Easy Creamy Lobster Bisque Soup Recipe is a homemade gourmet dish made from scratch using shells, lobster stock, and lobster meat cooked in butter. Ditch dining out at Red Lobster or Pappadeaux to stay in tonight with a bowl of this hot seafood soup!
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This recipe was originally published in 2019. It has since been updated.
Do you only enjoy lobster bisque on Valentine's Day and while dining out at a fancy restaurant? Well, I'm here to show you how to make it in the comfort of your own home without having to leave the house.
Lobster tails are frequently on sale during the holidays. If you are looking for deals, making this dish around that time is probably your best bet.
This soup is ideal for dipping. Pair this with my Air Fryer Garlic Bread.
Table of Contents
What are the Ingredients for Preparing Lobster Bisque Soup
What is Lobster Bisque Made of? The main ingredients include:
- Lobster tails
- Water
- Better than Bouillon Lobster Base (you can also use fish stock, which can be harder to find)
- Dry White Wine
- Fresh Veggies
- Tomato Paste
- Butter
- Herbs
How to Make Lobster Stock
You will combine lobster shells with water, white wine, Better than Bouillon Lobster Base, a bay leaf, salt, and pepper to taste to make the stock that will be the base of the bisque.
You can also buy lobster or fish stock to use. It can sometimes be difficult to find. If you want to make your own check out my Homemade Seafood Stock.
How to Make Lobster Bisque Recipe
Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Boil the lobsters in a large pot.
- Shell the lobsters and remove the meat.
- Make a lobster stock in accordance with the directions above and below.
- Drain the lobster stock and broth from the shells.
- Sautee veggies in butter and add flour to create a roux and thicken.
- Add the lobster stock broth, heavy cream, white wine, tomato paste, and thyme. Bring the bisque to a boil.
- Puree the bisque using an immersion blender.
- Serve the bisque with cooked lobster meat.
How to Thicken the Bisque
Adding flour to the sauteed veggies will thicken the bisque. The tomato paste is also used as a thickener. Once the bisque has cooked, and cooled off some if you want to thicken it further, you can combine 1 tablespoon of flour with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Mix and pour it into the bisque and stir.
What Does Lobster Bisque Taste Like?
The bisque tastes like a creamy soup that is sweet and succulent. Since it's made using the shells of lobsters and actual lobster meat, it is heavy in seafood taste. You can also taste the tomato base and white wine used in this recipe for added flavor.
Can You Use Lobster Meat Instead of Shelled Tails?
You can, but most of the flavor of this dish comes from making the lobster stock using the shells from the lobster. It won't taste the same.
What Makes a Bisque Different From a Soup?
Soup, bisque, chowder....we have heard of all of these right?! Bisques are usually super smooth and puréed. Chowders are usually thick in texture. Soups appear to be anything in between, and can probably be either bisque or chowder. You can read more about The Difference Between Soup and Bisque here.
Is Lobster Bisque Served Hot or Cold?
The bisque soup is usually served hot. You can serve it cold if you wish.
Is Lobster Bisque Healthy?
The soup is made using lobster which is high in protein, and low in calories and carbs. It's also loaded with nutritious veggies.
You can save some carbs in this recipe by replacing the all-purpose flour with xanthan gum . Instead of creating a roux by mixing the sauteed veggies with flour, you can thicken the bisque after it has been puréed.
After pureeing the bisque, add 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum to a small bowl along with 2 tablespoons of the bisque from the pot. Mix until it becomes thick like a paste. Add it back to the pot and continue to stir until the bisque thickens.
How Long Will it Last in the Fridge/How to Store
Leftovers will last tightly sealed in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Freezer Tips
You can freeze the bisque, but it won't reheat the same or as well. The heavy cream and tomato paste combination aren't the greatest when frozen.
What to Serve with Lobster Bisque
Instant Pot Shrimp Risotto
Air Fryer Steak
Pan Seared Salmon
Air Fryer Salmon
Low Carb Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
Keto Philly Cheesesteak Casserole.
More Soup Recipes
Autumn Squash Soup
Creamy Turkey Wild Rice Soup
Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken Lasagna Soup
Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Instant Pot Black Bean Soup
Instant Pot Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup
Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
Instant Pot Shrimp and Grits
Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice
More Lobster and Seafood Recipes
Air Fryer Lobster Tails
Smoked Lobster Tail
Lobster Mac and Cheese
Seafood Mac and Cheese
Baked Crab Legs
Air Fryer Scallops
Seafood Stuffed Shells
Seafood Pot Pie
Creamy Lobster Bisque
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Ingredients
Lobster Broth
- 2 lobster tails I used fresh if you have frozen defrost first. Mine were about a pound and a half each.
- 5 cups water
- ½ tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Lobster Base Optional for immense flavor.
- 1 cup dry white wine I used Pinot Grigio.
- salt and pepper to taste
- bay leaf
Bisque Ingredients
- 2 medium carrots thinly chopped
- 2 celery stalks thinly chopped
- 1 cup onions chopped
- 6 oz Tomato paste Use half (3oz) if you like your bisque with less tomato flavor.
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 tablespoons for the bisque, 1 tablespoon to cook the lobster meat
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup dry white wine I used Pinot Grigio.
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the lobster and 5 cups to water to a large pot. Bring the water to a boil and cook the lobster tails for 7 minutes.
- Remove the lobster tails and set aside so they cool. Mine took about 5 minutes.
- Remove the meat from the lobster tails. Keep the shells and store the lobster meat in the fridge.
- Add the shells to the pot of water along with the Better than Bouillon, bay leaf, wine, salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring the water to a boil. Cover and lower the heat to medium and allow the broth to cook for 25 minutes.
