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Home / Courses

Lobster Bisque (Plus Video)

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Author: Imma Published:2/10/2022Updated:8/28/2021
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Lobster Bisque is a classic creamy and smooth, highly seasoned soup made from lobster and aromatics that is a Valentine’s Day favorite entree or first course. A dreamy indulgent five-star dining experience just in time for a cozy, intimate dinner date at home!

a white bowl of lobster bisque topped with lobster meat with crusty bread in the background

Valentine’s Day is around the corner – yes, I know. You can’t miss it! 

It’s already too late to book anything in my neck of the woods by now. But I’m not going to worry about that because I’m totally fine dining at home with this bisque here. ❤

This classic Lobster Bisque recipe is as good (or better) as those you pay a hefty amount for at a fancy-schmancy restaurant without the hefty price tag. 😉

Contents…

Recipe Ingredients
How to Make It
Recipe Variations
Tips and Tricks
Serving and Storage Instructions
FAQs
What to Serve
More Soup Recipes to Try
Watch How To Make It

What is Lobster Bisque?

lobster bisque in a white bowl topped with lobster meat and garnished with chives

Lobster Bisque is a classic entree of French origin, and it’s a creamy, smooth, and flavorful soup based on a strained lobster broth. But you could also use the same method with crabs, shrimps, or crayfish. Oh yeah!

Bisque is actually a method of extracting flavor from crustaceans (hard-shelled sea creatures) by simmering with aromatics to create an intensely flavored stock, then strained, simmered again, and pureed. Talk about some intensely delicious flavor!

Recipe Ingredients

lobster bisque ingredients on the countertop

Restaurant-quality dining at home has never been this good with our scrumptious Lobster Bisque. Believe me; this will surely impress your boo! So let’s get started! ❤

  • Lobster Tails – The best part about this recipe is that it’s affordable. Instead of buying a whole lobster, you can use fresh or frozen lobster tails.
  • Garlic, Onion, and Celery – You’ll love the holy trinity not only for its wonderful fragrance and flavor but also for its exceptional health benefits. Please see How to Mince Garlic and How to Cut Onions for time-saving cutting techniques.
  • Fresh Thyme – Our dish becomes fancier thanks to fresh thyme’s herby and minty notes. Check out these Thyme Substitutes that you can use. 
  • Dry White Wine – For best-tasting soup, use high-quality dry white wine, like Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or Chardonnay. Any one of them is perfect for lobster recipes. But you can skip it if you’re not fond of wine.
  • Worcestershire Sauce – This multipurpose sauce adds a layer of rich, robust flavor to our hearty soup, giving it more character.
  • Creole Seasoning – This blend of herbs and spices will surely amp up the flavor of our lobster bisque. Make it more personalized with my Homemade Creole Seasoning. Feel free to omit or add more herbs and spices to suit your palate. 😉
  • Lobster Stock – See the instructions below to make your own lobster stock, and it’ll give you richer and more flavorful brisque. Don’t feel bad if you decide to buy ready-made broth or replace it with chicken broth. 👌
  • Heavy Cream – The velvety smooth and creamy luxuriant feel and taste in our fancy bisque is brought to you by heavy cream. Oh yes! And to make it paleo, simply replace heavy cream with full-fat coconut cream.

How to Make Lobster Bisque

boiling the lobster tails in a pot of water

Prepare the Lobster Stock

  1. Boil Lobster Tails – Start by boiling the lobster tails for about 3-4 minutes, long enough for the shells to turn slightly red. Let it cool. (Photo 1)
  2. Let it Cool and Set Aside – Once cool, remove lobster tails from the pot and reserve the stock.
  3. Crack the Shells and Remove Meat – Place the tail on its side on the counter and use both hands to press down the tail until the shell cracks. Then hold the tail, flippers facing you, and shell facing down, with your thumbs on opposite sides. Pull back on both sides to crack open the shell and remove meat. Alternatively, you can use a kitchen shear to cut down the center of the tail. Then remove the lobster meat. Either way, it works. (Photo 2)
  4. Boil and Simmer the Shells – Return the lobster shells to the pot, then add 4-5 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to gently simmer another 20-25 minutes; if time permits, simmer for an additional 20 minutes. (Photo 3)
  5. Chop the Lobster Meat – Chop the lobster meat into bite-sized pieces while the stock is simmering. Chill until ready to be used. (Photo 4)
  6. Strain and Set Aside – When ready, strain the shells from the stock and reserve the lobster stock.
sauteing the veggies and mixing in the wet ingredients for lobster bisque in a pot

