This Creamy Shrimp Soup rivals those from your favorite Italian restaurant. Ready in just 20 minutes, it’s rich, luscious, and incredibly easy to prepare. Your family will be begging for seconds!
This creamy shrimp soup is one of the best Italian seafood soups you'll ever try! It is quick and easy to make in one pot, creamy, cozy and comforting.
This soup is a delicious twist on the creamy Tuscan shrimp recipe I shared years ago. Like the Tuscan chicken soup that features tender chicken, this shrimp soup features rich, creamy Alfredo sauce. It’s utterly delicious and pairs perfectly with a slice of crusty bread.
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Why you'll love it?
- Knock your sock off taste
- One pot seafood soup
- Ready in 20 minutes
- Protein and vegetables cooked together
- Use milk to make it lighter
Reader Feedbacks
"Amazing, next time I'm gonna double the recipe! I seasoned my gulf prawns with lemon pepper and sautéed my onions in a herb garlic compound butter"
"Holy bananas, this recipe is amazing. It combines all of my favorite things (spinach, seafood & heavy cream 😬) with the added bonus of it being fast & completely yummy! I had all things on hand for a last minute meal (used frozen 👍🏻)"
"Doubled it. Delicious!"
Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Shrimp - For the best results in shrimp recipes, I recommend using raw, peeled shrimp. If you're using frozen shrimp, be sure to thaw them thoroughly before adding them to the creamy shrimp soup.
- Spinach - Use baby spinach leaves, which are tender and cook in just 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stock - In most soup recipes, I use 33% reduced-sodium chicken stock. If you’re using no-sodium or regular-sodium stock, be sure to adjust the salt accordingly.
- Half and half - Half and half is a blend of equal parts heavy cream and milk. For a lighter option, you can substitute whole milk instead of using half and half to make a lighter creamy shrimp soup.
- All purpose flour - The main thickening agent for creating a roux in any Alfredo sauce is flour.
- Parmesan - Use freshly grated parmesan or pre-shredded cheese. Avoid using the pre-grated cheese in the green jars.
Pro tip: If you'd like to use frozen shrimp, make sure to thaw them first and pat dry before adding into the creamy shrimp soup.
How to make?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
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💡 How long to cook shrimp in soup? Prawns cook quickly, and one common mistake is overcooking them. Medium-sized prawns typically take 2 to 3 minutes to cook, while larger ones need 4 to 5 minutes. They’re done when they curl into a "C" shape and turn pink. Keep a close eye on them, as they can go from juicy to rubbery in just a few minutes.
Recipe tips
- To defrost frozen shrimp – Place them in a bowl of cold or room temperature water. Let it sit for about 10 minutes until thawed (the time will depend on the quantity of prawns). Drain and pat dry with paper towels.
- Chicken stock - I used 33% chicken stock. if you are using no sodium or regular salt, then adjust salt accordingly.
- Use whole milk instead of half-and-half to make lighter tuscan creamy shrimp soup.
More shrimp recipes
Creamy Shrimp Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- 2 large garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken stock I used 33% reduced sodium
- ½ cup half and half or use whole milk
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper powder
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¾ pound shrimp peeled, deveined and patted dry
- 2 handfuls baby spinach
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
Instructions
- Melt butter in a medium pot, placed over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, and saute for about 3 minutes.
- Add the flour and cook stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the stock, half-and-half, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches a gentle simmer. Continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the soup has thickened slightly.
- Stir in the shrimp, spianch and parmesan. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the shrimp is cooked through and the spianch is wilted. Serve hot!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
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Patrick@looneyforfood.com
Got of plane, first thing to do? Check this recipe out! Now I need to find some bread to soak up that sauce!
Maria Doss
Thank you Patrick:)
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats
Looks so warm and comforting Maria! I definitely agree that bread is a must for sopping up every delicious bit of this soup!!
Maria Doss
Thank you Kelly:)
Angie Shusterr
What a great easy recipe. Served it over fettuccine the first time.
Next time I used 2 pounds of shrimp, and we used up two baguetttes from Costco. Not a drip left in the pan. I can't eat spicy so I put powdered red pepper flakes( I put it through the food processor) on the table.
I thought ahead and had the recipe printed out for the guest. The only argument was the perfect
Wine to pair with it.
Thank you for the perfect recipe.
P.S. I used all half and half.
Francine
I made this recipe and it was so delicious. 1) I omitted the onions and used shallots; and 2) I reduced the italian spices to 1/2 teaspoon. Riesling wine was a perfect match for this recipe.be
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear! So glad you love it – Maria ♡
Rissa
Looks delicious, I think I will add gnocchi to mine
Maria Doss
Fabulous idea 🙂
Janice Renfro
What a great recipe. I'm going to try it. Can I use self rising flour since I don't have all purpose? Thanks for the recipe.
Maria Doss
Hi Janice, Self-raising flour contains baking powder, so it’s not the best substitute. While you could omit the flour altogether, keep in mind that the soup will be significantly thinner - Maria
Melissa
How many servings are there in this recipe?
