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    Home » Recipes » Seafood » Shellfish Recipes » Shrimp » Asopao de Camarones

    Published: Jan 27, 2023 Modified: Feb 12, 2024 by Catherine Arena 4 Comments

    Asopao de Camarones

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    This Puerto Rican Asopao de Camarones (Shrimp Rice Pottage) is easy to make, comforting, delicious and a full meal in a bowl!

    Asopao de Camarones served in a white bowl with tostones.

    Just like Puerto Rican Chicken Soup (Sopa de Pollo), asopao is a common dish made in Puerto Rican Cuisine that’s especially great when you’re feeling under the weather, or you’re just really not n the mood to cook but still need a full, healthy meal on the table.

    Just throw all the ingredients into one pot and when its done, you’ll have a wholesome, comforting and delicious meal to feed your family.

    I love one pot meals!

    What is Asopao?

    Asopao is a thick stew or pottage that is made with either chicken, beef, pork, seafood or gandules (pigeon peas).

    Just like most dishes, every home has its own way of making asopao. Whether it’s adding more or less vegetables or adding one or two additional spices.

    However, all asopaos have one thing in common and that is rice.

    Adding rice gives this meal the heartiness and sustenance we need when making a one-pot meal.

    Adding rice is also what gives this dish, its thick consistency, making it an “asopao.”

    For todays asopao recipe, we will using shrimps.

    Variations of Asopao

    • Asopao de Pollo (Chicken Pottage)
    • Asopao de Carne (Beef Pottage)
    • Asopao de Camarones (Shrimp Pottage)
    • Asopao de Gandules (Pigeon Peas Pottage)
    • Asopao de Mariscos (Seafood Pottage)
    Asopao de Camarones served in a white bowl with tostones.

    How Thick Should Asopao Be?

    How thick your asopao will be is all up to you and whatever your personal preference is.

    Some people prefer their asopao really thick with hardly any liquid while others like myself prefer it more soup-like.

    For a thicker asopao, you would need to add more rice, hence, for a thinner blend, less rice.

    Ingredients to Make Asopao de Camarones

    Asopao de Camarones Ingredients
    • medium or long grain rice
    • extra large shrimps with shells
    • pimiento olives
    • green and red bell peppers
    • sofrito
    • sazon
    • tomato sauce
    • garlic
    • potatoes
    • onions
    • oil
    • salt and pepper
    • fresh cilantro
    • limes

    Instructions

    A saucepan with shrimp shells to make the shrimp broth.
    Shrimp broth is ready.

    Shrimp Broth

    Making a fresh shrimp broth adds a ton of flavor to the pottage, so if you can find shrimps with the shells still on, that is what you want to buy.

    If you cannot find fresh or frozen shrimps with the shells still on then use shrimp, fish or seafood bouillon.

    1. To make the shrimp broth, rinse the shrimps under cold water and then peel the shells off.
    2. Add the shells with two cups of water to a saucepan and a sprinkle of salt.
    3. Cook the shells for 10 to 15 minutes. Strain the shells and reserve the broth aside until ready to use.
    Rice being rinsed in a bowl.
    Rinsing rice through a strainer.
    1. Add the rice to a bowl and add enough water to cover.
    2. Using your hands, swirl the rice (the water will become cloudy) and rinse the rice.
    3. You want to repeat the process until the water runs clear.
    4. Drain the rice through a colander and set aside.
    Sofrito, sazon and vegetables added to a caldero to make the asopao de camarones.
    Vegetables and sofrito sauteing in a caldero.
    1. Add oil to a large caldero (dutch oven) or pot over medium heat.
    2. Next, add the onions and peppers and cook until onions are translucent.
    3. Then add the tomato sauce, sofrito, sazon and garlic to the pot and stir.
    4. Cook the veggies with the spices for 1-2 minutes.
    Water added to the caldero.
    Cilantro, olives and rice added to the caldero.
    1. At this point, you will want to add the water and the shrimp broth to the pot.
    2. Add the olives, rice, cilantro, salt, and pepper to taste.
    3. Allow rice to cook for 15 minutes.
    Potatoes added to pot.
    The asopao is fully cooked in the caldero and is ready to serve.
    1. After 15 minutes, add the potatoes and cook for another 15 minutes.
    2. When the rice and the potatoes are fully cooked, then add the shrimp and allow to cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender.
    3. The stew is ready. Taste and add additional salt if needed.
    4. Cut lime into wedges.
    5. Serve stew in bowls with a lime wedge.
    6. Sprinkle lime on top of the stew.
    Asopao de Camarones served in a white bowl with tostones.

    What Should I Serve Asopao with

    Asopao is a meal all on its own but my favorite way to serve it is with a sliver of avocado and garlic tostones (fried green plantains).

    There’s not a whole lot that is much better than a bowl of Asopao de Camarones con Tostones on a cold night!

    • Sopa de Salchichon (Salami Soup) cooked in a large caldero (dutch oven pot) with a side of white rice and avocado halves.
      Sopa de Salchichon
    • Sopa de Mariscos (Caldo de Mariscos) served in a white bowl with avocado, tostones and white rice.
      Sopa de Mariscos (Caldo de Mariscos)
    • Sopa de Platano (Crema de Platano) (Plantain Soup) served in a white bowl, topped with chicharrones and chopped cilantro and a side of white rice.
      Sopa de Platano
    • Sango de Camaron served in a platter with white rice and a side of tostones.
      Sango de Camaron (Shrimp Sango)

    Did you try this recipe? Please leave a ⭐ review below!

