Shrimp Boil Soup (30 Minute Dinner)

This recipe is a fun take on the classic Cajun Shrimp Boil, but in soup form, where you get to drink the broth! Ready from scratch in 30 minutes, super flavorful, and very easy to make. Serve with biscuits or crusty bread.

Why we love this recipe

You know how whenever you have seafood boil you think "this is so good, I wish I could drink the broth"? But then you taste the leftover broth and it's wayyyy too salty, and besides, you don't want to be the weirdo drinking the broth. I'm fixing both of those problems with this shrimp boil soup.

The broth here is SO flavorful and tasty, with just enough of a "kick," without being overwhelmingly salty. I recommend using sodium-free chicken broth and adding enough Old Bay instead of plain salt to control the salt and spice.

This is everything we love about shrimp boil — perfectly cooked shrimp, spicy andouille sausage, tender potatoes, but scoopable with a spoon and without the messy hands.

More meaty weeknight soup dinners: Chicken Tortilla Soup

More Cajun-inspired dinner ideas: Cajun Turkey Meatloaf

Equipment

• Large soup pot

Instructions

Preheat your soup pot over medium-low heat and add the butter, diced onion, and sliced celery. Saute for 2-3 minutes, or until the onion starts to soften.

Add the sliced andouille sausage, turn the heat up to medium, and stir fry for about 5 minutes, letting the onion and sausage brown a little without burning it. Lower the heat if needed. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute.

Add the diced potatoes, broth, and Old Bay. Stir to make sure the potatoes are mostly covered. If needed, add another cup of water. Place the corn cobs (kernels removed) in the broth (optional, but this adds a little more flavor to the broth). Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 5-8 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost cooked. Another option is to add the corn kernels during this step, if your corn is older or not very fresh.

Add the corn kernels and dried thyme, then stir in the shrimp. Once the shrimp is all pink, remove from heat, stir in lemon juice and fresh herbs. Add more salt or Old Bay, if needed. Serve hot, garnishing with more herbs and additional Old Bay, as needed.

More hearty meaty soups for cold weather: Instant Pot Bean and Sausage Soup

Kate's cooking tips

• If your corn is old or starchy, add it to the broth along with the potatoes so it cooks longer.
• Take the time to dice your potatoes small. They'll cook faster and feel more pleasant to eat than big chunks.
• I used jumbo shrimp here because I thought it would look nice for pictures, but honestly, they're too big. Medium or large shrimp is best!
• Celery and onions are not traditional ingredients in a shrimp boil, but they add flavor, so I recommend using them!
• If you can't find andouille sausage, kielbasa works well here.
• Adjust the ingredients to your liking — add more sausage or shrimp for a meatier soup, or add more corn or potatoes for more fiber and veggies. I even add a drained can of white beans once in a while, just because they go so well with the Old Bay broth.
• If you're quick at dicing and chopping, you don't have to have all your ingredients ready before starting to cook. Dice the sausage while the onion cooks, then dice the potatoes while the sausage cooks. Remove the kernels from the cob while the potatoes are cooking, then add the cobs to the broth later. It saves a few minutes!

You might also liked: Spicy Cheesy Crab Dip

If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!

Shrimp Boil Soup (30 Minute Dinner)

This soup is everything you love about a classic Shrimp Boil, but with a delicious sippable broth without the messy hands! Such an easy and tasty cozy dinner for colder weather.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Author: Kate

Ingredients

• 1 yellow onion diced
• 3-4 ribs celery sliced
• 1-2 tablespoons butter
• 1 lb andouille sausage sliced (kielbasa is an OK substitute)
• 3 cloves garlic minced or grated
• 1.5 lb red skin potatoes diced into bite-sized pieces
• 4 cups chicken broth I recommend sodium-free and then adding salt as needed
• 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning or your favorite seafood seasoning
• 2 corn cobs kernels removed, but don't throw out the cobs!
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1-1.5 lb shrimp (medium or large) peeled and deveined, tails removed
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh parsley diced, or diced scallion
• salt and pepper to taste

Special equipment

• Large soup pot

Instructions

• Preheat your soup pot over medium-low heat and add the butter, diced onion, and sliced celery. Saute for 2-3 minutes, or until the onion starts to soften.
• Add the sliced andouille sausage, turn the heat up to medium, and stir fry for about 5 minutes, letting the onion and sausage brown a little without burning it. Lower the heat if needed. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute.
• Add the diced potatoes, broth, and Old Bay. Stir to make sure the potatoes are mostly covered. If needed, add another cup of water. Place the corn cobs (kernels removed) in the broth (optional, but this adds a little more flavor to the broth). Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 5-8 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost cooked. Another option is to add the corn kernels during this step, if your corn is older or not very fresh.
• Add the corn kernels and dried thyme, then stir in the shrimp. Once the shrimp is all pink, remove from heat, stir in lemon juice and fresh herbs. Add more salt or Old Bay, if needed. Serve hot, garnishing with more herbs and additional Old Bay, as needed.
• More hearty meaty soups for cold weather: Instant Pot Bean and Sausage Soup

Notes

• If your corn is old or starchy, add it to the broth with the potatoes so it cooks longer.
• Take the time to dice your potatoes small. They'll cook faster and feel more pleasant to eat than big chunks.
• Celery and onions are not traditional ingredients in a shrimp boil, but they add flavor, so I recommend using them.
• Adjust the ingredients to your liking — add more sausage or shrimp for a meatier soup, or add more corn or potatoes for more fiber and veggies. Try adding a drained can of white beans, they go so well with the Old Bay broth.
• If you're quick at dicing and chopping, you don't have to have all your ingredients ready before starting to cook. Dice the sausage while the onion cooks, then dice the potatoes while the sausage cooks. Remove the kernels from the cob while the potatoes are cooking, then add the cobs to the broth later. It saves a few minutes!