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A spoon spooning up some crab bisque showing how silky it is and the lumps of crab meat

Crab Bisque

Crab bisque is the elegant cousin of chowder with a smoother, richer, silkier, and deeply flavored with seafood essence. Where chowder is chunky and rustic, bisque is refined and velvety, often served as a first course in fine dining restaurants and coastal kitchens. Today we're making it at home step by step with video, expert tips and all you need to know!
Course Appetizer, bisque, dinner, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American, French, Mediterranean, seafood
Keyword Bisque, Bisque Recipe, comfort food, crab bisque, Crab recipe, Crab recipes, creamy, elegant, how to make crab bisque, rich
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 393 kcal
Author Mahy

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons Butter unsalted
  • 1 onion minced
  • 2 celery stalks minced
  • 1 carrot finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tablespon butter
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper optional add in 1/2 teaspoon paprika and granulated garlic
  • 3 cups crab stock or fish stock and crab shells
  • 1 1/2 cups baby tomatoes or 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 tyme Sprigs
  • 1 cup cream
  • 2 cups crab meat
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley minced

Instructions

  1. First step is to melt butter in a pot over medium heat, and add in the mirepoix. That's the onions, celery and carrots.
    Starting with the base for crab bisque with butter, onion and celery
  2. Don't rush this process, you need to sauté them well until golden and translucent so the flavors can deepen before moving on the next step.
  3. Add the garlic and cook for just a minute, you don't want to overcook the garlic because it can turn bitter.
    garlic is added to the pot
  4. At that point, you're ready to thicken the base of the bisque by making a simple roux. Use equal parts butter and flour, we used 1 Tablespoon of each here.
    the roux is made at the pot of the crab bisque to thicken it as a base
  5. Cook down the flour in the butter until you feel that it's slightly toasty and golden. This eliminated any raw flour flavor.
  6. When the flour is toasty, it's time to deglaze the pot. We added fresh baby tomatoes along with our Crab Stock.
    Tomatoes are added along with stock to deglaze the pan and make crab bisque

  7. Add in the bay leaves, thyme sprigs and seasoning.

    Stir the bisque really well to make scrape all bits of flour from the pan surface. The liquid should deglaze the pot, but some bit may be stuck to the pan, so you need to scrape those using a wooden spoon.

    The tomatoes and stock base are added for the crab bisque base.
  8. If you don't have crab stock, you would need to add the crab shells at this stage and let them simmer gently with the tomatoes and fish stock.
  9. Simmer and cook the base of the bisque for 35-45 minutes.
    A hand adding cream to a blended soup
  10. Use an immersion blender and blend the soup until smooth.
    crab meat in a bowl being added to the soup pot
  11. Now pour the cream into the pot and keep the heat at a simmer.
  12. Strain the bisque for a smooth finish.
  13. Add in the crab meat last, and simmer some more.
    A spoon spooning up some crab bisque showing how silky it is and the lumps of crab meat
  14. Serve the crab bisque right away, garnished with fresh parsley, some cracked black pepper and extra crab meat. SO GOOD!

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Expert Tips for Crab Bisque Recipe

  1. Use fresh and quality crab, not imitation. Cook your own using this guide and make your own stock following this guide. 
  2. If you don't have time for the stock, make sure to save the shells as you will be adding them to the bisque to simmer for maximum flavor.
  3. Use fresh tomatoes when possible for a mild flavor, or a tablespoon of tomato paste if unavailable. Don't add too much tomatoes as it will change the taste of the bisque.
  4. Season generously and use bay leaves, fresh herbs and aromatics to infuse the dish.
  5. Use an immersion blender or high speed blender for a smooth soup, and strain for an extra velvety texture.
  6. When adding the cream, keep the heat to low and the mixture to a mild simmer only. Avoid boiling the cream as it can separate and ruin the bisque.
  7. Add the crab meat and simmer on low to infuse more flavor if you'd like or simply use it as a topping. The crab stock will add enough flavor.

How Is Crab Bisque Different from Crab Chowder?

  • Crab Bisque: It's a smooth, strained, rich, creamy and elegant soup that's thickened with roux rather than potatoes.
  • Crab Chowder: This is a chunky style soup thats not strained, and has a broth or light cream base, very rustic feeling and hearty with chunks of potatoes usually to thicken the texture.

Crab Bisque Variations

  • Classic French: Made by simmering shells, some sherry and lots of cream.
  • Maryland Style: Has some Old Bay seasoning that infuses the bisque and cuts down some creaminess.
  • Light Version: Use half n half instead of heavy cream, and add it at the very end.

What to Serve with Crab Bisque

Why Is My Bisque Grainy?

Not blended well using a good blender and then later not strained.

What about if it's Thin?

If you haven't made a roux or used any thickener, it will be thin.

Why Is It Too Thick?

Too much roux (you added too much flour) or you have let the stock simmer for too long and it had reduced too much.

Can I Freeze Crab Bisque?

Yes, but the texture may slightly change. Freeze before adding cream for best results.

How can I Make It Ahead?

The flavors are best when made a day and up to 3 days ahead. Prepare the soup, blend and strain, and then reheat gently over low heat until it simmers again. Serve and enjoy.

Can you make crab bisque without shells?

Yes, but shells deepen the flavor significantly.

Is crab bisque thick or thin?

It should be silky and moderately thick, so if you want to test it, it should coat the back of a spoon.

What kind of crab is best?

Lump crab is best for texture while claw  is best for stronger flavor.

How do you thicken crab bisque?

We make a simple roux with flour and butter and allow the stock to reduce enough.

What does crab bisque taste like?

It is a super rich, creamy, slightly sweet soup with a deep seafood flavor.

 

Nutrition Facts
Crab Bisque
Amount Per Serving
Calories 393 Calories from Fat 261
% Daily Value*
Fat 29g45%
Saturated Fat 18g113%
Trans Fat 0.2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 7g
Cholesterol 118mg39%
Sodium 1655mg72%
Potassium 639mg18%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 22g44%
Vitamin A 4325IU87%
Vitamin C 22mg27%
Calcium 163mg16%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.