Seafood Soup - Sopa de Mariscos
Seafood soup (Sopa de Mariscos) is one of our all-time favorite seafood recipes. It’s easy to make, can be made in one pot, and comes together in under an hour with minimal fuss. It’s the perfect blend of fresh seafood including clams, shrimp (or prawns), and white fish combined with a few simple pantry staples and some veg. Adding some texture and flavor is the Spanish Fideo noodle, similar to Italian vermicelli or thin small pieces of spaghetti.
Equipment
- Large pot with lid
- 12 inch cast iron skillet
- Wooden cutting board
- Chef knife
- Box Grater (optional)
- Cooking Tongs
- Sieve or mesh strainer
- Ladle
Ingredients
- 500 g 17oz. White fish (Merluza, bacalao or rape tails are all good options)
- 500 g 17oz. Clams (we used small chrila mollusks, but any small clam or mussel will work fine)
- 500 g 17oz. Large raw shrimp (peeled, heads removed- keep heads for step below)
- 1 onion diced
- 1 large carrot
- 2 tomatoes grated and skin removed (or use a small can of pulped tomatoes)
- 1 cup of Fideo pasta size no.1
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 cloves of garlic halved
- 2 liters of low-sodium Seafood stock/broth
Instructions
Prepare Seafood Broth
- Add 1.5 liters of water to a large pot with a lid. Then add the shells and heads from the shrimp, plus the fish bones, skin, or heads that you have (ask your fishmonger to save these for you).2 liters of low-sodium Seafood stock/broth
- Add the onion peelings plus half a whole onion and one carrot, broken into small pieces. Add a bay leaf and some whole black peppercorns, plus around 1-2 teaspoons of fine salt.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Keep seafood broth hot but not boiling.
Prepare Shrimp
- Add a splash of olive oil to a large skillet on medium-high heat, once the oil is hot, add the halved garlic cloves.2-3 cloves of garlic, Extra virgin olive oil
- Allow the oil to infuse with the garlic for 1-2 minutes, then add the shrimp and season lightly with salt.500 g 17oz. Large raw shrimp (peeled, heads removed- keep heads for step below)
- Fry for 2 minutes per side or until they get a little color (they will cook more later in the soup).
- Set shrimp aside for use later.
Prepare sofrito
- In the same pan, add the diced onion and saute until golden (around 4-5 minutes). Add the carrot and continue to saute for a few minutes until they soften.1 onion, 1 large carrot
- Add the grated tomato and a half cup of water, stir through, and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer.2 tomatoes
- Season to taste and simmer until all the liquid has evaporated.
- The veg should be soft and starting to stick to the bottom of the pan. Give everything a good scrape to bring u the flavor.
- (OPTIONAL STEP) - If you prefer a smoother sauce, blend the veg and then return the smooth blended sauce back to the pan.
Add Broth, Fideos, and Seafood
- Add a few more ladles of the seafood broth and add the clams. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.500 g 17oz. Clams (we used small chrila mollusks, but any small clam or mussel will work fine)
- Cut fish into 1-inch pieces and add it to the pan with the other ingredients.500 g 17oz. White fish (Merluza, bacalao or rape tails are all good options)
- Add the cooked shrimp and the fideo noodles and give everything a mix.1 cup of Fideo pasta
- Top up the pan with enough broth so that everything is covered by around 1cm (half an inch).
- Simmer for around 10 minutes, season to taste, and serve!