Classic Creamy Lobster Bisque
Lobster Bisque is a classic, rich, creamy, flavorful soup that's perfect for special occasions or when you want to serve something fancy!
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I love classic recipes like lobster bisque. It's an iconic dish and the epitome of elegance and luxury. You’ve probably noticed my love for lobster from my Lobster Corn Fritters and Cape May Lobster Rolls, which are pretty casual dishes. Lobster bisque, on the other hand, is an upscale soup perfect for holidays like Christmas Eve, Valentine's Day a fancy dinner date night at home.
This lobster bisque recipe is the real deal, made with butter, cream, sherry, white wine and - of course - lobster. It's a time-tested, 5 star restaurant quality recipe that I learned to make in culinary school. It's rich, silky and has a major wow factor.
Why This Recipe Works
- A classic, traditional recipe that can be made with homemade lobster stock or packaged shellfish stock.
- Uses tarragon and sherry (also a secret ingredient in my mushroom risotto) to bring out a deep lobster flavor.
- Creamy, silky and rich – everything you want in a lobster bisque.
- Can be more budget-friendly (and still delicious) by using shrimp shells and using less lobster meat.
Lobster Bisque Ingredients
- Lobster Meat- I recommend using 10 ounces of lobster meat for this recipe, but lobster bisque can still be delicious with much less. You can use whole lobsters or frozen lobster tails (and use the shells for stock!) cut into bite-sized pieces, or you can even use frozen pre-cooked chopped lobster meat. I recommend using Maine lobster or lobster from other cold water locations such as Canada. Warm water spiny lobster can be used, but it will have slightly less flavor. You can also use this recipe to make a bisque out of other crustaceans, such as crab, shrimp, langoustines, prawns, crawfish, crayfish or a combination.
- Lobster Stock - Follow my recipe for lobster stock on this page to for the most incredibly rich lobster flavor. You can also use packaged shellfish stock, broth or even clam juice in a pinch. But if using a store bought broth, add the shells from your whole lobster or lobster tail for extra depth and flavor.
- White Wine - Stick to a simple dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio, Savignon Blanc or an un-oaked Chardonnay. Avoid anything sweet or with a heavy or oaky flavor.
- Sherry - Sherry is a Spanish fortified wine that is a quintessential flavor in classic lobster bisque and in my opinion should never be skipped. I recommend using a dry sherry, but medium sherry or cream sherry can also be used. Cream sherry is not creamy, but is sweeter than dry sherry and is a nice compliment to the sweetness of lobster.
- Heavy Cream - Heavy cream helps make this bisque ultra creamy and luscious. If you’re tempted to use a lower-fat dairy or non-dairy milk, I don’t recommend it. Anything less than heavy cream and you’ll sacrifice the creaminess of this soup.
- Vinegar - This is not a traditional ingredient, but I find a tiny splash of vinegar at the end of cooking really makes the flavors pop and come alive. I recommend using sherry vinegar, but red or white wine vinegar or even lemon juice will work too.
- Tarragon - This is my secret ingredient for exceptional lobster bisque. It has a slightly licoricey flavor that's a natural pair with lobster and helps to bring out its lobstery flavor. You'll never taste licorice in there, but it will really enhance the lobster flavor. Fresh or dried tarragon work equally well.
Helpful Equipment
Blender - You cannot make a bisque without a blender, as it needs to be pureed until silky smooth. I prefer using an immersion blender since it's easier and cuts down on clean-up, but a traditional blender will work just as well. Do not use a bullet style blender or other air-tight blender unless the soup has first cooled down completely.
How to make Lobster Bisque Soup
Here is exactly how to make lobster bisque and how to make the stock if you choose to make it homemade (recommended) instead of buying pre-made stock.
For the Lobster or Shellfish Stock
- Remove lobster meat from the shells and refrigerate until needed.
- Add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, peppercorns, fresh thyme, bay leaves and lobster/shrimp/crab sells to a large stock pot over medium heat. Press down to condense any space between the ingredients.
- Add water to cover, then bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat so the water is gently simmering and cook for 20-30 minutes.
