Creamy Tomato Garlic Shrimp Soup

The photo looks like a rich, creamy tomato-shrimp soup/bisque, served with crusty bread and fresh herbs. I’d make it with a tomato-and-cream base, garlic, herbs, and large shrimp. Similar tomato-shrimp soups commonly use tomato, stock, cream, aromatics, and shrimp; shrimp should be added toward the end so it stays tender.
C
Conagra Foodservice
+1

Full Recipe
Serves: 4
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30–35 minutes
Total: about 45–50 minutes
Difficulty: Easy–medium

Ingredients
For the soup
500 g (1.1 lb) large shrimp/prawns, peeled and deveined

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium tomatoes, chopped or 400 g canned crushed tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato paste

3 cups chicken or seafood stock

1 cup heavy cream

½ tsp paprika

½ tsp dried basil

¼ tsp dried oregano

¼ tsp black pepper

½–1 tsp salt, to taste

¼ tsp red-pepper flakes, optional

½ tsp sugar, optional, if tomatoes are acidic

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 tbsp chopped fresh basil

2 tbsp grated Parmesan, optional

For the bread
4–8 slices crusty French/Italian bread

1 tbsp butter or olive oil

1 small garlic clove

The combination of tomato, aromatics, stock and cream is a standard approach for creamy tomato-shrimp soup; some versions also use carrots or celery for extra body.
L
Louisiana Cookin’
+1

Step-by-Step Method
1. Prepare the shrimp
Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.

Season with:

a small pinch of salt

black pepper

paprika

Don’t cook them yet. Shrimp cook very quickly, and adding them near the end helps prevent them from becoming rubbery.

2. Sauté the aromatics
Heat butter and olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.

Add the onion and cook for 4–5 minutes, until soft.

Add garlic and cook for another 30–60 seconds.

Don’t let the garlic become dark brown.

3. Build the tomato base
Add:

tomato paste

chopped tomatoes/crushed tomatoes

paprika

basil

oregano

black pepper

red-pepper flakes, if using

Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Cooking the tomato paste briefly gives the soup a deeper flavor.

4. Add stock
Pour in the chicken or seafood stock.

Bring everything to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat.

Simmer uncovered for approximately 15 minutes.

For an especially smooth soup like the one pictured, use an immersion blender until the tomato mixture is smooth.

Alternative: Carefully transfer the soup to a blender and blend in batches.

Hot liquids can build pressure in a blender. Keep the lid vented and start at low speed. This is also the safety approach recommended in published creamy tomato-shrimp recipes.
C
Cleveland Clinic

5. Make it creamy
Reduce the heat to low.

Slowly stir in:

1 cup heavy cream

Do not allow the soup to boil aggressively after adding the cream.

Simmer gently for 3–5 minutes.

Taste.

Add salt as needed.

If the tomatoes taste too sharp or acidic, add ¼–½ tsp sugar.

6. Add the shrimp
Add the raw shrimp directly to the hot soup.

Cook for approximately 3–4 minutes, depending on size.

They’re ready when:

pink/opaque

firm but not hard

curled into a loose “C” shape

Avoid cooking until they form a very tight “O” shape—they’re more likely to be overcooked.

Published tomato-shrimp soup recipes similarly add shrimp near the end and cook only until pink and firm/opaque.
L
Louisiana Cookin’
+1

7. Finish the soup
Turn off the heat.

Add:

4. Add stock
lemon juice

fresh parsley

fresh basil

Parmesan, if using

Stir gently.

Taste one final time and adjust:

More salt → salt
More acidity → lemon juice
More heat → chili flakes
Too acidic → tiny amount of sugar
Too thick → splash of stock
Too thin → simmer uncovered for a few more minutes

Garlic Bread
Heat a skillet or oven.

Brush the bread with butter or olive oil.

Rub lightly with fresh garlic.

Toast until golden and crisp.

Place 1–2 slices against the side of each bowl, as shown in the picture.

Garnish Like the Photo
For the appearance in your image, finish each bowl with:

chopped fresh parsley

finely chopped basil

a few drops of olive oil

2–4 large shrimp

a tiny sprinkle of paprika

freshly cracked black pepper

You can also drizzle a very small amount of cream over the surface before adding the herbs.

Chef Tips
For maximum shrimp flavor
If you buy shell-on shrimp, save the shells. Simmering the shells with the stock creates a much more seafood-forward broth. One professional version of creamy tomato soup specifically makes a shrimp-shell broth before building the soup.
C
Conagra Foodservice

For an extra-smooth bisque
Blend the tomato base and then pass it through a fine-mesh strainer before adding the cream and shrimp.

