Lobster Bisque delivers a creamy, silky-smooth, and well-seasoned soup with lobster and cream. Perfect for your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day, or any day of the year for that matter. Enjoy an indulgent five-star meal at home for a cozy, romantic dinner date.
I love lobster everything: grilled lobster tail, lobster rolls, you name it. And this classic lobster bisque recipe is as good or better than anything you’d get at a fancy-schmancy restaurant. But without the hefty price tag. 😉
And did I mention that this soup is keto-friendly and gluten-free? Woohoo!
Content…What Is It? |
What Is Lobster Bisque?
First off, cream is what makes it a bisque. Pureeing the ingredients to pure silky goodness is also classic for making a traditional bisque. While most bisques boast shrimp or lobster, you don’t have to use crustaceans. You can use tomatoes, butternut squash, mushrooms, and red peppers for an incredible bisque.
However, for lobster bisque, you obviously need lobster. And you don’t waste anything because the shells make a rich seafood broth (think stock but made with the shells instead of beef or chicken bones). So let’s get to the good stuff.
Recipe Ingredients
- Lobster Tails – Fresh or frozen work fine for this recipe. Of course, you can get live lobsters, too.
- Seasonings – Garlic, onion, celery, fresh thyme, and Creole seasoning deliver the ultimate flavor explosion.
- More Flavor – A dry white wine, Worcestershire sauce, lobster stock, and heavy cream make a decadent creamy soup base.
How to Make Lobster Bisque
Prep Lobster and Stock
- Cook Lobster – Boil the lobster tails for 3-4 minutes (long enough for the shells to turn slightly red). Let them cool. (Photo 1)
- Prep Lobster Meat – Place the tails on their side on your work surface and use both hands to press down until the shell cracks. Hold the tail with your thumbs (with the flippers toward you and the shell facing down) on opposite sides. Pull both sides back to crack open the shell and remove the meat.
- Alternative – Cut down the center of the tail with kitchen shears and remove the meat. (Photo 2)
- Make Stock – Return the lobster shells to the pot, and add 4-5 cups water. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium-low, and simmer for at least 20-25 minutes (if time permits, simmer for an extra 20 minutes). Strain and discard the shells. (Photo 3)
- Chop the Lobster Meat – Chop the lobster meat into bite-sized pieces while the stock is simmering. Chill until ready to use. (Photo 4)
Make the Bisque
- Saute – Heat olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Then saute onion, garlic, celery, and thyme for 4-5 minutes. (Photo 5)
- Flavor – Slowly add the wine, if using, then stir in the Worcestershire, Creole seasoning, paprika, and white pepper. Cook for about a minute. (Photo 6)
- Simmer – Then stir in the tomato paste and 2-2½ cups of the lobster stock. Simmer for 8-10 minutes. (Photo 7)
- Make it Creamy – Pour in the cream and butter, let the butter melt, then remove from stove. (Photos 8-10)
- Puree – Carefully pour it into a blender and puree in batches to avoid pressure building up. Or use a stick blender in the pot until your bisque is smooth.
- Adjust the seasoning with cayenne and salt to taste.
- Assembly – Heat a saucepan over medium and add a tablespoon of butter, followed by the chopped lobster. Then lightly season with Creole seasoning, and simmer for a minute or two until heated.
- Serve – Divide the bisque into serving bowls, top with lobster, and serve immediately.
Recipe Variations
- Seafood – Clams, shrimp, oysters, crayfish, and crab are popular bisque variations. Try my shrimp bisque for a more economical but just as delicious version. 😉
- Vegetarian – Of course, you can make yummy plant-based bisque like my hearty tomato bisque. Squash, corn, potatoes, carrots, and sweet potatoes also make a bisque base.
Tips and Tricks
- You’ll only need 2½ cups of the stock for your bisque, but you don’t need to waste the extra because it freezes well.
- Omit the cayenne if you prefer a milder bisque.
- Lobster tails are usually in the frozen seafood section at most grocery stores. If you go for fresh lobsters, make sure they’re still alive and keep them alive until the last second.
