Effortless Shrimp Tortilla Soup in 30 Minutes

Shrimp Tortilla Soup offers a delightful blend of vibrant flavors and wholesome ingredients, making it an ideal choice for a quick, healthy, and satisfying meal. Forget the hassle of takeout; this easy-to-follow recipe brings the festive spirit of Mexican cuisine right to your kitchen table in under 30 minutes. Bursting with succulent shrimp, hearty beans, sweet corn, and a zesty broth, this soup is not just a dish, it’s an experience waiting to be savored.

The Genesis of a Flavorful Feast: Why Shrimp?

While classic chicken tortilla soup is a beloved staple, culinary inspiration often strikes when least expected. This particular shrimp tortilla soup recipe emerged from a simple, yet relatable, kitchen scenario: a craving for a hearty tortilla soup coupled with an empty chicken compartment in the freezer. Fortunately, a well-stocked freezer often holds the key to delicious improvisation, and for us, that meant a bag of versatile shrimp.

Shrimp is a fantastic choice for many reasons. It cooks incredibly fast, making it perfect for those busy weeknights when time is of the essence. It’s also a lean protein, packed with essential nutrients, adding a healthy boost to your meal without weighing it down. The delicate flavor of shrimp beautifully complements the robust, spicy notes of the tortilla soup base, creating a harmonious and utterly delicious balance. What started as an unplanned substitution quickly became a celebrated variation – a seafood tortilla soup that is truly exceptional.

Beyond its delicious taste, this recipe shines as a one-pot wonder. You’ll add the uncooked shrimp directly to the simmering broth and vegetables, allowing them to gently poach to perfection. This not only infuses the soup with even more seafood flavor but also simplifies cleanup, saving you precious time and effort. While shrimp is the star here, the beauty of this soup lies in its adaptability. You could easily swap in other proteins like shredded chicken, lean ground turkey, or even omit meat entirely for a satisfying vegetarian version, thanks to the generous helping of black beans and other wholesome ingredients.

Crafting Your Shrimp Tortilla Soup: A Step-by-Step Guide

The appeal of this hearty soup extends beyond its flavor; it’s also remarkably quick to prepare. Utilizing a clever combination of pantry staples and fresh accents, you can have this comforting meal on the table in about 30 minutes. Here’s how you bring this Mexican-inspired delight to life:

1. Aromatic Foundation: Begin by heating a touch of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add finely diced onions and minced garlic. Sauté these aromatics until they soften and become fragrant, typically about 5 minutes. This crucial step lays the groundwork for the soup’s deep flavor profile.
2. Building the Base: Once your aromatics are ready, introduce the core liquid and canned ingredients. Pour in crushed tomatoes and vegetable stock. Then, add rinsed and drained black beans, hominy, corn kernels (fresh or frozen work equally well), mild green chili peppers, fragrant oregano, and a touch of chili powder. Stir everything together to ensure all ingredients are well combined.
3. Simmer to Perfection: Bring the soup mixture to a gentle boil. This allows the flavors to meld and deepen, creating a rich and complex broth.
4. Introducing the Shrimp: Once the soup is boiling, carefully add your peeled and deveined shrimp directly to the pot. Reduce the heat to a simmer immediately.
5. The Final Cook: Let the soup simmer for approximately 10 minutes, or just until the shrimp turn opaque and pink. It’s vital not to overcook the shrimp, as they can become tough and rubbery. As soon as they are perfectly cooked, remove the pot from the heat.
6. Serve and Garnish: Ladle the steaming soup into individual bowls. This is where the magic truly happens! Garnish generously with a handful of crushed tortilla chips for that essential crunch, and pile on your favorite Mexican toppings.

For those looking for a quick tip: if using corn on the cob, you can easily microwave corn on the cob in its husk for speed and freshness, or simply opt for convenient frozen corn.

Demystifying Hominy: A Hearty Secret Ingredient

One of the distinctive elements that sets this tortilla soup apart is the inclusion of hominy. It’s a fun word to say, and its unique texture and mild flavor make it a fantastic addition to many dishes. Whenever this entree was featured at our meal assembly kitchen, “What is hominy?” was consistently the most frequently asked question.

So, what exactly is hominy? At its core, hominy is dried corn kernels that have undergone a traditional process called nixtamalization. This involves soaking and cooking the kernels in an alkaline solution (usually lime water), which removes the hull and germ. The remaining grains then puff up significantly, becoming much larger and softer than regular corn kernels. This process not only makes the corn more nutritious by increasing the bioavailability of niacin but also gives hominy its characteristic chewy yet tender texture and a subtle, earthy flavor that’s less sweet than regular corn.

In this soup, hominy contributes a wonderful heartiness and a pleasant textural contrast without overpowering the other ingredients. You’ll typically find it in the canned goods aisle of most grocery stores, often alongside other beans and vegetables, making it an accessible ingredient for your pantry. Its versatility extends beyond soups; it’s excellent in stews, casseroles like Creamy Hominy Casserole, and as a side dish.

