Creamy Crab And Shrimp Bisque (Printable)

A luxurious velvety bisque with tender crab and succulent shrimp for cozy evenings.

# What You Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 8 oz lump crab meat
02 - 8 oz large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

03 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 1 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
07 - 1 small carrot, finely chopped
08 - 2 garlic cloves, minced

→ Liquids

09 - 1/4 cup dry sherry or white wine
10 - 3 cups seafood or fish stock
11 - 1 cup heavy cream
12 - 1 cup whole milk

→ Seasonings

13 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
14 - 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
15 - 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
16 - 1 bay leaf
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
18 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

→ Optional

19 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrot and sauté until softened, 6 to 8 minutes.
02 - Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste, Old Bay seasoning, and paprika, stirring frequently for 2 minutes to toast the paste.
03 - Pour in the sherry or white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly reduced.
04 - Add the seafood stock and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes to develop the flavor.
05 - Remove and discard the bay leaf. Purée the mixture with an immersion blender until completely smooth. Return to the pot if transferred to a standard blender.
06 - Stir in the whole milk and heavy cream. Return to a gentle simmer without boiling to prevent curdling.
07 - Add the crab meat and chopped shrimp. Simmer gently for 6 to 8 minutes until the shrimp are pink and cooked through.
08 - Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
09 - Ladle the bisque into warmed bowls. Garnish with chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The texture is silkier than anything you would get at a restaurant and you made it yourself
  • It looks and tastes like a luxury dinner but comes together in about an hour with zero fuss
02 -
  • Never let the bisque come to a hard boil after adding the dairy or it will break and turn grainy
  • Puréeing the vegetable base thoroughly is what separates a true bisque from a chunky soup so do not rush this step
03 -
  • Strain the puréed base through a fine mesh sieve for restaurant level smoothness if you have the patience
  • Substitute half and half for the heavy cream if you want something lighter but still rich enough to feel indulgent

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