Best Lobster Bisque Recipe

Lobster bisque is a rich and creamy soup with massive lumps of sweet and buttery lobster tails.

It’s a delectable and addictive seafood soup that will surely get those taste buds tingling.

Best of all, it’s surprisingly simple and takes less than an hour to whip up.

What Is Lobster Bisque?

Lobster bisque is a classic French soup. The word bisque literally means “a thick, creamy soup.” And that’s precisely what this dish is.

Typically, people make bisques by simmering crustaceans with herbs and seasonings.

Then, they strain the liquid, simmer it again, and puree it.

But this recipe for lobster bisque is a bit simpler. And it’ll taste just as yummy if you don’t puree it.

Lobster Bisque Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:

• Chicken broth. This acts as the base for your soup.

• Onion. A common aromatic added to many soup recipes for flavor.

• Butter. For flavor and creaminess.

• Flour. Along with the butter, you’ll add flour to make a roux. This will help thicken your soup and make it creamy.

• Heavy whipping cream. Another key ingredient for thickness and creaminess.

• Tomato paste. The acidity in the tomatoes helps balance out the other ingredients. The tomatoey flavor also pairs really well with seafood.

• Salt. A flavor enhancer.

• Lobster meat. Your meat needs to be fully cooked and cubed before adding it to the recipe. Lobster tails are excellent.

• Worcestershire sauce. Just a single tablespoon of this hard-to-pronounce sauce will add a ton of flavor to your bisque.

• Cayenne pepper. For heat and spiciness.

How to Make Lobster Bisque

As mentioned, bisque is a French cooking technique that extracts flavors from crustaceans by simmering them.

Typically, lobster bisque has a flavorful stock made of lobster shells. But I came up with an easier and tasty alternative.

Check out the easy lobster bisque recipe below:

1. Saute. Saute the onions and a fourth cup of chicken broth for 5 to 7 minutes on low heat. Set aside for later.

2. Make a roux for thickening. Melt the butter in a separate pot. Then, whisk in the flour until it forms a creamy roux.

3. Add the chicken broth. Pour in the rest of the chicken broth first. Whisk continually while pouring it.

4. Add the lobster meat and other ingredients. Add the milk, salt, onions, lobster, Worcestershire, tomato paste, and cayenne.

5. Stir and cook. Cook, stirring frequently, until right before the mixture starts to boil. Remove it from the heat before it boils.

6. Serve. Serve with crusty bread if desired, and enjoy!

If you want it nice and smooth, like in the picture below, puree the soup before adding the lobster.

It usually sinks to the bottom, so I typically add extra on top for serving.

Tips & Tricks

Cooking with lobster can be a little tricky. So is creating the perfectly thick and creamy bisque.

But fret not! I have a few tips and tricks up my sleeve to help you out. Here’s my advice:

• Cook the lobster in garlic butter. Saute garlic in melted butter over medium heat. Then, add the chunks of lobster tails. It adds so much flavor!

• Steam the tails before removing the shell. It’s extremely hard to remove raw lobster meat from the shell. So, steam the tails for about 2-3 minutes.

• Opt for frozen. Frozen lobster tails are much simpler. You don’t have to worry about keeping fresh lobsters alive until you cook them.

• If using fresh lobsters, select “cold” ones. Look for cold lobster from places like Maine or New Zealand. These are tastier, firmer, and more tender.

• Supplement with shrimp. Lobster can be expensive, and you’ll need a whole pound. Use less lobster and add shrimp to make it more affordable.

• Highlight the seafood taste. Instead of chicken broth, use clam juice or shrimp stock. Either will help enhance the lobster flavor.

• Add a little wine. Give your bisque more flavor by deglazing with a dry white wine. Reduce the wine and add it to your broth. Simmer until thick.

• Make it lighter. Use fat-free coconut milk instead of heavy whipping cream. Also, use an immersion blender to thicken instead of the roux.

How To Thicken Lobster Bisque

For this recipe, we’ll add a roux to thicken the bisque. Be sure to cook the flour with the butter first to form the roux, before mixing in the liquid ingredients.

However, there are other ways to make your bisque thicker. Try one of these if you want a thicker soup:

• Add rice. Puree the rice and the broth together. Then add the cream. It does the trick.

• Use an immersion blender. Blend the mixture with an immersion blender before adding the lobster.

How to Store Lobster Bisque

Wondering how to store your leftover lobster bisque? It’s simple:

Like many seafood dishes, it’s better to eat your leftover lobster bisque as soon as possible. It will only keep fresh for up to 2 days in the fridge.

To Store: Cool the bisque to room temperature, transfer the leftovers to an airtight container, then refrigerate.

Eat leftovers within 2 days for the freshest flavor.

To Reheat: Add the bisque to a pot and cook on low-medium heat until warm.

To Freeze: Lobster bisque does not keep well in the freezer due to the dairy. Therefore, I don’t recommend freezing it.

More Amazing Seafood Recipes

Looking for more delicious seafood recipes? Here are some of my favorites for you to try:

New England Clam Chowder
Shrimp Scampi
Crab Cakes
Cajun Shrimp
Cream of Crab Soup