How to Make Lobster Bisque from Scratch - A Step-by-Step Guide

There's nothing quite like a rich and indulgent bowl of lobster bisque to elevate any meal to a special occasion. This classic French soup is a luxurious blend of tender lobster meat, savory aromatics, and a creamy, indulgent broth. While it may sound intimidating to make from scratch, with the right ingredients and a little patience, you can create a restaurant-quality lobster bisque right in your own kitchen.

One of the key components of a delicious lobster bisque is, of course, the...

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Ingredients

  • 4 cups seafood stock
  • 4 whole lobster tails
  • 5 sticks salted butter
  • ½ medium white onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup cream sherry
  • ¾ cup uncooked white rice
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste

Information

  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins
  • Total Time: 2 hrs
  • Servings: 10
  • Yield: 10 servings

  • Pour 4 cups seafood stock into a large pot and bring to a rolling boil. Add lobster tails and boil until flesh is opaque, about 5 minutes. Remove tails and reserve all broth. Shell all tail meat and set aside.
  • Melt butter in another pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Saute until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and saute, 30 to 40 seconds. Pour in sherry; let it reduce by half. Pour in reserved seafood stock. Add rice and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low. Let simmer until rice is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf.
  • Blend all contents of the soup until smooth using an immersion blender. Add tomato paste, tarragon, salt, thyme, pepper, paprika, and cayenne. Let simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes more. Pour in cream and stir in well for that trademark pinkish/orange bisque color. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and top with a generous lump of lobster meat.
  • Nutrition

    633 cal.

    • Total Fat: 55g
    • Saturated Fat: 35g
    • Cholesterol: 193mg
    • Sodium: 1087mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 18g
    • Dietary Fiber: 1g
    • Total Sugars: 2g
    • Protein: 16g
    • Vitamin C: 4mg
    • Calcium: 84mg
    • Iron: 1mg
    • Potassium: 540mg