Shrimp and Corn Soup
Published Apr 21, 2024
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Fun, festive, flavorful Mexican-inspired Shrimp and Corn 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!
This spicy Shrimp and Corn Soup has all the Mexican-inspired flavors you love! A spicy, tomatoey broth with the tang of fresh lime juice perfectly pairs with shrimp. Corn adds a touch of sweetness to the tangy base.
This restaurant-quality soup is also easy enough for a weeknight. Once prepped, Shrimp and Corn Soup comes together quickly.
Shrimp and Corn Soup is:
- Easy! Only minimal chopping skills are required and frozen corn kernels are a great convenience product.
- Budget-friendly! With shrimp, you ask? You bet! Smaller shrimp are perfect for soup and cost much less than large or jumbo shrimp.
- So delicious! The spicy, tomatoey broth is seasoned with chili powder, ground cumin, and Mexican oregano for a mouthwatering combination!
- Light enough for warm-weather enjoyment yet hearty and soul-satisfying for chilly weather.
How to Make Shrimp and Corn Soup:
Recipe Ingredients:
Here’s what you’ll need to make this shrimp and corn soup recipe. See the recipe card below for the exact quantities.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
- 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.
- Chicken Broth: With all the vibrant flavors going on and the addition of clam juice, the chicken broth won’t compete and adds depth. If you can find fish stock, you can use that instead. Vegetable broth can also be used.
- Mexican Oregano: Mexican oregano has an earthy flavor with citrus undertones and is a staple in Mexican cooking. Turkish or Greek oregano, which you may be most familiar with, is not a good substitute as it 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 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 thawed and sitting at the seafood counter. (Because shrimp is so perishable, it is frozen shortly after it’s caught.) You can use any size of shrimp, but I like medium (often sold as 41-50 count) shrimp for shrimp and corn 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. Look each one over for any missed veins or shell fragments. Chicken can be used in place of shrimp.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Gather and prep all the ingredients.
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the onions, reduce heat to medium, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until they soften.
- Add the bell pepper and jalapeno and cook for 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 for 10 to 15 minutes.
- MAKE AHEAD: Can be done to the point of adding the shrimp 1 to 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 and cilantro, and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- That’s it!!
- Serve with toppings if desired and enjoy!
Chef Tips and Tricks:
- 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 begin to become pliable, drain, peel, and devein if needed. If already peeled and deveined, look each one over for missed shells or veins. NOTE: Shrimp should never SIT in water for a long period as they can absorb water, and the texture will be adversely affected.
- Use two 10-ounce cans of diced tomatoes with green chiles instead of the tomatoes and chopped fresh jalapenos to save time.
Recipe FAQs:
Can I make shrimp and corn soup ahead of time?
Yes. I would leave the shrimp out for the best results. Get everything done to the point of adding the shrimp, cool and refrigerate. You can even add the corn ahead of time, just don’t cook it too much. Overcooked corn tends to get gummy. When ready to serve, get the soup simmering, add the shrimp and you’re good to go!
How do I reheat leftover shrimp soup?
Place leftovers in a small saucepan over low heat. Heat until soup begins to simmer, steam and is heated through. Be careful not to boil the soup as the shrimp will toughen up.
Can I use chicken instead of the shrimp?
Yes, absolutely. If you prefer or there’s a food allergy to shrimp and/or shellfish, definitely use chicken instead.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator and enjoy within 2-3 days.
- To reheat, place leftovers in a small saucepan over low heat. Heat until soup begins to simmer, steam, and is heated through. Be careful not to boil the soup, as the shrimp will toughen up.
Make it a meal with:
- Crustless Spinach Artichoke Jalapeno Quiche
- Sheet Pan Quesadillas
- Whole Grain Zucchini Jalapeno Fritters
- 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.
Shrimp and Corn Soup
Fun, festive, flavorful Mexican-inspired Shrimp and Corn 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.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper, seeded, membrane removed and chopped
- 2 medium jalapeno peppers, seeded if desired, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 bottle (8-ounce) clam juice
- 1 can (14.5-ounce) petite diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp (41-50 count), peeled, deveined and tail removed
- 1 bag (12-ounce) frozen corn kernels, thawed and rinsed under cold running tap water
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 medium avocado, peeled, seeded and diced
- Cilantro leaves
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, reduce heat to medium, and cook for 4-5 minutes or until they soften.
- Add the bell pepper and jalapeno peppers. Cook 3-4 minutes or until beginning to soften.
- Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin and oregano and saute briefly, 15 seconds.
- Add the chicken broth, clam juice and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10-15 minutes.
- Add shrimp and corn. Cook 1-2 minutes or until shrimp is cooked through, pink and firm.
- Add lime juice, cilantro and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Ladle soup into bowls and top with toppings as desired.
Notes
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- If you can find fish stock, you can use that instead. Vegetable broth can also be used.
- Use any color of bell pepper: Red, yellow, or orange.
- Use two 10-ounce cans of diced tomatoes with green chiles instead of the tomatoes and chopped fresh jalapenos to save time.
- Chicken also works well in this soup.
- 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 begin to become pliable, drain, peel, and devein if needed. If already peeled and deveined, look each one over for missed shells or veins. NOTE: Shrimp should never SIT in water for an extended period as they can absorb water, and the texture will be adversely affected.
- Leave the shrimp out for the best results. Get everything done to the point of adding the shrimp, cool, and refrigerate. You can even add the corn ahead of time, just don’t cook it too much.
- When ready to serve, get the soup simmering, add the shrimp and cook through.
- Place leftovers in a small saucepan over low heat. Heat until soup begins to simmer, steam and is heated through. Be careful not to boil the soup, as the shrimp will toughen up.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Calories: 238kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 26gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 186mgSodium: 769mgPotassium: 699mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1868IUVitamin C: 49mgCalcium: 125mgIron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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