Lobster Bisque
Lobster Bisque is not just a soup or bisque, it's a luscious, rich and silky seafood delight. When you make lobster bisque at home, you'll never order it at restaurants anymore, it's absolutely easy and tastes so delicious! Succulent Buttered Lobster in a creamy Bisque made using lobster stock--such a DREAM!
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons Butter from the buttered lobster, or salted butter, herb butter
- 1 onion diced
- 1 cup celery diced
- 1 cup carrots diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 oregano and thyme stalks
- 2 Tablespoons Flour all purpose
- 1/3 cup crushed tomatoes or 1 cup fresh, minced
- 4 cups lobster stock
- 1/2 - 1 cup cream 18% or 35% or half n half
- 1 teaspoon salt and pepper
- 2 cups Lobster Meat cooked in butter or in the oven
- lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
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Start with the mirepoix. We add a good dab of our flavored butter as a base and then we sauté the diced onions, carrots and celery.
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You don't want to ever rush this process! A good bisque or any soup as a matter of fact needs enough time for the mirepoix to cook until soft and golden. This is how you develop a rich taste to any recipe.
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When ready you'll add in the garlic and sauté that for just a minute or so. Be careful ot to let it burn or turn golden. You need a fragrant opaque garlic, not a golden one.
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Now you'll add in the flour to begin thickening the soup, or making the roux.
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Again this step should not be rushed. You need the flour to be slightly toasted, so cook it for 2 minutes or so. This also removes any raw flour taste from your lobster bisque. Feel free to add a teaspoon or two of extra butter here to achieve a nice toasted flour base if the mixture feels too dry.
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Now add in the tomatoes and cook some more. Allow the tomatoes to release their juices (if using fresh, and allow the juice to evaporate if using fresh or canned. You'll have a paste looking like that when you're ready for the next step.
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Next step is to add the lobster stock.
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The lobster stock will infuse your soup with so much flavor and taste. Bring the mixture to a boil and then drop the heat to medium low. Cover the pot and let your bisque simmer for all the flavors to blend in.
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30 minutes later and your bisque looks ready to blend. While you can use a high speed heat proof blender, we prefer a good old immersion blender for this.
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Just blend the soup until nice and silky. You'll notice the color will change into a light orange tone as all the ingredients blend together, and the bisque will feel so silky already.
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At that point you're ready to serve or you can add in that splash of table cream as we did. Cream adds an impeccably silky smooth and rich finish to the soup.
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And now you're ready to plate!
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We love to plate our lobster bisque by topping it with plenty and plenty of butter poached lobster chunks.
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Finish and garnish with some fresh oregano, a splash of cracked black pepper and a lemon slice or lemon wedge.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Tips to Make the Best Lobster Bisque
- Use cold water lobster when possible. It has a favorable taste and higher quality meat. You can read more about the difference between lobsters here.
- We use lobster tail for this recipe as it has more meat.
- You can precook your lobster tail either in a butter bath or in the oven. Keep that excess butter, as we will need it here as well.
- Make your own lobster stock using the shells from either of the recipes above. It only takes 30-40 minutes and you can store it for use anytime. You can't have a rich tasty lobster bisque without using lobster stock. Like you just can't.
- This is a one pot meal, so use a 5-6 quart pot.
- Make sure to wait on the mirepoix until they're golden and have cooked well. Rushing this step will have your bisque tasting like raw onions and celery which can overpower the delicate lobster flavor.
- Similarly, avoid over rushing the roux --toasting the flour phase. The flour helps thicken your bisque, and in order to avoid raw tasting flour, it needs to be sautéed for about 2 minutes.
- If you need to add 1-2 teaspoons of extra butter to the roux phase for the flour to sauté , do so.
- When the bisque comes to a boil, you need to trun down the heat to medium low or low. This helps the flavors infuse so gently without burning.
- Blend the soup in a blender or using an immersion blender directly into the pot.
- Adding the cream is optional, but so very recommended for that silky rich velvety smooth lobster bisque. You can add half n half, or table cream 18% or heavy cream 35%.
- Heat up your lobster chunks before adding them on top of the soup, when ready to serve.
Lobster Bisque Variations
- Crab Bisque: Use crab instead of lobster. Preferably use fresh crab meat instead of imitation crab. If you can't find it, use imitation crab.
- Shrimp bisque is another great substitute here. Use our Shrimp Scampi or Grilled Shrimp recipes for the meat.
- Try using quality seafood stock to make the bisque for a seafood flavor.
- When it comes to lobster, our ultimate favorite is cold water lobster. Frozen lobster can be used.
- Lobster Bisque Without Cream: Use a dairy free creamer.
- Spicy Lobster Bisque: Finish with a drizzle of Chili Oil Recipe
- Lobster Bisque with Coconut Milk: Use coconut cream instead of heavy cream for a twist on the flavors.
How do You thicken the Bisque?
The flour or roux here is the main thickener in the recipe. Sprinkle it over the cooked mirepoix and toast it for two minutes before adding the stock. As it boils, the flour will thicken the bisque beautifully. Make sure you toast the flour for 2 minutes in butter to prevent a raw flour taste in your soup.
How to Store, Freeze and Reheat Lobster Bisque?
- Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 3 days.
- To make ahead, prepare the bisque and avoid adding in the lobster. Store the soup in the fridge for up to 5 days, and add in the lobster when serving.
- To freeze, as with most recipes, it's best to freeze without the cream. Just prepare the bisque, blend it and freeze it air tight for 3 months.
- To Reheat, add the bisque in a pot, warm it up on medium low heat, and add the cream at the final stage.
Can I double the Recipe
You can absolutely double and triple the recipe and store it for later use. Make sure to follow the freezing instructions above.
Why Is My Lobster Bisque Bitter?
This happens when you boil the shells at a high boil, or if you have sautéed the onions and tomatoes too much that they burnt slightly. To avoid this, make sure you simmer the shells gently and sauté without burning aromatics.
Why Is It Too Thin?
If it's too thin, you haven't reduced the stock enough or haven't added the flour to make the roux. To avoid this, simmer longer before adding cream, and make sure you add the correct amount of flour for the roux.
Why Is It Too Thick?
If the soup is too think, you probably added too much flour for thick roux, to fix this, thin it out with warm stock.
Why Does It Taste Fishy?
The bisque would taste fishy if you used old lobster for the stock, or used low grade quality lobsters, or if you have overcooked the shells. To avoid this, use fresh or frozen quality lobsters, and don't over cook the shells at high heat.
Why Did My Cream Separate?
Once the cream is added, it's recommended not to boil the bisque vigorously as it may separate. So To avoid this, add cream at low simmer.
Why Is It Grainy?
This happens when you have strained the stock improperly, or if your blender isn't strong enough to make a smooth textured creamy lobster bisque. To fix this, strain through a fine mesh strainer.
What is the difference between lobster bisque and lobster soup?
Lobster bisque is strained smooth and made from shell extraction. Lobster soup may contain chunks and is often less concentrated.
Can you make lobster bisque without lobster shells?
You can, but it will lack depth. Shell extraction is essential for authentic flavor. You can use claws for a similar quality.
Can I use frozen lobster?
Yes, if properly thawed. Shells must still be used for best flavor.
Is lobster bisque thick or thin?
It should be velvety and coat a spoon, lusciously creamy, not watery and not gravy thick.
Can you make lobster bisque ahead of time?
Yes. Flavor improves overnight. Add cream when reheating.
Can lobster bisque be frozen?
Yes, but freeze before adding cream.