Year of Favorites: Shrimp & Rice Soup
This post has been updated on October 3, 2016 as part of the 5 Affordable Weeknight Dinners from Whole Foods Market project. We were able to enjoy this recipe again in a whole new way with ingredients from my recent Whole Foods Market trip.
This soup is a long-standing favorite of ours. This week it is part of our 5 Affordable Weeknight Dinners from Whole Foods Market. For this project I am sharing how I make five delicious, easy dinners for my family using one bag of Whole Foods Market groceries. I love shopping there because of their extra fresh ingredients and high commitment to quality.
When I buy frozen shrimp for this recipe, for example, I know it is sustainable, responsibly farmed, and verified. They take such care to vet their products before they sell them. I like to buy my grains in the bulk oil because it is cost effective and easy. With the ease of buying shrimp and grains at Whole Foods Market half the recipe is already done! Before I go I always check my Whole Foods Market app and sales flyer for coupons. They are so easy to use and offer terrific discounts for so many of my favorite every day staples, and the specialty items I love to try.
Taking a week off from cooking while we were in Costa Rica was good for me. I could see myself heading into a dinner rut and I needed to step out of the kitchen for a little bit. When I returned I was reenergized to get cooking again and went through my old Evernote list of tried-and-trues. (Do you use Evernote for organizing recipes? OMG, amazing!) This shrimp soup I’d had a couple of years ago at my friend Lauren’s house popped up and I knew it was the right time to make it again.
What I love about this recipe is how it comes together so quickly yet tastes like it has been simmering on the stove for ages. It is honestly one of the easiest soups I’ve ever made and I make a lot of them! I think part of the reason for the depth of flavor is the coconut milk. It lends the dish a natural sweetness and elevates beyond the usual tomato and broth flavor. It also makes the texture creamier without making it a cream soup.
This soup thickens up if it chills overnight. I loosen it up with water or a touch of chicken broth. It doesn’t change the flavor and it is really a personal preference. But it is worth noting since you’ll since this recipes make generous portions and you’ll likely have some leftover.
I hope you like this recipe as much as I do. It is also a good one for helping me use up all the extra rice in the pantry!
(Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Whole Foods. The opinions and photographs are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that support The Naptime Chef.)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped shallot
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ¾ cup jasmine rice
- 1 small pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 15 ounces crushed tomatoes with puree
- 5 cups of water
- 1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 ½ pounds medium shrimp, shelled and cut in half horizontally
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Warm the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and allow it to soften for about ten minute, until it is completely softened and translucent. Then add the garlic and cook for one more minute.
- Add the rice, red pepper, salt, tomatoes, and water to the pot. Bring it to a boil and cook the rice until tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and bring to a simmer.
- Stir in the shrimp and simmer the soup for about 8 minutes, or until the shrimp are cooked. Stir in the pepper, and lemon juice and serve.
Notes
This is adapted from Food & Wine magazine.
[…] been revisiting a bunch of favorites this year and I couldn’t resist pointing out this one again. (And this time the picture is […]