Lobster Bisque (Creamy, Restaurant-Style & Gluten-Free)
This creamy lobster bisque is thickened naturally with rice instead of flour for a silky, gluten-free texture. Made with butter-poached lobster, seafood stock, fresh herbs, and a splash of sherry, this restaurant-style soup is rich, elegant, and perfect for special occasions or winter entertaining.
Servings: 6
Calories: 390kcal
Ingredients
For the Butter Poached Lobster
- 3-4 raw lobster tails, about 1.5 pounds
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
For the Bisque Base
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks,
- 4 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup dry sherry or dry white wine
- 4 cups seafood stock
- ¼ cup uncooked white rice
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh tarragon
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Garnish
- Chopped fresh tarragon or parsley
Instructions
Poach the Lobster
- Separate the lobster meat from the shells using kitchen shears. Chop the meat into bite-sized pieces.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the garlic. Add the chopped lobster meat and poach gently, turning occasionally, until the meat is opaque and just cooked through, about 2-3 minutes depending on size. Remove and set it aside.
Make the Bisque
- Increase the heat to medium and add the onion, carrots, and celery to the lobster-infused butter. Sauté the veggies until they have softened, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in the smashed garlic and cook for 30 seconds more, then add the lobster shells and the tomato paste. Cook, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens, about 2 minutes.
- Deglaze the pot with the dry sherry or dry white wine, scraping the bottom to release any flavorful bits. Add the seafood stock and the rice.
- Using kitchen twine, tie the thyme and tarragon sprigs into a bundle (bouquet garni) and add it to the pot along with the 2 bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat, cover, and let it cook for 30 minutes, or until the rice is completely tender.
- Remove and discard the herbs, and use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove and discard the lobster shells. Transfer the soup to a blender. Blend on high speed until the mixture is completely smooth. Note: For safety, do not fill the blender more than halfway and remove the plastic cap from the lid, covering the opening with a kitchen towel to allow steam to escape.
- Optionally, pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a clean pot to catch any remaining small unblended pieces.
- Warm the strained bisque over low heat. Whisk in the heavy cream slowly until combined.
- Once the cream is incorporated, add the cold, cubed butter one piece at a time, whisking constantly until each piece is melted and emulsified into the soup before adding the next.
- Remove from the heat, stir in a pinch of cayenne pepper, then season to taste with salt and black pepper. Ladle the bisque into bowls and top with the lobster meat and a sprinkle of fresh tarragon or parsley.
Notes
What sets this recipe apart from most lobster bisque recipes is that it uses rice as a thickener rather than a traditional roux. This also means that it is gluten-free.
Use the finest sieve you have and be patient, pressing firmly to extract all the liquid; the straining step helps remove any remaining bits and yields a smooth texture.
Work in small batches, cover with a kitchen towel, and vent the blender lid to prevent pressure from building up and causing an accident when blending hot liquids.
Remove the bisque from the heat immediately and whisk vigorously if the soup appears to "break" or become oily after adding the cold butter, which usually means the heat was too high. Pulse the mixture quickly with an immersion blender to help re-emulsify it.
Be careful not to overcook the lobster meat when poaching; it should be just opaque, and it will warm through again when added to the hot soup.
Nutrition
Calories: 390kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 851mg | Potassium: 465mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4598IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 1mg
