Creamy Shrimp Bisque Recipe

heavy cream

🥗Healthier: coconut milk

💰Cheaper: whole milk

Coconut milk offers creaminess with fewer calories.

cognac

🥗Healthier: white wine

💰Cheaper: dry vermouth

White wine adds acidity without the high cost.

shrimp

🥗Healthier: chicken

💰Cheaper: canned crab

Canned crab provides seafood flavor at a lower price.

fish stock

🥗Healthier: vegetable stock

💰Cheaper: water with fish sauce

Vegetable stock maintains flavor while being lighter.

Begin by chopping mirepoix: roughly dice yellow onions, celery (including leaves), and carrots (peeling optional).

Add fennel to the mirepoix mixture.

Set the chopped mirepoix aside in a bowl.

Pull shrimp shells from the freezer; use shells from about four pounds of shrimp, totaling 12 to 16 ounces.

In a large pot, melt unsalted butter over medium heat and add shrimp shells and a few whole shrimp.

Cook until the shells turn white (for pink shrimp) or pink (for wild shrimp); then remove from heat and set aside.

Return the pot to medium heat, add more unsalted butter, and then add the mirepoix (onion, celery, carrots, fennel).

Add a bay leaf, flat Italian parsley, thyme, and tarragon; mix until combined and cook until lightly browned.

Add tomato paste and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Deglaze the pot with white wine and then add cognac, cooking until mostly evaporated.

Add the cooked shrimp shells back into the pot and combine everything; cook for a few more minutes to infuse flavors.

Pour in water or fish stock, stirring until combined; simmer on low to medium heat for 45 to 60 minutes.

Use a hand blender to blend the mixture until finely minced (not perfectly smooth).

Strain the mixture using a fine mesh strainer (shinwa) or cheesecloth over a regular strainer, pushing through to extract all flavors.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens