Today I’m sharing one of my favorite comfort food soups: Seafood Bisque.
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Since the recent passing of my dear friend Rhonda, I’ve been brainstorming on what to do to help keep me motivated during this grief, so I decided to do a little series on some of her favorite foods (and drinks!). Seafood bisque with a salad was one of the last meals I brought to her and her husband said she absolutely LOVED it! 
However, I can’t take any credit for the bisque I brought her that she loved so much… I had an appointment in Beaufort NC one day last month and stopped by Clawson’s 1905 Restaurant and Pub to get the seafood bisque before I went to her house… their seafood bisque is soooooo good and I highly recommend dining there if you’re ever in the area (not sponsored – I just love their food, service and atmosphere!).
I never got the chance to make Rhonda my own version but I know she would approve! Everyone’s cooking style is different and I loved this bisque just as much, but I will still continue to eat the seafood bisque at Clawson’s when I dine there.
I hope you enjoy this bisque as well! 
Seafood Bisque
Prep Time: 10 mins- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 40 mins
Yield: 6-8 servings
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeIngredients
- 6 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 pound medium shrimp – Peeled, deveined and chopped into about ½-inch pieces
- 1 pound bay scallops
- 1-1/2 cups finely chopped celery (about 3 stalks)
- 1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3 cups half and half
- 1 (32-ounce) container seafood stock (4 cups)
- ¼ cup white wine (I used chardonnay)
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt (more or less, to taste)
- ½ teaspoon pepper (more or less, to taste)
- Optional: Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or soup pot, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over medium high heat. Add shrimp and scallops and cook until shrimp are pink, stirring frequently (about 4 minutes).
- Remove shrimp and scallops with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl or on a plate, leaving juices in pot.
- Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and melt. Add celery and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender (stirring frequently). Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, while continuing to stir.
- Slowly add flour while whisking to combine. Add half and half and seafood stock, while continuing to whisk.
- Bring to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.
- Return shrimp and scallops to pot. Add white wine, Old Bay Seasoning, nutmeg, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Simmer for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Top with fresh chopped parsley, if desired.
This looks incredible! Can’t wait to try!
★★★★★
Thanks you, Valerie! 🙂
I made this recipe yesterday and my family is still talking about it! I doubled the recipe because we had a larger crowd – but it goes a long way. I added fresh crab meat as well. I will admit that it look me way longer to prepare this than 10 minutes – and cook time was over an hour – almost 2. I cooked it slowly to make sure I didn’t scorch the pan and also used more flour because I like my bisque on the thick side. Open bottle of chardonnay to boot – and it will definitely be a keeper! Thank you so much!!
★★★★★
Thanks, Jill! So happy to hear everyone enjoyed it! 🙂
This turned out great! I added some clams and some tomato paste because we like tomato-ey seafood bisque, and it turned out great!
Thanks so much, Christine! That sounds delicious! 🙂
My first try, and success!! I followed three recipe exactly, other than substituting seafood stock with a garden veritable stock. I’m definitely keeping this on my menu!!! Thank you!
Kari
★★★★★
So happy you loved it, Kari – Thank you! 🙂
I made this recipe last night for my fiance and I and we both LOVED it. I couldn’t find seafood stock so we instead boiled some blue crab claws in a smaller pot to make our own stock (just boiled it while I chopped all the veggies and cooked the scallops). I also added finely chopped onions and carrots along with the celery because I had them and mirepoix is just classic. Will definitely be making this again!
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Elyssa – So happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
Excellent! I made this tonight and we all loved it.
★★★★★
Thank you, Erin… so happy to hear everyone loved it! 🙂