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Easy and Elegant Crab and Shrimp Seafood Bisque

A close-up of a rich, orange-hued seafood soup topped with plump shrimp and fresh parsley.
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Make this rich, velvety seafood bisque at home. It combines succulent crab meat and tender shrimp in a luxurious, creamy base, perfect for special occasions or a comforting weeknight meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine or brandy
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups seafood or fish stock
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1/2 pound lump crab meat, picked over
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Pour in the white wine or brandy. Let it simmer and reduce by half, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  4. Whisk in the flour until fully combined, cooking for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
  5. Slowly whisk in the seafood stock until the mixture is smooth. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the broth thickens slightly, about 10 minutes.
  6. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Heat gently; do not let it boil after adding the cream.
  7. Add the raw shrimp to the simmering bisque. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through.
  8. Gently fold in the lump crab meat. Heat through for 1 minute.
  9. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the fresh lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
  10. Ladle the bisque into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley before serving. Serve immediately with crusty bread.

Notes

  • For a smoother texture, you can use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup base before adding the seafood.
  • If you do not have seafood stock, you can use low-sodium chicken broth, though the flavor will be less intense.
  • This bisque tastes best when made with fresh, high-quality crab meat.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://carlacooking.com/easy-elegant-seafood-soup-bisque-recipe/