Creamy Lobster Bisque Recipe: How to Make Lobster Bisque
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Dec 20, 2024 • 3 min read
Learn how to make a velvety, creamy lobster bisque for a restaurant-quality appetizer.
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What Is Lobster 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, clams, or crab meat as the main ingredient—chefs typically grind the crustacean shells into a fine paste to thicken the mixture. However, modern bisques may use puréed vegetables or aromatics in place of shellfish and thicken the base with rice or other starches. Other key ingredients of bisque soups are heavy cream and white wine. You can serve lobster bisque as an upscale appetizer.
3 Tips for Making Lobster Bisque
Follow these tips to make the most of this rich bisque:
- 1. Make a lobster stock. You can make a flavorful lobster stock using lobster shells. Some seafood shops and lobster pounds will also sell lobster stock. If you can't get your hands on lobster shells or stock, you can use store-bought seafood or chicken stock or chicken broth to make the bisque.
- 2. Cook the lobster yourself. You can use store-bought pulled lobster to make lobster bisque, but for the best flavor, buy fresh lobster and use the leftover shells to make rich stock. Because the lobster is shredded into a soup, whole, live lobster is not necessary. For an easier experience, buy fresh lobster tails.
- 3. Thicken the soup. Adding a few tablespoons of all-purpose flour directly to the cooked mirepoix vegetables and their liquid create what’s known as a slurry, a thickening agent similar to a classic roux. Replace the flour with a cornstarch slurry for a gluten-free soup.
Creamy Lobster Bisque Recipe
makes
prep time
15 mintotal time
1 hr 15 mincook time
1 hrIngredients
Fill a stockpot with 4½ cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil.
Add lobster tails and cook until lobster is bright red and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove lobster tails from the stock and reserve the liquid.
Once lobster tails are cool enough to handle, remove lobster meat from shells using kitchen shears and coarsely shred.
Return the shells to the stockpot and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the stock and discard the shells.
Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter.
Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and a pinch of salt and sauté, occasionally stirring, until the vegetables soften, about 6 minutes.
Add the flour and cook, constantly stirring, until the flour is lightly golden brown and smells nutty, 1–2 minutes (it will still be much lighter than a roux).
Add the tomato paste and cayenne pepper and cook, frequently stirring, until tomato paste is darkened in color, about 2 minutes.
Add the wine, scraping any browned aromatics on the bottom of the pot. Simmer, occasionally stirring, until wine is reduced by half.
Reduce to low heat and add thyme sprigs, a few cracks of black pepper, and the reserved lobster stock. Simmer, occasionally stirring, until flavors meld, 25–30 minutes.
Discard the thyme sprigs.
Using an immersion blender, purée the bisque until entirely smooth. (Alternatively, blend in a blender, work in batches as needed, and return to the pot.) Strain, if desired.
Return the bisque to low heat and stir in heavy cream and ¾ of the lobster meat.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Divide the bisque among 4 serving bowls and top with remaining lobster meat.
Sprinkle with chives and tarragon, if using. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a few cracks of black pepper.
You can make the soup ahead of time and refrigerate it. The milk solids may separate, but they will come together when reheated.
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