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Naturally flavorful and super simple to make at home, shrimp broth is the secret ingredient to mouthwateringly delicious seafood recipes. Made in 20 minutes with a handful of humble ingredients, like shrimp shells, garlic cloves, and bay leaves, this amber-colored liquid gold is rich, savory, and bursts with delicate oceanic goodness. Perfect for seafood bisques, stews, risottos, rice, and more, this shrimp stock recipe is your ticket to culinary success!
Hi friends! If you’re looking for a great way to reduce kitchen waste while also creating something delicious, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to shrimp stock! Trust and believe, this recipe is so stinkin’ easy, you’ll be wondering why you didn’t start making your own at home sooner.
Table of Contents
About this shrimp stock
Say hello to your new secret homemade ingredient that’s going to elevate ALL your seafood recipes—shrimp stock!
Imagine the aroma of lightly browned shrimp shells mingling with bright white wine, fragrant garlic, and warming bay leaves. Delightfully complex in taste, this shrimp broth is brimming with rich, savory, and briny seafood flavors.
Plus, it’s shockingly (and almost stupidly) easy to make at home and totally customizable. Throw in carrots for sweetness, celery for earthiness, onions for pungent flavor, whole peppercorns for a little spicy heat, and more. With just a few basic pantry staples, one pot, and less than 25 minutes you can create an ultra-flavorful liquid base that’s perfect for adding a punch of flavor to all your favorite seafood dishes.
If you’re looking for more culinary school cooking tutorials, check out these articles next: How to Make Croutons in the Oven, How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs, How to Grill Scallops, How To Cure Salmon, and How to Roast Bell Peppers
Why you’ll love this recipe tutorial
- Packed with Naturally Rich Flavor. Say toodles to stocks and broths-in-a-box that contain artificial ingredients and hello to naturally flavorful homemade shrimp broth made with shrimp shells, garlic cloves, and wholesome ingredients that are rich in natural flavor.
- Super Quick and Easy. Unlike beef or chicken stock, making shrimp stock from shells doesn’t require any special skills or hours of dedication—this flavorful seafood base comes together in 20 minutes.
- Totally Customizable. Tweak the aromatics, veggies, and herbs to match your tastebuds and what you have on hand. Prefer an herb-forward profile? Throw in sprigs of thyme or parsley. Looking for a little heat? Add some whole peppercorns. Favor sweetness? Add in a diced carrot.
- Sustainable and Economical. Made from repurposed shrimp shells and veggie scraps, this shrimp broth recipe offers a zero-waste cooking experience.
Ingredients for this shrimp stock recipe
As promised, you need just a few simple ingredients to make this recipe for shrimp stock:
- Shrimp Shells. These are the stars of the stock show. Next time you purchase a pound of shrimp, keep the shells and use them to make this briny broth.
- White Wine. Citrusy and complex, just a little dry white wine lends a bright acidity.
- Garlic Clove(s). Use the garlic to taste for a pop of bold flavor. Just be sure to smash and peel them first.
- Dry Bay Leaf. Provides an earthy, aromatic note to the stock.
Optional ingredients
Amp of the flavor of your stock with any (or all) of the below flavorful ingredients:
- Celery. I personally always add 1 chopped celery rib and a few celery leaves for a subtle grassiness and herbaceous flavor that pairs terrifically with shrimp and seafood.
- Yellow Onion. Lend a depth of savory flavor by including half a yellow onion—just be sure to peel it first.
- Carrot. Add a subtle sweetness to your broth by tossing in a medium chopped carrot.
- Fresh Herbs. Bring a fragrant, herbal element to your stock by adding a few sprigs fresh thyme, of flat leaf parsley, oregano, or even rosemary.
- Whole Peppercorns. For a hint of spicy warmth, add up to 1 teaspoon of whole peppercorns. Use white peppercorns for a mild flavor and black peppercorns for a stronger flavor.
- Lemon. Toss in a wedge of fresh lemon or a strip of lemon peel for a fresh, zesty flavor that’ll elevate your shellfish stock.
Recipe variations
- Ultra-Rich Shrimp Flavor. Purchase shrimp with the heads still on and use the shells and the heads for a deliciously rich shrimp broth.
- Seafood Stock. For a liquid broth that’s super rich in seafood flavor, add crab shells or lobster shells along with the shrimp shells.
- Use Up Vegetable Scraps. Homemade stock is a fantastic way to use up any fresh veggies you have hanging around your kitchen. Toss in diced parsnip, leek, fennel, or even corn cobs for more flavor.
- Sherry Swap. If you don’t keep white wine, feel free to swap in cooking sherry instead.
Chef expert tips for perfect results every time!
- Raw Shrimp Shells. Make sure you are using uncooked shrimp shells from raw shrimp! Repurposed cooked shells lack the flavor you need to make broth or stock.
- Saute Shells. Be sure to saute the shrimp shells in oil before deglazing or adding the water for the richest flavor.
- Flavor Wisely. This seafood stock recipe is written as a basic blueprint or template, so please feel free to customize it and add whatever flavoring ingredients (think: onion, celery, carrots, herbs) you love. I’ve included ideas for you in the notes section of the recipe card below.
