What even is crab bisque? It's an old-school creamy soup that's perfect for a special occasion. It's also easy as hell. Here's everything you need to know.
Where do I find seafood stock?
While you can make your own, it's not a fun task. We much prefer to pick some instead. It should be at your local fish market. We usually buy ours at Whole Foods.
Do I need to use seafood stock?
Nope. Fish stock is definitely preferable (it tastes best with the crab), but in a pinch, you can use vegetable broth.
Why is there flour?
After sautéing the veggies, you'll want to stir in some flour. It'll help thicken the soup to make it smooth and creamy.
Do I need an immersion blender?
No. But it's one of our favorite kitchen tools because you can blend soups directly in the pot. If you don't have one, a regular blender will work too. Just puree the soup in batches.
Does the crab get blended?
NO. That just sounds wrong, right?! It gets stirred right before serving.
Can I make the crab ahead of time?
You can make the base of the soup up to 3 days ahead. But hold off on adding the crab until you're planning on serving it.
butter
medium onion, finely chopped
stalks celery, finely chopped
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Old Bay seasoning
cloves garlic, minced
tomato paste
flour
fish stock (or low-sodium vegetable broth)
dry white wine
bay leaf
heavy cream
lump crab meat
Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish
1. In a large, heavy pot over medium heat, heat butter. Add onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and Old Bay, then stir in garlic and tomato paste. Cook until garlic is fragrant and tomato paste coats vegetables, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle over flour and cook until absorbed, 1 minute more.
2. Pour in seafood stock and wine, then stir in bay leaf. Reduce heat and let simmer until liquid is reduced and flavors meld, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.
3. Remove bay leaf and puree soup with an immersion blender on high until very smooth. Return to medium low heat and stir in heavy cream and half of the crab meat. Cook until just warmed through, about 5 minutes.
4. Divide among bowls and garnish with remaining crab meat and parsley before serving.
Rian Handler is a food writer, editor, and recipe developer with a fierce love for sour gummies.