- Place a large strainer over a large bowl. Open the pot and pour the broth and shells over the strainer to remove the shells from the broth. Set the lobster broth aside.
- Using the same pot, add 3 tablespoons of butter (reserve 1 tablespoon for later) to the empty pot. When the butter has melted add the celery, carrots, and chopped onion.
- Sautee the veggies for 6-7 minutes until soft.
- Add the flour and stir until the flour is fully incorporated.
- Add the lobster broth back to the pot along with the fresh thyme, heavy whipping cream, tomato paste, ½ cup dry white wine, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring the pot to a boil and cook for 10-12 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
- Use an immersion hand blender to smooth out the soup. You can also transfer it to an actual blender. Pay attention to the carrots. Those are often the hardest to blend.
- Heat a skillet on medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and the reserved lobster meat. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the lobster is cooked.
- Serve the soup in bowls topped with the cooked lobster.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Data
Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Want to save this recipe for later?
I'll email it to you, so you can come back to it later! You will also get our free digital cookbook with 30-Minute One-Pot Recipes and weekly recipes and tips.
Michelle says
Best lobster bisque ever! Followed the recipe exactly as written. So much flavor.
staysnatched says
Yay! You usually can't go wrong when you follow the recipe.
Thomas Manley says
Now this is how I expected to see Lobster Bisque made. Thank you for the recipe. I have noticed though that it may not be as creamy as a restaurant bisque is but, I have to say, it should have all the flavors of one for sure. Thanks again, T
staysnatched says
Wonderful! I'm glad you enjoyed the bisque!
Janele says
My husband's and I's favorite lobster bisque used to be at The Four Seasons, but this is so much better. I use just a tablespoon of tomato paste because its not our thing, but we make this every 3rd Sunday for family dinners without fail. The broth is so easy and soo good. I love your write ups, they are so helpful. Thank you!
staysnatched says
Wonderful! I'm glad you find them helpful.
Mel says
I absolutely loved this recipe! The bisque was soo flavorful.. I did switch out the lobster for shrimp bc it was easier to find. I got 1lb of large shrimp and used their shells for the broth. Everything else was made to the T. Next time I’ll try and find some lobster tails. Thank you for the wonderful recipe! 🙂
staysnatched says
Yes! This works great with shrimp.
K. Phillips says
This recipe is fantastic! Restaurant quality without a lot of fuss. I had to order the Better than Bouillon on Amazon so you may have to plan ahead. But, I would definitely recommend this if you want to impress your dinner companion!
staysnatched says
Yay! So glad you found it impressive!
Cierra H. says
This recipe was sooo good! I always thought making lobster bisque would be extremely tedious and time consuming but Brandi has clearly mastered giving us delicious food with depth of flavor without all of the unneeded extras. Even my 2 year old loved it!! This should be the only lobster bisque recipe you ever make!
staysnatched says
Awesome! I'm so glad you both enjoyed it!
Marianne says
Made this for our Christmas Eve dinner and it was the best. Everyone in the family raved about it. Some even licked their bowls. Thank you.
staysnatched says
You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Breanna says
SO GOOD! I swapped the heavy cream for coconut cream and it was still fantastic. Make this!
staysnatched says
Yay! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Love says
Seriously….. i made this for my wife and it was fantastic. Took a while to make but it was easy and wonderful. Thanks for sharing such and easy, wonderful recipe.
staysnatched says
You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoy it.
Susan says
Hi! I’m currently making this soup as I type! I notice you show adding the 1/2 cup of wine in two different times - once into the stock mixture, and then again when adding the finished stock back in with the vegetables and flour mixture. Is that a misprint?
staysnatched says
Hi! There are two servings. Check out the ingredients list.
Luna says
Mostly great but way too tomato forward. Will definitely not add that much tomato paste next time. Mostly tasted like a tomato soup and over powered the lobster.
staysnatched says
Thanks for sharing. I stated this in the ingredients list for this very reason, to give you the option to use less if you don't like tomato flavor.
Brandon Lee Mann says
Just confirming... you used 3 pounds lobster meat roughly? 2 tails that are 1.5 pounds a piece are roughly.. $90-110 a piece. So this is a $200 soup? I'm just asking because 3 pounds of lobster for a soup seems ridiculous... and the picture of the pan tour heating the lobster meat in looks more like 5-6 oz. Just trying to clarify.
staysnatched says
Use however much you wish.
Bea says
@Brandon Lee Mann, Definitely not! Not sure where you buy your lobster tails, but I
buy 4 lobster tails at the seafood place for $28...Total price of soup for easily 8 to 12 people @ one regular size bowl each, $50 bucks tops!My only recommendation with this recipe is to use a little less water when making broth, I like a creamier bisque than a liquidy one!
Lopa says
This recipe is easy and so good! I used fish stock and did half the tomato paste as I did not want as strong of a tomato flavor. I also added lobster meat from butcher box and it turned out perfect! Highly recommend this recipe and would also recommend reading the tips to make the soup perfect to your taste!
staysnatched says
Yes! The tips are crucial!
Mallory K says
I’ve eyed this recipe on Brandi’s site for too long and finally made it tonight. And now I’m mad I waited so long. The stock is well worth the effort for the flavor it imparts in the bisque. I had to use a pinch of dried thyme since I didn’t have fresh on hand. Otherwise I followed the recipe to a T. This is so much better than a restaurant and you actually know what’s in it.
staysnatched says
Yes! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Monica O says
This was incredible!! So flavorful, creamy, but also light; I will absolutely be making this again! We had ours with some homemade baguette and it was the perfect meal!
staysnatched says
So glad you enjoyed it!