Saute and Simmer

  1. Saute – Add olive oil to a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Then saute onion, garlic, celery, and thyme, and cook for about 4-5 minutes. (Photo 5)
  2. Add Wine and Seasonings – Slowly add the wine, if using any, then stir in the Worcestershire, Creole Seasoning, paprika, and white pepper. Cook for about a minute. (Photo 6)
  3. Simmer – Then stir in the tomato paste, followed by the lobster stock. Simmer for about 8- 10 minutes. (Photo 7)
  4. Add Cream and Butter – Pour in the cream and butter and let the butter melt, then remove from stove. (Photos 8-10)
  5. Puree – Pour it into a blender and puree. Puree in batches to prevent pressure from building up inside. Alternatively, you may use a stick blender in the pot until your bisque is smooth.
  6. Adjust Seasoning – Season with salt and cayenne pepper to taste, if desired.
  7. Add Butter and Lobster Meat – Place a saucepan over medium heat, then add about a tablespoon butter to it followed by the chopped lobster meat, lightly season with Creole seasoning, and simmer for a minute or two until warmed through.
  8. Garnish and Serve – Top individual bisques with lobster and serve immediately.

Recipe Variations

  • Seafood – Clams, shrimp, oyster, crayfish, and crab are popular bisque variations. Try my Shrimp Bisque if you can’t find lobster at the moment. 😉
  • Vegetarian – And, of course, you can make yummy bisque with fresh veggies, too, like my hearty Tomato Bisque. Technically, tomatoes are a fruit, but I don’t put them in my fruit salad. (Pardon the nerdy explanation. 😜) Squash, corn, potatoes, carrots, and sweet potatoes also make an excellent base for bisque.
  • Gluten-Free, Low-Carb, Keto – Believe it or not, this recipe is actually low-carb and keto-approved since we didn’t add flour or rice to thicken our soup. Oh yes! Another reason to enjoy this bisque recipe. Woohoo!

Tips and Tricks

  • Lobster tails are usually in the frozen seafood section at most grocery stores. If you go for fresh lobsters, make sure they’re straight out of the sea and still alive. Then keep them alive until the very last second, which also means that you have to dim its lights yourself because it goes bad too quickly to take chances.
  • You may swap white wine with brandy – it has a sweet aroma and subtler presence. Or just add more stock if you want to exclude alcohol. 
  • You can do the last round of straining through a fine-mesh strainer right from the blender.
  • If you don’t mind waiting, you can save some dough by going on a lobster hunt a week after Valentine’s Day. That’s because frozen lobster usually goes on sale around that time.
a serving of lobster bisque in a classy white bowl

Serving and Storage Instructions

Lobster Bisque is best enjoyed as soon as it’s done cooking and slurping it while it’s hot. Yum!

I don’t recommend making it ahead since both lobster and heavy cream don’t do well in the freezer. The taste will be the same, but the texture will be noticeably different. But in the case of leftovers:

  • Store – Let it completely cool before transferring to an airtight container.
  • Refrigerate – Leftovers can be safely refrigerated for up to two days maximum. This goes for most seafood dishes as well.
  • Freeze –  I do not recommend freezing leftovers because of the dairy content. The water and fat from the heavy cream will separate and result in grainy and curdled brisque once thawed, while the lobster meat may end up a little tough and rubbery.
  • Reheat – Heat over low heat on the stovetop, covered, occasionally stirring until hot. If reheating a small serving, put it in the microwave on medium power for 30-second blasts until it’s heated up as you want. Again, the lobster may come out a little chewy and rubbery after reheating.

FAQs

What makes bisque a bisque?

