A Houseful of Love

This creamy shrimp and mushroom soup is the kind of simple delight I often crave in a soup. The beans and mushrooms give it a hearty meatiness that fills and satisfies, thanks to all the fiber. Shrimp and bone broth contribute significant protein. Sour cream lends a soft, silky finish that makes sipping down the last bits of broth absolutely heavenly.

This recipe is based on the “Country Sour Cream and Mushroom” soup from Brother Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourrette’s Twelve Months of Monastery Soups. If you’re not familiar with the book, I highly recommend it! It has inspired me to experiment more with soups (to the point that we did 40 days of soups for Lent) and to grow a wider variety of vegetables and herbs in our garden.

While I loved the original recipe, I made some tweaks to increase the protein, favor ingredients easily sourced in our American grocery store, and better suit our family’s preferences.

This soup is surprisingly light (calorie-wise), thanks to all the vegetables, though I do find that I remain full for hours, thanks to all the protein and fiber. However, I do recommend serving it with some well-buttered sourdough toast!

How should I serve creamy shrimp and mushroom soup?

I like to serve it with a dollop of sour cream (or Greek yogurt for extra protein) and some chives sprinkled on top, with a side of toasted sourdough bread slathered in butter! Since this soup is so light, you can feel guilt-free and still really go all out with the toppings. Also, I highly recommend pairing this soup with some sourdough bread (bonus points if it is freshly milled or whole wheat)!

The main reason I recommend pairing it with bread (aside from the fact that bread and soup are a match made in heaven) is that legumes should be paired with grains when possible for optimal protein bioavailability. Animal sources, like the shrimp and bone broth in this recipe, are already complete proteins. However, plant sources are not. Fortunately, if you pair different plant sources of protein, like legumes (beans, peas, etc.) and grains (wheat, corn, etc.), you end up with all the amino acids necessary to form complete proteins as well. This is why it’s so important to vary your protein sources if you consume little or no animal products!

When should I serve creamy shrimp and mushroom soup?

Like most soups, I prefer to serve this soup in the colder months. For Catholics and other Christians who observe days of abstinence from meat, it’s a great option on Fridays and throughout Lent.

It would also be appropriate to serve on October 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, whose favorite dish was shrimp pie. While not a shrimp pie, it is still a shrimp dish that features many different vegetables to represent the natural world, which St. Francis loved so much.

Does creamy shrimp and mushroom soup make good leftovers?

Yes, the leftovers from this soup are delightful. They keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days.

If you want to freeze this soup, I recommend omitting the sour cream when you first make it. Just stir it in when you reheat the soup or garnish with an extra large dollop to stir in.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter – or other healthy fat (tallow, olive oil, avocado oil, etc.)
• 2 onions, diced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 3 ribs celery, diced
• 24 oz mushrooms, sliced – I used baby bella, but you can use any variety that you have easy access to
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 cups chicken bone broth
• 1/2 lb dried navy beans, prepared – you can also use 2 cans of beans instead.
• 12oz shrimp – you can use fresh or frozen, cooked or raw. I like to use small shrimp when I find it for a good price so that I get more bites with shrimp, but larger shrimp will also work just fine.
• 2 tsp paprika
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 cup sour cream – plus more for garnish. Whole milk Greek yogurt will also work, but will be a bit less creamy.

Directions

Step 1: Melt butter in a stockpot over medium heat. Sauté onions, carrots, and celery for 3-4 minutes, until beginning to soften.

Step 2: Add the mushrooms and garlic. Cook 2 minutes more, until beginning to soften as well.

Step 3: Add broth and beans. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes, covered.

Step 4: Add shrimp, paprika, salt, and pepper. Return to a simmer for 10 minutes.

Step 5: Add sour cream and stir to combine. Simmer for another 10 minutes. Note: If using Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, turn off the heat and allow the soup to cool a bit before you add the yogurt to prevent curdling. You can also temper the yogurt by adding a little bit of hot broth to the yogurt at a time, stirring as you go.

Step 6: Serve hot, garnished with more sour cream and chives or green onions.

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Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 258 kcal
Fat: 11g
Total Carbohydrates: 18g
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 25g

The nutrition data provided here is for informational only and is only an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It cannot be verified or guaranteed, and should not be used in the treatment of medical conditions. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice This data should be interpreted and used at your own risk.