Creamy Lobster Bisque (Printable Version)

Velvety lobster bisque with rich seafood flavors and smooth creaminess, perfect for an elegant meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 2 whole lobsters (about 1.5 lbs each), cooked, meat removed and shells reserved

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 28 g unsalted butter
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 1 celery stalk, chopped
05 - 1 medium carrot, chopped
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 30 ml tomato paste

→ Liquids

08 - 120 ml dry white wine
09 - 960 ml seafood or fish stock
10 - 240 ml heavy cream

→ Seasonings

11 - 1 bay leaf
12 - 0.25 tsp paprika
13 - 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

15 - 1 tbsp fresh chives or tarragon, finely chopped
16 - Lemon wedges (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Remove lobster meat from shells; chop into bite-sized pieces and refrigerate. Reserve shells for stock.
02 - Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot; cook until softened, approximately 6 minutes.
03 - Incorporate garlic and tomato paste; sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant.
04 - Add reserved lobster shells to the pot; cook while stirring for 4 minutes to release flavors.
05 - Pour in white wine and scrape any browned bits from the pot's bottom. Simmer for 2 minutes.
06 - Add seafood stock, bay leaf, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
07 - Remove lobster shells and bay leaf. Blend soup base with immersion or countertop blender until smooth.
08 - Return puréed base to low heat; stir in heavy cream and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
09 - Fold in lobster meat, reserving some for garnish. Season with salt and pepper; heat through for 2 to 3 minutes without boiling.
10 - Ladle bisque into bowls; garnish with reserved lobster meat and fresh herbs. Offer lemon wedges as an optional accompaniment.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen, but comes together in just over an hour.
  • No brandy needed—the wine and shells do all the elegant heavy lifting.
  • It's the kind of soup people ask for again and again, even the ones who usually skip appetizers.
02 -
  • If you add the cream at too high a temperature, it can separate and look curdled—keep the heat gentle from that point forward, even after the meat goes in.
  • Roasting the shells for ten minutes at four hundred degrees before adding them to the pot transforms the soup from very good to unforgettable; this one change creates visible depth in both color and flavor.
03 -
  • If lobster is out of reach or budget, buy the largest shrimp you can find and use their shells; the bisque will be slightly lighter in color but equally delicious and significantly more affordable.
  • A fine mesh strainer passed over the blended soup creates an almost impossibly smooth texture that feels restaurant-quality, and it takes less than a minute of work.

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