Green Shrimp Soup

This is the kind of soup you’d find at a French bistro, not your weeknight leftovers-in-a-pot situation. Green peas get simmered with onion, carrot, savory, and tarragon in meat broth, then strained into a silky, vibrant green base. Shrimp goes in next, simmered gently (never boiled, or they turn rubbery), and the whole thing gets finished with white wine, cream, and a generous splash of demi-sec champagne right before serving.

The straining step is what makes this soup refined rather than rustic. Removing the vegetable solids gives you a clear, elegant broth with all the flavor but none of the chunky texture. The shrimp pieces then become the sole visual and textural element, floating in that gorgeous green liquid.

Fresh savory and tarragon are doing the herbal work here. Dried versions won’t give you the same brightness. Tarragon especially has a delicate anise note that plays beautifully against the sweetness of the peas and the brininess of the shrimp.

Chef Tips

• Simmer the shrimp on medium heat, not a boil. Boiling toughens shrimp in seconds. Five gentle minutes is all they need.
• Add the champagne and cream off the heat. Boiling cream can break, and cooking the champagne kills its effervescence, which is the whole point.
• Serve immediately after adding the champagne. The bubbles dissipate fast.
• Use a good demi-sec champagne or sparkling wine. Cooking quality doesn’t mean bad quality here since it’s barely cooked.

Variations

• Swap the champagne for Prosecco for a more budget-friendly version with similar sparkle.
• Use crab or lobster instead of shrimp for a more luxurious version.
• Skip the straining step and blend the soup instead for a thicker, more casual green pea and shrimp bisque.