- Skip the Salt. I recommend you simply skip the salt here so you can control the salt in the final dish. However, you can add a pinch if you prefer, just avoid over-salting.
- Simmer Gently. You want to let the stock simmer gently for about 5-7 minute. Do not aggressively boil it or you run the risk of your liquid turning bitter and cloudy.
- Strain Well. After simmering, you’ll need to strain the stock through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove any shrimp shells and bits of vegetables. Be sure to use the back of a wooden spoon to press on all the ingredients to extract all the liquid when straining—you don’t want to leave any of the good stuff behind.
FAQs: frequently asked questions
You’ve got questions? I’ve got answers! If you have a question you don’t see listed below, please drop them in the comments section. I’m happy to help when I can!
Can I use frozen shrimp shells?
You sure can—just make sure you thaw the shells prior to making this shrimp stock recipe.
What if I don’t have wine?
The white wine lends a bright acidity to the stock and the alcohol cooks off, so I don’t recommend skipping the white wine. However, you can swap it out for cooking sherry if you prefer. Or, you can replace the white wine with white wine vinegar, white grape juice, or even water, but I recommend adding a lemon peel or lemon wedge if using only water.
Can I use shrimp heads too?
Absolutely—if you have access to shrimp heads, by all means, use them! Shrimp heads contain intense flavor and will deepen the richness of the broth.
How can I make this stock more intense?
There are a couple different ways you can intensify the flavor of this shrimp stock:
- Use Shrimp Heads. As I mentioned above, adding shrimp heads is a super simple way to deepen the shrimp flavor in this stock recipe.
- Simmer Longer. Simply simmering the stock for a little longer and reducing it will intensify the flavors. However, please note that you’ll also end up with less stock.
- Add Flavoring Ingredients. If you’re looking for a richer rounder flavor, consider adding some of the optional flavoring ingredients, such as celery, onion, carrot, whole peppercorns, and parsley stems.
Can I use this shrimp stock with shells in any recipe?
You bet! You can use this recipe for shrimp stock in any recipe that calls for stock or broth. It’s a fantastic addition to classic seafood dishes, like chowder, bisque, and risotto; but, it’s also a wonderful way to add flavor to rice, pastas, and stews.
If you’re looking for restaurant-quality seafood at home, this homemade shrimp stock recipe if THE ticket! Rich in flavor, versatile as ever, surprisingly simple to make, AND a great way to reduce kitchen waste, this liquid gold is about to become a staple in your recipe arsenal. So, grab those shrimp shells and let’s get to simmering.
Until next time friends, cheers!
Cheyanne
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More culinary school tutorials for shrimp!
How to Make Shrimp Seafood Stock
Equipment
- 1 Heavy-Bottom Wide Skillet OR Dutch oven
- 1 Fine-Mesh Strainer
Ingredients
- 1 TBS Olive Oil
- weight varies Shrimp Shells – from 1 Pound of Shrimp
- ¼ Cup Dry White Wine – Optional
- 1 ½ Cups Water
- 1-2 whole Dry Bay Leaves
- 1-2 cloves Garlic – peeled and smashed
- SEE NOTES for optional flavoring ingredients
Instructions
- Sauté Shrimp Shells: Heat the oil in a heavy-bottom wide skillet or Dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the shrimp shells to the pot and sauté, stirring frequently, until the shells are bright pink and lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
- Deglaze Pan: Reduce the heat to medium and add the white wine to deglaze pan. Let the wine cook until evaporated, stirring occasionally.
- Add Water and Flavoring Ingredients: Pour the water into the pot and then add the bay leaves, garlic clove(s), and any other optional flavoring ingredients. Stir to combine and then let the contents come to a rapid simmer.
- Simmer Seafood Broth: Once simmering, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and let the stock cook, using the back of a wooden spoon to press on the shrimp shells to extract flavor and stirring once or twice, for 6 minutes.
- Strain Shrimp Stock, Taste and Adjust: Carefully pour the stock through a fine mesh strainer and into a bowl, pan, or liquid measuring cup – using the back of a wooden spoon to press down on the shrimp shells to release all the liquid. Then, taste the stock and add salt to taste.
- Use or Store Homemade Shrimp Stock: Use the seafood stock in your favorite recipes or let it cool before transferring it to an airtight container and storing in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days or freezer for up to 3 to 4 months.
Notes
- Looking for More Flavor? You can easily customize this seafood stock to suit your preferences. If you can find them, add shrimp heads for richer shellfish flavor. I typically like to add whole peppercorns, a handful of fresh parsley sprigs, celery, and ½ a yellow onion if I’ve got them on hand. However, thyme, rosemary, carrots, onion, lemon peels, allspice berries, and more can all be added to the cooking water for more flavor – just add them when you add the bay leaves and garlic clove.
- Need to Scale the Recipe? Hover your mouse over the number of servings in the recipe card. You’ll see a sliding scale pop up, you can use that to scale the recipe up or down as needed.
- Got questions? I’ve got answers! If you ever run into an issue, have a question, or need any clarification – please feel free to drop them in the comments section. I’m happy to help when I can!
- Yield: 1 1/4 cup
Nutrition
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