Asian Fish and Shrimp Soup
Asian Fish and Shrimp Soup is a balanced blend of Japanese and Thai flavors to make one amazing soup! Fresh aromatic ingredients like ginger, garlic, and lemongrass fuse with shiitake mushrooms and Thai basil to give the broth of this soup a taste like no other. You’re gonna love it!
Asian Soups
We all like going to the Chinese buffet every now and then or ordering take out from the local Chinese place. You’ll find your popular soups like Wonton Soup, Egg Drop Soup, and Hot and Sour Soup. But, if you go to a real Asian restaurant, you will find on their menu a number of classic and unique soups. Soups are a quintessential part of the culture.
Another common soup ingredient is ramen noodles. There are entire restaurants devoted to nothing but bowls of soup with ramen noodles. You can find almost everything in a bowl of ramen noodles.
Asian Fish and Shrimp Soup
I love a good soup. And I love Asian food. I wanted to make something with the flavors I enjoy. So I was at the Asian market and I just started putting ingredients in my cart. While I love to make my versions of traditional dishes, I enjoy even more making my own recipe of something new. I found I had purchased all kinds fresh items. So I made what I knew I would like. Here are some key elements that work so well together that make this soup special.
Shiitake Mushrooms. Shiitake mushrooms work great in soups because they are robust and keep their firmness, While other mushrooms will give a similar flavor, they get soft and floppy. Of course, I love that in other applications, but not here. The firm shiitake add so much to this dish.
Enoki Mushrooms. A forgotten item in the photos. These are a soft, delicate mushroom used a lot in Japanese cooking. I use them to top this soup. I sauté them slightly and place them on top. Unfortunately, I just forgot to add them on top for the photoshoot.
Clam Stock. I have a jar of Better Than Bouillon brand clam stock in my fridge for things like my Shrimp Bisque and other things that I love to make. This is the base of the broth. The flavor is similar to using Shrimp Paste, which is a traditional item used in Asian cooking. But the calm base has a bold flavor that adds so much to this. This is easily found in many stores. You can also use clam juice to get the same flavor.
Ramen Noodles. Not all ramen noodles are then same. For most of us, our first, and perhaps only, exposure to ramen noodles are the packets of Top Ramen or something similar. Those wavy dried noodles and the little seasoning packet. However, the more traditional ramen noodles are straight and taste way better. I buy mine at a local Asian market or on Amazon – Hime Ramen Noodles.
Birds Eye Chilis. I love to use these in my Thai and other Asian meals. I even make a hot sauce with these (Tropical Hot Sauce). They are very hot, but are also delicious. I slice one in half, put it in the bowl, and add the soup. I let it sit for a few minutes then take it out. It’s plenty spicy that way. My wife slices a sliver or 2 and leaves them in. If you like spice and want to try it, I recommend starting off with less. You can always add more later.
What Ingredients Are in Asian Fish and Shrimp Soup?
- Ramen Noodles
- Tilapia
- Canola Oil
- Onions
- Shiitake Mushrooms
- Garlic Cloves
- Fresh Ginger
- Fresh Lemongrass
- Thai Basil
- Lime Juice
- Mirin
- Soy Sauce
- Fish Sauce
- Clam Stock*
- Bean Sprouts
- Large Shrimp, peeled & deveined
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Green Onions
- Birds Eye Chilis (Thai Chilis) – optional
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Ramen Noodles – I use dried straight ramen noodles. You can find them in grocery stores or here on Amazon – Hime Ramen Noodles. You can use the squiggly noodles that are found in packages like Top Ramen, just discard the seasoning packet or save it for something else., However, the flavor is so mush better with the traditional straight ramen.
Shiitake Mushrooms – you can substitute oyster mushrooms or baby bella (cremini) mushrooms.
Tilapia – I use tilapia because it’s a common fish used in Asian cooking and it’s readily available. You can use any white fish.
