If you’re looking to elevate your next dinner or special occasion, look no further than lobster bisque. This rich, creamy soup is a perfect way to impress your guests or treat yourself to a luxurious meal. Full of tender lobster meat and a velvety, flavorful broth, lobster bisque is a dish that exudes comfort and sophistication all in one.
The foundation of any great lobster bisque is the lobster stock, which is made by simmering lobster shells, aromatic vegetables like carrots, celery, and onion, and a touch of herbs. This slow simmer infuses the stock with deep, oceanic flavors, which are then brought together with heavy cream to create that signature creamy texture. The bisque’s delicate, rich flavor comes from the addition of lobster meat, usually finely chopped or pureed, which adds a luxurious, buttery taste.
To start making your bisque, the lobster is usually boiled, and the meat is removed from the shells. The shells are then sautéed with butter and garlic, adding depth to the flavor. The stock is created by simmering these shells with white wine, tomato paste, and a few other key ingredients. Once the stock is ready, it’s strained, and the bisque is brought together by adding the cream and lobster meat.
While traditional lobster bisque can take some time to prepare, the end result is more than worth it. The smooth, silky texture combined with the sweetness of the lobster meat makes every spoonful a delightful indulgence. Garnishing the soup with a drizzle of sherry or a sprinkle of fresh parsley enhances the flavors even more, offering a beautiful finishing touch.
Lobster bisque is perfect for a special appetizer, paired with a crisp green salad or crusty bread. It’s a timeless recipe that never goes out of style and is sure to impress anyone who takes a bite.
Ingredients
- 2 lobster
- 4 cups seafood stock
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 carrot finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk finely chopped
- onion small, finely chopped
- 2 Garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/4 cup brandy
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp thyme dried
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper to taste
- parsley chopped fresh for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the lobsters and cook for 8-10 minutes. Remove the lobsters from the pot and let them cool. Once cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the shells and chop into bite-sized pieces.
- In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the carrot, celery, onion, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste, paprika, dried thyme, and bay leaf. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the brandy and cook until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 2 minutes.
- Pour in the seafood stock and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf from the pot. Use an immersion blender or transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Return the soup to the pot and stir in the heavy cream and chopped lobster meat. Cook for an additional 5 minutes to heat through.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve hot, garnished with chopped fresh parsley.
Nutrition
Honestly, I felt it was missing something. Maybe a dash of lemon? Still, not bad.
W0w this is like a fancy resturant dish. Might try for my anniversary dinner. 🥂
Sounds delicious! Perfect for a special occasion. Enjoy your anniversary! 🥂
Does it really take that long? Cooking lobster is quite a hassle. I just want something quick and easy.
I hate seafood, but my husband loved it! He ate the whole pot himself.
I’m with you on the seafood hate! But glad hubby loved it! Maybe I should try a land version of bisque?
Why would anyone like seafood?? That stuff smells terrible! I’m surprised he ate it all!
It was okay but honestly, I’ve had better. The brandy kinda overpowered the taste for me.
I understand what you mean! Sometimes the brandy can be a bit too much. Maybe try reducing it next time? I love a good bisque otherwise.
What are you talking about? The brandy makes it fancy! Maybe you just don’t know what good bisque is…
Just made this for the first time and it was a disaster. I blended the soup too long and it turned into paste! 😭
This was soooo good!!! But I used shrimp instead of lobster ’cause I’m allergic. Still turned out great!
Simple and delicious! I added a squeeze of lemon at the end and it was perfect! 🍋
This lobster bisque is absolutely divine! Rich and creamy, just the way I like it. Will definitely make again!
This bisque was to die for! So creamy and rich, just perfect for a special occasion. Will definitely make again.
Wow, what a fancy soup! I felt like a chef making this, but it’s really not that hard!
Nice recipe! But the ingredients are a bit too fancy for me, can I use regular shrimp instead?
You can definitely use regular shrimp! It won’t be the same, but it’ll still be delish!
I used canned stock instead of seafood stock. Is that a crime? 😅 Anyway, it was still ok.
2 lobsters only? For my big family? lol, I had to double the recipe! It turned out great!
Lobster is too expensive to waste on soup! I’d rather have it grilled. Just my opinion.
I get what you’re saying, but lobster bisque is like a fancy treat! It’s not everyday you get to enjoy such a rich flavor. Just my take!
This bisque is absolutely amazing! Taste like fine dining at home. 🍽️
Why do people always cook with cream? Couldn’t I just use water? Feels too fancy with all these steps.
I followed the recipe but my soup came out too thick. Is it supposed to be that way? 🤔
Not that good. Tasted kinda weird. Maybe too much tomato paste? 😕
Good, but my kids didn’t like it. Too fancy for them or what? Next time: mac and cheese!
I get it! Kids can be picky. Mac and cheese is always a hit! 😊
I found this recipe a bit complicated… Do I really need brandy? Could I just use broth instead?
