Easy Shrimp Bisque

Our Easy Shrimp Bisque is a rich, thick soup loaded with Argentine red shrimp and vegetables.  It’s made in 16 minutes, and pureed into a silky soup. A comforting, and delicious soup for a simple yet scrumptious meal.  Perfect for an easy dinner.

Classic Shrimp Bisque

A southern classic, this easy shrimp bisque is DIVINE! We love a good shrimp bisque every once in a while.  And, in Charleston, the shrimp bisque is a staple dish.  

This delicious-tasting soup is sure to satisfy your Southern craving! Shrimp bisque is often featured in the Lowcountry restaurants, but with this recipe, you can make it in your kitchen, and in a quick 16 minutes!

Serve it with our mini grilled pimento cheese sandwiches or with our savory grilled cheese and pear sandwich for an easy dinner.  Also, pair this bisque with a simple green salad and maybe an easy homemade cornbread recipe for dipping. It is the best!

What is a bisque?

A bisque is a thick, creamy French soup made with shellfish like shrimp, lobster, or a combination of crustaceans, and it is pureed.  It also includes some brandy and spices, heavy cream, butter, and seafood stock.   

But our shrimp bisque is different 

• First, instead of enriching this soup with heavy cream, I used only half and half, along with fresh vegetables, and pureed them to give it that thick, rich texture.
• In addition, I added some chicken broth to give it an additional savory flavor. 
• Best of all? I am cutting the calories and fat in my bisque and doing it with a few staple ingredients. A win-win!  And it is DE-LI-CIOUS!!

What kind of shrimp to buy for our shrimp bisque?

• To make this easy shrimp bisque “practically effortless,” it’s best to buy frozen shrimp that is “already cleaned, deveined” and with tails off.
• I found this package of Argentine Red Shrimp at our local Costco in the freezer section.  You may find them at Trader Joe’s as well. 
• I used about one pound of shrimp (at least 20 pieces).  And reserved the remaining frozen shrimp for another recipe like our shrimp cocktail with jalapeno peppers.

How to thaw frozen shrimp for this bisque?

1. TO THAW: Allow the shrimp to defrost and drain in a bowl and on your counter. Or place the bag of frozen shrimp in the refrigerator and overnight to thaw.

2. THEN DRAIN: Allow the shrimp to drain in a colander. Do not force or speed up the thawing by placing the shrimp under running water, or the shrimp will lose its flavor.

Ingredients Overview

For this recipe, you will need the following ingredients. Please take note that below you will find frequently asked questions, plus directions on how to make it, our video, tips, and our printable recipe card on the bottom.

• Frozen Shrimp: choose a package of “already cleaned and deveined” frozen shrimp for this recipe, and 1 pound will suffice.
• Olive Oil: choose a good quality of olive oil, or extra virgin olive oil.
• Vegetables: you will need 1 onion, 1 carrot, and a few garlic cloves.
• Herbs: you will need 1 bay leaf, some sprigs of fresh thyme, and some fresh Italian parsley.
• Liquid: you will need some brandy, Cognac, and dry white wine. Also, you will need some organic chicken broth as well.
• Light Cream: you will need some half-and-half (or light cream) to give it the right amount of richness.
• Flour: some flour is used to thicken the sauce.
• Seasonings: you will need sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper, and some cayenne pepper.

How To Make Easy Shrimp Bisque?

Here are 4-easy steps to making our easy shrimp bisque:

Step 1:  First, Sauté the Vegetables and Puree Them

1. In a non-stick skillet or a medium-sized saucepan, on moderate heat, sauté the vegetables with 3 tablespoons of good-quality olive oil.  Add the fresh thyme, bay leaf, and some parsley and cook until the vegetables are softened, and the onions are golden, about 3 to 5 minutes.   
2. Pour in the wine, brandy, and 1/2 cup of chicken broth and simmer for 5 minutes. 
3. Remove the bay leaf.
4. Next, transfer the mixture to a blender (allow the mixture to cool down a little) and blend it to puree. 

Step 2:  Next, Make the Cream Sauce

1. In a medium-sized saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter over moderate heat. 
2. Add salt, the flour, and a dash of cayenne pepper and whisk until well blended. 
3.  Slowly whisk in the half and half and the remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth, and continue to simmer on low heat, stirring until it thickens. Then turn off the heat.

Step 3:  Cook the Shrimp

1. Using the same skillet.  Sauté the shrimp in 1 tablespoon of olive oil for about 2 to 3 minutes.  Do not overcook. 
2. Remove from the stove, and toss 1/2 of the shrimp (about 10 pieces) into the blender, along with an additional 1/4 cup of chicken broth, and blend at high speed to puree the mixture. 
3. Reserve the remaining shrimp to add on top of each bisque when serving.  