- Strain the stock and store it in mason jars or plastic quart containers. The yield will vary. Stock can be frozen for up to 6 months.
Note: If you can't make homemade lobster or shellfish stock, you can use boxed or canned broth or bottled clam juice in a pinch. If you have any lobster shells from your lobster meat, add that to the simmering soup and remove them before blending. It will add extra depth and lobster flavor.
For the Bisque:
- Melt butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic and season with salt and white pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, about 8 minutes.
- Add the tarragon, tomato paste, paprika and cayenne pepper, stirring until the tomato paste is well combined.
- Stir in the flour then add the white wine and sherry. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir until the liquid is absorbed.
- Add the lobster stock, thyme and bay leaf. Season with salt and white pepper, then cover and simmer on low heat until the vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes.
- Remove the thyme sprig and bay leaf, then puree the soup until it's totally smooth. You can use an immersion blender or do it in a regular blender in batches.
Note: Use caution when blending hot liquids and avoid using an air-tight blender such as a NutriBullet (or cool down completely before blending to avoid injury).
- Make sure the soup is very smooth with no remaining lumps or graininess. You may have to run your blender for a long time to achieve this. If your blender can't get it super smooth, strain the soup through a fine mesh strainer.
- Place the soup back on the stove over medium-low heat. Add the heavy cream and sherry vinegar, then stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Best Lobster Bisque Recipe tips for success
- Lobster can get expensive, so don’t stress over how much you can use in this recipe. Cook whole lobsters and remove the meat yourself (that way you can use the shells!), but you can also use frozen lobster tails (use those shells too) or even frozen pre-cooked lobster meat.
- Use a pair of kitchen shears to cut up the lobster shells into smaller pieces when making a stock so they fit better in the pot.
- This bisque is creamy, but not super thick. If you prefer your bisque on the thicker side, you can create a slurry by whisking together flour and water until smooth, then slowly pouring it into the boiling soup while whisking, a little bit at a time, until you reach your desired thickness. Simmer for several more minutes to cook out any remaining raw flour.
- If you don’t have a super high-powered blender, like a Vitamix, you may just have to blend for a longer period of time so that all of the graininess is out of the soup. If blending still leaves the soup grainy, just run it through a fine mesh strainer for a silky smooth soup.
- Warm your bowls in a low oven or microwave right before serving. This is a restaurant trick used to help keep the soup hotter for longer.
How to Make The Best Stock for Lobster Bisque
Surprisingly, most lobster bisques aren't made with much lobster meat. A good bisque gets most of its flavor from shells, which are used to make a rich stock that becomes the foundation of the soup.
It's a brilliant way for restaurants to utilize their inventory, but most people don't have a bunch of lobster shells just lying around their kitchens. Don't worry - here are some easy ways to make the best stock for lobster bisque.
Use shrimp shells instead.
Shrimp shells produce a wonderful shellfish stock that tastes very similar to lobster. When I learned how to make bisque in culinary school, we always used shrimp, not lobster, probably because it was cheaper. Regardless, the bisque was always delicious and tasted practically identical to lobster.
More often than not, I use a combination of shrimp and lobster shells when I make stock. Crab shells could arguably work too - just make sure they're totally cleaned of any spices like Old Bay or Zatarans.
Collect shells all year long.
Anytime I cook lobster or shrimp, I always save the shells and store them in zip-top bags in my freezer until I have enough to make stock. You can also ask your fishmonger if they have any crustacean shells lying around.
A good lobster or shellfish stock is very easy to make, and unlike stocks made from bones, it only needs to simmer for 20-30 minutes to extract all the flavor from the shells.
Can I use boxed or canned seafood stock?
Absolutely! You can also use bottled clam juice. Using a prepackaged commercial product means your soup might lack just a little depth, but it will still be completely delicious.
If you're using a whole lobster or lobster tails for the meat, you can add the shells to the soup as it simmers to impart some flavor - it will make a big difference! Just be sure to remove the shells before blending.