I tried it but it was too salty for my taste. Maybe I added too much salt? I’ll try it again with less seasoning.
Easiest recipe ever! Cooking lobsters was the hardest part, and my kids loved it!
Did I miss the part where it tells you how to catch the lobsters? Lol! What if I just buy them?
Haha, yeah, just buy them! It’s way easier, trust me. Catching lobsters sounds hard!
But aren’t lobsters expensive? Buying them might break the bank! Just catch ’em if you can.
Followed the recipe but seems a bit too salty. Maybe less butter next time?
I didn’t have brandy, so I used wine. Is that okay? It still tastes bomb!
Yum! I made it last night, but I think I forgot the thyme. Whoops 😂.
This was a fail for me. The lobsters were overcooked and everything tasted off. Maybe I did something wrong?
Sorry to hear that! Overcooking lobsters is easy to do. Maybe try a timer next time?
I dunno, but lobster is expensive! You should’ve at least sued the recipe! 😂
My family gone love this!! MMMM, so luxurious!! 🦞❤
I followed the recipe but my soup came out too runny. What did I do wrong?
So much effort for a soup, not sure it’s worth it. I’ll stick to canned soup.
But why go through all this when you can just heat a can? Every soup taste the same to me.
Canned soup is so boring! This lobster bisque sounds amazing. Worth every bit of effort! 🦞
Yummy!! I added a lil extra garlic – can’t never go wrong with that!!!
Why do you need brandy? Seems strange. Can I substitute it with something? Anyone tried without it?
You can definitely leave out the brandy. It adds depth, but I’ve seen some folks just use a splash of lemon juice for acidity instead. Works just as well, trust me!
I don’t have time to boil lobsters. Used shrimp instead. It was still good, but not like traditional bisque.
Yum!!! I doubled the recipe and it was all gone in no time. My family loved it!
This bisque was amazing! So rich and creamy, a perfect restaurant-quality dish at home. Definitely a keeper! 🌊🦞
I totally agree! It does taste like a restaurant dish! I made it last weekend and my family loved it too. 😍
Lobster bisque is fancy!!! I made it for my girlfriend and she loved it. Super impressed with myself!
That’s awesome! Lobster bisque is my favorite! Your girlfriend must have been so impressed.
Really? Lobster bisque seems complicated. How did you make it taste good?
This bisque is absolutely delicious! Perfect for a fancy dinner. 10/10 would recommend!
Absolutely loved this recipe! The flavors are amazing and it tastes just like the lobster bisque from my favorite restaurant.
I’m so glad you loved it! I always thought bisque would be too complicated, but this one is simple enough to follow.
Honestly, I think it’s overrated. Lobster bisque is just fancy tomato soup, isn’t it? But hey, if you like it.
Why is everyone raving about this bisque? It just tastes like soup. Not worth the effort if you ask me.
Lobster is too expensive for me. I used crab instead, still turned out good though!
More like lobster flop!🙄
This bisque turned out amazing! Tastes just like what I had at that fancy restaurant last summer.
So glad to hear that! It’s always nice when you can recreate a restaurant dish at home. What did you serve it with?
I dunno, sounds a bit complicated for a bisque. I mean, who has brandy just lying around? Can’t you just use some wine instead?
Why use lobster when you can just use crab? Sounds better to me.
Crab is good, but lobster has a unique flavor. You can’t replicate that! 🦞
Why complicate it? Crab’s way easier to deal with than lobsters. Just saying.
Dude, this bisque is my new go-to recipe for impressing dates! 👍
I was short on ingredients and used chicken stock and it still came out tasty. Who knew? 🌟
Your cooking times seem off. 8-10 minutes for lobsters? That’s not enough.
This was my first time cooking lobster. I was soooo nervous but it turned out great, thanks!
It can be tricky, but I’m just not a fan of seafood. Lobsters freak me out, honestly.
Congrats on your first lobster! Sounds like you nailed it. Lobster Bisque is such a fancy dish, I’m impressed!
It’s soup, not stew! Seems like way too much work to be honest.
So rich and creamy! Perfect for a special dinner. Loved it!!
Absolutely! This bisque is a real treat for the tastebuds. I can’t wait to try this recipe myself!
Can I skip the brandy? Don’t wanna buy a whole bottle just for this.
I followed the recipe but it came out bland. Maybe I should’ve used more spices? 🤔
So easy and flavorful! I can’t believe I made this at home! 😍
Lobster bisque yum! I just used canned soup and added lobster… close enough 😄
This lobster bisque is amazing! So rich and creamy, my family loved it!
I tried this recipe, but it was too salty for my taste. Maybe I added too much stock?
Does anyone know if I can make this without brandy? I’m under 21.
I thought it would be better. Not bad, but I’ve had better bisque.
Yummmm! This recipe is a keeper! Will make again!
So glad you loved it! It’s my favorite too! Perfect for special occasions.
Lobster is too expensive! You could just use crab, right?