🦞 Seafood Bisque with Crab, Shrimp & Lobster – Rich, Creamy & Restaurant-Quality at Home 🦞🍤🦀
If you’ve ever tasted a silky-smooth, ultra-creamy seafood bisque at a fancy restaurant and wondered if you could recreate that luxury at home… the answer is YES. And honestly? This homemade Seafood Bisque with crab, shrimp, and lobster might be even better.
This recipe is the kind of comfort food that instantly makes a dinner feel special — perfect for holidays, date nights, or anytime you want a bowl of something cozy, rich, and unforgettable. The combination of sweet crab meat, tender shrimp, and buttery lobster gives every spoonful layers of flavor that build and melt in your mouth.
What I love most about this bisque is how easy it is to make, even though it tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen. With a few simple steps, pantry staples, and fresh seafood, you get a creamy, velvety soup that feels like pure indulgence. And trust me… people always ask for the recipe after one taste!
⭐ Why This Seafood Bisque Works
Restaurant texture without complicated techniques.
Rich, smooth, buttery base infused with seafood flavor.
Perfect for holidays like Christmas, New Year’s Eve, or Valentine’s Day.
Easy to customize with whatever seafood you love.
Makes your house smell like a 5-star coastal kitchen!
🦀 Ingredients You’ll Need
1 cup lump crab meat
1 cup chopped cooked lobster (claw or tail)
1 cup small shrimp, peeled & deveined
4 tbsp butter
1 small onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp flour (for thickening)
3 cups seafood stock (or chicken stock)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
½ tsp smoked paprika
Salt & pepper to taste
Fresh parsley for garnish
Optional: A splash of sherry or white wine for extra richness
🍲 How to Make the Creamiest Seafood Bisque
1️⃣ Sauté the aromatics
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until soft and fragrant. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
2️⃣ Create the base
Sprinkle in the flour and whisk until it forms a smooth paste. This thickens the soup and gives it that iconic creamy bisque texture.
3️⃣ Add liquids
Slowly pour in the seafood stock while whisking continuously. Add the tomato paste, cream, milk, Old Bay, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Let it simmer gently for 10–15 minutes.
4️⃣ Blend for smoothness
For a perfectly silky bisque, blend part of the soup using an immersion blender — or transfer 1–2 cups to a regular blender and return it to the pot.
5️⃣ Add your seafood
Stir in the shrimp first and let cook until pink. Add the crab and lobster last so they stay tender and sweet. Simmer 5 more minutes.
6️⃣ Taste and finish
Add a splash of sherry or white wine if you want a gourmet touch. Garnish with fresh parsley.
🍞 Serving Ideas
Serve with:
✨ Crusty French bread
✨ Garlic butter toast
✨ Oyster crackers
✨ A simple green salad
✨ Roasted veggies
This soup is so rich and silky, you only need a small bowl — but trust me, everyone will go back for seconds.
💡 Tips for the Best Bisque
Use lump crab for sweetness and texture.
Don’t boil the soup after adding the cream — simmer gently.
Add the seafood at the end to avoid overcooking.
For extra flavor, sauté the shells of your shrimp or lobster first (optional but amazing).
❤️ Final Thoughts
There’s something magical about a bowl of hot seafood bisque — it’s elegant, comforting, and packed with coastal flavor. Whether you’re trying to impress guests or just treating yourself, this recipe never disappoints.
If you love warming, creamy seafood dishes, save this recipe, because you’ll want it again and again! 🦞🍤🦀