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Seafood Tomato Bisque

You will love the flavors of this Seafood Tomato Bisque! The richness of cream cheese blended with the classic seafood flavors of shrimp and scallops, will give you a main dish bisque that everyone will find perfectly filling.

 

butter, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme all added to a soup pot.

 

It is soup season which is why this Seafood Tomato Bisque is a must try recipe! My family loves soups, and when fall and winter come around, we eat soup every single day, even though we live in the south where it doesn’t get crazy hot. We just love soup!

We regularly have this Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup and this Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

It is one of those easy recipes that gives you amazing flavor. My kids call it a tomato seafood soup, but I like to call it a bisque.

The word bisque is used a lot to describe different styles of soups and stews, but traditionally a bisque is a very creamy soup made from blended up ingredients you have simmered or sauteed together, and then you add plenty of cream to. 

So it’s basically the best part of soup. But you can also have the perfect filling chunks of seafood to give you texture changes in your very thick bisque.

This tomato shrimp bisque is one of my favorite ways to serve it. 

 

Flour added to cooked vegetables

 

What is Seafood Tomato Bisque?

Seafood Tomato Bisque is a creamy soup that blends the flavors of seafood and tomatoes. Simmered low and layering flavors gives you a perfect blend of tastes. This creamy tomato seafood bisque recipe will quickly become one of your family favorites.

 

tomatoes and broth added to bisque

 

What Ingredients Are in Seafood Tomato Bisque?

  • Butter: gives the base of the soup a rich, buttery flavor.
  • Onion: adds a layer of flavor to the creamy tomato soup
  • Carrot: adds a hint of sweetness to the base of the soup
  • Celery: gives depth of flavor to the creamy seafood bisque
  • Garlic: adds flavor and depth to the seafood stock
  • Bay Leaf: one of the easy ways to take your tomato seafood bisque to the next level of flavor
  • Fresh Thyme: fresh makes a big difference; you won’t get as strong of a flavor using dried thyme (but if you do use thyme, not ground thyme)
  • Flour: thickens the bisque base to a creamy consistency.
  • Chicken Broth: using chicken stock or broth provides a savory base.
  • Chopped Tomatoes: canned tomatoes taste just as good and are easier to work with than fresh tomatoes when making soup
  • Cream Cheese: we use this instead of heavy cream to give you a thicker, creamier bisque
  • Cooking Sherry: this brings out flavors and adds a lot of flavor to the dish
  • Your Favorite Seafood: I think shrimp and bay scallops give the best seafood flavors in this recipe
  • Salt and Black Pepper: seasons everything to perfection
  • Chopped Parsley: use this as a garnish for a touch of freshness at the finish

Pro Tip: Change your fresh seafood meats to customize your flavors. Make a tomato crab bisque by adding crabmeat or lobster bisque by adding lobster meat. Leave out the scallops and it gives you a focused shrimp tomato bisque. Find your favorite flavors as you try different seafood combinations!

 

cream cheese and cooking sherry added to soup pot

 

How to Make Seafood Tomato Bisque:

  1. Melt butter in a large pot or dutch oven. 
  2. Sauté mirepoix, garlic, and herbs in the butter over medium heat.
  3. Add flour and stir well, then add tomatoes and broth; simmer.
  4. Add cream cheese and sherry; simmer.
  5. Remove herbs, and use an immersion blender to puree the bisque.
  6. Return to medium-low heat, add seafood, and simmer briefly.
  7. Season, garnish, and serve.

Pro Tip: Using an emulsion blender is the safest way to blend hot liquids. If you need to use a standard blender, let the bisque cool slightly before blending to avoid splattering hot liquid.

 

bisque being blended with an immersion blender.

 

What to Serve with Seafood Tomato Bisque:

My favorite thing to serve with seafood tomato bisque are a green salad and breadsticks. Soup, salad, and breadsticks are the perfect comfort food. 

And that is a great way to make sure there is something on the table that everyone loves to eat.

How to Store Leftover Seafood Tomato Bisque:

Store leftover seafood tomato bisque in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Put it into individual serving size containers for easy meal prep!

 

Cut up seafood added to bisque

 

How Long Does Seafood Tomato Bisque Last in the Fridge?

