Classic Creamy Lobster Bisque
Velvety, restaurant-quality French lobster bisque simmered with aromatic mirepoix, cognac, white wine, heavy cream, and tender butter-poached lobster.
In a nutshell:This authentic french-american classic creamy lobster bisque comes together in just 1 hour with simple ingredients. The chef's secret: straining the blended bisque through a fine-mesh sieve gives it an exceptionally silky, restaurant-quality mouthfeel. Perfect for home cooks seeking a dependable, restaurant-quality finish with minimal effort.
Timed for National Seafood Bisque Day (Oct 19), this Classic Creamy Lobster Bisque is the pinnacle of elegant autumn entertaining. Made with aromatic mirepoix, tomato paste, dry white wine, a splash of flambéed cognac, and velvety heavy cream, topped with generous chunks of butter-poached lobster claw and tail meat.
Key Equipment
- Heavy Dutch oven or stockpot
- Immersion blender or high-speed blender
- Fine-mesh sieve (chinois)
- Ladle
Chef's Pro-Tips
- Strain through fine-mesh sieve: Straining the blended bisque through a fine-mesh sieve gives it an exceptionally silky, restaurant-quality velvety mouthfeel.
- Flambé cognac safely: Adding cognac or brandy and allowing alcohol to cook down concentrates rich caramelized notes without sharp alcohol bite.
- Butter-poach lobster separately: Gently warm cooked lobster chunks in melted butter over low heat and ladle bisque around them so the seafood remains tender and succulent.
Ingredients
6
servings
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1 lb cooked lobster meat (tail and claw), cut into bite-sized chunks, divided
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4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided: 2 tbsp for roux, 2 tbsp for poaching lobster
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1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
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2 stalks celery, finely chopped
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2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
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4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
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3 tbsp tomato paste, for deep color and rich umami
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3 tbsp all-purpose flour, for thickening velvety roux
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¼ cup cognac or brandy, for deglazing
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½ cup dry white wine, Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio
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4 cups rich seafood stock or lobster stock, high-quality fish or seafood stock
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1 cup heavy whipping cream, plus extra for cream swirl garnish
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2 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 1 dried bay leaf
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¼ tsp cayenne pepper and smoked paprika, for subtle warmth
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2 tbsp fresh chives, finely snipped for garnish
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Step-by-Step Instructions
Sauté Mirepoix Aromatics
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 8-10 minutes until vegetables are tender and translucent. Add minced garlic, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, cayenne, and tomato paste; cook 2 minutes until tomato paste turns deep rust-red.
Deglaze & Build Roux
Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir constantly for 1 minute to cook out raw flour taste. Pour in cognac and white wine, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Simmer for 2 minutes until liquid reduces by half.
Simmer Stock
Gradually whisk in 4 cups seafood stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes to allow all aromatic flavors to meld together.
Blend & Strain to Silkiness
Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Puree soup using an immersion blender until smooth, then pour through a fine-mesh sieve back into the pot, pressing solids with a ladle. Stir in heavy cream and season to taste with kosher salt and white pepper. Keep warm on low.
Poach Lobster & Ladle
In a small skillet, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter over low heat. Add bite-sized lobster meat chunks and toss gently for 2 minutes until warm and glistening. Ladle hot bisque into warm shallow bowls, top generously with butter-poached lobster meat, drizzle with a swirl of heavy cream, and garnish with fresh chives!
Chef Clara's Kitchen Picks
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View on AmazonFrequently Asked Questions
Yes! Pre-cooked frozen lobster tails or claw meat thawed and poached in butter works wonderfully and cuts prep time in half.
Yes! Make the bisque base up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate. Reheat gently over medium-low heat and add the butter-poached lobster meat right before serving.
A crisp, dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio adds acidity to cut through the rich cream and sweet lobster.
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