EcuadorianMedium · Hot
Abundancia Shrimp Soup with Tomato and Rice
A generous coastal Ecuadorian shrimp soup with a bright tomato broth, slow-simmered onions and garlic, tender rice, and a final squeeze of lime that makes the whole pot come alive.
Prep
15 min
Cook
30 min
Rest
5 min
Total
50 min
Method
Build the Sofrito
1
Warm the olive oil in your stock pot over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion with a pinch of salt and let it cook down slowly, stirring with your wooden spoon, until it softens and turns translucent, about 8 minutes.
2
Add the minced garlic and ground cumin, stirring for another minute until fragrant.
4
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Cook the Shrimp
5
Add the shrimp to the pot and cook just until they turn pink and curl, about 5-7 minutes. Be careful not to overcook them. For 500g of shrimp, the full 5-7 minutes ensures even cooking throughout the batch; undercooking at 3-4 minutes risks insufficient internal temperature (145°F/63°C).
6
Remove from heat. Squeeze in the juice of both limes directly into the pot and stir in the fresh cilantro, letting the residual heat bloom the flavors.
A
Nutri-Score
Excellent balance
A–E · lower is better · score -3
Calories
505
per serving
High in protein · 37gLow sugar · 7gLow saturated fat · 2g
Protein
37g
Carbs
65g
Fat
12g
Sat. fat
2g
Fiber
5g
Sugar
7g
Sodium
1255mg
Gluten FreeDairy FreeHeart HealthyAnti InflammatoryLow Saturated FatHigh ProteinLean ProteinBalanced Meal
Nutri-Score is a general nutritional-balance guide, not medical or dietary advice.
E
Environmental impact
Very high impact
A–E · lower is better · includes estimates
kg CO2e
3.9
per serving
ECarbonBEU all-round· carbon sets the grade
Water
24m³
Land
44Pt
Runoff
1.1g P
Shrimp drives 85% of this recipe’s estimated footprint.
Carbon from Poore & Nemecek 2018; water, land & runoff from Agribalyse — modelled averages for comparing recipes, not a measurement of your groceries.
Flavor Profile
7
Umami
5
Sweet
4
Salty
6
Sour
1
Bitter
2
Spicy
Textures
TenderSilkySucculentSmooth
Aromas
HerbalSavoryBrightWarm
Kitchen Equipment
Techniques
Safety & Storage
Cooking Temperature
Cook shrimp to internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). Shrimp will turn pink and curl when done. Overcooking causes rubbery texture and potential quality issues.
Cross Contamination
Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw shrimp. Wash all surfaces, knives, and hands thoroughly with hot soapy water after handling raw shrimp.
High Risk Population
Pregnant women, young children, elderly, and immunocompromised individuals must only consume fully cooked shrimp. Raw or undercooked shellfish poses serious infection risk.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover soup within 2 hours of cooking. Store at 40°F (4°C) or below. Consume within 3-4 days. Reheat to 165°F (74°C) before serving.
Handling
Purchase fresh shrimp from reputable sources. Verify cold chain integrity (should feel cold to touch). Rinse before use. Discard any shrimp with shell discoloration or ammonia-like odor.
Allergen Warning
If using store-bought chicken broth, verify ingredient labels for additional allergens (soy, wheat, celery) which may be present in some commercial broth products.
Pro Tips
Technique
Never rush your sofrito — those 8 minutes cooking the onions until they're soft and translucent are building the foundation of the entire broth. And when you add the shrimp, watch them closely; they go from perfect to rubbery in seconds, so 3 minutes is all they need.
Substitution
If you can't find large shrimp, cod or sea bass fillets work beautifully here too — just cut them into chunks and add them to the simmering broth. And those limes? They're not optional in my kitchen; they make the soup come alive.
From the chef
This soup, mi amigo, is what abundance looks like on my stove — the same tomato-rich broth that made encebollado famous in Guayaquil, but with plump shrimp instead, because sometimes the sea gives you a gift and you just have to receive it with gratitude. I learned from my grandmother that the secret is never rushing the onion and tomato — they need time to become something greater than their parts, and then, at the very end, a good squeeze of lime wakes everything up like a Sunday morning.
TagsOne Pot
AllergensShellfishFish
Source: generated · June 10, 2026