Easy Shrimp Bisque
Rich and tasty, Shrimp Bisque is easy to make at home with this simple hack. And it’s perfect soup for date nights, company dinners–or anytime!
I’m always excited when I visit a restaurant and see Seafood Bisque on the menu. Their version is often made with lobster, but I think that (more economical) Shrimp Bisque is just as tasty. And it’s easy to make with the simple shortcut I’m sharing today!
You see most recipes on the internet have you make a stock for the soup using the shrimp shells. But that’s extra work and honestly you aren’t going to get a ton of extra flavor from a handful of shells.
Instead, by using a premade seafood stock (or oyster liquor or clam juice), you actually start with a richer base. Even better, this streamlines the preparation of the soup.
Who’s in!
Why You’ll Love This!
Flavorful. I think this is as tasty as lobster bisque but more affordable!
Easy. Chop a couple veggies in the food processor, sautee, add the remaining ingredients, cook briefly, puree and you’re done.
Special. I am a major soup lover. But there is something extra special about Shrimp Bisque!
Step by Step Overview
In a medium stockpot, heat olive oil, then sautee shallots, celery, carrots and garlic until tender but not browned.
Mix in cayenne, thyme, black pepper, cornstarch and tomato paste. Stir in sherry until well combined.
Add the stock and shrimp, bring to a boil and simmer until shrimp are cooked through. Remove 6 shrimp to use as a garnish (one per bowl), then puree the soup. Stir in the half and half or cream and bring up to temperature as needed.
Serve, topping each bowl with a reserved shrimp, some chopped parsley, and a light sprinkle of paprika if desired.
On Seafood Stock
When my husband and I visited New Orleans a few years back, I quickly noticed how much better their seafood dishes tasted. I was tempted to attribute this to the Gulf proximity but decided it was more likely due to using seafood stock. And so, I decided to use this more in my home cooking.
I do this in a couple ways. First, I freeze and save my shrimp shells until I have a couple quarts. Then I boil them with aromatics (like onion, carrot, bay leaf and parsley) to make my own stock for freezing.
Second, I use bulk oysters regularly for dishes like Oyster Chowder and Cornbread Oyster Stuffing and freeze the oyster liquor (the juice they come with). Once strained, this works perfectly as seafood broth.
And for fallback there are other options from bottled clam juice to commercial seafood stocks. So it takes a little extra planning but isn’t hard at all!
Stock Alternatives
If you don’t have the option of using a seafood stock, I recommend using a vegetable broth rather than the chicken stock people often suggest. Poultry broth has a very distinctive flavor that’s great in recipes like chicken noodle soup or broccoli cheddar soup.
But if you’re making a seafood dish, that rich chicken broth will fight for dominance with the seafood flavors. So if seafood stock really isn’t an option go with vegetable broth. Or consider enriching some low sodium vegetable broth with a little Better Than Bouillon Lobster Base.
Tips & FAQs
I like to use raw shrimp when I make Shrimp Bisque. I always fear that precooked shrimp may not be as flavorful.
Since I don’t have you using the shrimp shells in this, I recommend freezing them until you have enough for a batch of seafood stock (see On Seafood Stock above).
Recently, some imported shrimp has been in the news due to radioactive contamination. So, be mindful of the origins of your seafood.
I have access to wonderful shrimp, brought up fresh from the Gulf in summer and fall. But this means I need to freeze some to get us through the winter. The fishmonger recommends freezing in water because shrimp freezer burns easily. I usually do some individually frozen too though for occasions where I need just a few for an emergency shrimp cocktail.
Date Night Dinners
- Heart “Beet” Sticks from Magical Ingredients
- Pasta & Saffron Pepper Sauce from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Pork Tenderloin with Garlic Sauce from Creative Cynchronicity
- Shrimp Bisque from Art of Natural Living
- Spaghetti with Breadcrumbs, Garlic, and Extra-Virgin Olive Oil from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
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Shrimp Bisque
Ingredients
- 2 shallots or 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 1 large carrot peeled or scrubbed and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 2 Tablespoon olive oil
- 5-6 sprigs thyme leaves only or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ¼ cup sherry or vermouth or white wine
- 4 cups seafood stock oyster liquid or clam juice (or combination)
- 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined if desired
- 1 cup half and half or cream
- Optional garnish: parsley shrimp, paprika
Instructions
- In a medium stockpot, heat olive oil, then sautee shallots, celery, carrots and garlic until tender but not browned.
- Mix in cayenne, thyme, black pepper, cornstarch and tomato paste. Stir in sherry until well combined.
- Add the stock and shrimp, bring to a boil and simmer until shrimp are cooked through. Remove 6 shrimp to use as a garnish (one per bowl), then puree the soup. Stir in the half and half or cream and bring up to temperature as needed.
- Serve topping each bowl with a reserved shrimp, some chopped parsley, and a light sprinkle of paprika if desired.
Looks absolutely delicious! Perfect to serve for special meals.
Thanks!
This bisque looks so luxuriously cozy, Inger, hard to believe it comes together this easily. I love your take on skipping the shell stock and going straight for a richer seafood base; it makes the whole thing feel restaurant‑level without the fuss. That little hit of sherry and the garnish shrimp on top really seal the deal. Definitely saving this for a date‑night dinner at home.
Thanks Raymund. Isn’t it great when a simplicity “hack” actually adds more flavor!!
Looks absolutely delicious! You and I are on teh same page for the shrimp stock and oyster liquor. In addition to the general aromatics, I also add odd bits and pieces of tomatoes that get trimmed when slicing. It adds some nice depth to the color.
Ah yes, you who lives in land of so much grows so long! I had to resort to tomato paste! I love the idea of using the odd bits, though, and will need to remember that for summer.
This sounds amazing. I do like to save my shrimp shells for making stock, but shrimp or fish base concentrate is just as tasty and much easier.
Thanks Karen. I was so happy I figured out how to make this easier since we love it!