This recipe is based on a lobster bisque I made as a copycat for Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, but with shrimp! Creamy, rich, and bursting with delicious seafood flavor, it’s like the soup you would get as an appetizer at a fancy restaurant.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
It’s super easy to adapt this recipe to fit your mealtime needs! Use smaller portions for a shrimp bisque appetizer, or larger portions to make it a standalone meal.The bisque is smooth and creamy and as good as (if not better than) shrimp bisque you’ll find at a restaurant!This whole dish is so, so easy to make but it looks complicated and elegant. It will absolutely knock the socks off anyone you’re cooking for!
Key Ingredients
Brandy and Dry Sherry – Brandy is aged in barrels and has a floral, fruity flavor. Dry sherry is not as sweet as other types of sherry and has a light, slightly nutty flavor. Combined, they add an extra splash of flavor to the bisque.Seafood Stock – While you can use chicken stock if seafood isn’t available, the seafood stock helps give this bisque a wonderful boost of seafood flavor.Whipping Cream – Bisques are meant to be creamy, and whipping cream helps make this shrimp bisque incredibly rich.
Chef’s Tips
You can use cooking sherry if you don’t have dry sherry, but I recommend buying a bottle (especially if you plan on making this bisque more than once). There are several different types of dry sherry and they each have a different flavor. Fino and Manzanilla are both very light dry sherries. Amontillado is slightly more aged and has a nuttier, richer flavor. Full-body Oloroso is dark and aromatic. Paleo Cortado is rich, intense, and a little salty. I recommend either a Fino or Manzanilla, but feel free to try any variety!For this shrimp bisque, you want to purchase shrimp in the shells. The shells are super important to developing the stock that eventually becomes your creamy bisque! As far as fresh vs. frozen shrimp, either will work, but unless you live near the water and can buy them right off the boat, you’re better off getting frozen shrimp.
More Delicious Shrimp Recipes
Creamy Shrimp SaladWhole30 Bang Bang Shrimp (Paleo, Grain Free, Nut Free)Keto GumboTuscan Shrimp (Whole30, Paleo)Baked Shrimp
