Shrimp and Corn Tortilla Soup

Fun, festive, flavorful Mexican-inspired Shrimp and Corn Tortilla Soup is a surefire way to bring a smile to everyone at the table–especially the seafood lovers! A spicy, tomatoey broth kicked up with fresh lime juice is the perfect pairing with shrimp while corn adds a touch of sweetness to the tangy base. Once prepped, it comes together quickly.

Why This Recipe is a Keeper!

Tortilla soup is a specialty served in and around Mexico City, Mexico. Although no one knows the exact origin of tortilla soup (also known as Sopa Azteca), no one can dispute its popularity.

This version of tortilla soup is probably not as authentic as what is served there, but I can say it is delicious!

• A spicy, tomatoey broth kicked up with fresh lime juice is the perfect pairing with shrimp.
• Corn adds a touch of sweetness to the tangy base.
• Crunchy tortilla strips, avocado, scallions, fresh jalapeno, cilantro and lime wedges add even more fun to this vibrant soup.

Once prepped, Shrimp and Corn Tortilla Soup comes together quickly. Read on for some time-saving tips so you can have this flavorful, fun, festive soup on the table in no time!

How to Make Shrimp and Corn Tortilla Soup:

Recipe Ingredients:

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this recipe along with how to prep. See the tortilla soup recipe card below for the exact quantities.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:

• Corn Tortilla Strips: Tortilla soup is a great way to use up past-their-prime corn tortillas. They fry up quickly in canola or vegetable oil and given a light sprinkling of salt and chili powder, you’ll find them hard to resist!
• Bell Pepper: Use any color: Red, yellow or orange.
• Jalapeno Peppers: We enjoy the added heat from the seeds but if you want to tone down the heat, remove the seeds and membrane as that’s where most of the heat comes from.
• Clam Juice: Clam juice is prepared from the liquid collected from steamed clams. Bottled clam juice is available in the canned fish and seafood aisle in any grocery store.
• Chicken Broth: With all the vibrant flavors going on and the addition of clam juice, the chicken broth won’t compete and simply adds depth. If you can find fish stock, you can use that instead.
• Mexican Oregano: Mexican oregano has an earthy flavor with citrus undertones and is a staple in Mexican cooking. Turkish or Greek oregano that you may be most familiar with is not a good substitute as that oregano has minty undertones. These two types of oregano share a name but that’s about it.
• Corn: I used frozen, thawed corn kernels but canned corn if that’s what you have is fine, too.
• Shrimp: I always buy wild-caught American shrimp. It has a superior texture to farmed, imported shrimp and buying it supports American jobs. I also always buy frozen shrimp as the quality will be better than anything that has been thawed and sitting in the seafood counter. (Because shrimp is so perishable, all shrimp is frozen shortly after it’s caught.) You can use any size shrimp but I like medium (often sold as 41-50 count) shrimp for shrimp tortilla soup as one shrimp fits on a soup spoon which makes it easy to eat and it cooks in seconds! Here’s a guide to shrimp sizes from Fine Cooking Magazine. Be sure to look each one over for any missed veins or shell fragments.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

• Gather and prep all the ingredients.
• Slice the corn tortillas into approximately 1/2-inch strips.
• Heat the canola (or vegetable oil) in a Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium high heat.
• Working in batches, fry the tortilla strips until crisp and just starting to turn golden. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Immediately sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt and chili powder. Set aside.

• Pour off all but two tablespoons or so of the oil.
• Add the onions and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until they begin to soften.

• Add the bell pepper and jalapeno and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until it begins to soften.

• Add the garlic and spices and cook briefly. Cooking the spices briefly is going to awaken their flavor.

• Add the chicken broth, clam juice and diced tomatoes.
• Bring that up to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer 10-15 minutes.
• MAKE AHEAD:  Can be done to this point 1-2 days ahead of time. Cool and refrigerate. You can even add the corn ahead of time, just don’t cook it too much. Reheat before adding the shrimp.

• Add the shrimp and corn and cook briefly. Shrimp, especially smaller shrimp will cook QUICKLY!

• Add lime juice, cilantro and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
• That’s it!!
• Serve with all the toppings and enjoy!

Chef Tips and Tricks:

• Seasoning any fried food right out of the hot fat helps the salt and seasoning adhere. The salt or other seasoning will fall off if you wait too long.
• To thaw shrimp quickly, immerse the desired amount in a bowl of cold water. Check the shrimp after 15 minutes and break up any clumps that freeze together. The shrimp may need another 5-10 minutes depending on the size. Once the shrimp are just beginning to become pliable, drain and peel and devein. If already peeled and deveined, look each one over for any missed shells or veins. Shrimp should never SIT in water for a long period of time as they can absorb water and the texture will be adversely affected.
• Time-saving tips:
  • Use two 10-ounce cans of diced tomatoes with green chiles in place of the tomatoes and chopped fresh jalapenos.
  • Use tortilla or corn chips in place of the fried tortilla strips. Or, fried tortilla strips for topping salads are available in the salad section of most grocery stores.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Make it a meal with:

• Crustless Spinach Artichoke Jalapeno Quiche
• Sheet Pan Quesadillas with Sweet Potatoes, Poblanos and Black Beans with Chipotle Sour Cream
• Whole Grain Zucchini Jalapeno Fritters with Cilantro Lime Sour Cream
• Simply Pumpkin Muffins

More spicy soup recipes sure to warm you up!

• Southwestern Stuffed Pepper Soup
• Spicy Peanut Soup with Chicken and Sweet Potatoes
• Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup with Ham and Chipotles
• Slow Cooker Cajun 15-Bean Soup with Andouille, Ham and Bacon

Get all my soul-satisfying soups at Soup and Stew Recipes – From A Chef’s Kitchen

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