- Swap white wine with brandy for a sweet aroma and subtler presence. Or replace it with stock for alcohol-free bisque.
- Use a fine-mesh strainer to strain the bisque from the blender for a smoother texture.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Lobster Bisque is best as soon as it’s done and still hot. Yum!
I don’t recommend making it ahead since neither lobster nor heavy cream do well in the freezer. But for leftovers, let them completely cool before refrigerating them in an airtight container for up to two days.
Reheat over low heat on the stovetop, covered, occasionally stirring until hot. Or reheat individual servings in the microwave on medium power in 30-second blasts until hot.
What to Serve With Lobster Bisque
Make it a cozy date-night dinner with good background music, good wine, and amazing side dishes. Garlic bread or potato bread rolls, roasted baby carrots, and sauteed Brussels sprouts will definitely impress your better half.
Wine pairing: A chilled Chardonnay or dry Riesling is perfect with lobster bisque.
More Amazing Soup Recipes to Try
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was first published in February 2018 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video
Lobster Bisque
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Ingredients
- 2-3 lobster tails (fresh or frozen)
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup (75g) onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoon (6g) minced garlic
- ¼ cup (25g) diced celery
- 1 teaspoon (1g) fresh thyme
- ½ cup (120ml) dry white wine, or replace with stock
- 2 teaspoons (10ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon (3g) Creole seasoning
- ½ teaspoon (1g) paprika
- ½-1 teaspoon (1-2g) white pepper
- 1 tablespoon (25g) tomato paste
- 2-2½ cups (473-600ml) lobster stock (adjust to desired thickness)
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 2-3 tablespoons (28-44g) butter
- ¼ -½ teaspoon (1-2g) cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Boil the lobster tails for 3-4 minutes (long enough for the shells to turn slightly red). Let them cool.
- Once cool, remove the lobster tails from the pot and reserve the stock.
- Place the tails on their side on your work surface and use both hands to press down until the shell cracks. Hold the tail with your thumbs (with the flippers toward you and the shell facing down) on opposite sides. Pull both sides back to crack open the shell and remove the meat. Or cut down the center of the tail with kitchen shears and remove the meat.
- Return the lobster shells to the pot, and add 4-5 cups water. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium-low, and simmer for at least 20-25 minutes (if time permits, simmer for an extra 20 minutes). Strain and discard the shells.
- Reserve 2-2½ cups of the stock for the bisque and save the rest for another recipe.
- Chop the lobster meat into bite-sized pieces while the stock is simmering. Chill until ready to use.
- Heat olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Then saute onion, garlic, celery, and thyme for 4-5 minutes.
- Slowly add the wine, if using, then stir in the Worcestershire, Creole seasoning, paprika, and white pepper. Cook for about a minute.
- Then stir in the tomato paste and the lobster stock. Simmer for 8-10 minutes.
- Pour in the cream and butter, let the butter melt, then remove from the stove.
- Carefully pour it into a blender and puree in batches to avoid pressure building up. Or use a stick blender in the pot until your bisque is smooth.
- Adjust the seasoning with cayenne and salt to taste.
- Heat a saucepan over medium and add a tablespoon of butter, followed by the chopped lobster. Then lightly season with Creole seasoning, and simmer for a minute or two until heated.
- Divide the bisque into serving bowls, top with lobster, and serve immediately.
Tips & Notes:
- Lobster tails are usually in the frozen seafood section at most grocery stores. If you go for fresh lobsters, make sure they’re still alive and keep them alive until the last second.
- Swap white wine with brandy for a sweet aroma and subtler presence. Or replace it with stock for alcohol-free bisque.
- Use a fine-mesh strainer to strain the bisque from the blender for a smoother texture.
- You may swap white wine with brandy – it has a sweet aroma and subtler presence. Or add more stock if you want to exclude alcohol.
- If you don’t mind waiting, you can save some money by going on a lobster hunt right after Valentine’s Day because frozen lobster usually goes on sale around that time.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Gregg says
EXCELLENT DISH! I wouldn’t change it for the world. I enhanced the thickening with a little bit of rue; PERFECT!!! You deserve 5 ’s and then some…
Thank-you…
imma africanbites says
Thank you for dropping by, Gregg! Soo happy it turned out great for you.