How to Serve Lobster Bisque
This soup will make 4 generous servings or 4-6 smaller bowls. To serve your bisque, divide lobster meat among bowls, setting aside some for garnish if desired. Ladle hot soup over the top, then sprinkle with remaining lobster meat and chives. Serve immediately while still hot.
Serve it as a starter course as part of an elegant dinner or serve it as a main dish along with a nice green salad and toasted garlic bread.
How to store Lobster Soup
To store leftover lobster bisque, cool it to room temperature, then transfer to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 4 days. When ready to reheat, gently warm on the stovetop over medium-low heat or microwave in short intervals, stirring occasionally until heated through.
Can you freeze lobster bisque?
Because of the cream, I don't recommend freezing lobster bisque as it can break and separate upon defrosting and reheating. However, the lobster stock freezes beautifully. Cool it down to room temperature, transfer to freezer safe containers and freeze for up to 6 months.
FAQS About Lobster Bisque
Lobster meat becomes tough and rubbery when it's overcooked. Since this recipe calls for cooked lobster, you don't want the perfectly cooked, tender lobster meat simmering in the soup or it will become overcooked in a matter of minutes. To avoid this, keep the cooked lobster meat separate in the refrigerator, then add it to each bowl and ladle the soup over top right before serving. The hot soup warms the lobster through without cooking it any further.
I recommend making lobster bisque on the stove, but it can be transferred to a slow cooker or crock pot to be kept warm for serving. The lobster stock can be made in a slow cooker. Cook on high heat for up to 1 hour.
Yes! Lobster bisque makes a wonderful, flavorful sauce for pasta, especially ravioli or lobster ravioli. Stick to short shapes like penne or farfalle.
Yes. This recipe can be made gluten free with no issues. Use an all-purpose cup-to-cup gluten-free flour blend such as Cup-4-Cup.
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Best Lobster Bisque Recipe
Ingredients
For the Bisque:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 5 stalks celery diced
- 3 medium carrots diced
- 1 garlic clove minced
- salt and white pepper to taste
- 1 sprig fresh tarragon (or ¾ teaspoon dried tarragon)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup dry white wine
- ⅓ cup dry sherry (or cream sherry)
- 6 cups lobster or shellfish stock *see note
- 1 sprig fresh thyme (or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar (or red or white wine vinegar)
- 10 ounces lobster meat cut into meaty chunks **(see note)
- chopped chives optional, for garnish
For the Lobster or Shellfish Stock:
- 1 large onion halved
- 2 stalks celery halved
- 1 carrot halved
- 3 cloves garlic smashed
- 5 peppercorns
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- lobster, shrimp or crab shells As many as you can fit - the more, the better, but even just a few will work.
- water to cover
Instructions
For the Bisque:
- Melt butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic. Season with salt and white pepper, then cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, about 8 minutes.
- Add the tarragon, tomato paste and paprika, then stir until the tomato paste is dispersed.
- Add the flour, then stir until incorporated.
- Add the white wine and sherry, then increase the heat to medium-high and stir until the liquid is absorbed.
- Add the lobster stock, thyme and bay leaf. Season with salt and white pepper, then cover and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes.
- Remove the thyme sprig and bay leaf, then puree the soup until it's totally smooth. You can use an immersion blender or do it in a regular blender in batches.
- Make sure the soup is very smooth with no remaining lumps or graininess. You may have to run your blender for a long time to achieve this. If your blender can't get it super smooth, strain the soup through a fine mesh strainer.
- Place the soup back on the stove over medium-low heat. Add the heavy cream and sherry vinegar, then stir to combine.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- To serve, divide lobster meat among bowls, setting aside some for garnish if desired. Ladle hot soup over top, then sprinkle with remaining lobster meat and chives. Serve immediately.
Make the Lobster or Shellfish Stock:
- Add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, peppercorns, thyme, bay leaves and lobster/shrimp/crab sells to a large stock pot. Press down to condense any space between the ingredients.
- Add water to cover, then bring up to a boil. Lower the heat so the water is gently simmering and cook for 20-30 minutes.
- Strain. Store lobster stock in mason jars or plastic quart containers. Yield will vary. Stock can be frozen for up to 6 months.
