Step 1

Finely dice the onion, green bell peppers, fennel bulb, and garlic. You can also chop them in the food processor to save time.

Step 2

Heat olive oil in a large soup or stock pot over medium heat then transfer the vegetables in to sauté for 5 minutes. I like to add the fennel first since that vegetable is the sturdiest and takes the longest to cook. Followed by the onion, garlic, then lastly, bell peppers. After the vegetables have been cooking for 3 minutes, add in the fennel seeds and stir.

Step 3

Once the vegetables have begun to sweat and have softened, add in the liquids so they do not burn. Pour in the clam juice, vegetable/chicken broth, and canned diced tomatoes. Stir together.

Step 4

Cover the pot and let the soup simmer on medium low for 20-25 minutes to let all the flavors meld together. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Lastly add the Shrimp for the last 5-7 minutes of cook time. To help the shrimp cook faster, stir them into the soup as oppose to letting them hang on top.

Step 5

For an extra serving of vegetables, add spinach or kale. Do this for the last 3 minutes of cook time so they do not get too wilted.

Step 6

Toast a French baguette and serve the soup!