Made in one pot, this shrimp and rice soup is super easy to prepare. In only 30 minutes, you´ll have a delicious hearty soup that the entire family will love.
In my beloved Dominican Republic, this dish is called asopado de camarones. The dish is usually consumed during cold, rainy days and made in big batches to feed a crowd, like my Chicken Noodle Soup with Yuca and Cheese Broccoli Soup which are usually served in those cold times.
It’s also the perfect dinner for when you have just gotten home from work and don’t want to spend too long in the kitchen. Served with a side of tostones and avocados.
What is Asopado de Camarones (Shrimp and Rice Soup)?
It is a savory Dominican dish that combines succulent shrimp, rice, and a medley of aromatic spices into a hearty, comforting soup. The rich broth is infused with flavors from fresh vegetables, garlic, cilantro, and a touch of tomato sauce, creating a dish that’s both satisfying and deeply flavorful. The rice absorbs the broth, giving it a creamy texture that’s perfect for chilly days or any time you crave a warm, nourishing meal.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You’ll love this Shrimp and Rice Soup for its ease of preparation, as it comes together quickly in just one pot. It’s a nutrient-rich dish, offering a balanced combination of protein and carbohydrates. The creamy texture and rich flavors make it a perfect comfort food, especially for cooler days. Plus, it’s versatile, allowing you to customize it with different proteins or make it vegetarian to suit your preferences.
Ingredients
- Oil: Used as the base for sautéing the seasonings and vegetables, I use vegetable oil, but feel free to use any other oil.
- Seasonings: These spices provide the foundational flavor for the soup, adding depth and aroma, I like to use Sazon, pepper, and oregano.
- Chicken Bouillon: Dissolved in the broth, it enriches the soup with a savory taste.
- Tomato Sauce: Adds acidity and richness to the broth, balancing the other flavors.
- Sofrito: Be sure to try my sofrito for a mix of herbs, spices, and aromatics, it forms the flavor base of the soup.
- Celery: Adds a fresh, slightly crunchy texture and mild flavor.
- Shrimp: The main protein, however, if you change the shrimp for any other protein, it will be a great variation like using chicken or even meat.
- Rice: Thickens the soup and makes it more filling, absorbing the flavorful broth. You can use any type of rice for this recipe, such as long-grain white, basmati, jasmine, brown, or wild rice.
- Adobo: A seasoning mix that enhances the overall taste, adding complexity.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Adds a slight tanginess to balance the richness of the soup.
How to make asopado de camarones
Heat oil in a large cast iron pot over medium heat. Add sazón, black pepper, chicken bouillon, oregano, tomato sauce, sofrito and celery stick. Sautee for 2 minutes. Add shrimp and let cook until it begins to release water, about 5 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil. When the water begins to boil, add the rice. Stir occasionally to avoid rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Add adobo and vinegar. Let it simmer until rice has cooked, about 15-20 minutes. For a better taste, serve warm.
Serving Suggestions
For me, the best way to eat my asopado is with a side of tostones and avocados. The crispy tostones make a great textural accompaniment to the creamy asopado, and the avocado should never be missing from a Dominican table, with all that flavor and texture that is amazing to pair with any dish.
Recipe Variations
This recipe happens to be made with shrimp, but we also make it with chicken, sausage, and even gandules, although that one is called chambre. Replace shrimp with chicken pieces. Sauté the chicken until cooked through before adding it to the soup. This variation is perfect for those who prefer poultry over seafood.
Storage Tips
Refrigeration: Store the asopado in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Freezing: Since the rice is mixed with the broth, store it in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Note that the rice may become slightly mushy upon reheating. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a little water or broth if the soup has thickened too much.
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Frequently Asked Questions
This shrimp and rice soup will keep well in the fridge for around 3 days and is easily reheated on the stovetop. When the rice sits, it will absorb a lot of the liquid, so when you reheat it, you may want to stir in a little extra stock or water to loosen it back up.
I use long-grain white rice for asopado de camarones, but you can make this with different varieties if you prefer. Keep in mind that if you make this with wild or brown rice, the cooking time will need to be increased by around 20 minutes until the rice is fully cooked.
