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.
This was super delicious – perfect as an isolation treat. Thank you!
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.
Can I get the nutritional information on this soup? I made it and we all loved it! I am trying to track what I eat. Thank you!
Hi Heather! I made your recipe for my boyfriend and he thought it was delicious! The only thing he requested is that I add in veggies to make it more filling, as he ate the whole pot on his own. What veggies do you think would complement this recipe?
I made this this evening and I really liked it. It was so easy and tasty, I could not find the seafood broth so I used a bottle of clam juice and worked just fine. Served with seeded sourdough bread and mixed green salad. Definitely a keeper, the broth is so tasty by itself.
This is absolutely delicious. I have been making this practically every Sunday since I discovered this recipe. I even love the way it smells when it is cooking, I would even call it a comfort food dish. I use two full jalapeños to simmer in the sauce, and a little extra shallots because I love their flavor. The aroma of the shallots cooking in the butter is divine; but I wait until the shallots have softened before adding the garlic to make sure the garlic doesn’t burn. Last week I substituted catfish in place of the shrimp and it was equally delicious. Thank you for this recipe, it’s fantastic! Five wonderful stars.
I was a bit disappointed in this recipe to be honest. I cook a lot and did this exactly as directed – it was lackluster and empty. The only substance was the odd shrimp here or there and it seemed like it was missing something. Pouring over white rice gives you empty carbs and doesn’t add much to the soup itself. The the use of all the butter is excessive and just adds to the unhealthy factor. According to most of the comments, it was a hit. Maybe it’s a midwest thing?
Hi Abbie! I’m sorry to hear you did not like this recipe – as you stated, I have not received similar feedback and love this soup very much myself! Also, I’m sure you didn’t mean it, but to say it’s a Midwest thing to like a lackluster and empty recipe is insulting. Again, I’m sure you didn’t mean for it to come across that way, but that’s how I received it.
I did some serious surfing for a recipe that called for a quart of stock and shrimp that wasn’t Thai soup. This soup base used the quart+ of shrimp stock from a summertime shrimp cocktail I made AND the tomato sauce I had in my freezer! The kids won’t eat spicy soups so I used a red bell pepper instead of the jalapeño and some red chili flakes for a little depth. Once I tasted for flavor, I figured I could do a veggie drawer clean out as well, so in went sugar snap peas (cut to bite size), cooked corn from a cob, and two baby bok choy. Since my stock was pretty salty, it needed more lime and cilantro. All in all, this recipe was perfect!
This soup looks amazing. I can’t wait to make it! Thanks
Made this for dinner for myself tonight, so good! Thnx for the recipe. Will make again.
I typically do not leave reviews for any recipes I find online; however, this one did! It was just amazing. I served it to my family and they loved it, they ate so many servings. I did add some tomatoes, carrots, and potato to the soup, which gave it that extra push. But even without it, it was spectacular, I will definitely be saving this recipe!!
I’m so, SO glad to hear it, Ruben! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating! :)
LOVE, love, love this recipe. My husband is the chef in our home, but every once in a while I claim my spot in the kitchen Just made this for our family and got rave reviews!! I cooked the base (without shrimp) the night before, and refrigerated overnight, then brought back to a boil and added shrimp before serving. It had such a deep, rich flavor. Also shared your recipe history which we all appreciated. Hats off to you and your husband, Kristin!! Thank you!!
Thank YOU, Helen, for such a glowing review! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Love the way this looks! Can we omit the jalepeno? I have a little guy who doesn’t like spicy so trying to compromise! :-)
You bet!