I have made this fabulous Shrimp and Scallop Soup Recipe dozens of time with rave reviews from my guests. You will not believe how easy it is to make this fantastic Shrimp and Scallop Soup.
This soup recipe could be considered more of a seafood stew than a soup as it is full-bodied and hearty. Excellent served with a glass of your favorite wine and some hot sourdough bread. You can be creative with this soup recipe and add different types of seafood that you prefer.
This delicious Shrimp and Scallop Soup recipe resembles the famous San Francisco Cioppino. Cioppino became popular on the docks of San Francisco (now known as Fisherman’s wharf) in the 1930s. Cioppino is thought to be the result of Italian immigrant fishermen adding something from the day’s catch to the communal stew kettle on the wharf.
This delicious Shrimp and Scallop Soup recipe, comments, and photo were shared with my by Karen Calanchini, Food Stylist and Photographer, of Redding, CA.
Learn about Purchasing, Deveining, Cooking, Brining, and Etiquette of Shrimp.
- 1/8 cup (2 tablespoons) olive oil, extra-virgin
- 1 1/4 cup onion, chopped
- 3 tablespoons garlic, finely-chopped
- 2 teaspoons oregano (not Mexican), dried, rubbed between your palms
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with added puree
- 2 (8-ounce) jars clam juice, shaken well
- 1 1/2 cups dry white wine (I use a dry vermouth)
- Red pepper flakes to taste
- 1 pound large shrimp, uncooked, peeled and deveined*
- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds sea scallops, uncooked (remove the muscle along the side of each scallop)
- Juice from 1 fresh lemon
- Salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup basil leaves, fresh (lay leaves on top of each other, roll into a log, and thinly sliced)
- Tabasco Sauce (optional)**
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When fresh crab is available in your area, it makes a nice addition to this soup. I like to use the large meaty pieces from the claws for this soup.
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In a large heavy pot with a lid over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add onion, garlic, oregano, and fennel seeds; saute approximately 8 minutes or until the onion is tender.
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Add crushed tomatoes, clam juice, white wine, and red pepper flakes. Increase heat and boil until just slightly thickened, approximately 15 minutes. NOTE: If you like your soup a little thicker, add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste.
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At this time, you can cool and refrigerate your soup, if you wish, and proceed later in the day or the next day with the soup.
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When ready to proceed, bring soup to simmer. Add the shrimp, scallops, and lemon juice; let simmer approximately 5 to 7 minutes until shrimp is opaque in center and have turned pink. Also soon as the scallops lose their translucence and turn opaque, they are done. Taste and, if you desire, add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the basil.
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Ladle the soup into large soup bowls and serve.
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Makes 4 to 6 servings.
* Costco and other well-stocked grocery stores have very good, large frozen shrimp that are peeled and deveined. All you need to do is thaw and pull off the tails.
** I always have a bottle of Tabasco Sauce at the table for those guests who love Tabasco with seafood.
2 Responses to “Shrimp and Scallop Soup Recipe”
Marie Klopp
Excellent ! My husband loves this over rice.
Jimmy Young
I used half vegetable broth half water as my base. Then added Chinese black mushroom, black fungus, shiitake mushroom and vermicelli noodles until it all came to a boil. Then I tossed in the canned abalone, half pound shrimp, quarter pound sliced crab meat, four scallops cut into quarters and a diced up lobster tail. Add powder coriander, white pepper and salt. And finally stir in an egg and top with diced green onions. I call it Jim’s very expensive Imitation shark fin soup. Enjoy with some soy sauce, white pepper and red wine vinegar.