Luxurious Seafood Bisque Crab Shrimp (Printable)
Rich, creamy bisque loaded with crab, shrimp, and aromatic herbs in a velvety smooth broth.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Seafood
01 - 9 oz lump crab meat, picked over for shells
02 - 9 oz medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped
→ Aromatics & Vegetables
03 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 2 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
07 - 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
08 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
→ Liquids
09 - 1/2 cup dry white wine
10 - 4 cups seafood or fish stock
11 - 1 cup heavy cream
→ Flavorings
12 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - 1 tsp paprika
15 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
16 - 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
18 - 2 tbsp fresh chives or parsley, finely chopped
19 - Lemon wedges, for serving
# Steps:
01 - Heat butter and olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot; sauté 6–8 minutes until softened but not browned.
02 - Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste, paprika, cayenne, and thyme; cook 1–2 minutes to develop flavors.
03 - Pour in white wine, scraping up browned bits from bottom. Simmer 2 minutes to reduce slightly and concentrate flavor.
04 - Add seafood stock and bay leaf. Bring to gentle boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered 20 minutes to meld flavors.
05 - Remove and discard bay leaf. Use immersion blender or transfer to blender in batches; purée until completely smooth.
06 - Return bisque to pot. Stir in heavy cream and bring to gentle simmer, stirring occasionally.
07 - Add shrimp and cook 3–4 minutes until pink and just cooked through. Do not overcook.
08 - Gently fold in crab meat and heat through 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
09 - Ladle into bowls. Garnish with chives or parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The combination of crab and shrimp creates layers of sweet brininess that feel like dining at a seaside bistro
- This restaurant quality soup comes together in just over an hour without requiring professional techniques
02 -
- Sautéing your shrimp shells in butter before starting then removing them adds incredible depth that most people cannot quite identify but definitely notice
- Never boil the bisque after adding cream because high heat can cause the dairy to separate and ruin that velvety texture
03 -
- If you want an even more vibrant orange color add a small roasted red pepper when puréeing the vegetables
- Reserve a few particularly pretty pieces of crab and shrimp to garnish the top of each bowl