Shrimp Tomato Soup

Weeknight dinners just got easier with this delicious Shrimp Tomato Soup made with jarred marinara sauce and tasty shrimp! It’s so easy to make, you could have dinner on the table in no time!

Tomato Soup using jarred spaghetti sauce is such a genius and budget friendly soup idea! All the flavors and spices are in the jar, they’ve been cooked down and are ready to go. Just add a few ingredients, and in about 10 minutes, cozy comforting dinner is served!

I first shared this Tomato Soup with Shrimp recipe in 2014, and I’ve updated it for you here with new pictures, information, and updates to the recipe itself. It’s still a perfect last-minute dinner idea to keep on hand!

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Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.

What kind of shrimp should I buy?

There are so many kinds of shrimp at the store it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the choices. Here are some pointers.

I like to buy jumbo shrimp for this soup. Try to find 21/25 per pound. This number is called the count of the shrimp, and it tells you how many individual shrimp there are in one pound of shrimp. It’s read as “21 to 25 shrimp per pound”, so the smaller the number, the bigger the shrimp.

I recommend that you always buy frozen shrimp. Most all seafood is frozen once it’s caught (just think about how far it has to come from the ocean to the store, and how that shipping would go if they didn’t freeze it).

So, if you’re buying the stuff from the “fresh” counter, they only things you don’t know are how long it’s been defrosted, or even how many times it’s been defrosted and refrozen. With the frozen shrimp, you know the state of the shrimp.

Defrost the number of shrimp you want while you prep the soup and cook the orzo.

Place the frozen EZ peel (meaning that they’ve already been deveined & cut open) shrimp in a bowl and cover with tap water. Change out the water a couple of times. Let them sit for a minute or two, and the peels should easily slip off.

Place the peeled shrimp in a bowl, and set aside until ready to add to the soup.

How to make this soup

This Shrimp and Tomato Soup is an incredibly delicious tomato soup that’s full of flavor from pre-made tomato sauce. It’s perfect for any occasion because it feels fancy, yet it comes together so quickly. This answers the question, “Can you eat pasta sauce as soup?” with a resounding YES!

The full printable easy weeknight soup recipe ingredients and instructions are available in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. You can find important tips and tricks in the post.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add oregano, crushed red pepper, and garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add wine; cook 1 minute.

Use your favorite dry white wine here. I like Sauvignon Blanc the best. Most importantly, use one that you’d drink so it tastes good.

tip: If you don’t want to use wine, simply use broth in its place.

Add broth and water to pan; bring to a boil. Stir in orzo; cook 6 minutes or until al dente.

Stir in marinara, shrimp, and roasted red pepper; cook 4 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and cooked through.

Notes on the marinara

Tip: Use a good quality marinara, aka spaghetti sauce, one that your family loves! This recipe has so few ingredients, you want to use good sauce for this soup.

You can use homemade marinara like my easy crock pot marinara. I’ll often make a big batch of homemade spaghetti sauce and keep it in the freezer. Defrost the frozen sauce in the microwave as the soup cooks.

I like that this is a creative way to use the sauce that may be in the freezer too. Finding creative ways to use leftovers can help reduce food waste.

You can choose how much sugar is in this soup by using a low sugar spaghetti sauce as well. There are a few great no sugar added jarred sauces. Or, again, try making your own and not adding any sugar to it.

Notes on the red pepper

Originally, I used raw red pepper in this recipe. I’ve updated it to jarred roasted red pepper. I think the flavor and texture is better, and it’s so easy to use a jar of roasted red peppers.

Now I will say that raw red pepper is going to be more budget friendly.

And, if you want, you could roast your own red peppers. It’s super easy to do. Just follow the How to roast a pepper instructions to roast your own.

Or, you could add the chopped red pepper in raw, and cook it in the soup as originally written.

It’s up to you.

Is this soup healthy?

Yes, this is a great healthy dinner. Life can be so busy and sometimes getting a delicious, nourishing, and healthy meal on the table can be a challenge.

But this bowl of comforting Marinara Soup comes together in about 10 minutes for a delicious, simple, and healthy dinner!

I love that this marinara soup is quick and easy to prepare, but it also includes so many nutritious ingredients.

Did you know that cooking tomatoes actually increases the amount of Lycopene in them. Lycopene is an antioxidant found in tomatoes and other red produce. Heating tomatoes has been shown to increase the amount of lycopene that the body can absorb by breaking down the plant cells.

How do I store this soup?

If you have leftovers of this Quick and Easy Marinara Soup, just store the soup in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

You may also freeze the soup, in airtight containers for 3-4 months.

If you want to make a batch ahead of time, or even make a double batch as a freezer meal, you could consider making it without the shrimp.

The soup reheats well in a sauce pan or in the microwave.

Variations on the recipe

This soup is a great base for so many versions. All of these ideas help to answer the question, “What can I add to tomato soup to make it taste better?”

Make spaghetti soup with fideo pasta instead of orzo. Check the package directions for how long to cook the pasta. Make spaghetti and meatballs soup by adding meatballs instead of shrimp. Meatless meatballs are delicious in the soup too.

Turn it into a creamy tomato soup by adding a splash of cream at the end of cooking. Or, stir in a dollop of sour cream.

Make a quick minestrone soup by adding some frozen mixed veggies.

Add in some cooked beans to boost the protein.

Top with some croutons as well Parmesan cheese. And speaking of cheese, be sure to serve it with a great grilled cheese sandwich. Be sure to try my Pesto Avocado Grilled Cheese.

Tomato Seafood Soup is easy with this recipe and the addition of some crab meat, scallops, and fish.

More easy weeknight soup recipes

I love soup for dinner. Especially an easy to make soup. If you’re looking for more great dinner ideas, be sure to check out my White Bean & Sausage Soup, Corn Cheese Chowder, Thai Coconut Noodles, and Creamy Vegetable Gnocchi.

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