A bisque is a soup of French origin that is thick, creamy, and primarily made with shellfish, seafood stock, and cream. The soup base is usually the broth from boiled seafood and shells. Nowadays, some chefs make their bisques with thickeners such as roux, slurry, and rice.

What alcohol is in lobster bisque?

Red wine is for meat, while white wine is for seafood. White wine is just a tad more acidic than red wine, highlighting and enhancing the sea taste in seafood. I highly recommend Chardonnay, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc because of their exceptional fruity flavor profile without being overly sweet.

How do you thicken lobster bisque?

For my recipe, the lobster stock, tomato paste, and heavy cream are enough to thicken the soup. You just need to simmer it nice and slow over low heat. But if you still find it a little runny, you can quickly fix it by adding a flour or cornstarch slurry. However, a slurry may dilute the savory seafood flavor of our bisque.

a white bowl of lobster bisque with a dipped spoon and another bowl of bisque in the background

What to Serve with Lobster Bisque

Make it a cozy dinner date with some good music in the background, good wine, and amazing side dishes like these recipes below.

  • Corn on the Cob
  • Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
  • Baked Crispy Potato Wedges
  • Garlic Bread
  • Brioche Bread

More Soup Recipes to Try

  • Chicken Corn Chowder
  • Vegetable Beef Soup
  • Sweet Potato Soup
  • Hamburger Soup
  • Carrot Ginger Soup
two servings of lobster bisque with crusty bread slices and a wine in the background

Watch How to Make It

This blog post was first published in February 2018 and has been updated with additional key information, and photos.

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A Bowl of Lobster Bisque
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Lobster Bisque

Lobster Bisque, a rich and indulgent soup with intense flavor and chunks of lobster. The perfect starter or main dish for special occasions.
Makes 4-5 cups
4.92 from 37 votes
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 50 mins
Additional simmering time (if time permits): 20 mins
Total: 1 hr 20 mins
French
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 2-3 lobster tails (fresh or frozen)
  • 2 tablespoon (28.3 g) extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup (75 g) onion, chopped
  • 2 teaspoon (5.60 g) garlic minced
  • ¼ cup celery, diced
  • 1 teaspoon (0.80 g) fresh thyme
  • ½ cup (119.50 g) dry white wine, or replace with stock
  • 2 teaspoon (34 g) Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon (2.60 g) Creole seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon (3.40 g) paprika
  • ½ – 1 teaspoon (0.90- 1.80 g) white pepper
  • 1 tablespoon (25 g) tomato paste
  • 2-2 ½ cup (705-940 g) lobster stock, adjust to desired thickness
  • 1 cup (240 g) heavy cream
  • 2- 3 tablespoon (28.4 g) butter
  • ¼ -½ teaspoon (0.90-1.8 g) cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions

  • Start by boiling the lobster tails for about 3-4 minutes, long enough for the shells to turn slightly red. Let it cool.
  • Once cool, remove lobster tails from the pot and reserve the stock.
  • Place the tail on its side on the counter and use both hands to press down the tail until the shell cracks. Then hold the tail, flippers facing you, and shell facing down, with your thumbs on opposite sides. Pull back on both sides to crack open the shell and remove meat.
  • Alternatively, you can use a kitchen shear to cut down the center of the tail. Then remove the lobster meat. Either way, it works.
  • Return the lobster shells to the pot, then add 4-5 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer another 20-25 minutes gently; if time permits, simmer for an additional 20 minutes. 
  • Chop the lobster meat into bite-sized pieces while the stock is simmering. Chill until ready to be used. 
  • When ready, strain the shells and reserve the lobster stock.
  • Add olive oil to a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Then saute onion, garlic, celery, and thyme, and cook for about 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, followed by the lobster stock. Simmer for about 8-10 minutes. 
  • Pour in the cream and butter, let the butter melt, and then remove from the stove.
  • Pour it into a blender and puree. Puree in batches to prevent pressure from building up inside. Alternatively, you may use a stick blender in the pot until your bisque is smooth.
  • Season with salt and cayenne pepper to taste, if desired.
  • Place a saucepan over medium heat, then add about a tablespoon butter to it followed by the chopped lobster meat, lightly season with Creole seasoning, and simmer for a minute or two until warmed through.
  • Top individual bisques 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 straight out of the sea and still alive. Then keep them alive until the very last second, which also means that you have to dim their lights yourself because they go bad too quickly to take chances.
  • You may swap white wine with brandy – it has a sweet aroma and subtler presence. Or just add more stock if you want to exclude alcohol. 
  • You can do the last round of straining through a fine-mesh strainer right from the blender.
  • If you don’t mind waiting, you can save some dough by going on a lobster hunt a week after Valentine’s Day. That’s because frozen lobster usually goes on sale around that time.
  • Please be reminded that the Nutritional Information shown in the post is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1cup| Calories: 469kcal (23%)| Carbohydrates: 9g (3%)| Protein: 7g (14%)| Fat: 43g (66%)| Saturated Fat: 23g (144%)| Cholesterol: 159mg (53%)| Sodium: 1050mg (46%)| Potassium: 233mg (7%)| Sugar: 3g (3%)| Vitamin A: 2205IU (44%)| Vitamin C: 4.8mg (6%)| Calcium: 83mg (8%)| Iron: 0.6mg (3%)
Author: Imma
Course: Soup
Cuisine: French
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Comments & Reviews
  1. George Duncan says

