Creamy Crab Bisque

Sharing is caring!

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!

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my full disclosure here.

What is Crab Bisque

Crab bisque is a creamy soup that is typically made with crab meat, vegetables, cream, and a variety of herbs and spices. The ingredients are simmered together to create a flavorful broth, which is then pureed to create a smooth and silky texture.

It is a rich and indulgent soup that is often served as a starter or appetizer in upscale restaurants.

The Difference Between Bisque and Soup

Bisques are made to be smooth, thick, and with lots of cream. They are usually pureed to help thicken them up and smooth them out. Most bisques are made with seafood and often wine.

Soup is a more general term that can refer to a wide variety of brothy or creamy dishes made with vegetables, meat, or grains. Soups can be smooth or chunky, depending on the ingredients and cooking method, and they can be served hot or cold.

Seafood/Crab Stock

Seafood stock is used in the dish because it provides a rich and flavorful base for the soup that enhances the natural sweetness of the crab meat. It also complements the richness of the cream and butter in the soup.

My Homemade Seafood Stock recipe is made by simmering seafood (usually the shells of shrimp, lobster, or crab) along with aromatics such as carrots, celery, and herbs in water. If using crab shells the broth is filled with crab flavor.

The stock adds a depth of flavor that would be difficult to achieve using plain water, chicken stock, or vegetable stock. I highly recommend using crab stock or seafood stock in the recipe. They can be difficult to find in stores.

What Type of Crab to Use

Here are some options for what to use:

• Blue crabs are a popular choice for crab bisque because they have a sweet and delicate flavor that pairs well with creamy and savory broth. They are also readily available in many parts of the United States, particularly along the East Coast.
• Dungeness crabs, which are native to the West Coast of the United States, have a slightly more robust flavor than blue crabs and are known for their meaty claws and legs.
• King crabs are harvested from the waters of Alaska and Russia, have a sweet and succulent flavor, and are known for their large, meaty legs.

I like to use jumbo lump crab meat which can come from a variety of species, including blue crabs, Dungeness crabs, and king crabs. The meat comes from the largest muscles in a crab’s body, located in the back swimming legs. These muscles contain large, firm pieces of meat and are considered to be the highest quality and most luxurious part of the crab.

It’s typically sold in large, whole pieces that can be easily broken up and used in a variety of dishes, including crab cakes, salads, and dips. It has a delicate and sweet flavor and a firm texture that holds up well in cooking. Check out our post, What is Lump Crab Meat.

How to Make Creamy Crab Bisque

Full detailed instructions are below in the recipe card.

1. Heat a Dutch oven or soup pot on medium heat and add butter.
2. When melted, add in flour. This will create a roux.
3. Add celery, onions, and carrots to the roux and stir.
4. Add garlic. Cook until the garlic is fragrant.
5. 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.
6. Use an immersion hand blender to puree and smooth out the soup. Alternatively, you can transfer the soup to a high-powered blender.
7. 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!

Worcestershire Sauce

When used in crab dishes, Worcestershire sauce can help to enhance the natural sweetness of the crab meat while also adding a subtle tang. It can be added to crab cakes, crab dips, or crab bisque to add complexity and depth to the dish.

Worcestershire sauce is made from a combination of ingredients including vinegar, molasses, garlic, tamarind, and various spices. The sauce is fermented for several months, which gives it a unique savory flavor.

Tomato Based Soup

Some crab bisques are served with tomato flavor, similar to some lobster bisque recipes. This version does not have tomato flavor, but feel free to add 15oz of diced tomatoes (when adding the broth) if you wish.

How to Substitute Heavy Cream

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.

Sherry

Sherry is often added to crab bisque to enhance its flavor and add complexity to the dish. Sherry is a fortified wine that is made by adding brandy to wine during the fermentation process. It has a distinctive flavor that is slightly sweet and nutty.

When added to here, sherry helps to balance the sweetness of the crab meat and adds a subtle nutty flavor that complements the richness of the cream and butter in the soup.

Feel free to add 1/2 cup to the recipe if you wish.

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

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my full disclosure here.

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my full disclosure here.