Notes
- *If you can't make homemade lobster or shellfish stock, you can use boxed or canned broth or bottled clam juice in a pinch. If you have any lobster shells from your lobster meat, add that to the simmering soup and remove them before blending. It will add extra depth and lobster flavor.
- *Use caution when blending hot liquids and avoid using an air-tight blender such as a NutriBullet (or cool down completely before blending to avoid injury).
- Lobster can get expensive, so don’t stress over how much you can use in this recipe. Cook whole lobsters and remove the meat yourself (that way you can use the shells!), but you can also use frozen lobster tails (use those shells too) or even frozen pre-cooked lobster meat.
- Use a pair of kitchen shears to cut up the lobster shells into smaller pieces when making a stock so they fit better in the pot.
- This bisque is creamy, but not super thick. If you prefer your bisque on the thicker side, you can create a slurry by whisking together flour and water until smooth, then slowly pouring it into the boiling soup while whisking, a little bit at a time, until you reach your desired thickness. Simmer for several more minutes to cook out any remaining raw flour.
- If you don’t have a super high-powered blender, like a Vitamix, you may just have to blend for a longer period of time so that all of the graininess is out of the soup. If blending still leaves the soup grainy, just run it through a fine mesh strainer for a silky smooth soup.
- Warm your bowls in a low oven or microwave right before serving. This is a restaurant trick used to help keep the soup hotter for longer.
I bought 2 lobster tails on sale but i had no plan for them. They were sitting in the fridge and I needed to use them before they went bad, but i just wasn't feeling like grilling them. I looked up recipes and found yours. It seemed easier than a lot of others so I gave it a shot. 5 stars! It was also the maiden voyage of my new cheap immersion blender. Since the meat was raw, I poked around the web enough to figure out that a quick sauté with the chopped herbs used here would take care of it and I let it finish cooking in the bisque. I used Better Than Boullion lobster base instead of making the stock. I sauteed the shells with the mirepoix to add flavor. I just had a leftover container for lunch and was inspired to write the comments.
Wow, thanks for leaving such an amazing comment! I'm so glad you loved the recipe and it worked well for you. I appreciate your tips and substitutions as well - they're super helpful for other readers! 😀
I am about to make this recipe tomorrow and I have a question. After making the stock, can or should I use the same vegetables in the bisque? Even though the recipe doesn't specify this, it seems like a great way to build on, intensify and carry over the seafood flavor the veggies absorbed during the simmer.
Thanks for the help and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Hey Andrew! It's best to use fresh vegetables for the body of the bisque, as they will add more fresh flavor. The vegetables used in the stock will have given up most of their flavor to the stock. You can absolutely use them in the bisque for added body and texture, but they will only add more of a cooked vegetable flavor to the final dish. Hope this helps!
Delicious recipe!! Loved it.
Thanks for the comment!
This was my first time making anything with lobster. I had always been hesitant, but it was really easy with all your notes! I made this for company and everyone just loved it! Several people wanted the recipe. Always a good sign! Thanks.
SO glad to hear it was a hit and so many people asked for the recipe!
Please add details about blending. It is referenced, but not included in the steps
Hi there. I give pretty detailed instructions for blending the bisque:
7. Remove the thyme sprig and bay leaf, then puree the soup until it's totally smooth. You can use an immersion blender or do it in a regular blender in batches.
8. Make sure the soup is very smooth with no remaining lumps or graininess. You may have to run your blender for a long time to achieve this. If your blender can't get it super smooth, strain the soup through a fine mesh strainer.
*Use caution when blending hot liquids and avoid using an air-tight blender such as a NutriBullet (or cool down completely before blending to avoid injury).
I'm happy to answer any specific questions you have about the process! Hope this helps!
Such an elegant and delicious recipe. The touch of sherry vinegar adds that special twist.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
The dish is so creamy and rich, and the sherry and tarragon were just perfect! My kids really thought I had restaurant food delivered. Such a winner!
Wow, you have some lucky kids! So glad it was a hit!
