In this article we are going to delve into shrimp soup, or as it is known in Spanish Sopa de camarones.
Today it is a very popular dish in the south of Spain, and alongside the Spanish gazpacho, it is one of the soups that represents Spain worldwide. Definitely one of the easiest Spanish soup recipes.
This dish has a rich history and a wonderful flavor, and fortunately, it is very easy to make in your home, so here you’ll learn how to make Spanish shrimp soup.
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Background of the dish
Different historians agree that shrimp soup had its origin in southern Spain during the Middle Ages.
The benefit of this soup was that it fulfilled the role of keeping the citizens warm in the cold days of Andalusia, and it gave them the energy they needed to work all day in the coastal region.
Besides that, it was a very simple recipe since shrimp is one of the most common seafood in Andalusia.
If you are looking to spice things up and have a filling lunch or dinner, make sure to try our Gazpacho with Shrimp.
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Things You’ll Need
This shrimp soup recipe is very simple to make, so you won’t need much equipment other than a few pots.
The ingredients are also easy to find, and there are even many variations that you can make if you can’t find one of them!
Ingredients
- 1lb (500g) shrimp
- 7 cups (1750ml) water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 red bell pepper (roasted and peeled)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 can (400g) tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon saffron powder
How to make Spanish Shrimp Soup – Step by Step Guide
- The first step of this Spanish recipe is pretty easy! You just have to clean the shrimps, but don’t discard the tails and shells. Instead, put them in a large pot with water and salt, and pepper, then bring it to a boil and let it on medium heat for 15 minutes.
- You can skip this step if you can find store-bought shrimp broth in your town, but it is really easy and it tastes better homemade.
- After that grab a pan and pour olive oil on it, once it is hot add diced onions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Once the onions get a golden color add minced garlic, and red bell pepper and cook them together for one more minute.
- In the same pan pour chopped tomatoes with their juices and saffron powder. Cook them for 10 minutes on medium to low heat.
- Now in a large pan mix the shrimp broth and the cooked vegetables, and heat them for about 15 minutes to simmer. Then pour the shrimp in and cook it for 7 minutes or until the shrimp gets somewhat of pink color. After that, your soup is ready to be served!
Substitution of ingredients
Fortunately, there are several types of shrimp soup recipes, so you can take ingredients from some of them and add them to this recipe.
For example, you can make something similar to a spicy shrimp soup if you add paprika to this recipe, and replace the red pepper with a spicier one.
There are also Spanish seafood soups, which basically the difference is that you add more seafood, such as oysters, hake cut into cubes, mussels, etc.
Besides that, you can play with the vegetables by adding different types or even replacing the red pepper with any other type of pepper.
If you liked this recipe of soup with shrimp, don’t hesitate to try other types of Spanish soup recipes such as Spanish garlic soup, Spanish bean soup, and Spanish lentil soup.
Tips on Serving
This Andalusian food is usually served as a main dish, but if you want you can serve smaller portions and present it as a delicious starter.
It is commonly eaten during lunch or dinner, but for example, if you are looking for what to eat in Malaga, you may find that restaurants serve it at all times!
Being a soup that contains marine food, if you put a little grated Parmesan cheese on it, you will get a much richer flavor.
Feel free to serve it with toast or croutons to add a crunchy texture.
If you love fresh shrimp as much as we do, then make sure to try our Spanish Garlic Shrimp, the Andalusian spicy gambas al pil pil and the Spanish shrimp cocktail.
How to store Spanish Shrimp Soup
Cooked seafood can generally be stored in the freezer or refrigerator. In this case, being inside a soup can last up to three days in the refrigerator.
You can also freeze it and store it in the freezer for up to three months.
Anyway, the ideal is not to wait so long to consume it and eat it as soon as it is ready since it will have a much fresher and richer flavor.
Recipe Card – Spanish Shrimp Soup Recipe
Easy Spanish Shrimp Soup (Sopa de Camarón)
This shrimp soup recipe is very simple to make, so you won't need much equipment other than a few pots. The ingredients are also easy to find, and there are even many variations that you can make if you can't find one of them!
Ingredients
- 1lb (500g) shrimp
- 7 cups (1750ml) water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 red bell pepper (roasted and peeled)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 can (400g) tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon saffron powder
Instructions
- Clean the shrimps by removing the tails and shells, then put the shrimps on the fridge.
- Grab the tails and shells and put them on a large saucepan with water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and remove any foam that might appear, keep it on medium heat for 15 minutes.
- Discard the tails and shells and keep the broth.
- In another pan heat olive oil at medium heat and add the onion chopped. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, and then add garlic and bell pepper, cook for one more minute.
- After that, add diced canned tomatoes with their juices and saffron. Cook for 10 more minutes at a medium to low heat.
- In a large pan mix the broth and vegetables, then simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add shrimp and cook it for another 7 minutes until the shrimp gets a pink color. Serve warm.
Notes
You can substitute the red bell pepper with any pepper of your choice. You can skip the making of the shrimp broth if you get it store-bought. Besides that, this is a simple shrimp soup, but by adding more spices you could make a spicy shrimp soup.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 75Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 0mgSodium 354mgCarbohydrates 3gFiber 1gSugar 2gProtein 1g
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