Creamy artichoke bisque is a delicate soup with a silky texture and the mild flavor of artichokes, enhanced with a little garlic and Parmesan cheese.
I’m always looking for simple satisfying but unusual soups, and this creamy artichoke bisque is a new one for my collection. It’s lovely as a lunch, it can be an appetizer for a dinner party, or just a light supper. I’m all about light evening meals lately, so we loved it with some cheesy Parmesan toast (just split a baguette in half lengthwise, slather with butter and sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese, then broil until golden.) A classic Caesar salad is also a great side.
ingredient list for artichoke bisque
- artichokes
- I used whole canned artichokes, not marinated. You could use frozen if you prefer.
- potato
- a small russet or waxy potato adds substance to the soup.
- celery
- use a couple of inner stalks, with the flavorful leaves.
- sherry
- dry sherry (not cooking sherry) or white wine adds a nice depth of flavor, and I highly recommend it. But you can leave it out if you don’t do alcohol.
- shallot and garlic
- chicken stock
- cream
- olive oil
- butter
- thyme
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper
what makes a soup a bisque?
A bisque is an ultra smooth puréed soup, usually made with cream. It’s traditionally made with shellfish like lobster, crab, or shrimp but can be made with vegetable ingredients like tomato, pumpkin or…artichokes! Bisques tend to be rich so they’re usually served in small bowls, often as an appetizer. But there’s no reason you can’t make a light meal out of this artichoke bisque, just add a salad (I recommend my Fig Salad with Fried Goat Cheese or Pear Salad with Creamy Walnut Vinaigrette for a really spectacular meal.)
more bisque recipes:
what to expect
This soup is silky smooth with a mild creamy flavor. Artichokes have a delicate flavor, so the shallots, garlic, and a good sharp Parmesan cheese play an important role, don’t leave them out. If you are someone who loves strong flavors in your soup, this probably won’t be for you. This is an elegant soup for artichoke lovers, probably best for lunch or a starter, in small bowls.
variation ideas for artichoke bisque
Try roasting the artichokes in a skillet or in a hot oven (or under the broiler) before using. This will give the soup a rich smokey flavor.
Use roasted garlic. To roast garlic, slice off the top of a garlic bulb, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and bake at 400°F for 35-40 minutes until soft and caramelized. Roasted garlic is milder so you can feel free to use more in this artichoke bisque.
Use rosemary or tarragon instead of thyme.
Garnish with crumbled bacon.
Add crab meat or baby shrimp for a heartier artichoke bisque. Add after blending.
Make spinach artichoke bisque by blending a handful of fresh spinach into the soup.
Make a plant based vegan artichoke bisque by using vegetable stock, and leaving out the cream, or substituting a plant based cream. Use plant based shredded cheese or nutritional yeast in place of the Parmesan.
a fall menu featuring artichoke bisque
Artichoke Bisque
Equipment
- blender or food processor
- stock pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 large shallot, peeled and diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp dry sherry
- 15 ounce canned artichokes, drained and rough chopped, do not use marinated artichokes.
- 2 cups chicken stock or broth
- 1 small russet or waxy potato, peeled and diced
- 1 inner stalk of celery, with the leaves, sliced.
- 1 bundle fresh thyme stems, tied.
- 1/4 cup cream
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- a squeeze of lemon juice
- sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste.
garnish, optional
- small artichoke hearts, halved
- olive oil
- shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a Dutch oven until the butter melts. Sauté the shallot and garlic for a minute or two to soften but not brown them, stirring constantly. Add the sherry and stir for another minute to let it evaporate.
- Add the drained and chopped artichokes to the pan along with the chicken stock, potato, celery, and thyme bundle. Bring to a simmer and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Let the pot cool a bit, remove the thyme bundle and then puree in your blender or food processor. You may need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your machine. Start on low and work up to high, it should take under a minute in a high speed blender. A little longer in your food processor. Note: Be very careful when pureeing hot liquids, hot liquids can expand and splatter when blended, which can cause burns. Let the soup cool slightly before blending.If using a blender, only fill it halfway, and leave the lid vented to allow steam to escape. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to protect your hands.
- Wipe out the pot and return the pureed soup to the pot. Add the cream and bring back up to temperature. Off the heat stir in the Parmesan cheese, a bit at a time to avoid clumping. Add the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve garnished with fried artichokes and Parmesan cheese, if using. Or let cool and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Soup can be frozen for up to 3 months.
to fry artichoke hearts for optional garnish
- Slice small artichokes in half, or larger ones in quarters. Drain well on paper towels. Heat a little butter or olive oil in a cast iron skillet and fry the artichokes, cut side down, until golden.
How would this work as a cold soup? Its Jazz Fest in New Orleans & crawfish are in season (stuffed chokes are De rigueur at boils) –looking for another option other than Gazpacho or Vichyssoise after a hot day in 89 degree weather!
I think it would be lovely as long as you can keep it chilled! (A crawfish artichoke bisque would be amazing, too)
I am making it for a dinner party.
Question:
Do you use canned artichoke hearts for the garnish, well blotted and the fried?
The presentation is so pretty!!
Yes, you can fry canned or jarred artichokes. Instructions at the end of the recipe.
Hello, should the thyme be removed before blending? Or does the thyme remain while blending? Thanks.
You should remove it, thanks for catching the omission Tara!