Here’s a luxurious, restaurant-style Creamy Crab & Shrimp Seafood Bisque—rich, silky, and full of deep seafood flavor 🦀🍤🍲
🦀🍤 Creamy Crab & Shrimp Seafood Bisque
Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
-
½ lb shrimp, peeled & deveined (chopped)
-
½ lb lump crab meat
-
3 tbsp butter
-
1 small onion, finely chopped
-
2 cloves garlic, minced
-
2 tbsp flour
-
2 cups seafood stock (or chicken stock)
-
1 cup heavy cream
-
½ cup half-and-half (optional, for extra creaminess)
-
1 tbsp tomato paste
-
½ tsp paprika
-
¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
-
Salt & black pepper, to taste
-
1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
-
1 tsp lemon juice
-
Fresh parsley or chives for garnish
Instructions
1️⃣ Cook the Shrimp
-
Melt 1 tbsp butter in a pot over medium heat
-
Add shrimp and cook 1–2 minutes until just pink
-
Remove shrimp and set aside
2️⃣ Build the Base
-
In the same pot, add remaining butter
-
Sauté onion until soft (3–4 minutes)
-
Add garlic; cook 30 seconds
3️⃣ Thicken the Bisque
-
Sprinkle in flour; whisk constantly 1–2 minutes
-
Slowly whisk in seafood stock until smooth
-
Stir in tomato paste, paprika, cayenne, Old Bay, salt, and pepper
4️⃣ Make It Creamy
-
Reduce heat to low
-
Stir in heavy cream and half-and-half
-
Simmer gently 10 minutes (do not boil)
5️⃣ Add Seafood
-
Gently fold in shrimp and crab meat
-
Simmer 3–5 minutes until heated through
6️⃣ Finish
-
Stir in lemon juice
-
Taste and adjust seasoning
🍞 Serving Suggestions
-
Crusty bread or garlic toast
-
Oyster crackers
-
Side salad with lemon vinaigrette
🌟 Pro Tips
-
For ultra-smooth bisque, blend half the soup before adding seafood
-
Use fresh or pasteurized crab, not imitation
-
Add a splash of sherry or white wine for restaurant flavor
-
Don’t boil once cream is added—keeps it silky
If you’d like, I can also share:
-
A lobster bisque version
-
A slow-cooker seafood bisque
-
A lighter, dairy-free option
-
A 5-ingredient shortcut bisque