This Butternut Lobster Bisque is an elegant, seasonal delight that is simple to prepare at home. It’s especially perfect for a romantic dinner for two.
I really love shellfish. Crab, lobster, mussels, shrimp, all of it. But sometimes I find it a real hassle to prepare. Maybe I’m just lazy?
When it comes to lobster and crabmeat I prefer just buying the meat already cooked from local seafood markets. I’m lucky enough to have several options near me and when I recently saw fresh cooked lobster meat I immediately knew I wanted to make a bisque.
Seafood bisque is just pure joy to me. And what better way to enjoy it right now than with sweet, creamy butternut squash?Â
Most bisque recipes use heavy cream and you can certainly use it in this recipe but I find that the pureed butternut squash is thick and creamy enough that you can get away with using half and half or even regular milk and it will still have that rich, silky texture one expects in a cream soup.
The recipe also calls for fish stock, which I realize might be a pain for some of you who don’t like making homemade stocks. I found a local butcher shop near me that carries homemade fish stock but it’s really not difficult to make.
For this recipe you could use fish stock, shrimp stock or lobster stock. And if all of that sounds complicated and bothersome to you, use chicken stock. The bisque itself won’t have the same seafood flavor but it will still be delicious and will work well with the lobster meat.
This is, beyond a doubt, my new favorite soup recipe on the blog. I wish I had a big bowl of it in front of me right now!
Butternut Lobster Bisque
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium leeks, pale green and white parts only, sliced thin
- 1 medium shallot, minced (approximately 1/2 cup)
- 3 ribs celery, diced
- 4 cups butternut squash, cubed
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon cognac, divided
- 1 1/2 cups fish or seafood stock, preferably homemade (otherwise, use low-sodium)
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 cup half-and-half, or 50% whole milk + 50% heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
- black pepper to taste
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 cup fresh cooked lobster meat, chopped (lump crab meat may be substituted)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or large heavy-bottom saucepan over low heat. Add the leeks, shallot and celery with a pinch of salt. Allow the vegetables to sweat for several minutes, stirring periodically, until softened. Add the butternut squash and cook for several more minutes, stirring.
- Turn the heat up to medium and allow a brown glaze to slowly build on the bottom of the pan by stirring less often. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't burn. Use a spatula to scrape up and incorporate the brown bits a few times. After several minutes, add 1/3 cup cognac to deglaze the pan and loosen the rest of the brown bits. Allow to alcohol to reduce down to almost nothing, stirring the vegetables frequently, and then add the fish stock and thyme leaves.
- Bring the liquid to a boil and then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Allow the soup to simmer for 45 minutes.
- Carefully transfer the soup to a blender and puree until very smooth. Wipe down the dutch oven and return the soup to the pot. Stir in the half and half, 1 tablespoon cognac, and the salt, pepper and cayenne. Add the lobster meat, optionally reserving some for garnish. Serve hot. To reheat the soup, strain out the lobster meat first to avoid overcooking it. Add it back in once the soup is hot.
Please read my full post for additional recipe notes, tips, and serving suggestions!
Nutrition
Recipe Troubleshooting
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Two of my favorites blended into one soup, I must try! Stunning photography, as always too!
This is a keeper! This sounds so gourmet and decadent without all the fat of a bisque, I LOVE this! Now I guess I gotta get some lobsta!
do you understand what you have here? The most delicious rich and intoxicating soup/bisque I have ever seen! Here’s to wishing it was on my table for dinner tonight!
Looks delicious.. beautiful clicks
This sounds and looks heavenly. I don’t usually make things with seafood at home but this soup changes things!
Yummy!
I like the idea of using a veggie to make the soup creamy instead of heavy cream :) i love any type of bisques and butternut lobster just sounds SO perfect for the holidays right now. I’m sure guests would appreciate this creamy, flavorful soup!
Jen,
I’ve got the wherewithal to make seafood stock–and the veggies from the farm share. Now to create the opportunity to make this. Your photos are stunning.
So comforting and delicious :) Pinned!
This looks divine :) I am dying to taste this, it just sounds so delicious!!
Loveee! I have never actaully tried lobster before.
There are some of the most beautiful photos on this site. Everything looks delicious. I love butternut squash soup and adding lobster to it….wow!
This sounds amazing and I plan on trying it tomorrow night, in case I can’t find any lobster in the store, would imitation lobster work? I know, blasphemy! But I live in the middle of Missouri so we work with what we have! :)
Hi Autumn! I’ve never worked with imitation lobster so I’m not sure. My instinct is to say try and find a different shellfish that’s real- crab, shrimp, etc. Good luck!
I am really excited to try this recipe! I was wondering two things, first, how should I cut the leeks? Secondly, you talk about buying pre cooked lobster above and then say fresh lobster in teh ingrediants, shoud I cook the lobster in teh soup, or add cooked lobster and just wartm it to temp?
Hi Megan! These are excellent questions and I’ve updated the recipe accordingly. However, to answer you directly, I usually slice the leeks in half lengthwise and then slice the halves crosswise to create thin half moons. It really doesn’t matter very much how you cut them since they will ultimately be pureed with the soup. Just cut small pieces that will cook evenly in the pan.
And I did use cooked lobster in the soup, I just meant to use very fresh cooked lobster, nothing that smells fishy. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I am happy to answer them! :)
Thanks so much!
Your soup is perfection!