Crab & Shrimp Seafood Bisque
Creamy, luxurious, and packed with succulent seafood, this Crab & Shrimp Seafood Bisque is comfort in a bowl.
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Servings: 4 servings
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Immersion Blender
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil room temperature
- 1/2 cup Onion finely chopped
- 1/4 cup Celery finely chopped
- 1/4 cup Carrot finely chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper optional
- to taste Salt & Black Pepper
- 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 4 cups Seafood or Chicken Broth hot or room temperature
- 1 cup Heavy Cream cold or chilled
- 1/2 lb Cooked Crab Meat shell removed and flaked
- 1/2 lb Cooked Shrimp peeled & chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tbsp Sherry optional
- to taste Fresh Herbs (Parsley, Chives, or Dill), chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion, celery, and carrot. Sauté for 5 minutes until the vegetables are softened and fragrant but not browned. Stir occasionally.
- Stir in minced garlic, tomato paste, paprika, cayenne pepper (if using), salt, and black pepper. Cook and stir for another 2 minutes to toast the spices and deepen the tomato paste.
- Sprinkle in the all-purpose flour and stir constantly for 1 minute to form a light roux; this will help thicken the bisque. Make sure the flour is fully incorporated with the vegetables.
- Gradually add the seafood or chicken broth while stirring continuously to prevent lumps. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the broth to thicken slightly.
- Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth directly in the pot, or carefully blend in batches in a regular blender until silky. Return to the pot if blended separately.
- Stir in heavy cream and simmer gently for 10 more minutes, keeping the heat low so the cream doesn’t boil—a gentle simmer is key to a silky texture.
- Fold in the cooked crab meat, chopped shrimp, and sherry (if using). Simmer for another 5 minutes just until the seafood is warmed through; avoid overcooking to keep shrimp tender.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with freshly chopped parsley, chives, or dill. Serve hot with crusty bread or oyster crackers.
Notes
This bisque can be made ahead of time and reheated gently. For best results, freeze without the seafood and add fresh seafood when reheating.