Cream of Prawn Soup Recipe: Elegant Spanish Starter 2026

This cream of prawn soup is a sure bet for a celebration or any special occasion. It is silky, deeply savory and surprisingly easy to make, yet it plates up looking elegant enough for a holiday table.

Sweet prawns are simmered in olive oil, then their shells and heads are pressed to release every drop of flavor into the broth. Onion, carrot and a splash of sherry build a warm, golden base that needs no artificial color at all.

Use fresh or frozen prawns, whichever you have on hand, and feel free to swap in shrimp since the method is exactly the same. Serve it as a first course with crusty bread and a glass of dry sherry for a truly memorable start to the meal.

Ingredients for Cream of Prawn Soup

This makes 2 generous servings as a starter.

• 400 g prawns
• 40 ml olive oil
• 1 onion
• Salt
• 2 carrots
• 80 ml sherry
• 700 ml shrimp or fish stock
• Ground black pepper
• Fresh chives, for garnishing

How to Make Cream of Prawn Soup Step by Step

1. Sear the Prawns

First, sear 400 g of prawns in a skillet with 40 ml of olive oil for 2 minutes. This quick pass in hot oil draws out the flavor of the shells and heads, which is what gives the finished soup its lovely color and depth.

2. Press the Shells and Reserve the Prawns

Peel the prawns, setting the bodies aside for later, and press or crush the cooked shells and heads over a large strainer. Keep the liquid that collects, as it will go back into the soup.

3. Sauté the Onion and Carrot

In the same skillet, sauté 1 chopped onion with a little salt for 3 minutes over low heat. Add 2 carrots cut into small dice and cook for 5 more minutes.

4. Add the Sherry and Reduce

Pour in 80 ml of sherry and let it reduce over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. The alcohol cooks off and leaves behind a subtle, nutty sweetness that lifts the whole soup.

5. Simmer with the Stock

Pour in 700 ml of shrimp or fish stock along with the reserved liquid from pressing the prawn shells, and cook for 20 minutes. Add the prawns at the very end of cooking, holding back 2 of them for the garnish.

6. Blend and Season

Blend everything until you have a smooth, homogeneous mixture. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed before serving.

7. Serve and Garnish

Serve this exquisite cream of prawn soup decorated with a little chives and the whole reserved prawns, one per portion, threaded onto a toothpick and set over the soup as shown here for a very striking presentation.

Tips for the Best Cream of Prawn Soup

Choose Your Prawns Wisely

Fresh or frozen prawns both work beautifully here, and shrimp can be used with the exact same method. Searing the shells and heads in the oil you later use for the vegetables is the trick to a deeply savory soup with a gorgeous natural color, no colorants required.

Pick a Good Stock and Aromatics

The stock carries this dish, so use a homemade shrimp stock or a high-quality store-bought one. If you are serving it for a special occasion, do not skimp on quality, because it really shows in the final bowl. Sherry is our preferred aromatic, though white wine, brandy or cognac all work well, and you can simply skip the alcohol if you prefer.

Make the Garnish Shine

For a showstopping plate, top each bowl with a prawn threaded onto a toothpick and a few sprigs of chives. It is equally delicious if you chop some of the prawns and stir them in with finely minced chives instead.

30 Go-To Recipes I Keep Coming Back to in My Own Kitchen

Like a lot of home cooks, I like having a rotation that covers cozy classics, dishes from around the world, and sweets that make everyone happy.

Some nights I want something luxuriously rich, and that's when I reach for this La Viña Molten Cheesecake recipe, this refined Original French Crème Brûlée recipe, or a truly indulgent Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe. And on days when I'm after something fruity and soothing, this timeless French Tarte Tatin recipe is my reliable pick.

For mornings that call for something easy and for lighter plates, I'll whip up these airy Oatmeal and Banana Pancakes recipe, a hearty Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe, or these bright Eggs Stuffed with Avocado and Salmon recipe. And whenever I need a gluten-free staple for the pantry, this straightforward Gluten-Free Rice Flour recipe does the job.

When tapas and Mediterranean cooking are calling, I tend to cycle through this punchy Basque Tuna with Tomato recipe, crispy Patatas Bravas Air Fryer recipe, silky Tirokafteri Greek Dip Sauce recipe, and a cool Burrata Salad with Tomato and Pesto recipe. This crisp Italian Vitello Tonnato recipe is another one I love to serve when the occasion feels a bit more special.

Hearty midday meals and comforting suppers? These are the ones I'm always recommending: this warming Meatballs in Spanish Sauce recipe, traditional Meatballs in Almond Sauce recipe, deeply savory Italian Bolognese Sauce recipe, and velvety Chicken Croquettes in Thermomix recipe. When I'm after something more substantial, I'll bake up this Greek Pastitsio Pie recipe, rustic Potatoes and Squid Stew recipe, or the deeply comforting French Boeuf Bourguignon recipe.

