Creamy Crab and Shrimp Bisque

Appetizer · Dinner

Creamy Crab and Shrimp Bisque

A creamy seafood soup with sweet crab, tender cooked shrimp, and a little lemon.
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Prep
15 minutes
Cook
30 minutes
Total
45 minutes
Serves
4 Servings

Bring it to the table

About this recipe.

Crab and cooked shrimp in a creamy, lightly thickened seafood broth with tomato, paprika, and a little lemon.

Before you start

Gather your ingredients.

Check your pantry before you begin. Full quantities and serving adjustments are in the recipe card below.

See the ingredient checklist
  • 3 Tbsp Butter (unsalted)
  • 1/2 cup Yellow Onion (chopped)
  • 1/2 cup Celery (chopped)
  • 2 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour (all-purpose)
  • 1/2 tsp Black pepper (freshly ground)
  • 1 Tbsp Tomato paste
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream
  • 8 oz Small Shrimp (cooked, peeled, deveined, thawed if frozen, and chopped if large)
  • 8 oz Crabmeat (cooked, drained, and checked for shell fragments)
  • 3 Tbsp Parsley (or cilantro and/or green onion tops)
  • 1 Clove Garlic (Minced)
  • 2 Cups Seafood Stock
  • 1/4 tsp Paprika
  • 1 Pinch Cayenne Pepper
  • 1 Pinch Salt
  • 1 Leaf Bay Leaf
  • 1 tsp Lemon Juice (fresh, plus more to taste)

About This Recipe

This creamy soup combines a light flour-thickened seafood stock with crab, cooked shrimp, and cream. Tomato paste and paprika give the base a warm color; a small splash of lemon brightens it at the end.

Choose already-cooked shrimp and crab for the method below. Blend only the vegetable base, removing the bay leaf first, then fold in the seafood gently.

Before You Start

Chop the onion and celery finely, drain the cooked seafood, and check the crab for shell fragments. Keep seafood chilled until ready to use.

A Smooth Base, Tender Seafood

Simmer the stock with the roux and seasonings, then discard the bay leaf. Blend the base if desired before adding cream and seafood. Heat the finished soup to 165°F without prolonged hard boiling.

What to Serve

Serve with homemade French-style bread or butter biscuits and a crisp green salad.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen seafood?

Yes. Thaw cooked shrimp and cooked crab in the refrigerator and drain well. This recipe does not use raw seafood.

Do I have to blend the soup?

No. For a smooth base, discard the bay leaf and blend before adding the seafood. Skip blending for a more textured soup.

Can I make it ahead?

Prepare the base ahead and refrigerate promptly. When serving, add the cooked seafood and heat the finished soup thoroughly to 165°F. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers.

Is it gluten-free?

No. The flour-based roux contains wheat. A gluten-free version would require a separately adjusted thickener.

The cooking plan

How to make Creamy Crab and Shrimp Bisque.

  1. Melt the 3 tablespoons butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.

  2. Stir in the flour and tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring. Slowly whisk in the seafood stock until smooth. Add the paprika, black pepper, bay leaf, and optional cayenne. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  3. Remove and discard the bay leaf before blending. For a smoother soup, take the pot off the heat and carefully puree the base with an immersion blender, keeping the blade submerged. Leave the seafood out until after this step.

  4. Return to low heat and stir in the cream. Fold in the cooked shrimp and crab gently. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the soup and seafood reach 165°F on a food thermometer; avoid a hard rolling boil and remove from the heat as soon as it is hot enough.

  5. Stir in the chopped herbs and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Taste, then add more lemon or salt a little at a time if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.

Let’s cook

The full recipe.

Check off ingredients as you get them ready.

Changing servings? The ingredient list scales automatically. Adjust quantities named in the steps to match, and choose pans and cooking times for your batch.

Creamy Crab and Shrimp Bisque

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Crab and cooked shrimp in a creamy, lightly thickened seafood broth with tomato, paprika, and a little lemon.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 Servings
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: French-American
Ingredients Equipment Instructions Notes

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Ingredients
  

  • 3 Tbsp Butter unsalted
  • ½ cup Yellow Onion chopped
  • ½ cup Celery chopped
  • 2 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour all-purpose
  • ½ tsp Black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 Tbsp Tomato paste
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream
  • 8 oz Small Shrimp cooked, peeled, deveined, thawed if frozen, and chopped if large
  • 8 oz Crabmeat cooked, drained, and checked for shell fragments
  • 3 Tbsp Parsley or cilantro and/or green onion tops
  • 1 Clove Garlic Minced
  • 2 Cups Seafood Stock
  • ¼ tsp Paprika
  • 1 Pinch Cayenne Pepper
  • 1 Pinch Salt
  • 1 Leaf Bay Leaf
  • 1 tsp Lemon Juice fresh, plus more to taste

Equipment

1 Large Dutch Oven (Ideal for building deep flavors and simmering the bisque.)
Chef's knife
1 Chef's knife (For chopping aromatics and seafood prep.)
1 Cutting board (A sturdy surface for prepping veggies and shrimp.)
1 Wooden spoon ( For sautéing and stirring the bisque.)
1 Measuring cups and spoons (For accurate broth, cream, and seasoning measurements.)
1 Ladle (To serve up the bisque without making a mess.)
1 Immersion Blender (Optional, for a smoother texture if blending is desired.)
1 Fine Mesh Strainer (Optional, for a smoother base.)

Equipment images are illustrative. Exact products may vary.

Instructions
 

  1. Melt the 3 tablespoons butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
  2. Stir in the flour and tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring. Slowly whisk in the seafood stock until smooth. Add the paprika, black pepper, bay leaf, and optional cayenne. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Remove and discard the bay leaf before blending. For a smoother soup, take the pot off the heat and carefully puree the base with an immersion blender, keeping the blade submerged. Leave the seafood out until after this step.
  4. Return to low heat and stir in the cream. Fold in the cooked shrimp and crab gently. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the soup and seafood reach 165°F on a food thermometer; avoid a hard rolling boil and remove from the heat as soon as it is hot enough.
  5. Stir in the chopped herbs and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Taste, then add more lemon or salt a little at a time if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.

Notes

This recipe uses already-cooked shrimp and crab. Cook raw seafood separately before adding it. Remove the bay leaf before pureeing, and blend the base before adding the seafood to keep the crab pieces intact.
Start with the small amount of lemon listed and adjust to taste; too much acid can overwhelm the soup. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers and reheat thoroughly to 165°F.

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A couple of useful answers.

How do I change the number of servings?

Use the serving controls in the recipe card. Ingredient quantities change automatically; quantities written in the instructions, pan sizes and cooking times still need your attention.

Can I print or check off the ingredients?

Choose Print recipe near the title for a printable version. On this page, check ingredients off as you prepare them, then use Reset ingredient checks to start again.

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