Chupe de Camarones
Chupe de camarones comes from Arequipa, the southern Peruvian city famous for its hearty, chile-laced cooking, where fresh river shrimp from the nearby Camaná and Majes valleys made their way into markets and family kitchens. Chowders built from shellfish stock and thickened with corn and potatoes were already common across the Andes, and Arequipeño cooks adapted the format around the region's prized shrimp. The dish became a Sunday tradition, the kind of slow-simmered pot that families gather around after church, and it remains a point of local pride distinct from Peru's coastal ceviches. A properly made chupe balances a rich, shrimp-scented broth against the sweetness of corn and the creaminess of milk and cheese, with the poached egg on top serving as the final, comforting touch.
Built on a shrimp stock
Shrimp shells and heads are simmered first to give the broth its deep flavor
Thick with corn and potatoes
Choclo corn and yellow potatoes make the chowder hearty enough for a full meal
Finished with milk and cheese
Evaporated milk and queso fresco give the broth its signature creamy body
Poached egg on top
A whole egg is cracked into the simmering chowder just before serving
Ingredients 4 servings
- 500g whole shrimp, shell and heads on
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp ají panca paste (or paprika mixed with a pinch of cayenne)
- 2 ears of choclo corn, cut into rounds
- 3 yellow potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 250ml evaporated milk
- 150g queso fresco, cubed, plus 4 eggs
How to make it
- 1Peel the shrimp, reserving the shells and heads, then set the peeled shrimp aside in the refrigerator until needed.
- 2Simmer the shrimp shells and heads in 1.5 liters of water for 20 minutes to build a flavorful stock, then strain and discard the solids.
- 3Heat the oil in a large pot and sauté the onion and garlic for 4-5 minutes until soft, then stir in the ají panca paste and cook for another minute.
- 4Pour in the shrimp stock, add the corn rounds and potato cubes, and simmer for 12-15 minutes until the potatoes are nearly tender.
- 5Stir in the evaporated milk and let the chowder return to a gentle simmer without letting it boil hard.
- 6Crack the eggs directly into the simmering pot and poach them for 3-4 minutes, spooning broth over the yolks until just set.
- 7Add the peeled shrimp and queso fresco cubes, simmer for 2-3 minutes until the shrimp turn pink, then season with salt and serve immediately.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
