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–+ servings
crab bisque in a white bowl with lump crab meat and flour

Creamy Crab Bisque

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!
5 from 6 votes
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course dinner, lunch
Cuisine American
Servings 8 cups
Calories 236 kcal

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

Serving: 1cupCalories: 236kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 13gFat: 18g
Keyword crab bisque, crab soup, creamy crab bisque, dungeness crab bisque recipe, Maryland crab bisque
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