Traditional Spanish Seafood Soup (Sopa de Mariscos)

A vibrant Spanish seafood soup featuring a rich tomato broth infused with shrimp heads and smoked paprika, loaded with fresh mussels, clams, squid, and shrimp.

Ingredients

• 300 g black tiger shrimp
• 300 g squid
• 200 g green-lipped mussels
• 300 g clams
• 400 g canned tomatoes
• 0.5 red bell pepper
• 0.5 yellow bell pepper
• 0.5 onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 80 g white wine
• 1 large tbsp tomato paste
• 1 large spoonful smoked paprika powder
• 3-4 strands saffron
• as needed olive oil
• to taste black pepper
• to taste salt
• to taste fresh parsley
• optional whole wheat ciabatta

Instructions

1. 1Boil the clams and mussels

   

   Bring water to a boil, then add the clams and green-lipped mussels, semi-covering the pot to boil for 2 to 3 minutes.

   Tip: Green-lipped mussel meat is easily overcooked, so remove them promptly as soon as they open, then ladle out the clams.
2. 2Shell and clean the shrimp

   

   Peel the black tiger shrimp, remove the meat, and clean away the shrimp lines carefully.

   Tip: Removing the shrimp line ensures a clean taste and pleasant texture for the soup.
3. 3Peel and cut the squid

   

   Peel the outer skin of the squid to effectively remove any fishy odor, then cut the squid into sections for later use.

   Tip: Removing the outer skin is a key step to eliminate unwanted fishy odors from the squid.
4. 4Dice the bell peppers

   

   Take the red and yellow bell peppers and dice them into small, uniform pieces on a wooden cutting board to prepare them for the soup base.

   Tip: Cut the peppers into consistent sizes to ensure they soften evenly when stir-fried.
5. 5Stir-fry shrimp heads

   

   Heat the pan over medium heat, pour in a suitable amount of olive oil, and stir-fry the shrimp heads to extract the flavor.

   Tip: Stir-fry until the rich shrimp oil is fully released, then remove the heads before proceeding.
6. 6Sauté onions and garlic

   

   Using the remaining oil from the shrimp heads, stir-fry the chopped onion and garlic until fragrant.

   Tip: Keep the heat at medium so the garlic does not burn while building the flavor base.
7. 7Add and season diced bell peppers

   

   Pour the freshly diced red and yellow bell peppers into the pot with the sauteed onions and garlic, seasoning with an adequate amount of black pepper and salt to build the flavorful vegetable base of the Spanish seafood soup.

   Tip: Seasoning the vegetables early allows the spices and aromatics to properly meld together before adding liquids.
8. 8Sprinkle smoked paprika powder

   

   Add a large spoonful of smoked paprika powder directly into the vegetable mixture in the pot, stirring evenly to infuse the colorful peppers and onions with a rich, smoky aroma and vibrant color.

   Tip: Smoked paprika gives authentic Spanish depth to the broth—make sure to stir it well so it coats the vegetables evenly.
9. 9Deglaze with white wine

   

   Pour 80 grams of white wine into the pan containing the vegetable mixture, stirring and cooking for about 1 minute until the alcohol completely evaporates and leaves behind a fragrant, de-glazed base.

   Tip: Letting the alcohol evaporate fully ensures the harsh alcohol taste is gone, leaving only the pleasant acidity and depth of the wine.

Storage & Reheating

Burn It Off

Frequently Asked Questions