Prawn soup

Recipe for creamy shrimp soup and Thai prawn soup

When autumn announces itself, or when you simply need a warming and flavourful dinner, a substantial prawn soup is exactly the right choice. The combination of a spiced soup base and mild, juicy prawns always goes down well at the dinner table.

The great secret behind a successful shrimp soup is the prawn itself. To avoid tough, dull prawns, we always recommend the large, firm luxury prawns from Coldwater Seafood. They are MSC-certified and ready to be added to the soup as the very last finishing touch, so they keep the perfect texture.

Ingredients for the best creamy shrimp soup

This recipe gives you a wonderfully creamy base that sits very close to an exotic Thai prawn soup. You need the following (serves 4):

• 300 g prawns from Coldwater Seafood (drained weight)
• 2 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil for frying
• 2 tsp good curry powder (adjust to taste for a perfect creamy shrimp soup)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 red pepper, in thin strips
• 2 carrots, in thin sticks or slices
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 tin coconut milk (or 250 ml double cream for a more classic European flavour)
• 500 ml chicken or fish stock
• Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lime
• Fresh coriander to garnish

How to make a flavourful prawn soup (step by step)

It takes under 30 minutes to make this dish, which makes it ideal for weeknights and for guests alike.

1. Fry the spices: heat the oil in a large pot. Add the curry powder, garlic and onion and let it fry for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until the aromas are released.
2. Add the vegetables and the liquid: add the pepper and carrots to the pot and let them cook for 2 minutes. Then add the chopped tomatoes, stock and coconut milk.
3. Let the soup simmer: bring your shrimp soup to the boil, turn the heat down and let it simmer gently with a lid on for about 12 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender but still have a little bite.
4. Season: take the pot off the heat and season the soup with lime juice, salt and pepper. If you want a more pronounced Thai prawn soup, you can also add a few drops of fish sauce and some fresh ginger along the way.
5. Add the prawns last: drain your Coldwater Seafood prawns and divide them straight into the soup bowls, or fold them gently into the hot soup just before serving. Remember: the prawns must not boil in the soup, or they will turn tough.

Try these 3 other prawn soups

Are you looking for other flavours to try with prawn soup? Here are three more popular classics you can take on:

• Coconut prawn soup: swap the tinned tomatoes for extra coconut milk and add lemongrass, lime leaves and chilli. A coconut prawn soup is milder and rounder, and children tend to love it.
• Tom Kha with prawns: the same idea taken further, with galangal, mushrooms, fish sauce and plenty of lime. Tom Kha with prawns is at its best served in small bowls as a starter.
• Prawn bisque: blend the soup completely smooth, pass it through a sieve and add a splash of brandy and a little extra cream. A prawn bisque is the elegant, restaurant-style version for a dinner party.

Whether you go for the warm Thai twist or the classic creamy version, you will always find the best ingredients in the supermarket’s chilled section. Look for the blue MSC-labelled Coldwater Seafood products for the highest quality and sustainability.