Easy Homemade Shrimp Stock

Name: Easy Homemade Shrimp Stock
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 8 cups
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 1 pound shrimp shells and heads; 8 cups water; 1 small onion, chopped; 1 celery stalk, chopped; 1 carrot, chopped; 2 cloves garlic, smashed; 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns; 2 sprigs fresh parsley

A simple way to transform leftover shrimp shells into a deep, flavorful base for your favorite soups and sauces.

By Daily Recipes Book· 🌍 Global· July 15, 2026

dailyrecipesbook.com

Prep

10 minutes

Cook

45 minutes

Total

55 minutes

Serves

8 cups

There is no reason to throw away those shrimp shells after a big seafood dinner. Making your own stock at home is incredibly easy and provides a much better flavor than anything you can buy at the store. It adds a wonderful depth to risottos, chowders, and seafood stews.

My best tip is to save your shells in a freezer bag whenever you have shrimp. Once you have enough, you can pull them out and make a fresh batch of stock whenever you are ready.

Ingredients

1 pound shrimp shells and heads
8 cups water
1 small onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 sprigs fresh parsley

Instructions

1
Rinse the shrimp shells and heads under cold water to make sure they are clean.
2
Place the shells, vegetables, garlic, peppercorns, and parsley into a large pot.
3
Pour the water over the ingredients until they are fully covered.
4
Bring the liquid to a gentle boil over medium heat.
5
Turn the heat down to low and let the stock simmer for about 45 minutes, making sure to skim off any foam that rises to the top.
6
Remove the pot from the heat and strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve into a clean container, discarding the solids.
7
Let the stock cool completely before putting it into the fridge or freezer.

💡 Tips

You can keep this stock in the refrigerator for up to three days or store it in the freezer for three months. If you freeze it in small portions, it makes it very easy to add flavor to quick weeknight meals.

#seafood #homemade #stock #easy recipe #gluten free

Made this recipe? Let us know how it went.