Melissa
Oops, I just saw the servings.
Maria Doss
Great!
Anna
Looks yummy!! Can you tell me the servings, I can't seem to find that info. And how would you double the recipe? Thanks!!
Maria Doss
Thanks Anna for pointing it out. It is 2 servings (I have updated).
To double the recipe :
Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil into a pan. Cook about 1 pound or more shrimp in a single layer (may be in 2 batches) until cooked on both sides. Transfer shrimp into a seperate plate.
Heat 4 tablespoons butter in the same pan. Saute 1 cup chopped onion, 4 minced garlic and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes until onions are translucent. Stir in 2 tablepoons all purpose flour and cook for 30 seconds until raw smell of flour is gone.
Now add 2 cans chciken stock, 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup milk, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1/2 cup parmesan, 4 handful baby spinach and salt (1-1 1/2 teaspoons). Let it come to a boil and cook until spinach is wilted. Stir in shrimp along with accumulated juices. Serve hot with crusty bread.
Hope it helps:)
Ryan
What is pepper powder? Finely ground black pepper? Chili powder? If chili powder what type?
Maria Doss
Ground black peppercorns, hope it clarifies:)
Kimmy Jo
Nutritional information please
Maria Doss
I'm so sorry that I don't have nutritional information updated on my site right now. But, I'm seriously working on this and will get all recipes nutritional information going forward. Extremely sorry about this:)
Janet
I made this recipe and froze it in individual containers for work lunches. I added some diced celery, mushrooms, and extra spinach to bulk it up some. It is delicious and filling.It froze and reheated in the microwave well.(Yes, I know people say that you cannot freeze cream soups. It is not true.) I will definitely be making it again.
Maria Doss
Hi Janet, What a fabulous meal prep idea!! Thank you for sharing all the details. So glad you liked it:) - Maria
Monika
Just tried your recipe tonight - it was truly delicious!Thank you 🙂
Maria Doss
So glad that you loved it 🙂
Lisa Ryan
This soup is delicious! It is Keto friendly using all heavy cream instead of milk. Also added some sauteed mushrooms. Husband loved it! Will definitely make again.
Maria Doss
Yay!! Glad you liked it hun:)
Janice
Great recipe! I made it for a luncheon yesterday; guests loved it. One guest who is not a soup lover said he could eat a quart of it. I added chopped celery and scallops and omitted the red pepper flakes. Recipe is on my list of favorite soups.
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear! Wishing you a very happy new year - Maria ♡
Sharbari
Hi, I'm in India. Tried this on Saturday as part of an all-Italian lunch menu and it turned out really well! Thanks 🙂
I'd like to make a light zuppa pesce version some time too, for those meals when the soup is to be followed up with a heavy mains. Any ideas?
Maria Doss
Thank you Sharbari, glad you liked it:) I have not tried Zuppa pesce, hence cannot assist you. But, this https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/230551/zuppa-di-pesce-fra-di-avolo/ seems to be good and has 4.9 star reviews. Hope it helps:)
Jessie
Holy bananas, this recipe is amazing. It combines all of my favorite things (spinach, seafood & heavy cream 😬) with the added bonus of it being fast & completely yummy! I had all things on hand for a last minute meal (used frozen shrimp 👍🏻). Thank you!!
Diana
I just made this soup and it is amazing. I did do some changes though. Instead of chicken broth I used shrimp broth and I used only 1/2 of the pepper flakes and added about two tablespoons of turbinado sugar. I’m going to make this soup for the rest of my life. Thank you so much ❤️
Lily Byrne
I made this soup tonight. It was amazing!! Definitely a keeper recipe!!
Tracy
Love this recipe! The only thing I did different was add a good pinch of fresh ground nutmeg along with the shrimp - nutmeg always amps up the flavor of cream sauces & creamed spinach.
Sierra Pilch
AMAZING I made this last night and it was absolutely delicious creamy flavorful I ate it over a bed of lemon and herb rice and it was just magnificent! Going to add crab and scallops to it next time
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear! So glad you love it – Maria ♡
Varun
I made this shrimp soup last week and then again yesterday due to popular demand! My family devoured it.
Brenda Devereaux
can you use frozen shrimp?
Maria Doss
Hi Brenda, You can definitely use frozen shrimp, but I recommend defrosting it and patting it dry before adding it to the soup. Using frozen shrimp straight from the freezer could release excess moisture, potentially diluting the soup - Maria
Barbara
WOW! This soup was so easy and unbelievably delicious! I used frozen shrimp with no issues. I also substituted Old Bay seasoning for the Italian (for no other reason than I couldn't find the Italian!) Great recipe!!!
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear, so glad you loved it - Maria ♡
Ezme
Me and my family loved this although we had to triple the amount to make some for us all to enjoy at least two bowls. Over all a really good recipe
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear, so glad you loved it and appreciate the feedback - Maria