Fresh Garlic, Ginger, Lemongrass – these have the best flavor fresh. You can find fresh lemongrass at Asian food markets or you can grow your own. It’s very easy to grow. You can also buy pastes for all 3 of these. I find these in Walmart and my local grocery store in the produce section.
Mirin – mirin is a type of rice wine. It is easy to find in stores and on Amazon. You can substitute rice vinegar.
Clam Stock – I buy Better Than Bouillon brand clam stock. You can substitute Shrimp Paste or clam juice.
Birds Eye Chilis – these can be found at Asian markets and some grocery stores. You can substitute serrano peppers.
How Is Asian Fish and Shrimp Soup Made?
- Cook the ramen noodles according to the instructions on the package.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the tilapia fillets dry with a paper towel. Season one side of each fillet with salt and pepper and immediately place that side down in the skillet. Allow the fish to cook about 3-4 minutes before trying to turn it. When it’s ready to flip, it should lift from the pan with relative ease. Season the side facing up with salt and pepper, then flip it. Cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the fillets are cooked. Remove to a plate until later.
- While the fish is cooking, place a stock pot or Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of canola oil. Add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add in the shiitake mushroom and a pinch of salt and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Add in the garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and basil. Stir and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
- Next, add in the lime juice, Mirin, soy sauce, and fish sauce and stir in for about 1 minute.
- Pour in the clam stock and add the beansprouts.
- Break up the tilapia in about 1 inch pieces and add them to the soup. Put the shrimp n and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
- To serve, place some noodles in a bowl then ladle some soup over the noodles. Garnish with green onions.
- For a little added spice, slice a Thai chili pepper and add a piece or 2 to the bowl before adding the soup. These are very spicy peppers, so be careful how much you add. A little goes a long way, but it’s so delicious.
What Can I Do with the Leftovers?
The leftovers will keep nicely in fridge for us to 3-4 days. Don’t add the ramen noodles to the soup to store it. The noodles will absorb all the broth. So store them in separate containers.
Can I Freeze Asian Fish and Shrimp Soup?
Yes, absolutely. Again, don’t add the noodles to the soup. You can freeze the soup for up to 6 months. Make fresh noodles when you defrost the soup.
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Asian Fish and Shrimp Soup
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound Ramen Noodles
- 1/2 pound Tilapia
- 4 Tablespoons Canola Oil, divided
- 1 cup Onions, sliced
- 1 cup Shiitake Mushrooms, sliced
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Ginger, minced
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemongrass, minced
- 1/4 cup Thai Basil
- 2 Tablespoons Mirin
- 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
- 1 teaspoon Fish Sauce
- 4 cups Clam Stock*
- 1 cup Bean Sprouts
- 24 large Shrimp, peeled & deveined
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Green Onions, sliced garnish
- Birds Eye Chilis (Thai Chilis) optional
Instructions
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Cook the ramen noodles according to the instructions on the package.
-
Heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the tilapia fillets dry with a paper towel. Season one side of each fillet with salt and pepper and immediately place that side down in the skillet. Allow the fish to cook about 3-4 minutes before trying to turn it. When it's ready to flip, it should lift from the pan with relative ease. Season the side facing up with salt and pepper, then flip it. Cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the fillets are cooked. Remove to a plate until later.
-
While the fish is cooking, place a stock pot or Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of canola oil. Add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
-
Add in the shiitake mushroom and a pinch of salt and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Add in the garlic, ginger, lemon grass, and basil. Stir and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
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Next, add in the lime juice, Mirin, soy sauce, and fish sauce and stir in for about 1 minute.
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Pour in the clam stock and add the beansprouts.
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Break up the tilapia in about 1 inch pieces and add them to the soup. Put the shrimp n and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
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To serve, place some noodles in a bowl then ladle some soup over the noodles. Garnish with green onions.
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For a little added spice, slice a Thai chili pepper and add a piece or 2 to the bowl before adding the soup. These are very spicy peppers, so be careful how much you add. A little goes a long way, but it's so delicious.