Yes, make a vegetarian version by omitting the shrimp and using vegetable broth instead of chicken bouillon. Add more vegetables such as bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, and spinach for added flavor and nutrition.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Make asopado de Camarones in a heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven. This will distribute the heat more evenly so you are less likely to get hotspots that can scorch the bottom.
- Make this soup vegetarian by omitting the shrimp and using vegetable stock. It will still be delicious!
- If making ahead of time, let the soup cool fully before placing it in an airtight container in the fridge.
More Shrimp Recipes
Shrimp and Rice Soup (Asopado de Camarones)
Author:Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon sazón (culantro and achiote)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cube chicken bouillon
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons sofrito
- 1 celery stick , chopped
- 1 pound shrimp , cleaned and deveined
- 5 cups water
- 1 cup rice
- 1/2 teaspoon adobo
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large cast iron pot over medium heat.
- Add sazón, black pepper, chicken bouillon, oregano, tomato sauce, sofrito and celery stick. Sautee for 2 minutes. Add shrimp and let cook until it begins to release water, about 5 minutes.
- Add water and bring to a boil. When the water begins to boil, add the rice. Stir occasionally to avoid rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Add adobo and vinegar.
- Let it simmer until rice has cooked, about 15-20 minutes.
- Serve warm.
Notes
- Make asopado de camarones in a heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven. This will distribute the heat more evenly so you are less likely to get hotspots that can scorch the bottom.
- Make this soup vegetarian by omitting the shrimp and using vegetable stock. It will still be delicious!
- If making ahead of time, let the soup cool fully before placing it in an airtight container in the fridge.
Nutrition
The nutritional information of this recipe and all recipes on mydominicankitchen.com is only an estimate. The accuracy of any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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Caroline Pivonka says
Vanessa,
I just came across this recipe. It looks delicious.
can you tell me, do I take the shrimp out before I put the rice in to cook or do I leave them in while the rice is cooking. I don’t want them to get tough.
Vanessa says
Hi! You can keep the shrimp in the pot as the rice cooks or you can remove it and add it back in about 10 minutes before the rice is done.
Yarissa M Barada Castro says
Omg me and my husband loved it! Made few changes though. I didnt had celery so none on it. I added one bay leave, a hint of salt. Also, since my husband is Mexican I made some hot sauce to add with chile de arbol and puya… tostones on the side! Delicious… thank you! Reminded me of my grandma ;(
Vanessa says
I’m so glad you like the recipe. It’s really one of my favorites, definitely paired with tostones. Sometimes, I drizzle a little hot sauce too. 😉
Bersaida says
Thank you for the recipe. Maybe people need to know that a sofrito Is made of onion, pepper, and garlic. So all you have to do is add 1/2 cup of diced onions, 1./2 cup of diced green pepper and 4 minced cloves of garlic. Dominicans usually don’t use premade sofrito. We cut our vegetables right before we cook. Thanks for the recipe!
Yvonne Toro says
It was so delicious 😋 Tks Vanessa all though I made quite a few changes it still came out Sabroso. I use regular vinegar instead of cider and chicken broth instead of bouillon and canola oil instead of vegetable and I also didn’t use celery. I also put in minced garlic and sliced pimientos. Este plato es Para comer con tostones y aguacate 🥑 que rico!!!
Vanessa says
So glad you liked it! And yes, your changes all work well with this recipe. Tostones y aguacate forever!! 😁
Kate @ Babaganosh.org says
Looks lovely! My fiance is Dominican and while he is not too crazy about asopao for some reason, I LOVE it, especially with shrimp. It’s just such a delicious hearty filling dish, it’s perfect to me.
Cristalia says
Que delicioso!!!
Vanessa says
Gracias! Si es bien rico. 🙂
Leanna says
Asopao is a favorite of mine!! Thanks for posting and love the idea of making more time for family. Cheers!
Vanessa says
Thank you Leanna! It’s one of my favorites too! With tostones.