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Prawn bisque in a grey bowl with a spoon inserted into it.
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5 from 10 votes

Prawn Bisque

Prawn Bisque is a rich and flavorful seafood bisque with a roux base and creamy texture. It’s an easy appetizer that's ready in just an hour!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: French
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 215kcal
Author: Danielle Wolter

Ingredients

  • 1 pound prawns peeled and deveined (leave heads on if desired)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 shallot minced
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup dry sherry
  • 4 cups shrimp stock substitute seafood or lobster stock
  • 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon coconut sugar
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon crab boil
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons salt adjust to taste - depends on whether you use salted broth
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley for serving
  • croutons for serving

Instructions

  • You can use store-bought shrimp broth to save time. To make your own, place the shrimp shells and heads in an Instant Pot and cover with water (about 10-12 cups). Pressure cook on high for 3 hours. Strain and use 4 cups for this recipe.
  • Heat the butter and flour in a dutch oven over medium heat, whisking constantly until a light brown roux forms (about 5-10 minutes).
  • Add the tomato paste, garlic and shallot and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  • Very SLOWLY pour in the sherry while whisking constantly to ensure lumps don't form.
  • Do the same with the stock. Then, stir in the tarragon, bay leaf, coconut sugar, salt, paprika and crab boil.
  • Bring to a boil, turn down the heat and let it simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the cream and bring it back to a simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Remove from heat, add the prawns, cover and let sit for 10-15 minutes. (The prawns will cook through from the heat of the broth).
  • Serve with croutons and parsley.

Notes

  1. I like to keep a couple of prawns with the heads on to serve - plus they are delicious!
  2. When making the roux, stir constantly so it doesn’t burn.
  3. To avoid lumps forming in the roux, slowly whisk in the sherry.
  4. Similarly, to prevent lumps from forming in the bisque, use warmed stock and stir it in slowly. I usually add one cup at a time.
  5. You can substitute chicken or vegetable stock for the seafood stock. This homemade crockpot chicken broth is one of our faves to use.
  6. While sherry adds a depth of flavor, if you prefer not to use it, you can just use more stock. White wine is another good substitute.
  7. When simmering the bisque after the cream has been added, you should stir it frequently and make sure it doesn’t come to a boil as the cream may start to curdle. 
  8. If the bisque is too thick for you, just stir in a little more stock or even water.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 1430mg | Potassium: 476mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 505IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 1mg