This Best Lobster Bisque Recipe is the most amazing you will find. It is loaded with lobster pieces in gorgeously flavored lobster stock. It is a recipe that has been kept secret until now and is one that many have raved about.
Want more lobster recipes? Try our Grilled Lobster Tails, Creamy Lobster Shrimp Stuffed Shells, or Stovetop Lobster Mac and Cheese. Or if you love a bisque then you must try our Shrimp Bisque too.
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What is Lobster Bisque?
Let’s start with what is the difference between a soup and a bisque? A bisque is a thick and creamy type of soup. Some soups may be left thin like in chicken noodle soup, others may be thickened with flour or potato but a bisque is always creamy and usually thickened with a roux of butter and flour.
A bisque in this incidence with lobster is a creamy, highly flavored soup of French origin. Besides lobster, other shellfish can be used like shrimp, crab, or crayfish.
In a restaurant, lobster bisque is usually only made with the shells of the lobster and or shrimp. This is a very economical way to use up leftover shells where you can then charge a lot for a soup that really doesn’t have much expense to it. You then have the lobster meat available for other dishes.
In our soup, there is no skimping on the lobster meat. All of the meat from the lobster tails go into the bisque to give you a hearty and unforgettable meal. You get chunks of lobster with each bite.
What is the difference between bisque and chowder?
Bisques and chowders are simply two types of thick and generally creamy soups. Bisque is usually smooth while chowder is chunky. In a bisque, the vegetables have been strained out from the soup but in a chowder, they are left in.
Both bisque and chowders are known for having seafood, but both also both can be seafood free. The word chowder comes from the French word for cauldron (chaudron). Fisherman would take their catch of the day and cook up a stew in a cauldron. Either way both of these types of soups have been enjoyed for a long time.
What is in Lobster Bisque?
This recipe is not inexpensive to make. It is something that you would serve on a special occasion. Maybe to treat mom or dad on their special days like Mother’s Day or Father’s Day. I can also see this being served for a special anniversary or for a romantic night such as on Valentine’s Day.
Ken, who is the master behind this bisque serves it at special dinner parties to rave reviews.
The one thing is that you don’t need fancy equipment to make this gorgeous offering. Pretty much the same as any soup with the addition of a steamer (optional) and a mesh strainer.
Ingredients
5 medium-sized fresh lobster tails (approx. 5 oz each), uncooked in the shell
White wine
Carrots peeled and finely diced
Stalks of celery, finely diced
Medium shallots, finely diced
Cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
Butter (divided)
Tomato paste
Fish stock or seafood stock, I recommend these over a chicken stock
Dried thyme
Bay leaf
Pinch of cayenne
All-Purpose Flour, slightly heaping
Dried tarragon
Cognac
Heavy cream
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
How to Make Lobster Bisque
This is not a whip-together quick soup, it is one that takes some patience, and in the end, you will be rewarded greatly for your time and effort. The wonderful thing with making a soup is that it can totally be made ahead of time and usually gets only better with being made a day ahead. This is not a type of soup though that you want to make much further ahead than that.
Steam the lobster tails with 1 cup of white wine and ½ cup of water for 5 minutes. Reserve the steaming liquid. Set the lobster tails aside to cool. The colors on the shells will change from browns to bright red and pink.
Once cooled remove the lobster meat from the shells and set both the meat and the shells aside.
In a large pot heat to medium, add and melt 3 tbsp of butter. Sauté the carrots, celery, shallots, garlic, and reserved lobster shells, and cook for 5 minutes until the vegetables are slightly browned. We like to use butter instead of olive oil as it gives a nicer flavor to this dish.
Add the tomato paste and sauté for 2 minutes.
Then add the reserved liquid from steaming the lobster tails and cook for 3 minutes, whisking to combine the tomato paste, then add 2 quarts of fish stock, dried thyme, and the bay leaf, stir to blend.
Finally, add the pinch of cayenne and season with Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, partly cover with the lid. Turn up to medium-high heat bring to a boil then reduce and let simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the lobster shells and the bay leaf from the stockpot and discard them.
Making the Roux
In a small saucepan melt the remaining 5 tbsp of butter over medium-low heat, add the flour and whisk to make a roux.
Add the dried tarragon to the roux and whisk to combine. Then add the cognac to the roux while continuously whisking constantly.
Ladle a small amount of the soup mixture into the roux, whisking and continuing to add soup in small amounts until it is loose enough to pour into the soup. Add the roux mixture to the stockpot and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.
Turn off and allow to cool slightly.
