Caldo de Camarón is a traditional Mexican shrimp soup inspired by the coastal flavors of Baja California. Made with tender shrimp, vegetables, and a rich guajillo chile broth, this comforting soup is packed with deep seafood flavor in every spoonful.
If you love Baja seafood as much as I do, be sure to try my, also try Caldo de Pescado.
Quick Recipe Notes
- Shortcut: Use seafood bouillon instead of homemade shrimp broth to save time. You’ll still get a rich, savory broth with plenty of flavor.
- Texture: Tender shrimp, soft potatoes and carrots, and a silky guajillo chile broth that’s rich without being heavy.
- Make Ahead: Prepare the broth up to 2 days in advance. Add the shrimp just before serving so they stay tender and don’t overcook.
- Flavor Tip: Fresh lime juice and cilantro stirred in at the end brighten the broth and bring all the flavors together.
- Best Shrimp: Medium or large raw shrimp work best. If using frozen shrimp, thaw them completely and pat them dry before cooking.
-Maggie
🌊 Baja California Story
This Caldo de Camarón is inspired by the seafood soups I’ve enjoyed on my many trips to Baja California. Living near the border means I’m lucky enough to visit often. I’ve spent many days exploring Tijuana, Ensenada, and other coastal towns, and one thing is always true: the seafood in Baja is incredible.
On one winter trip to Ensenada with my husband, we found ourselves caught in a chilly rainstorm. We stopped at a local restaurant looking for something warm and comforting, and the mesero insisted we order the Caldo de Camarón.
That first spoonful was unforgettable. The broth was rich, deeply flavorful, and packed with fresh seafood flavor. It was exactly what we needed to warm up on that rainy day.
🦐 Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Potatoes
- Carrots
- Onion
- Garlic
- Dried guajillo chile (or use a combo of ancho and guajillo to reduce the heat)
- Water
- Seafood bouillon (or vegetable broth)
- Fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Fresh lime juice
- Fresh cilantro
- Avocado (optional, for topping)
- Salt and pepper
- Epazote and bay leaf (optional)
👩🏼🍳 Step by Step Instructions
- Boil two cups of water. Remove stems and seeds from the guajillo chile and soak it in the boiling hot water. Cover and let it sit until softened.
- Blend the guajillo chile with the soaking water, onion, and garlic until smooth. (Strain if needed.)
- In a large stock pot, heat olive oil.
- Add potatoes and carrots. Stir for about 3 minutes.
- Pour the chile mixture into the stock pot. Add the remaining water and bouillon.
- Simmer on medium heat until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
Seafood bouillon gives the broth its rich, savory flavor. If you have the time, homemade shrimp broth made from the shells is even better.
How to Make Homemade Shrimp Broth
- Once you remove the shells from the shrimp, rinse them and add them to a stock pot.
- Add 6 cups water, ½ onion, 1 garlic clove, 1 tablespoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Bring to a boil. Discard shells, onion, and garlic before using the broth.
- If you prefer, you can also use vegetable broth.
- Add the shrimp and lime juice. Cook just until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through, about 3–5 minutes.
- Stir in fresh cilantro right before serving.
- Top with avocado slices and extra lime juice, if desired.
🫙 Storing Instructions
Allow the caldo de camarones to cool completely before storing. Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
🔥 Reheating Instructions
Reheat the soup on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. If reheating in the microwave, heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each, until warmed through. Add a little extra broth or water if it has thickened too much.
🙋🏻♀️ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
To make it spicier, add an extra guajillo chile or a chile de árbol. For a milder broth, replace one of the guajillo chiles with a ripe tomato.
No. You can make homemade shrimp stock (or shrimp broth) using the shrimp shells, onion, garlic, salt, and water. It adds even more flavor to the soup.
This traditional Mexican soup is great with warm corn tortillas or Arroz Mexicano, or Mexican rice.
Technically, yes. However, this will not develop a strong shrimp flavor, and the shrimp might be rubbery. Add them at the very end and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until warm.