For thicker soup
Use:

less stock, or

an additional tablespoon of tomato paste.

For thinner soup
Add warm stock a little at a time.

Don’t overcook the shrimp
This is probably the #1 mistake with shrimp soup. They only need a few minutes.

Allergens & “Nut Info”
This recipe as written is nut-free.

Contains
Shellfish: shrimp

Dairy: butter, heavy cream, optional Parmesan

Gluten: only if served with regular wheat bread

Soy: potentially present in some commercial stocks/broths or bread

Does NOT intentionally contain
Peanuts

Tree nuts

Almonds

Cashews

Walnuts

Pecans

Important: If you have a serious allergy, check packaged stock, cream, bread, seasonings and Parmesan for cross-contact statements. Restaurant/commercial kitchens can also have cross-contact.

There are versions of creamy shrimp-tomato soup that use cashews and almond milk instead of dairy, so don’t assume every similar recipe is nut-free.
C
Cleveland Clinic

Approximate Nutrition
For 1/4 of the soup, excluding bread and assuming the ingredients above:

Calories: ~430–500 kcal

Protein: ~30–35 g

Carbohydrates: ~15–20 g

Fat: ~28–35 g

Saturated fat: ~15–20 g

Fiber: ~2–4 g

Cholesterol: relatively high because of shrimp/cream

Sodium: highly dependent on your stock and added salt

These are estimates rather than laboratory nutrition values. For comparison, published creamy tomato-shrimp recipes vary substantially depending on the amount of cream, butter and stock used.
C
Conagra Foodservice
+1

Recipe Q&A
Can I use frozen shrimp?
Yes. Thaw completely, drain and pat dry before using.

Can I use prawns?
Absolutely. Prawns work the same way.

Can I use cooked shrimp?
Yes, but add them only during the final 1–2 minutes, just long enough to heat through.

Can I use milk instead of heavy cream?
Yes, but the soup will be thinner and less rich. For a closer texture, use ½ cup milk + ½ cup half-and-half.

Can I make it without dairy?
Yes. Replace the cream with unsweetened coconut cream or a suitable dairy-free cream. Coconut will change the flavor.

Can I make it gluten-free?
Yes. The soup itself can easily be gluten-free. Use gluten-free stock and gluten-free bread or skip the bread.

Can I make it spicy?
Yes. Add ½–1 tsp red-pepper flakes, cayenne, or a little hot sauce.

Can I add vegetables?
Definitely. Diced celery, carrots, spinach or mushrooms work well. Some creamy shrimp soups use celery and onion as their base.
F
Food.com

Can I add rice?
Yes. Add cooked rice near the end. You can also use small pasta.

Can I use canned tomatoes?
Yes—and they’re excellent for this recipe. Use good-quality crushed or whole peeled tomatoes.

Why is my soup too acidic?
Tomatoes vary in acidity. Try a tiny amount of sugar, extra cream, or a little butter. Don’t add a lot of sugar at once.

Why did my cream curdle?
High heat and acidic tomato can cause dairy to split. Keep the heat low after adding cream and don’t vigorously boil the soup.

How long does it keep?
Refrigerate in a sealed container for approximately 3 days. Reheat gently rather than boiling.

Can I freeze it?
You can, but cream-based soups may separate after freezing. For best texture, freeze the tomato base without cream and shrimp. Add fresh cream and shrimp when reheating.

Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Make the tomato base ahead of time. When ready to serve, reheat gently, add cream, then cook the shrimp fresh.

My Best Version for the Exact Look
If your goal is to reproduce the photo, I’d use:

500 g large shrimp + 400 g crushed tomatoes + 2 tbsp tomato paste + 3 cups seafood stock + 1 cup heavy cream + 4 garlic cloves + onion + paprika + basil + parsley + lemon + butter.

Blend the tomato base until completely silky, then add the shrimp at the very end. Finish with plenty of chopped parsley/basil and serve with thick toasted sourdough or French bread.

Author
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Sara Mitchell

Sara Mitchell is an expert restaurant content creator who writes easy-to-read guides about CAVA and other Mediterranean fast-casual chains in the United States. She covers locations, menus, prices, and hours, making it simple for visitors to find nearby restaurants and what to order quickly.

With years of experience in restaurant research and local SEO, Sara creates accurate, user-friendly guides that work for both people and search engines. Her goal is to help users go from search results to their nearest restaurant or menu choice with as few clicks as possible.