Easy Shrimp Bisque Recipe (2024)

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This easy shrimp bisque recipe, or the best shrimp bisque recipe as my husband calls it, is a rich, warming, and cozy soup made in one pot using homemade shrimp stock for unrivaled flavor!

Using just a few pantry staples, this thick and velvety smooth bisque gives us a more affordable version than the higher-priced lobster bisque!

Shrimp is easily accessible and pretty handy as most people who enjoy eating shrimp will have a bag on hand in their freezer.


I like to add a few pieces of succulent juicy shrimp on top along with crunchy croutons just before serving so that way there’s a balance of textures. Bisque is supposed to be classy and elegant, but a dish this comforting and easy to make is perfect for all occasions.

Serve it as a main dish with a slice of rustic bread to soak up every last drop, or serve it as a main with a side salad or half of a sandwich.

This tasty shrimp bisque soup is going to become one of your favorite ways to keep warm all winter long!

Ingredients Needed for Creamy Shrimp Bisque

  • Butter: The flavors of any good soup usually come from building layers on top of layers. The butter is used to cook the celery, onions, and carrots which is the base of the entire soup.
  • Mirepoix: The trio of celery, carrots, and onions is a popular flavor base used in all kinds of recipes. It’s like the holy trinity of cooking!
  • Garlic: A tasty aromatic that also adds incredible flavor.
  • All-purpose flour: A bisque is a thick soup, so we use the flour as a thickener.
  • Heavy whipping cream: This gives it a velvety smooth and rich consistency.
  • Shrimp stock: I use homemade shrimp stock for a beautifully intense shrimp flavor, but you can use store-bought if that’s what you have.
  • Jumbo shrimp: Raw, wild-caught is my favorite just because I tend to stay away from farmed seafood, but it’s completely up to you. Just be sure that they’re deveined and have the shells removed.
  • Bread: We’re making croutons! See below for the simple instructions.
  • Salt & pepper: Season to taste.

How to Make Shrimp Bisque

Step 1: In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat, then add the celery, onions, and carrots to cook for about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally while the veggies sauté.

Step 2: Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add the flour and stir for 1 minute. This will form a roux which is a light beige paste that will thicken the soup.

Step 3: Slowly whisk in the heavy whipping cream, until everything is combined and smooth. There should be no lumps of flour left.

Step 4: Pour in the shrimp stock and mix until combined. Cook for 10 minutes until the contents of the pot have thickened.

Step 5: Add shrimp and bring the soup to a gentle boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 6: Serve hot with toasted croutons and chopped green onion. Enjoy!

A Quick Guide To Making Croutons

I love using any type of rustic bread, and when I make my no knead bread I usually save whatever’s left for breadcrumbs and croutons.

You can use any type of bread you have on hand. French bread, Italian bread, white, whole wheat, or sourdough bread. It’s especially great with day-old bread.

  1. Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes.
  2. Lay them out onto a baking sheet in a single layer, leaving space between each one.
  3. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 10 minutes until toasted.

I enjoy mine plain but you can drizzle them with olive oil and season them to your liking if desired. Garlic, herbs, Parmesan, or even just a bit of salt and pepper are great.

Make Soup Ahead

There are a few ways you can prepare ahead of time, which makes it convenient to make a stock from scratch.

Prepare and clean the shrimp the day before. Use the shells to make the stock and keep it in the fridge until the next day.

Then, when you’re ready to make the shrimp bisque recipe, your shrimp has been cleaned, and your stock is made!

FAQs

Is this bisque recipe suitable to serve a crowd?

Absolutely! You can also easily double or triple the recipe as needed. As long as you have a pot big enough, go for it!

Can you freeze shrimp bisque?

It freezes really well, so if you’re making more than enough, don’t fret. It’ll stay frozen for up to 6 months when stored and sealed in an airtight freezer bag or container.

How to reheat it?

To reheat add bisque to a pot and heat it on a low heat until desired temperature.

Is a bisque the same as a chowder?

They are not the same thing. Both are incredibly flavorful and delicious and both are traditionally made with seafood. The main difference is in the texture.

A bisque is smooth and creamy while chowder is chunky, usually loaded with pieces of fish, seafood, and veggies.

More Delicious Recipes:

  • Easy Fried Rice
  • Chicken Chow Mein
  • Honey Garlic Shrimp
  • Mashed Potatoes
  • Cucumber Tomato Salad

When YOU make this Shrimp Bisque Recipe, tag us on Instagram @MunchkinTimeBlog&hashtag #munchkinrecipes . We would love to see YOUR creation!

Easy Shrimp Bisque Recipe (7)

Easy Shrimp Bisque Recipe

Love Keil

This easy shrimp bisque recipe, or the best shrimp bisque recipe as my husband calls it, is a rich, warming, and cozy soup made in one pot

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Calories 576 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 sticks celery chopped
  • 1 medium carrot chopped
  • 1/4 cup green onion chopped, more for garnish
  • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup flour plus 2 tablespoons
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 5-6 cups shrimp stock homemade
  • 2 lb raw shrimp jumbo size (about 15 pieces) raw & wild-caught, peeled - deveined - washed & chopped
  • 4 slices rustic bread or french bread, cut into cubes and baked at 400F until toasted.
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  • First melt butter in a pot over medium heat. Next add celery, carrot & green onion. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring few times.

