Luxurious Seafood Bisque Crab Shrimp (Printable)

Rich velvety bisque with sweet crab and succulent shrimp in creamy herb-infused 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

# Directions:

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 for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste, paprika, cayenne, and thyme; cook for 1–2 minutes to develop flavors.
03 - Pour in white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer 2 minutes to reduce slightly and concentrate flavor.
04 - Add seafood stock and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
05 - Remove and discard bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until completely smooth and velvety.
06 - Return bisque to the pot. Stir in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Add shrimp and cook 3–4 minutes until pink and just cooked through.
07 - Add crab meat and gently heat through for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Ladle into bowls. Garnish with chives or parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The texture alone will ruin you for all other soups, it is that velvety and luxurious
  • You get to feel fancy without actually spending three hours in the kitchen or selling your car for ingredients
  • The way the seafood sweetness plays with that gentle heat from cayenne is absolutely addictive
02 -
  • Never add the seafood at the beginning, it becomes tough and rubbery, always add it near the end
  • If you do not have an immersion blender, cool the soup slightly before blending in batches, hot soup expands dramatically
  • The bisque thickens as it sits, so keep a little extra stock or cream handy if reheating
03 -
  • Make the base a day ahead, flavors deepen overnight, just reheat before adding seafood and cream
  • Taste your stock first, if it is very salty, adjust your seasoning accordingly

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