Description

A rich and velvety seafood bisque featuring sweet crab and tender shrimp, perfect for a cozy meal or impressing guests with a restaurant-quality experience at home.

Ingredients

Scale

1 pound (450g) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup (150g) lump crab meat
4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter
2 small shallots, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons (24g) all-purpose flour
4 cups (950ml) seafood stock
1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
1/2 cup (120ml) dry white wine
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Finely chop shallots and mince garlic while butter warms.
Add shallots to the melted butter and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn.
Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to deepen flavor. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir constantly to form a roux, which should look like a thick paste and smell slightly nutty.
Pour in white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Simmer until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
Add seafood stock, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove thyme and bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until silky smooth, or skip this step for a chunkier texture.
Slowly stir in heavy cream, then add shrimp and crab meat. Simmer gently until shrimp turn pink and crab is heated through, about 5 minutes. Avoid overcooking shrimp.
Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Stir and taste, adjusting seasonings as needed. Serve hot.

Notes

Do not overcook shrimp to avoid rubbery texture. Blending the bisque creates the classic silky texture but can be skipped for a chunkier soup. Brown the butter slightly for added depth. Simmer gently to prevent cream separation. Prep ingredients before starting for smooth cooking. For extra flavor, roast shrimp shells and simmer in stock for an hour. The bisque freezes well if cream is added fresh after reheating.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Category: Soup
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 280
Fat: 17
Carbohydrates: 10
Fiber: 1
Protein: 22

Keywords: shrimp bisque, crab bisque, seafood soup, creamy bisque, homemade bisque, easy seafood soup, classic bisque