Step 4:  Combine to Complete the Bisque

1. Transfer the shrimp mixture to the saucepan with the cream sauce and stir to combine.
2. Turn on the heat and heat thoroughly. 
3. Then ladle into soup bowls and serve with a couple of sautéed shrimp on top. Sprinkle with some freshly chopped parsley and some fresh cracked pepper, and serve immediately.

WATCH VIDEO! How to Make Easy Shrimp Bisque? (1-minute)

Questions & Answers

• Can we use “Fresh Shrimp” instead of Frozen? Yes, but keep in mind, that the color of this shrimp bisque may slightly change as well. Plus, if you add more carrots, it may give an orange-hue color rather than a soft pinkish color.
• Can we use Non-Dairy Creamer instead of Half and Half?  I believe you can use coconut cream in its place.  I have not tried it with coconut cream; but if you do, please let us know how it turns out.  
• How many days will it stay fresh?  You can store it in a sealed container and keep it chilled in the refrigerator, and for up to 3 days only. 
• Can we freeze Shrimp Bisque?  Yes, you can! Best to use a freezer-safe container and allow your shrimp bisque to cool down beforehand, it freezes easily. This recipe can be frozen for roughly 1 to 2 months, after that you should plan your next batch! 
• Can we use seafood stock instead of chicken stock? Yes! You may use seafood stock in place of chicken stock.

More Shrimp Recipes You’ll Love…

• Easy Shrimp Dinner
• Mixed Seafood Stew
• BEST Shrimp Mac and Cheese
• Easy Baked Shrimp Scampi Dinner

Your comments help us!  If you make our delicious Easy Shrimp Bisque, please tell us and leave a comment and a star rating below. Happy Cooking! 🙂

Continue to Content

Yield: 3 to 4 servings

Easy Shrimp Bisque

Print

Easy Shrimp Bisque is a rich, thick soup loaded with shrimp and vegetables.  In only 16 minutes this bisque is pureed into a silky soup.  It's cozy, comforting, and delicious! 

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2/3 cups thinly sliced carrot (about 1 medium carrot) 
• 1 + 1/2 cups chopped onion (1 medium onion)
• 2 garlic cloves - chopped
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 sprigs of fresh parsley
• 1 Tbsp. brandy or Cognac
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken broth, plus extra - divided
• 4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter - divided
• 1/2 cup half and half (or light cream)
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• dash of cayenne pepper
• 1 pound frozen medium-sized shrimp (about 20 pieces) - thawed, already peeled and deveined
• fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Instructions

STEP 1: SAUTE the VEGETABLES:

1. In a non-stick skillet or a medium-size saucepan, on moderate heat, saute the vegetables with 3 tablespoons of good olive oil.  Add the fresh thyme, bay leaf, and parsley sprigs and cook until the vegetables softened, and the onions are golden for about 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Next, pour in white wine, the brandy, and 1/2 cup chicken broth, simmer on low heat for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.

3. Remove the bay leaf, and transfer the mixture to a blender and allow the mixture to cool down before you blend it.  Then cover with the lid, and blend on low speed, and gradually raise the speed to medium, then to high until it's fully blended and smooth.  Set it aside.

STEP 2: MAKE the CREAM SAUCE:

1. In a medium-size saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter over moderate heat.  Add salt and flour, and a dash of cayenne pepper and whisk until well blended. 

2. Pour and whisk in the half and half and the remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth, continue to simmer on low heat, stirring until it thickened.  Then turn off the heat.  The sauce should be very creamy.

STEP 3: COOK the SHRIMP:

1. Using the same skillet.  Saute the shrimp with remaining 1 tablespoon of butter for about 2 to 3 minutes.  Do not overcook.  Remove from stove, and toss 1/2 of the shrimp (about 10 pieces) into the blender, along with an additional 1/4 cup of chicken broth, and blend at high speed to puree the mixture.  Reserve the remaining shrimp to add on top of each bisque when serving.  

2. NEXT, Transfer the shrimp mixture into the saucepan with the cream sauce.  Stir to combine.  Taste the bisque and season with salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste. 

3. Heat the shrimp bisque thoroughly.  NOTE: If the shrimp bisque is too thick, you can add in additional chicken broth or just water to your desired consistency.

4. Ladle the bisque in soup bowls, and top each bowl with a couple of shrimp. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley over each bowl.  Serve immediately.

Serves 3 to 4 servings

Notes

FOR FROZEN SHRIMP:

TO THAW: Just allow the shrimp to defrost and drain in a bowl on your counter.  Or place the bag of frozen shrimp overnight in the refrigerator. 

2. THEN DRAIN: Allow the shrimp to drain in a colander. Do not force or speed up the thawing by placing shrimp under running water, or the shrimp will lose its flavor.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

3 to 4 servings

Serving Size:

1 cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 360Total Fat: 24.7gCarbohydrates: 11.9gFiber: 1.5gSugar: 2.9gProtein: 21.7g

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