Easy Lobster Bisque

Lobster Bisque, the queen of the seas, boasts a delicate, sweet, and slightly briny flavor. Made easy with flavor-packed chunks of lobster tail in every bite, infused with garlic butter and a quick homemade stock, this bisque is sure to impress!

Smooth and creamy, my Lobster Bisque is always a crowd-pleaser and has never been easier to make. It’s the perfect dish to wow your guests. Using lobster tails guarantees a rich and velvety bisque that cooks in under one hour, making it the centerpiece of the dinner or a luxurious starter. I promise, you’ll love the flavors so much, you’ll be licking the bowl clean!

Why Our Lobster Bisque Is a Must-Try

Traditionally, Lobster Bisque is made with a stock from whole lobster shells, which can be quite time-consuming. But our Lobster Bisque changes the game! It’s much simpler and just as robust, thanks to a straightforward stock, aromatics, spices, and fresh ingredients.

What makes this bisque special? It’s all about those rich, intense flavors with minimal effort. Using lobster tails ensures you get delectable chunks of meat in every spoonful, while the garlic butter infusion adds an irresistible depth. The process is streamlined, allowing you to achieve restaurant-quality results in under an hour.

Lobster Bisque: Key Ingredients

To prepare this luxurious Lobster Bisque, you’ll need a few key ingredients:

• Lobster Tails: I always go for fresh, high-quality lobster tails to ensure the best flavor. Opt for cold-water lobster tails, known for their sweet and tender meat. This is the backbone of your bisque, offering rich, succulent bites in every spoonful.
• Garlic Butter: Making your own garlic butter with fresh garlic and high-quality, unsalted butter can elevate the flavor significantly. Fresh garlic provides a robust aroma, while the butter adds a creamy richness that infuses the lobster meat.
• Tomato Paste: I choose a high-quality tomato paste, preferably organic. This ingredient adds depth and a subtle sweetness to the bisque.
• Heavy Cream: Fresh, high-quality heavy cream is key for that luxurious, velvety texture. The cream rounds out the flavors and provides a smooth, indulgent mouthfeel that is essential for a bisque.
• Lobster Stock: The secret to a truly flavorful bisque is in the stock. Making your own lobster stock from the shells is key. I simmer the shells with aromatics like onions, carrots, and celery to extract every bit of flavor. This homemade stock provides a robust and authentic lobster taste that store-bought stocks simply can’t match.

Note: Please see Recipe Card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Additions And Substitutions

When making Lobster Bisque, you can tweak a few ingredients to suit your preferences or what you have on hand. Here are some easy substitutions and add-ins:

• Spices: If you want to add a bit more depth, try adding a pinch of smoked paprika or a dash of Old Bay seasoning. These spices can elevate the bisque without altering its creamy texture.
• Lemon Zest: Add a pinch of lemon zest to brighten up the bisque. This subtle addition will enhance the overall aroma and flavor.
• Lobster Meat: While fresh lobster meat is undoubtedly the best for optimal flavor, you can use frozen or canned lobster meat. However, keep in mind that the taste might not be as rich and authentic.
• Clams or Shrimp: Both options are fantastic substitutions for this recipe. They bring their unique flavors to the bisque while maintaining its luxurious, seafood essence.

Perfect Lobster Bisque: Step-by-Step Guide

Preparing Lobster Bisque may seem daunting, but with these simple and clear steps, you’ll have a rich, flavorful dish ready in no time. Just follow along, and you’ll see how easy it can be to create this restaurant-quality bisque at home!

1. Boil Water: Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil with a dash of sea salt.

2. Cook Lobster Tails: Add those luscious lobster tails, cover, and boil until they turn a vibrant red. Remove the tails and save that flavorful stock.

3. Remove Meat: Once the tails are cool enough, gently extract the meat and any juices.

4. Simmer Shells: Return the shells to the pot, bring to a boil, then simmer to extract every bit of flavor. Chop the meat into bite-sized pieces and refrigerate.

5. Chop Meat: While the stock is simmering, chop the lobster meat into bite-sized pieces and refrigerate.

6. Sauté Vegetables: Heat butter and oil. Sweat onions, carrots, celery, and herbs until soft. Season with bouillon, salt, and pepper. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.

7. Tomato Paste Magic: Stir in the tomato paste and cook briefly to coat the veggies. Sprinkle flour and cook, stirring now and then.

8. Reduce Wine: Pour in wine, simmer, and let it reduce by half. Add the lobster stock and simmer until everything thickens and the flavors meld.

*Pro Tip: Sauté the tomato paste briefly to caramelize it and bring out its natural sugars, enhancing the overall flavor profile.

