This Easy Creamy Crab Bisque recipe is rich and indulgent making it perfect for special occasions and nights in. Seafood lovers will enjoy the thick texture and delicate flavor of the soup topped with lump crab meat. This dish can be served as a starter or the main event!
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Check out our post, What is Lump Crab Meat.
How to Make Creamy Crab Bisque
Full detailed instructions are below in the recipe card.
- Heat a Dutch oven or soup pot on medium heat and add butter.
- When melted, add in flour. This will create a roux.
- Add celery, onions, and carrots to the roux and stir.
- Add garlic. Cook until the garlic is fragrant.
- Pour in seafood stock, heavy cream, milk, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, Old Bay Seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste and stir. Stir until the ingredients are well combined.
- Use an immersion hand blender to puree and smooth out the soup. Alternatively, you can transfer the soup to a high-powered blender.
- Blend the soup until creamy and smooth. Add the crab meat to the pot.
How to Get it Creamy
You will need to use an immersion hand blender or a high-powered blender to smooth out the soup to help it thicken it up. This is what really makes the dish!
Substitutions and Add-Ins
- Shrimp
- Lobster
- Bacon
- Parsley
- Chives
- Croutons
- Shredded Cheese
- Toasted Nuts
How to Store
Leftover bisque can be stored tightly covered and sealed in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freezer Tips
You can freeze it, but keep in mind dairy and cream-based soups separate when frozen and reheated. The texture and flavor may change slightly.
What to Serve with Crab Bisque
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Air Fryer Garlic Bread
Scallops and Pasta
More Crab Recipes
Seafood Boil in a Bag
Grilled King Crab Legs
Grilled Snow Crab Legs
Smoked Lobster Tail
Smoked Crab Legs
Crab Quiche
Crab Risotto
Creamy Crab Bisque
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup chopped carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 cup chopped onions
- 3 garlic cloves Minced
- 2 cups Seafood Stock
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup milk I use 2%.
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon hot sauce It does not make the bisque spicy, but omit if you wish.
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pound lump crab meat
Instructions
- Heat a Dutch oven or soup pot on medium heat and add the butter.4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- When melted, add the flour in stages in stir. You add it in stages to avoid clumping. This will create a roux.4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Add the celery, onions, and carrots to the roux and stir. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.1/2 cup chopped carrots, 1/2 cup chopped celery, 1/2 cup chopped onions
- Add the garlic. Cook until the garlic is fragrant.3 garlic cloves
- Pour in the seafood stock, heavy cream, milk, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, Old Bay Seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste and stir. Stir until the ingredients are well combined.2 cups Seafood Stock, 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 1 cup milk, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tablespoon hot sauce, 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning, salt and pepper to taste
- Use an immersion hand blender to puree and smooth out the soup. Alternatively, you can transfer the soup to a high powered blender. Be careful, it's hot.
- Blend the soup until creamy and smooth. Add the crab meat to the pot. I like to add half of the crab meat here. Stir and cook for a few minutes until fully combined and warm.1 pound lump crab meat
- Serve the soup and top the servings with the additional remaining crab meat.
Notes
- If you don’t use a seafood stock, the bisque will not have a lot of seafood flavor. You can substitute any broth, expect the bisque to taste like what you used to substitute.
- 1 pound of crab meat will create a thick bisque filled with crab. Feel free to use less, if desired.
- Skim milk is extremely thin and will thin out the soup.
- You can substitute cream using any milk or half and half, but the consistency will not be the same. Milk and half and half are thinner in texture. Expect the soup to be thinner and less rich. Heavy cream is commonly used in bisque recipes to give the soup a rich and creamy texture.
- Feel free to add 1/2 cup of sherry to the recipe if you wish.
- If you prefer a tomato based bisque, add 15oz canned tomatoes when adding the broth.
Nutrition
This post contains affiliate links. Please read my full disclosure here.
This post contains affiliate links. Please read my full disclosure here.
Stephanie
Friday 12th of January 2024
This crab bisque was so much easier to make than I would have thought (it's something I often order in restaurants). Everyone enjoyed this welcoming dish for dinner and I felt like a 'real chef' serving it!
Brandi Crawford
Monday 15th of January 2024
yes! A real chef.
Tayler
Friday 12th of January 2024
This crab bisque might just be my new favorite soup recipe! It's incredibly delicious and packed with flavor!
Brandi Crawford
Friday 12th of January 2024
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it.
Mahy
Friday 12th of January 2024
It looks sooo creamy - just what I love when I make a crab bisque like this. Can't wait to try your take on it!
Kathleen
Friday 12th of January 2024
Oh, my deliciousness! Everyone loved it.
Beth
Friday 12th of January 2024
Crab bisque is one of my favorite soups. I order it whenever we go out to a restaurant that's fancy enough to have it.
Brandi Crawford
Friday 12th of January 2024
So good!