Homemade lobster bisque is rich and creamy, loaded with seafood flavor, and so delicious. It’s a quick and easy soup recipe generously packed with lobster meat throughout the flavorful broth.
Pair this lobster soup with soft bread, because you’ll want to wipe the bowl clean to get every last drop of that delicious broth. This lobster bisque is perfect for a light lunch but fancy enough for dinner.
Why You'll Love Lobster Bisque
- It’s ready in under an hour. If you love making soups, you know that many of them require long simmers. But this lobster bisque is ready in just 40 short minutes!
- The lobster soup broth. To make this lobster bisque, you’ll start with a traditional mirepoix before adding Italian seasoning and garlic. Then, the body of the broth comes in with fish stock, white wine, and heavy cream. This trio is what makes this lobster bisque so tasty, so don’t skip out on any of them.
- You can use fresh homemade lobster stock instead of fish stock. If you’re using fresh lobster for this lobster bisque (which I highly recommend), you can make a simple homemade lobster stock to use in this lobster bisque using the excess lobster shells. It adds the best flavor to this lobster soup.
Ingredient Notes
To make this delicious lobster bisque, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- butter
- onion
- carrots
- celery
- seasoning - Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
- garlic
- all-purpose flour - helps to thicken the soup.
- tomato paste
- fish stock or seafood stock - if you boil a fresh lobster to extract the lobster meat, you can also use the shells to make homemade lobster stock instead of store-bought fish stock. Scroll down for the instructions.
- white wine - this is optional to add extra flavor.
- heavy cream
- lobster meat - I used lobster meat from 2 of our Garlic Butter Lobster Tails. You can also use meat from a 1 pound hard shell lobster. If cooking the lobster, remember that, like other shellfish, they begin to spoil quickly when not live. So, it’s best to buy fresh lobster and cook right away.
- fresh parsley - optional, for garnish.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a 6 quart Dutch oven or large pot, and a blender or immersion blender.
How to Make the Best Lobster Bisque
- Sauté aromatics. In a 6-quart Dutch oven or large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat until it starts to bubble, about 1 minute. Add onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté until soft and tender, about 5-7 minutes
- Add seasoning. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir well and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook until thickened into a paste, about 1 minute. Add tomato paste and mix until well combined.
Sauté aromatics. Add seasoning and tomato paste.
- Simmer. Add fish stock, wine and heavy cream. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes until thickened a bit, stirring occasionally.
- Puree. Transfer the soup into a blender and puree until smooth. Return the pureed soup to the pot. You can also puree the soup directly in the pot using immersion blender.
- Add lobster meat. Stir in the lobster meat and continue to cook over medium heat until the lobster is warmed through and the bisque has thickened to a desired consistency, about 5-7 minutes.
- Serve. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately. Sprinkle some fresh parsley if desired.
Simmer. Puree and add lobster meat.
How to Make Homemade Lobster Stock
If you boil a fresh lobster to extract the lobster meat, you can use the shells to make homemade lobster stock instead of store-bought fish stock. First, boil the lobster for about 10 minutes until fully cooked through. Take the lobster out of the pot and remove all the meat from the shells. Return the shells to the pot and simmer for another 10-15 minutes to extract more flavor. Discard the shell, remove from heat, and set aside.
How to Serve
I love to serve Lobster Bisque with some crackers or crunchy bread for dipping. It's also delicious serve with a salad and/or grilled cheese sandwich. Some of my favorite sides to serve with Lobster Bisque are:
- Garlic Cheddar Biscuits
- Roasted Broccoli Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Caesar Salad
- Garlic Breadsticks
- Pita Grilled Cheese
- Garden Salad
- Grilled Cheese Roll Ups
Storing Instructions
- How to store: Lobster bisque is best served fresh but you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- How to freeze: Allow the lobster soup to cool to room temperature before transferring to a freezer-safe airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat.
- How to reheat: Reheat lobster bisque on medium-low heat in a covered pan on the stove until warmed through, about 5-10 minutes.
More Seafood Recipes
- Garlic Butter Lobster Tails
- Lobster Rolls
- Surf and Turf Steak and Lobster Tails
- Seared Scallops
- Miso Black Cod (Sablefish)
- Garlic Butter Salmon
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Recipe
Lobster Bisque
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Description
Homemade lobster bisque is rich and creamy, loaded with seafood flavor, and delicious. Serve this quick and easy soup with soft bread for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 ribs of celery, diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cups fish stock or seafood stock *
- ½ cup white wine (optional)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup cooked lobster meat (from a 1 pound hard shell lobster)
- fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- In a 6-quart Dutch oven or large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat until it starts to bubble, about 1 minute. Add onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté until soft and tender, about 5-7 minutes
- Add garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir well and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook until thickened into a paste, about 1 minute.
- Add tomato paste and mix until well combined.
- Add fish stock, wine and heavy cream. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes until thickened a bit, stirring occasionally.
- Transfer the soup into a blender and puree until smooth. Return the pureed soup to the pot. You can also puree the soup directly in the pot using immersion blender.
- Stir in the lobster meat and continue to cook over medium heat until the lobster is warmed through and the bisque has thickened to a desired consistency, about 5-7 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately. Sprinkle some fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
*For homemade lobster stock: If you boil a fresh lobster to extract the lobster meat, you can use the shells to make homemade lobster stock instead of store-bought fish stock. First, boil the lobster for about 10 minutes until fully cooked through. Take the lobster out of the pot and remove all the meat from the shells. Return the shells to the pot and simmer for another 10-15 minutes to extract more flavor. Discard the shell, remove from heat, and set aside.
How to store: Lobster bisque is best served fresh but you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
How to freeze: Allow the lobster soup to cool to room temperature before transferring to a freezer-safe airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat.
How to reheat: Reheat lobster bisque on medium-low heat in a covered pan on the stove until warmed through, about 5-10 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
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Elizabeth J McFadden says
Used this as a basis for crab bisque instead of lobster; it was quick and easy! Minor changes - I added sherry, and Old Bay, and I think it definitely needed both.
Overall, a tasty spin on bisque. Thanks for sharing.
Kathi says
Love the recipe - but am not a fan of lobster - so can I substitute dungness crab? The broth is fantastic. Thanks for posting.