    Easy Shrimp Bisque Recipe (8)

  • After add garlic and stir for 1 minute. Then add flour and stir for 1 minute. Slowly stir in heavy whipping cream, mix until everything is combined and there are no flour lumps.

    Easy Shrimp Bisque Recipe (9)

  • Now pour in shrimp stock, mix until everything is combined. Cook for 10 minutes or until thickens.

    Easy Shrimp Bisque Recipe (10)

  • Add shrimp, bring it to a gentle boil, simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

    Easy Shrimp Bisque Recipe (11)

  • Serve hot with toasted croutons and chopped green onion.

    Easy Shrimp Bisque Recipe (12)

Notes

Hi! All content & images are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or simply link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you.

Nutrition

Calories: 576kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 36gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 21gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 368mgSodium: 1447mgPotassium: 493mgFiber: 2gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 4158IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 185mgIron: 2mg

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Easy Shrimp Bisque Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the main liquid ingredient of a bisque? ›

Liquid — Bisque recipes aren't shy about liquids: cream or milk, broth, clam juice white wine, and often a bit of brandy are used to create a complex, fascinating flavor.

What are the main ingredients of bisque soup? ›

A bisque is a smooth, creamy French style of soup, traditionally made from crustaceans like lobster, crab or crayfish. It should include a stock made from the shells, a large amount of cream, and a thickening agent made from either finely-ground shells or rice. The meat is typically cooked and used as a topping.

What are the two ingredients that make a bisque different from a puree soup? ›

What sets bisque apart from other soups is its rich and velvety texture, which is achieved by pureeing the ingredients until they reach a smooth consistency. Additionally, bisque is often enriched with heavy cream, giving it a luxurious and indulgent quality.

Which is usually a main ingredient in bisque? ›

Bisque is a smooth, creamy, highly seasoned soup of French origin, classically based on a strained broth (coulis) of crustaceans. It can be made from lobster, langoustine, crab, shrimp, or crayfish. The French bisque is one of the most popular seafood soups around the world.

What is the classic thickener for a bisque? ›

Most modern bisques are thickened using rice. Some cook the rice in the broth and strain it out later, using only the left-behind rice starch to thicken the soup. Others puree the rice into the soup to thicken it. Almost all bisques are finished with hot cream for a velvety texture.

What is the classic thickening agent for seafood bisque? ›

Authentic recipes for bisque actually ground the shells of the crustacean into a fine paste, using that to thicken the soup. Nowadays, it is more common to use rice as a thickener.

What goes with seafood bisque for dinner? ›

Serve the seafood bisque with freshly baked biscuits or crusty bread. If it's a lunch or main course soup, add your favorite salad.

How long can you keep shrimp bisque in the fridge? ›

Fresh shrimp bisque will last for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator. It's a perfect dish for making ahead for a party.

Is seafood bisque good for you? ›

As a low calorie, high source of lean protein, seafood is a great food to incorporate into your diet. Seafood is also a good source of vitamins and minerals like zinc, which are essential for supporting a healthy immune system. In this recipe, we use leeks to add a delicious flavor.

What is not used in a traditional bisque? ›

Traditional bisque typically does not contain rice. Bisque is a smooth and creamy soup that is classically made with shellfish, such as lobster or shrimp, and their shells. The shells are often used to infuse the soup with flavor during the cooking process.

What are the thickening agents used for bisque and chowder? ›

Bisque is a type of soup that's rich and creamy, and traditionally made from pureed shellfish. Authentic recipes ground the shells into a fine paste and use that to thicken the soup. More commonly now, bisques are thickened with rice, which can be pureed or strained out at the end of cooking.

What 2 ingredients are used to thicken the soup? ›

Add flour or cornflour

You can also use flour or cornflour to thicken a soup. Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer.

What is a traditional bisque? ›

A traditional French chef would define a bisque as being a thick, creamy soup made with shellfish and thickened by a paste made from their shells. ... Others puree the rice into the soup to thicken it. Almost all bisques are finished with hot cream for a velvety texture. The richest bisques also include butter!

Which of the following is the most common thickening agent in bisques? ›

Raw rice is a traditional thickener in bisque soup, while raw diced potatoes are a natural thickener in cream soups.

What is seafood bisque made of? ›

Key Ingredients to Make This Seafood Bisque Recipe

SEAFOOD – Remember that you can use lobster, shrimp, scallops, crab, or any firm fish. BUTTER – You'll need 1 cup of butter for this dish. ONION AND GARLIC – Sautéed in butter, onion, and garlic add a lot of savory flavor to the base of your bisque recipe.

What alcohol is used for a bisque? ›

The addition of alcohol is a classic flavoring method but can provide more than just flavor. White wine, brandy or sherry can be used and are all excellent liquids for deglazing. This ensures every bit of flavor is cooked into the soup as opposed to being stuck to the bottom of the pan.

What does lobster bisque contain? ›

Lobster Bisque Ingredients

Vegetables: You'll need fresh mushrooms, an onion, celery, and a carrot. Broth: Use store-bought or homemade chicken broth. Seasonings: Season the lobster bisque with salt and cayenne pepper. Half-and-half: Half-and-half is the key to the rich, velvety texture.

Does bisque contain flour? ›

A bisque is a rich, creamy soup made with one or more types of seafood, cream or milk, and the bisque is often thickened with flour.

What is bisque ice cream made of? ›

The basic bisque ice cream appears in several Maryland cookbooks as: 1 pint of milk, 1 quart of cream, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 1 dozen macaroons and 4 cups of sugar.

References

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