My brother-in-law is a fisherman off the coast of Northern California. Last time we went for a visit he told me I could take home all the Dungeness Crab I could peel. It is a salty, smelly, finger-numbing task, but the thought of having fresh crab in my Tennessee freezer was exhilarating! After I stuffed my belly with more crab than I would like to admit, I was able to take home about 6 pounds. One of these pounds I turned into this velvety crab bisque. It was the perfect light soup for a cold night. Here’s how I made it:
To start, grab a large pot and melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Then add in 4 minced shallots and 2 teaspoons of minced garlic. Let these saute for about 2 to 3 minutes until they are translucent. Stir in a tablespoon of tomato paste and let it cook 30 seconds more. Pour in 1/4 cup of whiskey (a bourbon also works) and use a wooden spoon to scrap all those yummy bits of the sides of the pot. Let this mixture cook down for about a minute and then add in 2 cups of coconut milk and 4 cups of chicken broth. Mix it slowly until it comes to a boil.
Once the crab bisque has boiled, turn off the heat and add half of the crab. Transfer the soup to a blender or use an immersion blender to puree the chunks of crab. The mixture should be smooth and a deep orange color. If using a blender, return the crab bisque to the pot and add in the remaining crab. Pour in a tablespoon of lemon juice and stir everything together.
These are the bowls I served my husband and I. I always make my kids try everything atleast once, but I had a feeling they wouldn’t care for the sophisticated taste. It turned out that my daughter loved the crab bisque and ate an entire bowl, but for my boys I made something easy and delicious like my 3 Cheese Baked Macaroni and Cheese. They never turn down gooey noodles covered in cheese!
I scooped up the velvety crab bisque into personal sized soup bowls and garnished them with chives or green onions. I used these cute little soup bowls that aren’t overly big. They help this foodie with portion control!
Are you looking for other easy 30 Minute Recipes or maybe some Seafood Dishes? You might like my 30 Minute Creamy Shrimp & Lemon Orzo. Check out my Recipe Index for lots of options, or check out my Pinterest Boards below. Whatever you’re cooking tonight, I hope it’s dreamy. Happy cooking y’all!
Velvety Dungeness Crab Bisque Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb cooked lump crab meat such as Dungeness
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 4 minced shallots
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1/4 cup whiskey
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- Pinch of white pepper
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- Chives or green onions for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot, melt the butter and saute the shallots and garlic for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and cook 30 seconds more.
- Pour in the whiskey to deglaze the pot and let the mixture cook down for about a minute.
- Add in the coconut milk and chicken broth and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, turn off the heat and add in 1/2 the crab meat.
- Use a blender or immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth.
- Return the crab bisque to the pot and add in the remaining crab along with the lemon juice.
- Dish up into personalized soup bowls and garnish with chopped chives.