Strain the soup through a fine-mesh strainer using a ladle or rubber spatula to force as much as possible through the strainer.
Return the soup to the stockpot and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the cream and season with Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
Cut the reserved lobster meat into bite-sized pieces and add the chopped lobster meat to the soup heating until the lobster is warmed through. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
Serve and enjoy!!
How Long Does Lobster Bisque Last?
Lobster Bisque as with most seafood has a short life span before and after it is cooked. As I said above you can make this bisque the day ahead but then don’t keep it longer than 1-2 days after that. So it should not be stored after being freshly made for longer than 2-3 days.
How do you reheat lobster bisque?
To reheat leftover lobster bisque, put the soup into a pot and gently bring it up to heat without boiling. You may want to add a bit more stock or cream to get it back to the same consistency as before, a 1/4 cup of either should do the trick.
Can I Freeze Lobster Bisque?
Some soups freeze very well but I like to use lobster bisque as fresh as possible. This will make sure the lobster stays fresh and delicious. In saying this you can freeze it but I would be a bit more careful and store it in an air-tight container for 2 months maximum.
Then to defrost I would do it in the fridge overnight. Always reheat slowly so the lobster meat won’t get chewy and the cream curdle. Again you may want to add some cream and stock for consistency.
What Goes Well With Lobster Bisque?
Dunking in some bread I feel is a must. It can be a slice of French bread with or without butter, a crusty bun, or try some of our delicious homemade bread. This is a special meal after all!! This soup can be served as a starter in smaller portions or as a main meal in larger portions. You can add a great salad on the side too.
White Braided Bread – scrumptious buttery crust pairs perfectly with the pillowy interior of the bread.
Air Fryer Easy Garlic Bread – ooey-gooey cheesy garlic bread goes great with this soup and more.
Parker House Rolls – soft, buttery, delicious rolls that bake up easily in a large pan to feed a crowd. Sprinkled with salt and rosemary, they are the perfect addition to any meal.
Sourdough Dinner Rolls Recipe – an amazing recipe for super soft, fluffy bread rolls with a bit of tang from the sourdough starter.
Homemade Brioche Bread – eggy, buttery, rich and so full of flavor. It is a great bread for sandwiches or to dip in soups or sauces.
Pin it HERE!!
Pin it HERE!!
Best Lobster Bisque Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 medium-sized fresh lobster tails approx. 5 oz each, uncooked in the shell
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 carrots peeled and finely diced
- 3 stalks of celery finely diced
- 4 medium shallots finely diced
- 2 cloves of garlic peeled and minced
- 8 tbsp butter divided
- 6 oz can of tomato paste
- 2 quarts of fish stock or seafood stock I recommend these over a chicken stock
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Pinch of cayenne
- 4 tbsp flour slightly heaping
- 1 tsp dried tarragon
- 1-2 tbsp cognac
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Steam the lobster tails with 1 cup of white wine and ½ cup of water for 5 minutes. Reserve the steaming liquid. Set the lobster tails aside to cool. The colors on the shells will change from browns to bright red and pink.
- Once cooled remove the lobster meat from the shells and set both the meat and the shells aside.
- In a large pot heat to medium, add and melt 3 tbsp of butter. Sauté the carrots, celery, shallots, garlic, and reserved lobster shells, and cook for 5 minutes until the vegetables are slightly browned. We like to use butter instead of olive oil as it gives a nicer flavor to this dish.
- Add the tomato paste and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Then add the reserved liquid from steaming the lobster tails and cook for 3 minutes, whisking to combine the tomato paste, then add 2 quarts of fish stock, dried thyme, and the bay leaf, stir to blend.
- Finally, add the pinch of cayenne and season with Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, partly cover with the lid. Turn up to medium-high heat bring to a boil then reduce and let simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the lobster shells and the bay leaf from the stockpot and discard them
- In a small saucepan melt the remaining 5 tbsp of butter over medium-low heat, add the flour and whisk to make a roux.
- Add the dried tarragon to the roux and whisk to combine. Then add the cognac to the roux while continuing whisking constantly.
- Ladle a small amount of the soup mixture into the roux, whisking and continuing to add soup in small amounts until it is loose enough to pour into the soup. Add the roux mixture to the stockpot and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.
- Turn off and allow to cool slightly.
- Strain the soup through a fine-mesh strainer using a ladle or rubber spatula to force as much as possible through the strainer.
- Return the soup to the stockpot and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the cream and season with Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
- Cut the reserved lobster meat into bite-sized pieces and add the chopped lobster meat to the soup heating until the lobster is warmed through. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve and enjoy!!
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