Creamy Tomato Bisque Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes a bisque creamy? ›

A bisque is a smooth, creamy French style of soup, traditionally made from crustaceans like lobster, crab or crayfish. It should include a stock made from the shells, a large amount of cream, and a thickening agent made from either finely-ground shells or rice.

What is the difference between tomato soup and Tomato Bisque? Tomato soup is usually made with either vegetable or chicken stock. Tomato bisque is made by adding cream or whole milk. The dairy is what makes it thicker and creamier, which gives it the defining traits of a bisque.

The recipe for seafood bisque evolved. Today it is typically made with a combination of shellfish, such as shrimp, lobster, or crab, as well as cream, butter, and aromatics like onions and garlic.

Start by using 1 tablespoon of cornstarch at a time, mixed with 2 tablespoons of water. More cornstarch slurry can be added, but be sure not to add too much. Only mix in a small amount of slurry at a time to ensure that your soup will thicken properly. Using corn starch is a fast, effective way to thicken soup.

Most modern bisques are thickened using rice. Some cook the rice in the broth and strain it out later, using only the left-behind rice starch to thicken the soup. Others puree the rice into the soup to thicken it. Almost all bisques are finished with hot cream for a velvety texture.

Other thickening techniques, such as using rice or a roux – a concoction of flour and butter — are far more common in today's cooking and are the preferred way of thickening most bisques. However, should you find yourself someday overburdened with crustaceans and extra time, perhaps give the traditional method a go.

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

WATER, TOMATO PASTE, DICED TOMATOES (TOMATOES, TOMATO JUICE, CITRIC ACID, CALCIUMCHLORIDE), CANOLA OIL, CREAM, SUGAR, ONIONS, BUTTER, SALT, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, BASIL, YEASTEXTRACT (BARLEY), WHEAT FLOUR, MODIFIED MILK INGREDIENTS, DRIED GARLIC, DRIED PARSLEY, ONIONPOWDER, ANNATTO, SPICES (CONTAINS CHILLIES).

Just add the appropriate amount of water, then simmer and serve for a deliciously filling soup in an instant. For a creamier result, add milk in place of water.

A bisque is a French style of soup that is made from crustaceans, such as lobster, crab, shrimp, and crayfish; their shells are used to make a stock and the meat is incorporated into the finished dish.

What is a true bisque? ›

A bisque is a creamy, thick soup that includes shellfish. Bisque is a method of extracting flavour from imperfect crabs, lobsters and shrimp that are traditionally not good enough to send to market. In an authentic bisque, the shells are ground to a fine paste and added to thicken the soup.

The addition of alcohol is a classic flavoring method but can provide more than just flavor. White wine, brandy or sherry can be used and are all excellent liquids for deglazing. This ensures every bit of flavor is cooked into the soup as opposed to being stuck to the bottom of the pan.

A tiny pinch of baking soda works wonders to mellow the taste without diminishing the distinct tomato flavor.

To thwart the curdling tendency, changing procedures will render a smooth tomato soup. Heat the tomato mixture and cream separately, then slowly add tomatoes to the cream near the end of the cooking process. Once mixed, heat the mixture gently to 180 degrees. Do not boil.

This tip comes from food science. Add a small spoonful of sugar to enhance the natural sweetness of the tomatoes. Season with salt in all of the steps (starting with the sauteed onions). This ensures your tomato soup is never bland.

Key Differences

Ingredients: Bisque is often made with seafood and enriched with heavy cream, whereas soup can be made with a wide range of ingredients, offering more versatility. Consistency: Bisque is consistently smooth and velvety, while soup can have a diverse range of consistencies, depending on the recipe.

Traditionally, a bisque is thickened with a paste made from the crustaceans' shells. This recipe takes a different approach and uses a flour-based roux. It's adaptable too; you can substitute another seafood or add a third, such as lobster, scallops, or firm, flaky fish.

A bisque is a cream soup, but a cream soup isn't always a bisque. To be a bisque the soup has to be made with a shellfish stock and will often include pieces of shellfish. Quite simply, no shellfish, no bisque.

The bisque should be thick enough to just coat the back of a spoon but not so thick that it is clearly thickened with a slurry mixture and develops a weird gelatinous consistency. Instead of using a slurry or roux base I cook rice in the broth and blend it. It should be a silky and luxurious soup – not chunky.