Easy Shrimp Bisque

Regardless of the season, this will blow . . . you . . . away! This Easy Shrimp Bisque is super easy and super delicious! I’ve had friends ask to take doggy bags of this home. The creamy taste with the small bits of shrimp is so savory you’ll definitely go back for more. This is the perfect winter comfort food. Grab a loaf of bread or some oyster crackers and enjoy! You will love this recipe!

Easy Shrimp Bisque

What is a bisque soup? Basically, it’s a creamy broth soup typically made from lobster, shrimp, crabs, and other similar shellfish called crustaceans (that word will take you back to science class, lol!).  Everyone has their own version, and some take many hours. Mine, however, is quick, simple and loaded with flavor!

The Shrimp

The shrimp is going to be puréed, so I don’t go with anything expensive. I usually buy a 24 ounce bag of frozen medium sized shrimp. Now, depending on your guests, or rather, who you want to impress, if you do go with something a bit pricier, try to get something fresh, never frozen. It will taste slightly better. Yes, slightly. That’s why I don’t go with the costly option. However, I do like to get jumbo, never frozen shrimp for the garnish. The ones in the photos are those.

Special Equipment

Dutch Oven: Any time I have a meal with a large volume of liquid – soups, stews, braised meals, and so on – I always grab my Dutch oven. Mine is a medium sized 6 quart Dutch oven. It allows for even heat distribution which makes cooking these types of meals a breeze. If you don’t have one, I recommend getting one. They’re heavy and can be costly, but it is a great investment and you’ll be thrilled you bought one. It took my wife a little while to warm up to it, but now she uses it all the time. She is a master at cooking stews and this is her go-to every time!

Shrimp Bisque Cooking Instructions

1. Boil water in a 3 or 4 quart pot to cook the shrimp. Add the shrimp and cook for only 3 minutes! Remove them from the water and set aside several shrimp as garnish. This should serve 8 people so I set aside 16 shrimp, 2 for each bowl.
2. Put your pot or Dutch oven on medium heat and toss the butter in.
3. Once the butter melts, add the onion and season with salt and pepper. You want the onions to become soft and translucent, but not brown.
4. Now add the tomato paste. It will absorb the butter. You want the paste to cook, otherwise you might get a bitter taste.
5. Slowly add the clam juice, stirring it in to the tomato paste. I use Better Than Bouillon Clam Base.
6. Add the rice and bring it to a boil. Then reduce it to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes until the rice is cooked.
7. Remove the lid and add the shrimp. You only need to warm up the shrimp for about a minute.
8. Working in batches, add the soup to a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. I use a bowl to poor the puréed soup into until it’s all done. Then I pour everything back into the Dutch oven.
9. Whisk in the cream and cayenne pepper. Give it a taste and, if needed, make any adjustments with salt and pepper.
10. Garnish with some of the left over shrimp and fresh chives.

Give this Easy Shrimp Bisque a try this week! You and your family will love it!

5 from 1 vote

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Easy Shrimp Bisque

Course Soup

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 24 ounces Shrimp, peeled & deveined
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 Cup Sweet Onion, diced
• 4 Cups Clam Juice
• 1/4 Cup Long-grain White Rice
• 6 ounce Tomato Paste
• 1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• 2 1/2 Cups Half and Half
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Fresh Chives, chopped for garnish

Instructions

1. Boil water in a 3 quart sauce pan.  Add the shrimp and boil for 3 minutes. Remove them from the water and set aside. Reserve 16 shrimp as garnish, 2 for each bowl of soup.

2. In a 3-4 quart saucepan (a small Dutch Oven would be perfect for this) over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring continually to prevent the paste from burning. 

3. Add the clam juice and rice. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 15-20 minutes until the rice is tender.
   

4. Remove the lid and add the shrimp. Heat through for about 1 minute.

5. Working in batches, add the soup to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.  Return the soup to the saucepan and whisk in the half and half and cayenne pepper. Taste and make any needed salt and pepper adjustments at this time..

Recipe Notes

Serve with bread, oyster crackers, or just by itself! I've added a small amount of sour cream at times!