Creamy Shrimp Chowder is a seafood soup loaded with vegetables including fennel, roasted red peppers, carrots, celery and onion. It’s cooked in a creamy mushroom base which also gives it incredible umami flavor. This recipe is naturally low in carbohydrates and gluten free too!
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This recipe for Creamy Shrimp Soup with Bacon was inspired by a soup that I had made from a meal kit. Both my husband and I really enjoyed it, but it wasn’t something that we could order whenever we wanted.
After lots of testing, I finally came up with a version equally as delicious as the original.
It’s a creamy, hearty soup that has a ton of vegetables in it including a mirepoix of carrots, onion, and celery, but also fennels and roasted red peppers too. It’s made with mushroom broth giving it a little more of an earthy base. To finish it off, bacon and cheddar cheese are added as a topping.
While this is definitely a rich soup that fits into the comfort food category, it really can be enjoyed anytime of the year.
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe combines juicy shrimp and salty bacon with loads of vegetables and mushroom stock, which lends an umami flavor to the broth. Salty bits of bacon and cheddar cheese are the perfect topping.
It can be served as an appetizer or as a main dish, possibly paired with a salad or small sandwich.
This recipe is naturally low in carbohydrates and gluten free.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds shrimp (peeled, deveined)
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika (can use regular paprika, if needed)
- salt
- pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 8 slices bacon (diced)
- 1 bulb fennel (core removed, sliced thin)
- 1-2 carrots (diced, about 1 cup)
- 2 ribs celery (sliced thin, about 1 cup)
- 1 onion (diced small)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 12 ounce jar roasted red peppers (drained, diced small)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cups mushroom broth (can use vegetable stock, if needed)
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cheddar cheese (shredded)
The entire recipe and instructions can also be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. You can print the recipe from the card, if needed.
Prep!
There is a bit of prep work for this recipe, but once that’s all done, the rest comes together very easily.
Peel and devein your shrimp.
Dice the bacon, and dice or slice the fennel, carrots, celery, onion, and roasted red peppers. Mince the garlic and shred the cheddar cheese.
Create!
Combine the shrimp and paprika in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then toss with the olive oil. Set aside.
Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the diced bacon. Cook, stirring often, until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate.
Drain all but about 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease from the pot. Add the fennel, carrots, celery and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 30 to 60 seconds.
Mix in the roasted red peppers and cornstarch, then add the shrimp.
Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until the shrimp turn pink.
Add the cream cheese and mushroom broth. Bring to a boil and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked through and the cream cheese is fully melted and blended into the soup.
Remove from the heat and stir in the heavy cream.
Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed.
Present!
Divide the chowder between 4 bowls. Garnish each bowl with equal amounts of the bacon and cheddar cheese.
Tips and Techniques
- Regular paprika can be used in place of smoked paprika, if needed.
- If you can’t find mushroom broth, you can use vegetable stock. Chicken or seafood stock can also be used, but will affect the overall flavor more.
- Store leftover chowder in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Consume within 3 days.
FAQ’s
Should You Cook Bacon Before Adding It To Soup?
If you want crispy bacon, it is recommended to cook it, then top your soup with it rather than mix it in. When you cook bacon in soup, or mix cooked bacon into soup, it becomes softer and chewy.
Can You Freeze Shrimp Chowder?
Shrimp chowder doesn’t freeze well. Cream-based soups can become grainy when thawed and reheated. While it may still taste good, the texture can be unpleasant.
More Shrimp Recipes
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Creamy Shrimp Chowder with Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds shrimp (peeled, deveined)
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika (can use regular paprika, if needed)
- salt
- pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 8 slices bacon (diced)
- 1 bulb fennel (core removed, sliced thin)
- 1-2 carrots (diced, about 1 cup)
- 2 ribs celery (sliced thin, about 1 cup)
- 1 onion (diced small)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 12 ounce jar roasted red peppers (drained, diced small)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cups mushroom broth (can use vegetable stock, if needed)
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cheddar cheese (shredded)
Instructions
- Combine the shrimp and paprika in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then toss with the olive oil. Set aside.1 1/2 pounds shrimp, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the diced bacon. Cook, stirring often, until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate.8 slices bacon
- Drain all but about 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease from the pot. Add the fennel, carrots, celery and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 4 to 5 minutes.1 bulb fennel, 1-2 carrots, 2 ribs celery, 1 onion
- Add the garlic and cook another 30 to 60 seconds.2 cloves garlic
- Mix in the roasted red peppers and cornstarch, then add the shrimp. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, or until the shrimp turn pink.12 ounce jar roasted red peppers, 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Add the cream cheese and mushroom broth. Bring to a boil and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked through and the cream cheese is fully melted and blended into the soup.4 ounces cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups mushroom broth
- Remove from the heat and stir in the heavy cream.1/4 cup heavy cream
- Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed.
- Divide the chowder between 4 bowls. Garnish each bowl with equal amounts of the bacon and cheddar cheese.1/2 cheddar cheese
Notes
Tips and Techniques
- Regular paprika can be used in place of smoked paprika, if needed.
- If you can't find mushroom broth, you can use vegetable stock. Chicken or seafood stock can also be used, but will affect the overall flavor more.
- Store leftover chowder in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Consume within 3 days.
