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+ servings
Overhead bowl of soup.

Shrimp Bisque

Tara Noland
This Shrimp Bisque is thick and creamy but, most importantly, bursting with flavor. It takes a bit of time to make, but well worth the effort.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Soup Recipes
Cuisine French
Servings 6 Servings
Calories 1430 kcal

Ingredients
 

Stock:

  • 2 cups shrimp heads
  • 2 cups shrimp shells if you can't find shrimp with heads on, use 4 cups of shells
  • 1 medium white onion quartered
  • 2 medium carrots roughly chopped
  • 2 stalks of celery roughly chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic crushed
  • 10 black peppercorns
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 8 cups of water

Soup:

  • 1 pound of shrimp shelled and deveined (reserve a few for garnish)
  • 4 tablespoons avocado oil you can substitute olive oil
  • 3/4 cup of leeks diced
  • 3/4 cup of cup carrots diced
  • 3/4 cup of celery diced
  • 1/2 cup of dry sherry
  • 1/8 teaspoon of ground chipotle chile pepper you can substitute cayenne pepper
  • 5 tablespoons of butter
  • 1/2 cup of flour
  • 4 cups of reserved shrimp stock
  • 3 to 3 1/2 cups of heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup of tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • Serve with baguette or other fresh bread.

Instructions
 

For the stock:

  • Spread the shrimp shells and heads in a single layer on a half pan and roast in a 400-degree oven for five minutes.
  • Add the roasted shrimp shells and heads to a large stock pot with the white onion, carrots, celery, garlic, black peppercorns, bay leaf, thyme, and water.
  • Bring the contents to a boil on high heat, then lower the heat to low and simmer covered for 30 minutes with the lid slightly askew.
  • Strain the stock through a fine mesh colander into two large mason jars and set aside. This recipe makes 8 cups of stock, enough for two batches of bisque, or reserve it for other recipes.

For the soup:

  • Drizzle the avocado oil in the same stock pot over high heat, and saute the leeks, carrots, and celery for two minutes, then add the garlic and ground chipotle chile pepper.
  • Add the shrimp and cook until pink but still tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Pour the dry sherry over the sizzling shrimp and reduce for one minute. Reserve a few shrimp to garnish.
  • Add the sauteed shrimp with vegetables to a food processor or high-powered blender, puree until smooth, and set aside.
  • Melt the butter over medium heat using the now-emptied stock pot. Then, stir in the flour to form a roux. Cook the roux for two minutes, then add the heavy cream.
  • Stir in the pureed shrimp from the food processor, the stock, the tomato paste, and season with salt and pepper.
  • Simmer for several minutes as it thickens.
  • Garnish with reserved grilled shrimp, thyme, or heavy cream drizzle, and serve with a warm baguette. Enjoy!

Notes

See the post for storing, freezing, and additional information.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 1430kcalCarbohydrates: 108gProtein: 82gFat: 74gSaturated Fat: 37gPolyunsaturated Fat: 32gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 729mgSodium: 4134mgFiber: 8gSugar: 14g
Nutrition calculation is an estimation only. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.
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