Here’s a rich, creamy Crab & Shrimp Seafood Bisque—restaurant-style but easy to make at home 🦀🍤
Crab & Shrimp Seafood Bisque
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ tsp paprika (or smoked paprika)
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- ½ cup dry white wine (or seafood/chicken broth)
- 3 cups seafood stock (or chicken stock)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ lb (225 g) raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, chopped
- ½ lb (225 g) crab meat
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1–2 tsp Old Bay seasoning (optional)
- Fresh parsley or chives, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat.
- Add onion and celery; sauté 5–7 minutes until soft.
- Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in flour and cook 1–2 minutes (do not brown).
- Add tomato paste, paprika, cayenne, and Old Bay; stir well.
- Slowly whisk in wine; simmer 2 minutes.
- Add stock and bay leaf. Simmer uncovered 15 minutes.
- Remove bay leaf. Blend soup until smooth (immersion blender works best).
- Return to low heat, stir in cream.
- Add shrimp and cook 3–4 minutes until just pink.
- Gently fold in crab meat and heat 2 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve With
- Crusty bread or garlic toast
- Oyster crackers
- Extra cream drizzle and fresh herbs
Tips & Variations
- Extra luxury: Finish with 1 tbsp sherry or cognac
- Thicker bisque: Add a bit more flour or reduce longer
- Lobster-style: Replace half the shrimp with lobster meat
- Lighter version: Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream
If you’d like, I can also share a New Orleans–style, dairy-free, or slow cooker version.