Stored properly in the fridge, seafood tomato bisque will last 3-4 days. It is a thick soup that will thicken as it sits, so be sure to stir and reheat gently.

Can You Freeze Seafood Tomato Bisque?

Yes you can freeze tomato seafood soup. The texture of the fresh seafood will change, so if you are planning to freeze it, make and blend the soup, then freeze it. 

It can be frozen for up to 2-3 months. Thaw slowly in the refrigerator, then reheat and add the seafood fresh before serving.

 

creamy bisque in soup pot and ready to serve

 

Is Seafood Tomato Bisque Healthy?

Tomato Seafood Bisque is mostly healthy. That means moderation and portion control is key. Seafood has great lean protein, but the cream cheese makes it more of an occasional treat.

Can Dogs Eat Seafood Tomato Bisque?

No, dogs should not eat this seafood bisque recipe. The dairy content and seasonings are dangerous for your pups.

 

A bowl of seafood bisque topped with fresh parsley

 

Additional Soup Recipes You’ll Love…

Seafood tomato bisque is one of those delicious recipes that can double as an easy weeknight meal but still stand strong at an elegant dinner party. However you serve it, everyone is sure to want another helping of this perfect bisque.

I hope you enjoy this tomato seafood bisque recipe as much as we do!

Creamy Tomato Seafood Bisque

Creamy Tomato Seafood Bisque

Yield: 6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Tomatoes and cream cheese add a rich creaminess to this delicious seafood bisque recipe. You won't be able to stop at just one bowl!

Ingredients

  • 5 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
  • 1 celery rib, chopped
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 6 cups of chicken broth (I used chicken broth because I tend to always have that on hand)
  • 28 oz can of chopped tomatoes
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 2 teaspoons cooking sherry
  • 2 pounds seafood, chopped (I used shrimp and bay scallop, chopped the shrimp into bite size pieces)
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • chopped parsley as garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a large sauce pot, melt butter over high heat.
  2. Add all vegetables, bay leaf and fresh thyme.
  3. Cook until vegetables are tender, approximately 10 minutes.
  4. Add flour and cook for another couple minutes, stirring to combine.
  5. Add tomatoes and broth; stir to combine; bring to a boil.
  6. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
  7. Add cream cheese and sherry; stir and let cream cheese dissolve; simmer for another 10 minutes.
  8. Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs.
  9. Puree in blender, or use an immersion blender.
  10. Return pot to stove; add shrimp and scallops; continue to simmer for another couple minutes until seafood is cooked.
  11. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  12. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 488Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 191mgSodium: 1866mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 2gSugar: 8gProtein: 39g
Originally Posted: January 12, 2015

Photos & Text Updated: October 23, 2023

Tomatoes and cream cheese add a rich creaminess to this delicious seafood bisque recipe. You won't be able to stop at just one bowl!

Creamy Tomato Seafood Bisque...tomatoes and cream cheese add a rich creaminess to this delicious seafood bisque recipe. #soup #bisque #tomatosoup #seafood #seafoodsoup

Creamy Tomato Seafood BisqueUpdated 10/2/16. 

 

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Ellen. Carter

Thursday 1st of August 2024

Can I pin this recipe

Num's The Word

Monday 5th of August 2024

Absolutely!

Shaun

Wednesday 6th of December 2023

What kind of Sherry does it use?

Janelle

Tuesday 26th of December 2023

Cooking Sherry. I hope that helps!

Aiman Suroor

Sunday 12th of January 2020

Hi Michelle, this soup looks amazing & I’ll definitely make it, even if I can’t get a substitute for cream cheese. But could I substitute cream cheese with something lighter, I’m trying to lose weight.would really appreciate a reply. Thanks.

Michelle Nahom

Sunday 12th of January 2020

I've never made it with a substitute, but maybe you could try Neufchatel cheese. It is a little lighter calorie wise. If you try that instead, let me know how it comes out!

Debra

Sunday 27th of January 2019

Absolutely delicious.....made a huge pot of this today. Used fire-roasted tomatoes and cilantro!

diyadulation

Sunday 8th of January 2017

This looks like an amazing comfort dish! Thanks so much for sharing your recipe with us at Merry Monday!

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