyn 01.16.2018
Hi there! This sounds oh-so-yummy and there’s a very likely chance I’ll be making it tomorrow night. But! How long do leftovers last? Should I consider making a smaller batch for a family of 2, vs. 4? Thanks!
Kristin 01.16.2018
Oh I’m so glad you’re giving it a try! A full batch serves 3-4 so I think you guys will be able to polish off the whole batch in a couple days easyily. I would only add enough shrimp when initially making to eat with the first 2 bowls, then either reheat the leftovers on the stove and cook another batch of shrimp fresh, or just reheat the broth and rice and eat without the shrimp as leftovers.
Alexa 01.16.2018
I realize this sounds a little crazy, but do you think the recipe could be modified to omit seafood? This sounds delicious but my husband is allergic to ALL seafood.
Kristin 01.16.2018
Hi Alexa! You could use all chicken broth and either chicken or another protein. The flavor will be different, but should still be good! Might consider serving with grilled cheese! :)
Alexa 01.21.2018
Thanks, Kristin! I am going to try it and will let you know how it turns out.
Jensen DeAnna 01.16.2018
How do you think it would taste if I substituted Halibut for the shrimp? I have 400 lbs of halibut in my freezer and need ideas!!
Kristin 01.16.2018
That sounds delicious!! Go for it!
Monica 01.17.2018
I have a halibut lasagna recipe (made with a white sauce) that is to die for, if you’d like it!
Jensen DeAnna 01.17.2018
Oh yes please.
Tisleen 01.16.2018
Hi! What is the purpose of adding the flour – can you omit it?
Kristin 01.16.2018
It gives the soup a little luxurious thickness – it’s one thing we’d been leaving out that I really liked added in. That said, the soup will taste the exact same without it!