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My shrimp and sausage soup satisfies with rich, cheesy, creamy deliciousness, y'all. A base of browned Cajun trinity veggies, sausage, and garlic, rounded out with chicken broth, spinach, and pasta. Then, finished off with two cheeses, seasoned shrimp, and heavy cream for that restaurant quality at home taste that wins oohs and aahs from everyone blessed enough to be around your dinner table. Yep and yay...
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It's There for You When You Need That Cozy Comfort Food Feeling...
This original shrimp and sausage soup recipe combines my love of south Louisiana cuisine with my NEED for cheesy, creamy comfort food sustenance. I pulled out all the stops with this recipe, y'all, combining cream cheese and pepper Jack for the ultimate silky smooth consistency.
And, of course, I browned the Cajun trinity veggies, sausage, and garlic before I added anything else to the pot. So, each bite is a mind-blowing juxtaposition of crunchy caramelized bits and luscious cheesy bliss that you can't get of once you take your very first bite.
Ingredient Essentials & Substitutions
- I use local 31/35 Gulf shrimp for this recipe. It's flash-frozen, so it thaws quickly into peeled and deveined shrimp that's just as fresh as the day that it was processed. This substantial size is perfect for this shrimp and sausage soup recipe. However, you can use whatever-sized shrimp that you have on hand. If your shrimp are much smaller than mine, then shave a few minutes off of the cooking time and you should be fine.
- I use smoked beef sausage in my Cajun recipes, as I don't tolerate swine well. But, you can use andouille sausage in this recipe with great success, too.
- Browned trinity veggies and garlic are a must in this shrimp and sausage soup recipe. Don't skip them if at all possible. But, if you can only grab two of them go for the garlic and onion.
- I use gluten free baby mafalda pasta in this recipe because their small shape is just the right size for the soup. However, you can also use small shells or even penne or rigatoni with success. Just don't use more than called for in the recipe or the consistency could become way off.
- Using thawed, frozen spinach makes this shrimp and sausage soup recipe come out perfectly time after time. You can also use fresh spinach. But, you'll have to clip the stems off and make sure that you've rinsed each piece well before using.
- Cream cheese, pepper Jack, and heavy cream create the luxurious body of this shrimp and sausage soup. I recommend that you go out of your way to NOT substitute any of the three to experience this dish in all of its intended eyes-rolling-into-the-back-of-your-head-bliss.
- Tapioca flour is my preferred binder for almost all of my original recipes. This one is no exception. But, you can also substitute all purpose flour without any concerns.
How to Make Shrimp and Sausage Soup
To begin the recipe, season the shrimp and set aside.
Now, start browning the Cajun trinity veggies and oil or butter in the pot.
When the veggies are halfway browned, add the sausage to the pot.
When the sausage and veggies are browned, add the garlic.
Sprinkle the tapioca flour into the mixture, and stir to combine.
The base mixture for the shrimp and sausage soup should look like this now.
Add the chicken broth, dry pasta, and spinach to the pot. Then, stir to combine.
Cook until the pasta is al dente. Then, stir the seasoned shrimp into the pot.
Then, add the heavy cream and the two types of cheese to the mixture.
Finally, simmer until done.
And that's it, y'all!!
I've timed it all perfectly for you to ensure that this creamy Cajun-style shrimp and sausage soup does not curdle on you, but lends the ideal texture that 'wows' you just as much for next-day leftovers just as much as it does upon first bite.
It's rich, satisfying, and substantial, y'all. And it warms your body all-the-way down to the bones.
Share this shrimp and sausage soup with those whose presence is just as captivating as it is comforting. Much food love, and see y'all on the yum side...
More of My Original Creamy Cajun Recipes
If you like this shrimp and sausage soup recipe, you'll likely want to make and devour one of these other creamy Cajun dishes, too.
NOTE: This post was originally published on November 1, 2021, and updated and republished on September 6, 2024.
Shrimp and Sausage Soup
Ingredients
For the Seasoned Shrimp
- 1 pound 31/35-count raw shrimp, peeled deveined
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon Crystal hot sauce
- salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
For the Shrimp and Sausage Soup
- 3 to 4 tablespoons butter or oil
- 1 medium-sized yellow onion, chopped
- 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 fresh celery ribs, trimmed and chopped
- 1 pound sausage, sliced
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- ¼ cup tapioca starch
- 4 cups chicken broth Swanson is my fave
- 2 ½ cups dry gluten free baby mafalada pasta
- 1 12-ounce bag frozen spinach, thawed
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups shredded pepper Jack cheese
- 2 cups heavy cream
- additional salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste, optional
Instructions
- Pour all of the seasonings and the hot sauce over the shrimp.
- Stir until combined.
- Pour the oil or butter into a cast iron Dutch oven or pot set oven medium-high heat. (I usually start with three tablespoons and then add the other one later if I need it.)
- Add the chopped onion, red and green bell pepper, and celery to the pot, stirring until combined with the oil or butter.
- When the veggies are about halfway-browned, add the sausage to the pot.
- Continue cooking, stirring often, until the sausage and veggies brown.
- Stir the minced garlic into the mixture, and cook for one additional minute, stirring constantly.
- Sprinkle the tapioca flour over the mixture, and stir until very well combined.
- Add the chicken broth, spinach, and dry pasta into the pot, and stir until incorporated.
- Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often, or until the pasta is al dente.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, and stir the pot continuously for about 3 minutes. (This helps to remove the excess higher heat out of the pot, which in turn protects the soup from curdling during the next steps).
- Stir the shrimp, the cream cheese, and the pepper Jack cheese to the pot.
- Add the heavy cream, and cook for another 12 to 15 minutes, or until a digital themometer inserted into the shrimp reads at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Notes
The information shown is an estimate provided by a third-party, online computer-generated nutrition calculator, not a registered dietitian or certified nutritionist. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods and individual portion sizes, along with other factors.
See our full nutrition disclaimer here.