Yes! Baja California is known for its incredible seafood, and shrimp soups like Caldo de Camarón are especially popular in coastal communities. Fresh shrimp, chiles, and flavorful broths are a perfect reflection of Baja’s seafood traditions.
🍲 More Mexican Soup Recipes You’d Like
- Caldo de Res (Mexican Beef Soup)
- Caldo de Pollo (Mexican Chicken Soup)
- Sopa de Conchas (Shell Pasta Soup)
- Caldo de Albondigas (Meatball Soup)
- Sopa de Lentejas (Mexican Lentil Soup)
- Caldo de Verduras (Mexican Vegetable Soup)
Whether you’re craving a cozy meal on a chilly evening or a taste of Baja at home, this Caldo de Camarón delivers rich seafood flavor in every spoonful. Serve it with warm corn tortillas, fresh lime wedges, and sliced avocado for an unforgettable meal.
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Did you make this recipe? Please rate the recipe below!
Caldo de Camarón (Mexican Shrimp Soup)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 potato peeled and cubed
- 2 carrots peeled and sliced
- ½ onion diced
- 1 garlic minced
- 3 dried chile guajillo without seeds
- 6 cups water divided
- 2 tablespoon seafood bouillon
- 1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
- Juice of 2 limes
- Cilantro handful, roughly chopped
- Avocado optional
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Boil two cups of water. Remove the stem and seeds from the guajillo chile.
- Add guajillo chile to the boiling water. Remove from heat. Put the lid on. Set aside for 5 minutes, or until pliable.
- Heat oil in a large stock pot.
- Add potatoes and carrots. Stir for 3 minutes.
- In a blender, add the guajillo chile, the water it was sitting in, onion, and garlic. Blend until smooth.
- Add guajillo mixture to the stock pot.
- Stir in the remaining water and seafood bouillon until dissolved.
- Simmer on medium heat until the potatoes and carrots are tender. About 10 minutes.
- Add shrimp and lime juice. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in the cilantro just before serving. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
- Top with avocado and serve with additional lime. Enjoy.
Video
Notes
This depends on your blender. If you have a blender that blends everything clean, then it will be unnecessary to strain. Pro Tip: You can make the guajillo sauce ahead of time. The bouillon adds a lot of sodium. Instead of the bouillon + water: swap out for shrimp broth, fish broth, or vegetable broth. How to Make Homemade Shrimp Broth:
- Once you remove the shells from the shrimp, rinse them and add them to a stock pot.
- Add 6 cups water, ½ onion, 1 garlic clove, 1 tablespoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
- Bring to a boil.
- Discard shells, onion, and garlic before using the broth.
Absolutely delicious! I used 3 russet potatoes and 2 bags large shrimp . Used your exact cooking times and came out perfectly! Thank you for your recipe!
Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed this recipe.
Do you have a recommendation as to the shrimp size?
I think simmering the shrimp for 10 minutes will not do much for its texture (rubbery?): I would suggest a couple of minutes or until they turn opaque.
Another suggestion: include, when possible, measurable amounts; potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic etc are neither volume nor weights; ( One large russet potato weighs roughly 1-lb. One medium russet potato weighs about 1/2-lb. One small russet potato weighs close to 1/3-lb) Which do you refer to?
Now, 1 cup of 1/2-inch-diced (or cubed) russet potatoes (for example) gives a value that not only eliminate guessing, but also help with the suggested cooking times (a 3/8-inch diced veggie will cook faster than a 1/2″-inch diced one)
I will try this recipe and rate it soon. Unlike some commenters, I am not able to judge something I haven’t made
Yes, I left a section here talking about size of shrimp. I always think about the end in mind. It’s a soup and the ingredients should fit on a spoon. So, really big jumbo size shrimp are not necessary. I used large size shrimp to make the Caldo de Camaron.
Also, some people get excited about the recipe and will rate it before trying it, but a large majority of people regularly make and rate my recipes.
Can this be made in a crock pot?
I wouldn’t add shrimp to a crock pot. Overcooked shrimp come out rubbery and tough.