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    📖 Recipe

    Asopao de Camarones (Shrimp Stew Pottage)served in a white bowl with tostones.

    Asopao de Camarones (Shrimp Rice Pottage)

    This Puerto Rican Asopao de Camarones (Shrimp Rice Pottage) served with tostones, is easy, comforting, delicious and a full meal in a bowl!
    4.60 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: Puerto Rican
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 290kcal
    Author: Catherine Arena

    Equipment

    • large caldero or pot

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup medium or long grain rice For a thicker stew, add 1 cup of rice instead (do not use parboiled or instant rice)
    • 1 lb extra large shrimp with shells
    • 1-2 potatoes peeled and cut into large chunks
    • ½ green bell pepper rinsed and chopped
    • ½ red bell pepper rinsed and chopped
    • ½ onion chopped
    • 8 cups water
    • ⅓ cup pimiento olives
    • 3 tablespoon sofrito
    • ⅓ cup tomato sauce
    • 1 packet envelope sazon with annatto
    • 4-5 garlic cloves peeled and minced
    • handful fresh cilantro rinsed and chopped
    • 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 1 lime skin rinsed and cut into wedges for serving

    Instructions

    Shrimp Broth

    • Rinse the shrimp under cold water and peel the shells off.
      Reserve the shells.
      Devein the shrimps.
    • Add the shells with two cups of water to a saucepan and a sprinkle of salt.
      Cook the shells for 10 to 15 minutes.
      Strain the shells and reserve the broth aside until ready to use.

    Preparing the Rice

    • Add the rice to a bowl and add enough water to cover.
      Using your hands, swirl the rice (the water will become cloudy) and rinse the rice.
    • Repeat the process until the water runs clear.
      Drain the rice through a colander and set aside.

    Asopao

    • Add oil to a large caldero (dutch oven) or pot over medium heat.
    • Add the onions and peppers and cook until the onions are translucent.
    • Add the tomato sauce, sofrito, sazon and garlic to the pot and stir.
      Cook the veggies with the spices for 1-2 minutes.
    • Add the water and the shrimp broth to the pot.
    • Add the olives, rice, cilantro, salt, and pepper to taste.
      Allow rice to cook for 15 minutes.
    • After 15 minutes, add the potatoes and cook for another 15 minutes.
    • Once the rice and potatoes are fully cooked, toss in the shrimps and allow to cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender.
    • The stew is ready.
      Taste and add additional salt if needed.
    • Cut lime into wedges.
      Serve stew in bowls with a lime wedge.
      Sprinkle lime on top of the stew. Enjoy!

    Serving (optional)

    • Serve asopao on its own or with a sliver of avocado and garlic tostones (fried green plantains).

    Notes

    Shrimp Broth
    If you cannot find fresh or frozen shrimp with the shells still on then use shrimp, fish or seafood bouillon to flavor the stew.
    Add one or two bouillons when you add the cups of water.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 4 | Calories: 290kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 963mg | Potassium: 323mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 866IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Click the stars above or below to rate or leave a comment down below!

    More Shrimp

    • Camarones a la Criolla served in a white bowl with a side of white rice.
      Camarones a la Criolla
    • Camarones a la Plancha (Camarones a la Parrilla) or Grilled Shrimp served on a white platter, topped with red pickled onions and lemon wedges.
      Camarones a la Plancha (or Parrilla)
    • Fully assembled aguachile de camaron platter topped with onions, avocado and cucumbers.
      Aguachile de Camarón
    • Camarones a la Cucaracha (Spicy Fried Shrimps) served on a white platter with lime wedges.
      Camarones a la Cucaracha

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sandra B says

      June 06, 2024 at 6:57 am

      W mofongo simple (sin chicharrones) se le hecha al asopao…gracias for the recipe.
      If removing the shell from the shrimp, are you then serving the shrimp without the tail?

      Reply
      • Catherine Arena says

        June 10, 2024 at 9:18 pm

        ¡Hola Sandra! ¡A mi tambien me encanta un rico mofonguito en mi asopao!¡Riquisimo! Yes, I prefer to remove the shells and then add them to the asopao. Let me know how you enjoyed it! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Aileen Ducksworth says

      September 10, 2023 at 1:39 pm

      It was excellent very smooth to cook I even added extra seafood.

      Reply
    3. SHELLEY S FRANKEL says

      August 17, 2023 at 9:42 pm

      THIS IS A VERY TASTY RECIPE AND TONIGHT IS MY SECOND TIME MAKING THIS.
      1.MY QUESTION ARE DOES THE POT WITH THE RICE AND STEW EVER GET COVERED.
      2. WHAT FLAME SHOULD THE STEW BE COOKING AT: SIMMER, MEDIUM OR MED-HIGH HEAT.
      SLTHOUGH I AM AMERICAN, I LOVE THIS FOOD. I WISH I COULD GET IN HABIT OF MAKE RICE AND BEANS WEEKLY.

      Reply
    4.60 from 5 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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