Description
A velvety, restaurant-worthy bisque brimming with sweet lump crab and tender shrimp, gently seasoned with Old Bay and paprika, and finished with rich cream for a silky, cozy bowl of comfort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups seafood stock
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 8 ounces lump crab meat, picked over
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Your Equipment: Set a large soup pot over medium heat.
- Combine Ingredients: Add butter and olive oil, then cook onion, celery, carrot, and garlic, stirring occasionally, until very soft and fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Prepare Your Cooking Vessel: Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 1 minute to coat the vegetables and remove the raw flour taste.
- Assemble the Dish: Gradually whisk in seafood stock until smooth, then add crushed tomatoes. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cook to Perfection: Simmer 20 minutes, then blend the soup with an immersion blender or carefully in batches until velvety. Return to the pot and stir in heavy cream, Old Bay, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Finishing Touches: Add shrimp and crab, simmering gently until shrimp are pink and just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in parsley.
- Serve and Enjoy: Ladle into warm bowls, garnish with extra parsley, and serve hot with crusty bread.
Notes
- Note: Avoid boiling after adding cream to keep the texture silky.
- Taste and adjust seasoning at the end for perfect balance.
- For brightness, add a light squeeze of lemon just before serving.
- If reheating, warm gently over low heat, stirring often.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl, about 1.5 cups
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 980mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 170mg
Keywords: seafood bisque, crab bisque, shrimp bisque, creamy soup, Old Bay, holiday starter, make-ahead soup, weeknight dinner, no wine bisque, stovetop bisque