Here’s a rich and velvety Creamy Seafood Bisque recipe — perfect for special occasions or when you’re craving a comforting, elegant dish with big coastal flavor. 🦐🦀🦞
🥣 Creamy Seafood Bisque
📝 Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
Seafood (use 1 or a mix):
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½ lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
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½ lb lump crabmeat, or lobster meat, or scallops
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Optional: shrimp shells (for extra stock flavor)
For the Soup Base:
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2 tbsp butter
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1 tbsp olive oil
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1 small onion, finely chopped
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2 celery stalks, finely chopped
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1 carrot, finely chopped or grated
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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2 tbsp tomato paste
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¼ cup all-purpose flour (for thickening)
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½ cup dry white wine (or seafood stock)
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3 cups seafood stock, chicken broth, or a combo
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1 cup heavy cream
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½ tsp paprika
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Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
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Salt and black pepper, to taste
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1 tsp lemon juice, plus wedges for serving
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Chopped fresh parsley or chives, for garnish
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Sauté Aromatics:
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In a large pot, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat.
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Add onion, celery, and carrot. Sauté 5–7 minutes until soft and fragrant.
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Stir in garlic and tomato paste, cook another 1–2 minutes.
2. Build the Base:
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Sprinkle in flour and stir well to coat the veggies — cook for 2 minutes (to remove floury taste).
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Slowly whisk in white wine, scraping up the browned bits.
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Add seafood stock, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
3. Blend (Optional for Smooth Bisque):
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Use an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender in batches) and blend until smooth.
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Return to pot and bring back to a gentle simmer.
4. Add Cream & Seafood:
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Stir in heavy cream.
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Add shrimp, crab, or lobster and simmer gently for 4–6 minutes until seafood is cooked through and tender.
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Stir in lemon juice to brighten the flavor.
5. Serve:
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Ladle into bowls. Garnish with parsley or chives, a swirl of cream, and a crack of black pepper.
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Serve with crusty bread, oyster crackers, or grilled cheese on the side.
🧑🍳 Tips:
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Don’t boil after adding cream or seafood — gentle simmer keeps the texture silky and seafood tender.
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For a deeper flavor, simmer shrimp shells in the broth before straining and using.
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Want it thicker? Let it simmer longer before adding seafood, or add a cornstarch slurry.