Creamy Shrimp Bisque ~ it’s a little bit retro, a little bit ‘ladies who lunch’, but this delicious shrimp chowder is ready for a comeback! Enjoy it as an appetizer in small bowls, or as a light meal with a chunk of bread and a salad.
shrimp bisque is a creamy French shellfish soup, alot like a chowder, but bumped up a notch
Seafood bisques are definitely of the last century, but that doesn’t mean we should let them languish there. These elegant soups have so much to offer, from their creamy texture and beautiful pale pink color to their supercharged flavors. And while lobster and crab might be too pricey for everyday, shrimp is easy to come by and plentiful. Frozen shrimp is a completely acceptable option.
What you’ll need for a great shrimp bisque
- shrimp ~ fresh or frozen, start with medium or large shell-on shrimp. You’ll use those shells to make a broth.
- leeks ~ the gentle allium, leeks are sweet and onion-y without the bite.
- olive oil
- garlic
- cayenne
- cognac and sherry ~ raid the liquor cabinet for this soup and you’ll be richly rewarded with restaurant style flavor.
- butter and flour for a roux to thicken the soup.
- half and half
- tomato paste ~ this is what gives shrimp bisque its exquisite color.
- salt and pepper
Little variations make each shrimp bisque recipe unique
The bones of a good shrimp bisque are always the same no matter what recipe you go with ~ there’s shrimp, of course, aromatic veggies, stock, cream, tomato paste, brandy, sherry, and a bit of spice. It’s the little extra touches that distinguish one recipe from another, but you don’t want to stray too far from tradition, because that’s what makes this soup a classic. Here are a few of the ways famous chefs have put their own special spin on it~
- Emeril uses lots of fresh herbs to distinguish his bisque.
- Martha actually roasts and purees the shells right into her shrimp bisque ~ I wasn’t expecting that one, but it turns out this is the most authentic way to do it…leave it to Martha!
- Tyler freshens his up with orange zest.
- Paula tops her soup with crunchy homemade croutons.
This shrimp bisque owes some of its flavor to a from-scratch stock that’s made using the shrimp shells. The flavor is delicate and the color is beautiful . The cognac and sherry add that unmistakable restaurant flair to an already luxurious soup.
TIP: Shrimp bisque is rich, so serve it in smaller bowls, a little goes a long way.
My friend Sandy makes my beautiful soup bowls, read about her and see her work in my American Artisans post.
Reader Rave ~
“Delish! Followed the basic instructions but used leftovers from the shrimp boil the night before. (potatoes and corn.) So glad I had shrimp stock in the freezer and didn’t have cognac so used straight sherry and still received rave reviews. Thanks Sue, can’t wait to make this again!” ~Nancy
Shrimp Bisque
Equipment
- food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 1 pound medium or large shrimp, shelled and deveined, reserve the shells
- 2 leeks
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup cognac or brandy
- 1/4 cup dry sherry
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 cups half and half
- 1/2 cup tomato paste
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
garnish
- baby shrimp or chopped shrimp
- thyme leaves
Instructions
- First make the stock ~ put 4 cups water in a pot, along with the shrimp shells and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Strain the broth and add water if necessary to make 3 3/4 cups. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, slice the leeks and then rinse them thoroughly to remove any grit.
- Heat the oil in a soup pot and saute the leeks for 5 minutes until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the cayenne and the shrimp and cook, stirring constantly, until the shrimp are cooked, about 3 minutes.
- Add the cognac and cook for a minute, then the sherry, and cook for 3 more minutes.
- Puree the mixture, in 2 batches, in a food processor until it is coarsely pureed. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in the same pan and add the flour ~ cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Do not let it brown. Add the half and half and cook over medium heat until it is hot and thickened. Stir or whisk constantly.
- Stir in the pureed shrimp, the stock, tomato paste, salt, and pepper and heat over medium heat until hot but not boiling. Season to taste, and serve in small bowls, garnished with fried leeks or chopped shrimp and thyme leaves.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi! Definitely going to try this! Just curious though, is it necessary to puree or will it be fine without it?
Hi Lyse ~ I can’t say for sure how it would be without pureeing, but you can certainly try it that way, and if you don’t love the texture, you can then puree.
Since I’m cooking in a hotel and didn’t have a blender, I didn’t puree mine. I liked the texture just fine. I might use a little less stock the next time I make it. And more shrimp, lol.
That’s great to know Mike, I honestly wouldn’t have thought that it would work that way! Good for you for making such a nice meal in a hotel!
I prefer bigger chunks of shrimp anyway, and I had chopped the leeks finely, so there really weren’t any large pieces of leeks in the bisque.
Freaking love shrimp bisque but have always been intimidated by the idea of making it. You really break it down well here! It certainly came out beautifully. Pinkies out!
Thanks Jessie ~ those shrimp shells really do the trick for the broth, I think that’s the key!
I can’t wait to try this! I have this memory of lobster bisque that probably goes back to the 80’s it’s been a quest!
I know what you mean, those food memories can’t haunt!
I haven’t had a good bisque since we moved from New Hampshire. Yours looks and sounds great.
What a delicious looking bisque, we eat a lot of soup but I’ve never ever made one like this, that’s going to quickly change. Love the bowls too, they are beautiful.
Thanks Cheri <3
Yum. And yes to some kind of crouton-ish accompaniment, either in the bisque or a side salad. Perfect dinner!
I agree, the soup would be great with a crunchy touch!
Is the 1/2 c tomato paste correct?
That’s what I used, Shelly, and I found it was needed for getting the color I wanted. The flavor doesn’t dominate.
What a delicious, flavorful bisque! With dry sherry and cognac, I know this is a winner!
Cognac makes everything better!
This sounds delicious! Thank you so much for including my bowl!
It’s my pleasure!
I absolutely LOVE those bowls and the bisque sounds fabulous:)