Restaurant-Worthy Seafood Bisque in 30 Minutes? Tell Me More (2024)

  • Southern Dinner Recipes
  • Soups
  • American Food
  • Southern Food

By

Diana Rattray

Restaurant-Worthy Seafood Bisque in 30 Minutes? Tell Me More (1)

Diana Rattray

Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

Updated on 02/9/24

Tested by

Renae Wilson

Restaurant-Worthy Seafood Bisque in 30 Minutes? Tell Me More (2)

Tested byRenae Wilson

Renae has certifications in both Pastry Arts and Culinary Arts from the Institute of Culinary Education and works as a private chef and caterer, recipe tester and developer, and food writer.Renae has written and developed recipes for Rachael Ray In Season, the Kitchn, Food52, and more.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

If you're a purist, you know that a true bisque is a seafood soup, though it is often used to describe any creamy soup. This delicious seafood bisque is made with crab and shrimp. It's super easy to prepare and cook for a weeknight meal because it's ready in just 15 minutes.

Traditionally, a bisque is thickened with a paste made from the crustaceans' shells. This recipe takes a different approach and uses a flour-based roux. It's adaptable too; you can substitute another seafood or add a third, such as lobster, scallops, or firm, flaky fish.

Serve the seafood bisque with freshlybaked biscuitsorcrusty bread. If it's a lunch or main course soup, add your favorite salad.

Restaurant-Worthy Seafood Bisque in 30 Minutes? Tell Me More (3)

what you'll need to make this creamy seafood bisque recipe

A Great Dutch Oven
A Small Saucepan
A Handy Dandy Immersion Blender

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 2 tablespoons chopped green onion

  • 2 tablespoons chopped celery

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 2 1/2 cups milk

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream

  • 8 ounces cooked baby shrimp

  • 8 ounces crabmeat

  • 2 tablespoons sherry wine

  • 3 tablespoons chopped parsley, cilantro, and/or green onion tops

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Restaurant-Worthy Seafood Bisque in 30 Minutes? Tell Me More (7)

  2. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-low heat; add the chopped green onion and celery. Sauté, stirring, until tender, about 2 minutes.

    Restaurant-Worthy Seafood Bisque in 30 Minutes? Tell Me More (8)

  3. Blend the flour into the butter and vegetables until well incorporated. Continue cooking, stirring, for about 2 minutes.

    Restaurant-Worthy Seafood Bisque in 30 Minutes? Tell Me More (9)

  4. Warm the milk in another saucepan over medium heat.

    Restaurant-Worthy Seafood Bisque in 30 Minutes? Tell Me More (10)

  5. Slowly stir the warmed milk into the butter and vegetables. Continue cooking, stirring until thickened, about 3 minutes.

    Restaurant-Worthy Seafood Bisque in 30 Minutes? Tell Me More (11)

  6. Add the freshly ground black pepper, tomato paste, and heavy cream.

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  7. If desired, puree the soup in a blender or food processor at this point and then return it to the saucepan.

    Restaurant-Worthy Seafood Bisque in 30 Minutes? Tell Me More (13)

  8. Stir in the shrimp, crab, and sherry. Bring it to a simmer.

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  9. Serve hot, garnished with parsley, cilantro, and/or chopped green onion tops.

    Restaurant-Worthy Seafood Bisque in 30 Minutes? Tell Me More (15)

Use Caution When Blending Hot Ingredients

Steam expands quickly in a blender and can cause ingredients to splatter everywhere and/or cause burns. To prevent this, fill the blender only one-third of the way up and puree in small batches. Vent the top, and cover with a folded kitchen towel while blending.

Tips

  • When making the roux, the goal is to heat the milk so it's about the same temperature as the flour-thickened butter mixture. If either element is too cool or hot, the roux may be lumpy or separate.
  • Sherry is a wine fortified with brandy. Dry sherry is a good choice for this recipe. After sherry is opened, it should be stored in the refrigerator.

Recipe Variations

  • Use small, cooked bay scallops or lobster instead of shrimp.
  • Replace the green onions with finely chopped shallots.
  • If desired, add a spoonful of sour cream to each bowl of bisque and swirl it in.

How to Store and Freeze

The bisque will keep in the fridge, covered, for three to four days. To freeze, cool the soup and transfer to covered, freezer-safe, airtight containers. Date and label them and freeze for up to six months. Defrost the bisque in the fridge and reheat gently over low heat to prevent it from getting too grainy and/or curdling. Stir well.

Why Is It Called "Bisque"?

The origin of the word "bisque" is not clear. It might be derived from Biscay, as in the Bay of Biscay, a gulf that lies off Europe's west coast, bordering westernFrance and northern Spain.

What's the Difference Between Seafood Bisque and Chowder?

Bisque and chowder are two popular styles of creamy soup that most often feature seafood or fish, though vegetables are popular alternatives for both. The primary difference is that a bisque is smooth and includes cooking wine, while chowder is chunky and incorporates hearty ingredients like potatoes.