    Posted on 2/27 at 4:47PM

    5 stars
    This recipe was great! My wife loved it. We’re looking forward to more recipes. Very easy to follow directions and videos.

    Reply
  2. ANNETTE VAUGHAN says

    Posted on 11/13 at 8:42AM

    I love the recipe, I have a whole batch off prawn shellfish stock on freezer was wondering if that be as good as my lobster is already cooked out of shell, I’m bit nervous about cooking with lobster as I’ve never cooked with it, but I’d really love to use my lobster in a lobster pot pie and thinking off use the bisque as a kinda sauce in the pie , I’d maybe have to thicken it abit , how would you suggest I do that , thanks

    Reply
    • ImmaculateBites says

      Posted on 11/16 at 11:51AM

      Hmm, what you can do is make a roux to thicken it, and you can reduce the stock by a cup.

      Reply
  3. Larry Shale says

    Posted on 10/17 at 7:57AM

    5 stars
    I followed the recipe to the letter. The one mistake I made was adding a 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Made it way to hot. Of course, I still ate all of it. I will definitely make it again without the cayenne. Amazing flavour.

    Reply
    • ImmaculateBites says

      Posted on 10/17 at 9:19AM

      Hi Larry! Glad that you still loved how it had turned out for you! But I myself, love spicyyy! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Jenny Fisher says

    Posted on 8/7 at 7:07PM

    5 stars
    It was absolutely delicious
    I used a Cajun seasoning instead of creole and cayenne and also added the cream after I made the purée
    Truly 10/10

    Reply
    • Immaculate Bites says

      Posted on 8/8 at 8:42PM

      Sooooo good, right? Thank you for giving this recipe a try, Jenny! Don’t forget to make some yummy dessert, too. You can take your pick from my list of 25 Insanely Good Summer Desserts. Enjoy!

      Reply
  5. Emily says

    Posted on 4/6 at 1:00PM

    How much water did you use for the initial boil?

    Reply
    • Immaculate Bites says

      Posted on 4/6 at 9:09PM

      Hi Emily! Just enough water to cover the lobsters.

      Reply
  6. Susan says

    Posted on 2/21 at 9:58AM

    5 stars
    Delicious

    Reply
  7. Kymberli Roberts says

    Posted on 2/16 at 8:05AM

    We have a storm and I can’t get to the store so I need a last minute fix. Can I make this with imitation crab?

    Reply
    • ImmaculateBites says

      Posted on 2/16 at 12:00PM

      Yes you can.It might not be as flavorful but it will satisfy your cravings.

      Reply
  8. Shirleykins says

    Posted on 2/14 at 6:45PM

    5 stars
    It was very flavorful. I added a carrot when I simmered them celery. Mine was a little thin. I would make again!

    Reply
    • ImmaculateBites says

      Posted on 2/14 at 6:56PM

      Thanks for the feedback.

      Reply
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