This Homemade Lobster Bisque is a creamy and luxurious recipe, which is made with a rich shellfish stock and tender chunks of lobster meat. It’s the ultimate comfort food, a restaurant-quality soup that’s perfect for a special occasion, ready in about an hour.
Jump to RecipeHomemade Lobster Bisque Ingredients
A classic combination for a truly decadent and impressive soup.
For the Bisque:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 5 stalks celery, diced
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- ⅓ cup dry sherry
- 6 cups lobster or shellfish stock (see notes for homemade)
- 1 sprig fresh tarragon (or ¾ tsp dried)
- 1 sprig fresh thyme (or ¼ tsp dried)
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon paprika & ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
- 10 ounces cooked lobster meat, in chunks
- Salt and white pepper, to taste
- Chopped chives, for garnish
For Homemade Lobster/Shellfish Stock:
- Shells from lobster, shrimp, or crab
- 1 large onion, 2 stalks celery, 1 carrot (all halved)
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 5 peppercorns, 4 sprigs thyme, 2 bay leaves
- Water to cover
How To Make Homemade Lobster Bisque
A step-by-step guide to this wonderfully rich and silky soup.
- Sauté the Vegetables: Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Season with salt and white pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 8 minutes until softened but not browned.
- Build the Flavor Base: Stir in the tarragon, tomato paste, cayenne, and paprika. Add the flour and stir constantly for 1 minute to cook out the raw taste. Pour in the white wine and sherry to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits.
- Simmer the Soup: Add the lobster stock, thyme, and bay leaf. Season again, then cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are very tender.
- Blend Until Silky: Remove the thyme sprig and bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pot until it is completely smooth. (Alternatively, carefully blend in batches in a regular blender).
- Finish and Serve: Place the soup back on the stove over low heat. Stir in the heavy cream and sherry vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. To serve, divide the chunks of lobster meat among warm bowls and ladle the hot soup over the top. Garnish with a few more pieces of lobster and a sprinkle of fresh chives.
Recipe Tips
For the richest, smoothest, most flavorful bisque.
- How to get the smoothest bisque? A high-powered blender is your best friend. Blend the soup for a long time until all the graininess from the vegetables is gone. If it’s still not perfectly silky, a final pass through a fine-mesh strainer will guarantee a restaurant-quality smooth texture.
- Can I make this ahead of time? Absolutely! Bisque is a perfect make-ahead dish. The flavor is often even better the next day. Prepare the soup completely (but don’t add the lobster meat), let it cool, and store it in the refrigerator. Reheat it gently on the stovetop, then add the lobster just before serving.
- What’s the secret to a deep lobster flavor? Making your own shellfish stock is the ultimate trick. If you buy whole lobsters or tails, don’t throw away the shells! Simmering them with a few vegetables, as described in the recipe notes, creates a deeply flavorful stock that is the soul of a great bisque.
- How to prevent the cream from curdling? After you’ve blended the soup, make sure you keep it over a low, gentle heat when you stir in the heavy cream. Do not let it come back to a rapid boil.
What To Serve With Lobster Bisque
Simple accompaniments for a luxurious bowl of soup.
This rich and elegant soup is a star on its own, especially for a special occasion. It is wonderful served with:
- Warm, crusty bread or oyster crackers for dipping
- A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette
- A glass of a crisp white wine, like a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc
How To Store Lobster Bisque
Keeping your delicious leftovers fresh.
- Refrigerate: Store any leftover bisque (preferably without the lobster chunks mixed in) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: This bisque freezes well. Let it cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating gently.
Homemade Lobster Bisque Nutrition Facts
An estimated guide per serving.
- Calories: 384kcal
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Protein: 16g
- Fat: 24g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Yes, pre-cooked frozen lobster meat (like the kind from Trader Joe’s) is a fantastic and convenient shortcut for this recipe. Just make sure it’s fully thawed before you add it to the hot soup at the end.
If you can’t make homemade stock, you can use a high-quality boxed or canned seafood broth, or even bottled clam juice diluted with a little water, as a substitute.
As written, this bisque is creamy but not overly thick. If you prefer a much thicker consistency, you can create a small slurry by whisking a tablespoon of flour or cornstarch with a few tablespoons of cold water, then stir it into the simmering bisque until it reaches your desired thickness.
Try More Recipes:
Trader Joe’s Lobster Bisque Recipe
Course: SoupsCuisine: French-AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings20
minutes45
minutes384
kcalAn elegant and deeply flavorful homemade lobster bisque, with a rich, creamy, vegetable-based broth, a hint of sherry, and tender chunks of lobster meat.
Ingredients
10 oz cooked lobster meat, in chunks
4 tbsp butter
1 large onion, 5 stalks celery, 3 carrots, all diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tbsp flour
¼ cup dry white wine & ⅓ cup dry sherry
6 cups lobster or shellfish stock
1 cup heavy cream
Herbs & Spices: tarragon, thyme, bay leaf, paprika, cayenne, sherry vinegar.
Directions
- In a large Dutch oven, melt the butter and sauté the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic with salt and pepper for 8 minutes until soft.
- Stir in the tarragon, tomato paste, and spices. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Deglaze the pot with the white wine and sherry, scraping up any browned bits.
- Add the lobster stock, thyme, and bay leaf. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes until the vegetables are very tender.
- Remove the herb sprigs and bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until completely smooth.
- Return the soup to a low heat and stir in the heavy cream and sherry vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- To serve, place lobster meat in the bottom of warm bowls and ladle the hot soup over the top. Garnish with more lobster and fresh chives.
Notes
- For the smoothest possible soup, pass the blended mixture through a fine-mesh strainer.
- Making your own shellfish stock from leftover shells will give you the deepest, most authentic lobster flavor.
- This soup is a perfect make-ahead starter; just reheat gently and add the fresh lobster just before serving.
- Be very careful when blending hot liquids; always allow steam to escape.