Street-food cravings and party spreads usually lead me to this juicy Homemade Chicken Doner Kebab recipe, crispy Salchipapas recipe, punchy Mexican Pork Carnitas recipe, or these crackly Korean Hobak Jeon recipe. These effortless Air Fryer Zucchini Rings recipe are another favorite of mine for a quick appetizer or snack.

And when I'm hosting and putting together drinks alongside a full menu, I'll often serve dinner with this refreshing Original Cuban Mojito recipe, this potent Long Island Iced Tea recipe, or a pitcher of this fruity Bleeding Spanish Sangria recipe. To bring the whole table together, I like setting out this zesty French Remoulade Sauce recipe on the side, or finishing things off with this eye-catching Mediterranean Black Rice with Squid recipe.

Even More Tasty Recipes to Cook for Your Family

After years of cooking, testing, and tweaking in my own kitchen, I've come to believe the greatest dishes boil down to three things: straightforward methods, techniques you can trust, and serious flavor.

Every recipe gathered here is one I genuinely cook over and over—whether it's a fast meal just for me or something a little more celebratory for friends and family.

On the sweet side, the rich, silky Orange Chocolate Mousse Recipe is a go-to when I want something that feels fancy yet comes together without fuss. Another dessert I adore is the caramelized Trdelnik Slavic Pastry Recipe, modeled on the well-known Central European chimney cake. If baking is your thing, knowing how to make syrup for better dessert texture helps a lot, and my Inverted Sugar Recipe walks through exactly how I do it at home.

When something light and uncomplicated is what I'm after, I'll usually make the classic Italian Caprese Salad Recipe or a flawlessly cooked Simple Poached Egg Recipe. For cozier, more filling meals, I frequently point people to the satisfying Meatball Sandwich Recipe, the creamy Russian Stroganoff Beef Recipe, and the fast weeknight winner One Pot Pasta Recipe.

I'm also a big fan of sharing dishes with roots in other countries, such as the authentic Sorropotún de Bonito Fish Stew Recipe, crispy Chilean Pumpkin Sopaipillas Recipe, and the traditional Spanish Cochifrito Segovian Fried Pig Recipe.

Air fryer cooking is another category I turn to often, since it cuts down on time without sacrificing texture. The ones I make most include Air Fryer Pork Ribs Recipe, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe, Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Peppers Recipe, Air Fryer Mixed Sandwich Recipe, Air Fryer Toasted Bread Recipe, and Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs Recipe.

And for those steering clear of wheat, my cozy Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe shows that a classic baked pasta can still be rich, cheesy, and deeply satisfying without any gluten.

Gluten free Empanada Dough Recipe 🍕 Fluffy Apple Cake Recipe 🍔 Langos Hungarian Fried Bread Recipe 🌭 Gluten Free French Brioche Recipe 🍟 Madeira British Sponge Cake Recipe 🌮 Chocolate Argentinian Cookies Alfajores Recipe 🌯 Barmbrack Irish Sweet Bread Recipe 🥙 Gluten free Cookies Recipe 🥗 Homemade cream Maruxas Galician Biscuit Recipe 🍝 Japanese Dumplings Gyoza Dough Recipe

American Gluten Free Cookies Recipe 🍜 Gluten Free King Cake Recipe 🍲 Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe 🍛 Extremadura Style Chard Recipe 🍣 Keto Sliced Sandwich Bread Recipe 🍱 Gluten Free Waffles Recipe 🍤 Low Carb Keto Pizza Recipe 🍗 Gluten Free Bread Rolls Recipe 🍖 Flourless Gluten Free Bread Buns Recipe 🥓 Protein Ice Cream Recipe 🥞 Chia Pudding Dessert with Seeds Recipe

Fluffy Cloud Bread Pan Nube Recipe 🧇 Quinoa Bread Recipe 🍞 Schiacciata Tuscan Focaccia Flat Bread Recipe 🥐 Shokupan Japanese Milk Bread Recipe 🥨 Potato Sandwich Bread Recipe 🧀 Homemade Breadsticks Recipe 🍳 Stollen German Dried Fruits Cake Recipe 🥚 French Gingerbread Spiced Cake Recipe 🍰 Gluten Free Pancakes Recipe

🥔 Potato-omelet-in-Thermomix 🍓 Smores-Sandwich-Dessert 🍰 Womens-Day-Mimosa-cake ☕ Coffee-Sorbet 🍆 Eggplant-pizza 🍋 Ciambella-Italian-Lemon-Cake 🥖 Zapiekanka-Polish-Snack 🌰 Dukkah-Egyptian-Nuts-Mix 🧆 Best-Hummus 🥑 Best-Avocado

Best Products We’ve Tested and Rated

Our testing team has hands-on reviews of anti sway hitch camper, heater, trunk, dehumidifier camper, and water pump. Every option below was compared across price, build quality, and real-world performance, with honest pros and cons. We update these guides regularly as new models arrive, so the recommendations stay current.

Our testing team has hands-on reviews of covers, wind break, outdoor rugs, water jug, and tent motorcycle. Every option below was compared across price, build quality, and real-world performance, with honest pros and cons. We update these guides regularly as new models arrive, so the recommendations stay current.