Elevate Your Experience: The Ultimate Mexican Soup Toppings Bar

While the Shrimp Tortilla Soup is delicious on its own, it truly transforms into a celebratory fiesta-worthy meal with the addition of fresh, vibrant toppings. The bowl of shrimp tortilla soup shown below is practically begging for a colorful array of garnishes. If you’re serving a crowd or simply love options, setting up a topping bar is an excellent idea that allows everyone to customize their bowl to perfection. Consider including:

• Fresh Cilantro: A generous sprinkle of chopped fresh cilantro adds a burst of herbaceous freshness and a classic Mexican aroma.
• Shredded or Crumbled Cheeses: Offer a variety to please every palate. Colby Jack provides a mild, melt-in-your-mouth creaminess, while cotija offers a salty, crumbly texture. Feta, though not strictly traditional, can add a delightful tangy sharpness.
• Cool & Creamy Elements: A dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt (for a healthier twist) adds a cooling contrast to the warm, spicy soup and a rich creaminess.
• Avocado: Sliced or diced avocado contributes a smooth, buttery texture and healthy fats, making each spoonful feel more decadent.
• Tortilla Chips: Essential for a “tortilla soup”! Offer crushed chips for mixing in or whole chips for dipping, adding that satisfying crunch and authentic flavor.
• Lime Wedges: A squeeze of fresh lime juice right before serving brightens all the flavors in the soup, adding a necessary acidic zing.
• Hot Sauce: For those who love an extra kick, a selection of your favorite hot sauces allows for personalized spice levels.
• Pickled Jalapeños: A few slices offer a tangy, spicy punch that complements the soup beautifully.

To further enhance your Mexican-themed meal, it never hurts to have some easy homemade guacamole dip and a fresh corn and black bean salsa on the side. With such an array of flavors and textures, let the fiesta begin!

Prepare Ahead: How to Freeze Shrimp Tortilla Soup

This convenient and delicious soup is also remarkably freezer-friendly, making it an excellent candidate for meal prep or saving leftovers for a future busy day. We highly recommend making two batches when you have all the ingredients out – one to enjoy right away and another to store in the freezer, ensuring a healthy, homemade meal is always within reach.

You have the flexibility to freeze this soup either before or after cooking. Both methods work wonderfully, but freezing it uncooked can sometimes result in fresher-tasting vegetables upon reheating.

Freezing Uncooked Soup:

To freeze the soup before cooking, combine all the raw ingredients (diced onions, minced garlic, crushed tomatoes, broth, black beans, hominy, corn, chili peppers, oregano, chili powder, and uncooked shrimp) in a large, resealable freezer bag or an airtight freezer-safe container. Ensure you remove as much excess air as possible from the bag to prevent freezer burn. An important note: there is absolutely no need to defrost frozen shrimp before adding them to the freezer bag for this method; they will thaw and cook perfectly with the rest of the ingredients.

Freezing Cooked Soup:

If you have leftovers of cooked soup, allow it to cool completely before transferring it to freezer bags or containers. This prevents condensation and ice crystals from forming, which can affect texture.

Storage and Reheating:

Store your frozen shrimp tortilla soup in the freezer for 2 to 4 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it, simply transfer the frozen soup from the freezer to the refrigerator and allow it to defrost overnight. Once thawed, pour the soup into a pot and cook according to the directions above. If you froze it uncooked, don’t worry about sautéing the onions and garlic beforehand; they will soften beautifully during the cooking process as the soup simmers. If reheating pre-cooked soup, gently warm it over medium heat until heated through, adjusting seasoning if necessary.

Shrimp Tortilla Soup Recipe

Shrimp Tortilla Soup Recipe

Easy Shrimp Tortilla Soup is fiesta-worthy even though it’s ready in under 30 minutes. It’s perfect for a quick dinner or a party!

Prep Time:
10 minutes

Cook Time:
10 minutes

Total Time:
20 minutes

Servings:
4 Servings

Author:
Marjory Pilley

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Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup onion diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups vegetable broth low salt
• 15 ounces black beans rinsed and drained
• 15 ounces hominy rinsed and drained
• 1 cup corn kernels frozen or fresh
• 4 ounces mild green chili peppers diced
• 1 Tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
• ¼ cup cilantro fresh, chopped
• Optional: 20 tortilla chips crushed
• Optional toppings such as cheese, sour cream, avocado

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat.
2. Add onions and garlic and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Add crushed tomatoes, broth, black beans, hominy, corn, mild green chili peppers, oregano and chili powder to pot and stir to combine.
4. Bring soup to a slow boil and add shrimp.
5. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the shrimp are pink.
6. Ladle soup into bowls and top with a handful of crushed tortilla chips and other toppings of choice.

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Notes

1. To make ahead and freeze entree, add all the ingredients to a freezer bag and store in the freezer for 2-4 months. Defrost completely and following cooking instructions.

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Nutrition

Calories: 470kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 286mg | Sodium: 2068mg | Potassium: 1184mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 911IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 283mg | Iron: 8mg

Nutritional and Food Safety Disclaimer

This recipe was originally published on April 20, 2013, and has been thoroughly updated to enhance the reader experience and provide even more value.