Spicy Shrimp Soup is inspired by a dish from a local Ecuadorian restaurant. Spicy, warming, garlicky, and comforting, you will go back for bowl after bowl!
“I live in Mexico and haven’t found shrimp soup this delicious! And to be clear, they make some mean soups here! Just the right amount of spice, and so quick and easy to make! Thank you! This will be a regular in our house.”
File Spicy Shrimp Soup under mission accomplished. See, there’s a wonderful Ecuadorian restaurant in town run by the nicest family that 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.
Only problem is that last year I got sick eating my very favorite menu item, Camarones al Ajillo (spicy shrimp in garlic sauce) which this restaurant serves as a soup. It isn’t their fault, as their menu doesn’t 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.
Watch How to Make It
Already long story short, my husband and I have been trying to recreate the soup at home for the past 6 months and we FINALLY got it right!
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 fresh lime juice warms you from the inside out.
Jumbo shrimp are cooked in the broth for just a couple minutes before being ladled into bowls 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.
Main Ingredients Needed
At first glance the ingredient list might look a little long, but many of them are kitchen staples. Here are the main ingredients you’ll need:
- Aromatics: shallot and fresh garlic are softened in butter until incredibly fragrant.
- Flour: gives the broth a little body. This soup is definitely on the brothy side though.
- Stock: both chicken stock and seafood stock form the base of this warming soup. I like Imagine brand seafood stock in particular.
- Tomato sauce: adds flavor and color.
- Jalapenos: a portion are simmered in the stock to provide warmth, then each bowl is served with sliced raw jalepenos for a spicy kick.
- Seasonings: bay leaves, dried oregano, dried thyme, salt, and white pepper flavor each spoonful.
- Shrimp: jumbo shrimp are added to the hot, simmering broth where they poach in just a couple of minutes, remaining nice and plump.
- Fresh lime juice: lightens and brightens the broth.
- For serving: cooked white rice and fresh cilantro round out each bowl.
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Pin ItHow 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 4 or 5 on the heat scale. My young kids eat it just fine without the raw jalapeno slices.
It’s one part refreshing, on account of the lime juice and cilantro, while the jalapeno and steamy broth will warm your soul. PLEASE try this spectacular soup recipe!
How to Make Spicy Shrimp Soup
Step 1: Saute the aromatics.
Start by melting butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add finely minced shallot and garlic cloves then turn the heat down a bit 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.
Step 2: Thicken the soup.
Sprinkle in gluten-free flour (or AP flour if not GF) then stir to combine and cook for 1 minute while stirring.
Step 3: Add stock and seasonings.
To the pot add the stocks and seasonings:
- Chicken stock
- Seafood stock
- Tomato sauce
- Jalapeno that’s been sliced away from the ribs and seeds (leave the ribs and seeds in for a spicier soup).
- Bay leaves
- Seasonings: dried oregano, dried thyme, salt, and white pepper.
I recommend using stock versus broth in this recipe to get a super rich and comforting soup.
Step 4: Simmer the soup.
Turn the heat to high to bring the soup to a boil then place a lid partially on top, turn the heat down to medium-low, and simmer for 30 minutes. Afterwards, remove the jalapenos and bay leaves then season with fresh lime juice to taste.
Lastly, turn the heat back to high to bring the broth to a boil then add 3/4lb jumbo shrimp that have been peeled and deveined. Simmer for 1-2 minutes or until they’re cooked through.
Step 5: Serve.
Scoop the soup into bowls with 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!
More Warming Soup Recipes
- Gluten Free Lasagna Soup
- Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup
- Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup
- Creamy Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
- Cheesy Taco Soup
- Easy Chicken & Rice Soup
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 large shallot, finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, 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
- 3/4 lb jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 limes, 1 cut in half, 1 cut into wedges
- For serving: cooked white rice, chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
- Melt butter in a large 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 while stirring 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 simmer 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 simmer then add shrimp and simmer until cooked through – 1-2 minutes. Scoop soup into bowls then top with cooked rice. Add sliced raw jalapeños 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.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Hello Kristin! I just tried this recipe for the first time for dinner tonight. This soup is delicious! My only wish is that the soup yielded more than 3 to 4 servings. Cause if it were up to me I’d eat the whole thing to myself, lol. Next time I make it I’ll double the ingredients. Make it last longer. Thanks for the amazing creation!
– Heather
Easy!!! Really good. Been wanting to make this I saw on Pinterest and am so glad I did.
I’m from Texas and my husband from Iowa. Instead of tomatoe sauce, could it work with that spicy chipotle sauce that comes in a can?
I think it would drastically change the flavor of the soup, and maybe make it a bit too spicy, but a few spoonfuls could add some smoky flavor if that’s what you’re craving!
I would have been great for me if you would have just started out by giving the recipe. I understand that a lot of people try to be funny cute & interesting when they write and post things. In a world where there’s an overload of info…..just give us the recipe from jump. The rest at the start…..no body cares…not really. Less is more.
There is a button at the top of every single post, before a single line of copy, that says “jump to recipe”. You might find that button useful if you want to skip the text!
I made this last night and it was fantastic!!! I had to use vegetable broth in place of the seafood stock. I also doubled the shrimp because our family loves shrimp. This was absolutely phenomenal! It was light yet filling. I generally cook almost exclusively from IGE since my son and I feel our best with your recipes. Spicy Shrimp Soup is definitely going into my IGE soup repertoire. Thank you!!
This is on the menu for tonight! I have everything prepped and ready to go. I realized though, after re-reading the recipe, that I diced the jalapeño meant for the soup. I didn’t realize you took it out. So instead I’ll be adding some diced jalapeño while I sauté the onion and garlic, but won’t be able to remove it. I’ll update on how it turns out!
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!
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! ?
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!!
Ooo the Churrasco is another one of my favorites there – so juicy and tender.
Maybe dumb question…. but do you use already cooked shrimp or uncooked? 1-2 minutes doesn’t seem like enough time for uncooked shrimp?
Use raw, uncooked shrimp – it cooks very quickly in the hot broth!
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.
I’m sure it was awesome!! So glad you enjoyed it, Michelle!
Made this tonight, amazing! Actually chopped up the jalapeño and left it in the soup, with the seeds…perfect hotness for us.
I love it – super easy to adjust to your own tastes. So glad you liked it!
Made this tonight and both my husband and I loved it. Such great flavor! Thanks for the amazing recipe!
I’m so glad, Kristin! Thanks for your nice note, and star rating! :)
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!