9. Blend Bisque: Take it off the heat and blend until smooth. Return to the pot and stir in the heavy cream.

10. Melt Butter: In a pan, melt butter and sauté garlic until aromatic.

11. Cook Lobster Meat: Add chopped lobster meat, season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Lightly sauté for 1 minute, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.

12. Mix and Serve: Stir in ¾ of the lobster meat into the bisque. Serve in bowls, topping each with the remaining lobster meat and a sprinkle of extra tarragon.

For a complete dinner, I’d recommend you pair my Lobster Bisque with some of my favorite sides and dishes to enhance your dining experience and make your meal truly memorable.

Consider starting with my Garlic Bread—it’s perfect for dipping into the bisque and soaking up every drop of that rich, creamy flavor. For a refreshing contrast, I like to serve it with a Salmon And Avocado Caesar Salad; its crisp greens and tangy dressing complement the bisque beautifully. If I’m in the mood for a bit more indulgence, I go for my Creamy Mashed Potatoes as a hearty side. To round off the meal, don’t forget to check out my decadent Fudgy Chocolate Brownie for a sweet finish.

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Lobster Bisque Recipe

Author: Karina

Lobster Bisque recipe made easy with big chunks of garlic butter lobster tails in every bite and a quick homemade stock. Smooth and creamy, Lobster Bisque is always a crowd pleaser and has never been easier. Using lobster tails guarantees a rich and decadent bisque that comes together in only one hour!

5 from 51 votes

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Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 55 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients

USMetric

BISQUE

• ▢ 4 lobster tails
• ▢ 2 tablespoons butter
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 onion finely chopped
• ▢ 2 carrots peeled and finely chopped
• ▢ 2 stalks celery finely chopped
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fresh tarragon chopped, plus more to serve
• ▢ 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon cracked pepper
• ▢ ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour or plain flour
• ▢ 1 ¼ cup dry white wine or sherry
• ▢ 4 cups lobster stock or seafood or fish stock
• ▢ ¾ – 1 cup heavy cream

GARLIC BUTTER LOBSTER MEAT

• ▢ 2 tablespoons butter
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 1 pinch salt to taste
• ▢ 1 pinch pepper to taste
• ▢ 1 pinch cayenne to taste

Instructions

LOBSTER STOCK

• Fill a large pot with 5 cups of water. Stir in 1 teaspoon sea salt and bring to a boil.
• Add the lobster tails, cover with lid and let boil for 5 minutes, or until bright red.
• Remove lobster tails, reserving the liquid stock. When the lobsters have cooled slightly, remove the meat from the shells, reserving the meat and any liquid that comes out of the shells.
• Return lobster shells back to the water in the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for a further 15 minutes to draw as much flavour out of the shells as possible.
• While stock is simmering, chop the meat into bite-sized pieces and refrigerate.

BISQUE

• Heat butter and oil in a large, heavy-based pot over medium heat, Sweat the onions, carrots, celery and fresh herbs. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Season with the bouillon powder, salt and pepper/s. Stir in 4 cloves of minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Mix in tomato paste, cook for a further minute to coat vegetables. Sprinkle over flour and cook, while stirring occasionally for a further 2 minutes.
• Pour in wine, simmer and let reduce to half. Stir in lobster stock, reduce heat and gently simmer while stirring occasionally, until liquid has thickened slightly and flavours have blended, about 30 minutes.
• Take off the heat, transfer mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively, purée with an immersion blender until very smooth. Return to medium-low heat and stir in heavy cream.

GARLIC BUTTER LOBSTER MEAT

• Melt butter a skillet pan over medium heat. Sauté garlic for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add in chopped lobster meat, season with salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. Lightly sauté for 1 minute while stirring occasionally, until lobster meat is just warmed through.

TO SERVE LOBSTER BISQUE

• Mix ¾ of the lobster meat into the bisque. Pour into individual serving bowls. Top each bowl with remaining lobster meat and extra tarragon.

Notes

TO REMOVE LOBSTER MEAT:

1. Place lobster tail on your counter with the back of the tail facing up. Use sharp kitchen shears to cut down through the centre to the end of the tail. With your thumbs and fingers, open the shell to loosen it from the meat, opening the meat away from the shell side walls. Pull the meat up from the bottom of the shell to seperate the shell from the meat underneath it.
2. Alternatively, use both hands to press down on tail to crack shell. Hold tail, shell facing down, and pull back on both sides of shell to crack open and remove meat.

TO BLEND:

Puree right in the pot with an immersion blender OR pour into a blender. If using a blender, you may need to blend in batches of two or three to prevent pressure from building up inside the jug from the heat. Make sure you take the centre piece out of the lid to let the steam escape.

Nutrition

Calories: 494kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 1.658mg | Potassium: 711mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 6.406IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 205mg | Iron: 2mg