Name: Easy Shrimp Tortilla Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons olive oil; 1 cup onion (diced); 2 garlic cloves (minced); 1 teaspoon chili powder; 1 teaspoon cumin; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 28 ounces crushed tomatoes; 2 cups vegetable broth, low-sodium (or chicken broth); 15 ounces black beans, low-sodium (rinsed and drained); 1 cup corn kernels (frozen or fresh, do not defrost frozen corn); 4 ounces canned mild green chile peppers; 1 pound shrimp (peeled and deveined, tail off; medium to large; thaw if frozen); 1 lime (about 1 Tablespoon); 2 ounces tortilla chips (crushed; Leave out to keep carbs down); Salt to taste, if using low-sodium products; Optional toppings such as cilantro, cheese, sour cream, and avocado

Shrimp Tortilla Soup is an easy one-pot dinner packed with tender shrimp, black beans, corn, and green chiles in a flavorful tomato broth. It’s ready in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights.

Shrimp tortilla soup with black beans, corn, cilantro, and crispy tortilla strips in a tomato broth.

Notes from my kitchen

This tortilla soup comes together quickly with mostly pantry staples plus a few fresh ingredients.

It's a variation of our easy chicken tortilla soup, which we offered at our meal assembly kitchens. Since I always have shrimp in the freezer, swapping it for the chicken was an easy way to turn a favorite into a Mexican-inspired seafood soup.

In this recipe, uncooked shrimp goes straight into the simmering broth, where it cooks quickly and mingles with the tasty broth. There’s no need to cook it separately, which means less work, one less pan to wash, and tender shrimp in just a few minutes.

Marjory

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this shrimp tortilla soup recipe:

Of special note:

Shrimp - Use medium or large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, with the tails removed. Fresh or frozen shrimp will work. For the most even cooking, thaw frozen shrimp before adding it to the soup.
Corn - Fresh or frozen corn works well, and frozen corn can go straight into the soup without thawing. For fresh corn, quickly microwave corn on the cob in the husk, then cut the kernels off the cob.
Crushed tomatoes – These are part of the broth base and give the soup plenty of tomato flavor without a long simmer or the need to puree anything.
Tortilla chips or strips: Use crushed tortilla chips, or air-fry a small corn tortilla whole for about 3 minutes, until crisp. I don't even use any oil, but you can. Cut it into strips for serving.

Low-sodium ingredients: I prefer to use low-sodium products, such as broth and black beans, whenever possible so I can control the amount of salt in the soup. Depending on the brands and products you use, you may need to add salt to taste.

The recipe card below includes ingredient amounts, step-by-step instructions, and nutritional information.

How to make shrimp tortilla soup

Use these pictures as a guide in making the recipe.

Sauté the aromatics

Diced onion sautéing in a pot for shrimp tortilla soup before garlic and spices are added.

Cook the onion until softened, then add the garlic and seasonings and cook for 1 minute.

Simmer the soup

Tomatoes, black beans, corn, and green chiles simmering in broth for shrimp tortilla soup.

Stir in the tomatoes, broth, black beans, corn, and green chiles. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the shrimp

Raw shrimp being added to the tortilla soup near the end of cooking.

Add the shrimp and cook just until pink and opaque, about 3–5 minutes.

Finish with lime and toppings

Finished shrimp tortilla soup with cooked shrimp, black beans, corn, and tomatoes in the pot before toppings are added.

Stir in fresh lime juice and serve with your favorite toppings.

What to serve with shrimp tortilla soup

I let everyone customize their bowl with cilantro, shredded cheese, and sliced avocado. Sometimes I turn a single avocado into guacamole instead! For me, a dollop of sour cream is a must because it makes the broth a little creamy.

For a complete meal, serve it with a simple green salad drizzled with my healthy taco salad dressing.

Would you like more easy, healthy, carb-conscious recipes?

Join our email list

📋 Recipe

This recipe was originally published 4/20/2013. It was updated to improve the reader experience.

Notes from my kitchen

Ingredients