Corn and shrimp bisque is a rich and creamy soup made from pureed corn, seafood stock, tomato paste, coconut milk, and hardy seasonings and topped with robust chunks of potatoes, corn, shrimp and crab meat. This soup is a unique hybrid between a traditional velvety smooth seafood bisque and a chunky chowder, making it an incredibly cozy fall dinner option. With a uniquely smoky sweet flavor, two seafood proteins, and a dairy-free creaminess, this corn and shrimp bisque is sure to become a staple during the chilly autumn and winter nights.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Uniquely sweet and smoky flavor.
- Rich, creamy texture without using heavy cream.
- Protein packed soup, thanks to shrimp and crab meat.
- Dairy-free recipe and can be made gluten-free easily.
Ingredients
- Corn – adds a creamy texture and sweet flavor to the bisque. We prefer to use fresh ears of corn for this recipe, especially during the summer months, for extra fresh flavor. However, you can also use canned or frozen corn.
- Shrimp and lump crab meat – we like to use a mixture of shrimp and lump crab meat to add a little sweetness and a good dose of protein to this bisque. Feel free to use one or both. You can also choose to cook the shrimp whole or chop them into small bite-size pieces.
- Mirepoix – this recipe uses a classic mirepoix of yellow onion, carrot, and celery to add a deep flavor and rich aroma to the bisque.
- Russet potatoes – tender bite-size russet potato cubes are the perfect mix-in that gives a little chowder quality to this bisque.
- Seafood stock and water – forms the flavorful base for the shrimp bisque.
- Coconut milk – to keep this recipe dairy-free and lighter, we opted to use coconut milk instead of heavy cream. We prefer to use full fat coconut milk for a richer, creamier texture.
- Sherry wine – to deglaze the pan and add a hint of unique flavor.
- Tomato paste – for a burst subtly sweet flavor and to help thicken the soup.
- Seasonings – garlic, Old bay seasoning, dried thyme, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and bay leaves are simple but potent seasonings that give this soup its unique lightly smoky flavor.
- Olive oil – for sauteing the mirepoix.
- All-purpose flour – thickening agent. Sub in potato starch, tapioca starch, or arrowroot starch are gluten-free options for thickening this soup.
- Garnish – fresh parsley and green onions are an optional garnish to round out the flavors in the shrimp bisque. Or add some crunch with a handful of croutons.
Tips for Making Corn and Shrimp Bisque
- Whisk the flour (or thickening agent) into the broth before adding it to the soup in order to create a smooth, lump-free consistency.
- Use medium or large raw shrimp to prevent overcooking the shrimp and making it tough and rubbery.
- Avoid imitation crab…it just doesn’t work in this soup. Opt instead for refrigerated or canned varieties. If you use canned, we recommend draining and gently rinsing the crab before adding it to the soup.
How to Make Corn and Shrimp Bisque
Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. Once hot, add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Saute 3-4 minutes, or until veggies are tender.
Deglaze the pan with the sherry. Whisk together the flour and stock. Add the stock slurry, water, seasonings, tomato paste, bay leaves, and ยฝ cup of corn. Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves. Add the coconut milk. Use an immersion blender or transfer the soup to a food processor and blend until smooth. Return the bisque back to the Dutch oven.
Add the potatoes and simmer 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Add the shrimp, crab, and remaining 1ยฝ cup of corn. Warm 3-4 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and tender. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
Remove the bisque from heat and garnish with fresh parsley and green onions, if desired. Serve and enjoy!
How to Store
Store leftover shrimp and corn bisque in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. To reheat, add the soup to a sauce pan and warm over medium-low heat until warmed throughout. For frozen soup, thaw overnight in the refrigerator or add frozen soup directly to a large sauce pot and warm on medium-low heat until thawed and warmed throughout. Top with desired garnishes.
Recipe Variations
- Seafood/protein – swap in crawfish, salmon, clams, scallops, lobster, or cod for the shrimp and/or crab or add it in for an extra dose of seafood goodness. Add bacon or pancetta for a hint of crispy, meaty flavor.
- Dairy/milk – the recipe is dairy-free as written, but feel free to replace coconut milk with whole milk, 2% milk, half and half, or traditional heavy cream.
- Veggies – try this soup with bell pepper, zucchini, cauliflower, or sweet potatoes.
- Stock/broth – seafood stock adds a rich depth to this bisque, but you can use chicken or veggie stock/broth in its place or make your own seafood stock.
- Seasonings – add some heat with Cajun seasoning, chipotle powder, chipotles in adobo, or cayenne pepper.
- Sherry – omit the sherry to keep alcohol-free or try dry white wine.
- Gluten-free – replace flour with arrowroot starch, potato starch, or tapioca starch to make this recipe gluten-free.
What to Pair With Corn and Shrimp Bisque
We love to pair this corn and shrimp bisque with a slice of homemade white bread, garlic bread, or homemade breadsticks, as they are perfect for dunking into the soup. Or top with croutons for a bit of crunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, feel free to omit the crab meat and add a little extra shrimp, if desired.
A bisque is traditionally a thick and creamy soup made from a seafood stock featuring lobster, shrimp, crab, or crawfish, that is pureed with cream into a velvety smooth consistency.
While both bisques and chowders are rich, creamy soups, bisques are smooth and traditionally made from a seafood stock, while chowders are chunky and contain large pieces of vegetables, potatoes, and meat/seafood.
Classic bisques are thickened with a paste made from finely ground crustacean shells. More modern bisque recipes will use a roux, a mixture of fat (like butter or oil) and flour, or rice as a thickening agent.
Check out our other cozy soup recipes
- Fall minestrone soup
- Chicken gnocchi soup
- Gluten-free chicken noodle soup
- Chicken butternut squash soup
- Creamy chicken tortellini soup
Let us know what you think about our recipe for corn and shrimp bisque by dropping a comment, star rating, and/or sharing on Pinterest/social media! We really appreciate your help in sharing and rating our recipes, as it allows us to continue to bring delicious and healthy recipes to our community!
Corn and Shrimp Bisque
Equipment
- Food processor or immersion blender
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
- ยผ c sherry wine
- โ c all-purpose flour
- 2 c seafood stock
- 3 c water
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp Old bay seasoning
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp salt, more to taste
- ยฝ tsp black pepper
- ยฝ tsp smoked paprika
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 c fresh or frozen corn, divided
- 1 16 oz can full fat coconut milk
- 3 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 3 cups cubed)
- 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined (chopped, if desired)
- 6 oz lump crab meat
- ยผ c fresh parsley, minced (optional garnish)
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. Once hot, add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Saute 3-4 minutes, or until veggies are tender.
- Deglaze the pan with the sherry. Whisk together the flour and stock. Add the stock slurry, water, seasonings, tomato paste, bay leaves, and ยฝ cup of corn. Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaves. Add the coconut milk. Use an immersion blender or transfer the soup to a food processor and blend until smooth. Return the bisque back to the Dutch oven.
- Add the potatoes and simmer 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Add the shrimp, crab, and remaining 1ยฝ cup of corn. Warm 3-4 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and tender. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
- Remove the bisque from heat and garnish with fresh parsley and green onions, if desired. Serve and enjoy!
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