This shrimp/prawn soup is one of my favorite Portuguese soups, it has simple savory flavors that are fresh and vibrant but also healthy. I love exploring Portuguese cuisine due to its strong influence on the history, culture and food of the Indian state of Goa. Portuguese food relies on fresh herbs and vegetables are to complement seafood dishes because they can accent the taste in different ways depending on the combination and types of fresh produce used. This is a highly modified version of the popular Tomatado soup of southern Portugal that is normally served without any inclusion of seafood. This soup is simple and delicate and definitely worth a try for any occasion. Bread is often used as a thickening ingredient in many Portuguese soups and here too the addition of chunks of bread make this soup a wholesome and tasty dish for a cold wintry day.
Tomato and Tiger Shrimp Soup
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
A delicious warm seafood soup with tomatoes and tiger shrimps.
Ingredients
- 1lb (450 g) fresh tiger shrimp, unpeeled
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) chopped shallots
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- 2 cups (480 ml) grape tomatoes, halved
- 3 sprigs of fresh oregano
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro/flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup (118.29ml) Pinot Grigio white wine
- 1 cup (236.58ml) vegetable stock
- 2 cups dry white bread of any kind
- 2 tbsp (30ml) of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water and the salt to a boil and add the whole shrimp. Let them cook till the color changes which should take about 2 minutes. Drain the shrimp and transfer to chilled ice-cold water to stop the cooking.
- Once cooled, peel and devein the shrimp and leave only the shell on the tail behind. Discard the rest of the shells.
- Heat the olive oil in a stockpot on a medium flame, followed by the shrimp and paprika and sear the shrimp on each side taking care to coat the shrimp with the paprika. This will take about 3 minutes till the shrimp get brown on each side. Remove the shrimp from the pot and keep aside. To the same stockpot, add the onions, chili and garlic and cook till softened.
- Add the tomatoes and oregano and cook for 3 minutes. Pour in the wine to deglaze the pot followed by the vegetable stock.
- Bring the contents to a boil and then reduce the flame to a gentle simmer.
- Rip or chop the bread coarsely into small 1/2 inch cubes. Add the bread and the shrimp to the contents of the stockpot and stir for about 3 minutes.
- Let the soup thicken for about 5 minutes.
- Add the fresh cilantro/parsley before serving to the soup.
- Serve warm or hot with toasted bread.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 290
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Hearty Potato and Seafood Stew
- Pappa al Pomodoro – Rustic Tuscan Tomato and Bread Soup
- Crispy Shrimp Tacos With Peach Salsa
- Shrimp and Tofu Pad Thai
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the recipe call for bread in the soup, and is this traditional?
The article explains that bread is a common thickening ingredient in many Portuguese soups — here, 2 cups of dry white bread are added to make the soup more wholesome and filling. This is a modified version of the Tomatado soup of southern Portugal, which is normally served without seafood. The bread softens in the broth and creates body without a starchy flour-based thickener.
Why are the shrimp cooked separately and then seared before going into the broth?
Step 1 boils the whole tiger shrimp in salted water just until the color changes (about 2 minutes), then transfers them to ice water to stop cooking. After peeling, step 3 sears the shrimp with paprika in olive oil for about 3 minutes to develop color. This two-stage approach prevents the shrimp from becoming rubbery in the long-simmering broth.
What does the Pinot Grigio add to the soup, and can I use a different wine?
The recipe adds 1/2 cup (120 ml) of Pinot Grigio to the broth along with 1 cup (240 ml) of vegetable stock. A dry white wine lifts the tomato acidity and adds brightness to the fresh grape tomatoes and oregano base. Any dry white wine works — the Pinot Grigio is a suggestion, not a requirement.
