This easy shrimp bisque recipe, or the best shrimp bisque recipe as my husband calls it, is a rich, warming, and cozy soup made in one pot using homemade shrimp stock for unrivaled flavor!
Using just a few pantry staples, this thick and velvety smooth bisque gives us a more affordable version than the higher-priced lobster bisque!
Shrimp is easily accessible and pretty handy as most people who enjoy eating shrimp will have a bag on hand in their freezer.
Serve it as a main dish with a slice of rustic bread to soak up every last drop, or serve it as a main with a side salad or half of a sandwich.
This tasty shrimp bisque soup is going to become one of your favorite ways to keep warm all winter long! We also love making a Creamy Tomato Bisque Soup, too!
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Ingredients Needed for Creamy Shrimp Bisque
- Butter: The flavors of any good soup usually come from building layers on top of layers. The butter is used to cook the celery, onions, and carrots which is the base of the entire soup.
- Mirepoix: The trio of celery, carrots, and onions is a popular flavor base used in all kinds of recipes. It’s like the holy trinity of cooking!
- Garlic: A tasty aromatic that also adds incredible flavor.
- All-purpose flour: A bisque is a thick soup, so we use the flour as a thickener.
- Heavy whipping cream: This gives it a velvety smooth and rich consistency.
- Shrimp stock: I use homemade shrimp stock for a beautifully intense shrimp flavor, but you can use store-bought if that’s what you have.
- Jumbo shrimp: Raw, wild-caught is my favorite just because I tend to stay away from farmed seafood, but it’s completely up to you. Just be sure that they’re deveined and have the shells removed.
- Bread: We’re making croutons! See below for the simple instructions.
- Salt & pepper: Season to taste.
How to Make Shrimp Bisque
Step 1: In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat, then add the celery, onions, and carrots to cook for about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally while the veggies sauté.
Step 2: Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add the flour and stir for 1 minute. This will form a roux which is a light beige paste that will thicken the soup.
Step 3: Slowly whisk in the heavy whipping cream, until everything is combined and smooth. There should be no lumps of flour left.
Step 4: Pour in the shrimp stock and mix until combined. Cook for 10 minutes until the contents of the pot have thickened.
Step 5: Add shrimp and bring the soup to a gentle boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 6: Serve hot with toasted croutons and chopped green onion. Enjoy!
A Quick Guide To Making Croutons
I love using any type of rustic bread, and when I make my no knead bread I usually save whatever’s left for breadcrumbs and croutons.
You can use any type of bread you have on hand. French bread, Italian bread, white, whole wheat, or sourdough bread. It’s especially great with day-old bread.
- Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes.
- Lay them out onto a baking sheet in a single layer, leaving space between each one.
- Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 10 minutes until toasted.
I enjoy mine plain but you can drizzle them with olive oil and season them to your liking if desired. Garlic, herbs, Parmesan, or even just a bit of salt and pepper are great.
Make Soup Ahead
There are a few ways you can prepare ahead of time, which makes it convenient to make a stock from scratch.
Prepare and clean the shrimp the day before. Use the shells to make the stock and keep it in the fridge until the next day.
Then, when you’re ready to make the shrimp bisque recipe, your shrimp has been cleaned, and your stock is made!
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! You can also easily double or triple the recipe as needed. As long as you have a pot big enough, go for it!
It freezes really well, so if you’re making more than enough, don’t fret. It’ll stay frozen for up to 6 months when stored and sealed in an airtight freezer bag or container.
To reheat add bisque to a pot and heat it on a low heat until desired temperature.
They are not the same thing. Both are incredibly flavorful and delicious and both are traditionally made with seafood. The main difference is in the texture.
A bisque is smooth and creamy while chowder is chunky, usually loaded with pieces of fish, seafood, and veggies.
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📖 Recipe
Easy Shrimp Bisque Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 sticks celery chopped
- 1 medium carrot chopped
- ¼ cup green onion chopped, more for garnish
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- ⅓ cup flour plus 2 tablespoons
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 5-6 cups shrimp stock homemade
- 2 lb raw shrimp jumbo size (about 15 pieces) raw & wild-caught, peeled - deveined - washed & chopped
- 4 slices rustic bread or french bread, cut into cubes and baked at 400F until toasted.
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- First melt butter in a pot over medium heat. Next add celery, carrot & green onion. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring few times.
- After add garlic and stir for 1 minute. Then add flour and stir for 1 minute. Slowly stir in heavy whipping cream, mix until everything is combined and there are no flour lumps.
- Now pour in shrimp stock, mix until everything is combined. Cook for 10 minutes or until thickens.
- Add shrimp, bring it to a gentle boil, simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve hot with toasted croutons and chopped green onion.
Notes
Nutrition
Q. DO YOU like this Easy Creamy Shrimp Bisque Recipe?
Let me know in the comments below, I would love to hear from you!
Thank YOU for YOUR Comment, Share & Recipe Review!
Happy Cooking!
Kathy
This was the first time I've ever made shrimp bisque. It was delicious! I even made the shrimp stock. It was very good. I recommend making the stock beforehand. My husband liked it too.
Munchkin Time
Thank you so much for trying this recipe and sharing your amazing recipe review, Kathy! I am so happy you and your husband liked it! It is one of our favorite soups!
Tom Smith
You said bisque is smooth, which it is, then you went ahead and made a chunky soup. Strain or blend until smooth w a blender before adding shrimp.
Munchkin Time
Thats a great idea Tom, thank you! I said bisque is smooth because of its smooth broth, I like my soups smooth and chunky at the same time. Hope this makes sense!?!
Tina LaBouve
What are the amounts? How much butter, whipping cream, flour and broth?
Munchkin Time
Hi Tina, recipe details are in the recipe card in the bottom of the post!
Cj Shull
This soup was absolutely fabulous. Those of you who are looking for shrimp stock. Use the peels from your shrimp with carrots, onion, celery, black pepper, Bayleaf to make a stock of your own. I also used white wine right before the broth was added along with red pepper flakes and herb de France.! The soup came together quickly, and it tasted outstanding. I highly recommend this recipe.
Munchkin Time
Thank you so much CJ! I am so happy you like this recipe 😀 Also thank you for sharing these awesome tips! 😀
Debby Barrett
I can’t find shrimp stock in stores. If I use shrimp bullion will it taste the same?
Munchkin Time
Hi Debby! Thats a great questions. I haven't tried the shrimp bullion before, it sounds like a good substitute for the shrimp stock... I like to use homemade shrimp stock https://www.munchkintime.com/best-shrimp-stock-recipe-video/ hope this helps!