Paired this bisque with a crisp Pinot Grigio, and it was (chef's kiss)! The wine, sherry, and lobster are the best combo. I definitely agree, it's like having a sophisticated restaurant-quality dinner at home.
SO happy you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for your review!
Yum! This is so wonderfully rich and delicious. Lately I've been making a bunch of extra stock and freezing it so it's ready to go next time I make this dish.
That's a great idea! Once the stock is made it's really quite simple. SO happy you love the recipe!
HI Coley,
Just a quick question. Do I leave the original sprig of tarragon in the pot when I blend the liquid? You say to remove the thyme and the bay leaf, so it leads me to believe you want the tarragon in there.
That should say to remove the tarragon as well— thanks for pointing that out, I’m fixing it in the recipe asap. That said, it won’t hurt the bisque if you leave it in
Hello Coley,
This was our first ever bisque of any kind. We used homemade stock using lobster shells and some salt no other add ins then followed your recipe to a tee. We used our blender's puree setting on hi and it worked perfectly, no need to further strain. We would like to thank you for your top notch recipe giving us the inspiration to make this delicious bisque. Going to use this recipe as a foundation for other seafood bisques.
Outstanding!
SO happy you loved the recipe!
Hello Coley,
Its Sherman again, we tried it again following it to a tee as our go to seafood bisque base. This time we turned it into a scallop bisque per my wife's request. 5 medium large fresh sea scallops chopped medium small into the post blend, then simmered for 5 minutes max. Then for each bowl adding a seared large sea scallop or two when served with a drizzle of our favorite EVO .
OMG off the flavor chart!
Best,
Sherman
That sounds great!! Thanks for writing to tell me!
Made this for Friendsgiving last weekend because I'm pescatarian and wanted to have something special. It was the best thing we ate all night! Everyone was raving. If you want to impress people make this!!!!
Thanks Sami, so glad you loved it! 🙂
This was great! Turned out as pictured and the taste was divine. And I have to say thank you for the thorough and detailed directions it made this easy to make.
I'm so glad the post was helpful and that the soup turned out great for you!
I don't know why, but I've always been intimidated by making lobster bisque. This recipe looked like something I could manage and I'm so glad I tried it! The instructions were easy to follow and all your tips were super helpful. The bisque was a total success and is now one of our favorite recipes!
That's great to hear! Thanks for your comment!
I’m from Maine and I can say this is legit! The flavor and texture are spot on!
This is such an amazing compliment - thank you!
Lobster bisque is my all-time favorite soup, and this was perfect! So decadent and creamy. The white wine and tarragon both added a nice flavor. I'm already looking forward to making it again.
So glad you loved it Amanda!
Your lobster bisque recipe was luscious! That is the only way I can think to describe it! So flavorful and creamy.
Thanks Lindsey, so glad you loved it!
This was exceptional. I used 2 frozen lobster tails and bottled clam juice. I simmered the juice with the lobster shells (after cooking and removing meat) for about 45 while I prepped the bisque, and the flavor really came through.
So glad to hear the clam juice worked out for you!
This was excellent. I used 1 whole lobster and used the shells to make the lobster stock. I had extra stock so I froze it to use again in the future. Having premade stock will definitely cut down on the prep, but overall it was a pretty simple recipe to make
So glad to hear it, Kate!
This was absolutely incredible. We had a little bit of leftover lobster from a dinner party. I saved all of the shells to make the stock and it came out better than expected. This is not an every day recipe but I will definitely be making it again!
Thanks Gerald! So glad you enjoyed it!
I made my stock the night before and refrigerated it then made the bisque the following evening. The taste was phenomenal but my bisque was pretty thin. I followed the recipe, and after I puréed the vegetables I didn’t strain them from the bisque. Any ideas of what I could have done wrong? Thanks!
This bisque is creamy, but not super thick, which is my preference. For a thicker bisque, you can double the amount of flour to 1/2 cup if making the recipe from scratch. To thicken an already made soup, create a slurry by whisking together flour and water until smooth. Slowly pour it into the boiling soup while whisking, a little bit at a time, until you reach your desired thickness. Simmer for several more minutes to cook out any remaining raw flour. Hope this helps