Agustin says
I have plenty.of lobster meat from Belize, can I make bisque using it ? and how ?
Tiffany says
Looking at the recipe it doesn’t look too unhealthy, what gives it so much saturated fat?
I’m looking forward to making this tomorrow!!
Leslie says
Heavy cream! But you’ll be fine. Sugars and simple carbs are the real culprits in a diet!
Di says
Damn! I can’t stop eating this.
Thank you Immaculatebites. You are my heaven for recipes!
Diane says
Very good recipe, I altered it so I could make a lot more. It turned out great, and I made enough to share with my kids and parents for their home. I used shrimp, lobster, and crab instead of just lobster, and made a rue to help thicken it up. I used all the ingredients, just more of everything. I would definitely make this again, but I wouldn’t use crab it was a wast of time. Thanks.
Addie says
Could make the bisque up to the point of heating the lobster meat, then put in the refrigerator, and getting it out for right before serving? Then heat the bisque & the lobster and then serve?
ImmaculateBites says
Yes you can. I just reheated some that I made and it is all good.
Stuart says
I used cornstarch to thicken the lobster stock. Elevation has a huge effect on the thickening.
The pureeing of the mix is essential.
Added in twice the amount of tomato paste for better color and nuance flavors.
Dry sherry drizzled on top is great.
Did it three times now and it has come to be perfect.
Excellent!
Deb says
I followed the directions exactly– except I used clam juice in place of lobster stock. It never thickened up!!
ImmaculateBites says
Mine usually does . Making this next week for guests will update if I have any further instructions. Make sure you use cream and blend all the bisque before serving .
Lisa says
Very tasty but mine did not thicken either. Any suggestions?
ImmaculateBites says
I just made this recipe this weekend and 2 1/2 cups of lobster stock works just perfect. It will do the trick.
Susan SHEPHERD says
Made this on NYD 1/1/19 with 6 leftover lobster shells from our NYE dinner. It was my first bisque ever and sooooooooo good. I grew up in New Orleans and this tastes exactly like something you would find in a restaurant there. Mine was also on the thin side, next time if I want it thicker I will use some flour. But the flavor was delicious. It was a much deeper and darker flavor the next day but I added more cream to lighten up/balance the flavor a bit. I still have some of the lobster stock left, and will try a lobster sherry cream sauce for pasta next.
imma africanbites says
Thank you for taking the time to let me know, Susan. That lobster sherry cream sauce on pasta sounds delish!
Bri says
I have never had lobster bisque so wasnt sure what to expect. Omg! This receipe is delicious !! So impressed !! I followed the direction sooo good.
Imma Adamu says
I appreciate your kind words!
Thank you so much, I’m honored that you liked it!
Happytrails says
I will fix this again. Really great flavor especially if you make your stock with the shells. Mine did not thicken and not sure why however wasn’t an issue because it was so tasty.
ImmaculateBites says
I have updated recipe . 2 1/2 cups of lobster stock works just fine.
Tom says
Really good recipe! Will do again! 5 Stars!
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome!!! Thanks Tom.
Donalda says
I want to make this but I’m not sure how big of lobster tails I need to buy? Our local grocery has 57g and 150g tails. My gut says go big, my wallet says go small….what did you use?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Donalda,
I used 2 lobster tails about 5 ounce (140grams ).
Heidelind says
I made this last night, and my husband would not stop raving about how amazing it was. The only things I changed was adding Cajun seasoning instead of creole, because that’s what I had on hand, and blending the lobster into the soup. Fantastic! Thank you!
imma africanbites says
Thank you for taking the time to let me know! I’m glad it worked out well for you.
Cris Melser says
Just made this soup tonight. Hardest part was buildings stock. Smelled so good. Didn’t have tomato paste so used sauce, whole can. Sauteed lobster with a little bit of cayenne as I didn’t have creole seasoning. Will definitely do this again.
ImmaculateBites says
SO happy to hear this Cris! Thanks for taking time out to let me know.