18 Delicious Creamy Soup Recipes

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
501Calories
35g Fat
16g Carbs
31g Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories501
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 35g44%
Saturated Fat 21g107%
Cholesterol 277mg92%
Sodium 902mg39%
Total Carbohydrate 16g6%
Dietary Fiber 1g2%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 31g
Vitamin C 5mg23%
Calcium 340mg26%
Iron 1mg6%
Potassium 601mg13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

  • Tomato
  • brunch
  • american
  • christmas

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Restaurant-Worthy Seafood Bisque in 30 Minutes? Tell Me More (2024)

FAQs

Which is usually a main ingredient in bisque? ›

The main ingredient of a bisque is usually a shellfish like lobster, crab, shrimp, or crayfish, but occasionally other ingredients such as tomato, pumpkin or chicken are used.

How long will seafood bisque keep in the fridge? ›

Your bisque will last, stored in an airtight container, in the fridge, for 2 days. If you need it to last longer, you can keep it in the freeze for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. To reheat your lobster bisque, it's best to gently warm it in a pot over medium heat, stirring often.

What's the difference between a bisque and a chowder? ›

Although a bisque and a chowder are both cream-based soups and most often feature seafood, it is their consistency that defines them and makes them quite different from each other. Whereas a bisque is smooth, a chowder is chunky, chock full of hearty pieces of ingredients such as potato and clams or corn.

Is seafood bisque good for you? ›

As a low calorie, high source of lean protein, seafood is a great food to incorporate into your diet. Seafood is also a good source of vitamins and minerals like zinc, which are essential for supporting a healthy immune system. In this recipe, we use leeks to add a delicious flavor.

What is the classic thickener for a bisque? ›

Most modern bisques are thickened using rice. Some cook the rice in the broth and strain it out later, using only the left-behind rice starch to thicken the soup. Others puree the rice into the soup to thicken it. Almost all bisques are finished with hot cream for a velvety texture.

What is a traditional bisque? ›

A bisque is a thick cream soup that chefs purée and strain for a fine, smooth final result. Traditional bisque recipes feature seafood like lobster, crayfish, shrimp, or crab as the main ingredient—chefs typically grind the crustacean shells into a fine paste to thicken the mixture.

How can you add richness to bisque soup? ›

Tomato Paste – You will need tomato paste to add flavor, color, richness, and body to the bisque. Garlic – A few cloves go a long way to enhancing this flavor.

What goes with seafood bisque for dinner? ›

Serve the seafood bisque with freshly baked biscuits or crusty bread. If it's a lunch or main course soup, add your favorite salad.

How do you thicken bisque? ›

If you prefer your bisque to be thicker, you may add more cornstarch, or perhaps, flour, but have found the bisque thickens nicely over low heat, and additional cornstarch or flour takes away from the wonderful flavor.

What are the thickening agents used for bisque and chowder? ›

Bisque is a type of soup that's rich and creamy, and traditionally made from pureed shellfish. Authentic recipes ground the shells into a fine paste and use that to thicken the soup. More commonly now, bisques are thickened with rice, which can be pureed or strained out at the end of cooking.

Why is it called bisque? ›

The word bisque, "crayfish soup" in French, stems either from the Bay of Biscay or the technique of bis cuites, or "twice cooked."

What is a thick soup called? ›

A potage is a category of thick soups, stews, or porridges, in some of which meat and vegetables are boiled together with water until they form a thick mush.

What is the healthiest soup you can eat? ›

These healthy soup recipes are packed full of goodness but they also pack a punch when it comes to flavour.
  • Chicken Vietnamese Pho.
  • Green spring minestrone.
  • Herb and yoghurt-based soup.
  • Lamb shank and barley soup.
  • Pumpkin soup with star croutons.
  • Lentil and vegetable soup with crusty bread.
Apr 26, 2020

Can I eat fish on an empty stomach? ›

In fact, eating fish soup on an empty stomach may not be a good idea, as it can lead to indigestion and other stomach problems. It is best to eat fish soup with a meal, as this will help to reduce the risk of stomach problems.

Which is healthier, lobster bisque or clam chowder? ›

CLAM CHOWDER VERSUS LOBSTER BISQUE

You might think all clam chowders are equal, but the Manhattan version is tomato-based, whereas the New England kind is made with milk or cream, which makes it much more fattening. But when it comes to calories, lobster bisque, which is made with heavy cream, is the highest of all.

What is the main liquid ingredient of a bisque? ›

A copious amount of wine, a whole bottle, is used for making the soup, while large amounts of half-and-half and cream thicken the soup at the end.

What ingredient traditionally forms the base of a bisque? ›

Final answer:

The traditional base of a bisque is crustaceans, which are sautéed, simmered, and then puréed to create a rich and creamy soup. Cream is added to enhance the texture, distinguishing bisques from other soups and aligning more closely with the texture goals of custards in a different culinary category.

Does bisque contain flour? ›

A bisque is a rich, creamy soup made with one or more types of seafood, cream or milk, and the bisque is often thickened with flour.

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