Instant Pot Crab Bisque

This Instant Pot Crab Bisque is a delicious go-to bisque soup made in the Instant Pot.

We used lump crab, coconut milk, and other fresh ingredients; this warm bisque is just what you need to stay warm this winter.

Instant Pot Crab Bisque

 Our Instant Pot Crab Bisque, made with Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk, is perfect for this time of the year. Satisfy your taste buds.

What’s in our Instant Pot Crab Bisque

It’s rich and creamy, made with lump crab meat, carrots, onions, vegetable stock, and a quartet of seasonings.

Instead of heavy cream, we’re using coconut milk.

Yes, coconut milk makes for a delicate and lighter crab bisque.

Plus, who can argue with a healthy crab bisque? This crab bisque is all kinds of good, with a deep full flavor that will satisfy your taste buds. 

What You Will Need To Make Our Instant Pot Crab Bisque:

Lump Crab. There are a few variations you can get in lump crab. The first choice is fresh King crab legs; Maryland Blue Crab and Dungeness crab are all excellent choices. And in all honesty, it doesn’t matter whether you’re using fresh, frozen, or canned crab meat with the right technique and additional ingredients. You can still create an excellent crab bisque with rich flavor.

Coconut Milk. Crab Bisque is traditionally made with heavy whipping cream, but if you think coconut milk isn’t up for the job, make no mistake; you’re in for a pleasant and tasty surprise. Thai Kitchen Coconut replaces heavy cream with aplomb and provides a delicate creaminess that is the centerpiece of any respectable crab bisque.

Mirepoix of Carrots, Onions & Garlic. This bisque’s vegetable base is a familiar trio of usual suspects, carrots, onions, and garlic. The carrots add sweetness, while the onions and savory garlic notes lend to this comfort food its depth of flavor.

Sweet Basil & Opal Basil. Because I made this soup at the height of summer, I took advantage of the bevy of herbs growing in our summer garden. And because I love fresh basil, I clipped three sweet basil and three opal basil leaves to add a complexity of flavor to our crab bisque. The sweet basil adds pepper and mint elements, and the opal basil notes of earthy sage.  I add them when I ladle the soup into the blender so their presence can imbue the bisque with aromatic herbaceousness and summer light.

Rue. Of course, a quick rue made with all-purpose flour and unsalted butter is how we get this bisque to mature into the characteristic consistency. First, I melt the butter in a saucepan over med-high heat, then whisk in the flour a tablespoon at a time, be careful not to scorch the rue, or you’ll have to start all over again. Just before the rue turns a dark blond color, I add a few turns of freshly cracked peppercorns. Perfect.

Vegetable Stock. Some folk use chicken stock when making crab bisque; I wholeheartedly don’t see it this way. I don’t want any other meat flavor to interfere with the taste of the crab meat. Call me crazy, but you will have to agree this crab bisque is all that!

Old Bay Seasoning, Worcestershire Sauce, Fresh Lemon Juice, Sea Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Peppercorns. We’re just intensifying the flavor profile. That’s all, nothing to see here!

Dry White Wine & Tomato Paste. The wine raises the bar, and the tomato paste adds more garden flavor and gives this dish a familiar blush.

Toppings. For this crab bisque, I set out oyster crackers, fresh young basil leaves, and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Instant Pot Crab Bisque Recipe 

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp EVOO, divided
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 1 1/2 cups Thai Kitchen Lite Coconut Milk
• 5 cups vegetable stock
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 6 tbsp flour
• 1/2 tbsp Old Bay® seasoning
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 cup lump crab meat, fresh or canned
• Kosher salt to taste
• Freshly cracked black peppercorns

Directions:

1. Unlock & remove the lid of the Instant Pot® & select the Sauté setting, and add two tablespoons of EVOO. When the oil is hot, add onions and carrots & sauté until the onions are opaque, 5-7 minutes
2. Using a slotted spoon, remove onions & carrots & place them into a bowl for later.
3. Keep the Instant Pot® on Sauté & add 4 tbsp of unsalted butter.
4. When the butter is melted, use a wire whisk & add all-purpose flour. Continue to whisk until a dark blond roux appears in about 5 minutes.
5. Continue to stir & cup by cup, add the vegetable stock, and cook, still using the sauté setting, for ~5 minutes.
6. Add Old Bay® seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, fresh lemon juice, & dry white wine. Whisk until all ingredients are blended. Add 1 cup of the lump crab meat, Coconut Milk, onions, and carrots. Working in batches, ladle the soup into a blender and pulse until the soup is smooth
7. Repeat until soup has blended
8. Return soup to the Instant Pot® & select the sauté setting & warm the bisque until it steams ~5 minutes.
9. Add the remaining lump crab meat, 1 tbsp of butter, & 1 tbsp of EVOO.
10. Add Kosher salt & freshly cracked black peppercorns to taste.

*During the blending process, remove the center “pour hole” located on the blender lid to allow steam to escape. Not doing so may result in excess pressure build-up

What is the difference between she crab soup and crab bisque?

She-Crab Soup is made with the whole crab you cook and then have to break apart and use.

Crab Bisque tends to use lump crab for a simple prep of the thick and creamy bisque.

Bisque is a thick and creamy soup made with white wine, vegetable stock, and coconut milk.

What is the definition of a bisque?

Bisque would be defined as a thick and creamy soup.  Bisque is made with crab or other shellfish for a delicious seafood-inspired soup.

Bisque showcases a thick and creamy soup, whereas stews are not as creamy in texture. 

If you have leftover crab on hand or a can of lump crab in your fridge, consider making this ultra-creamy soup the whole family can enjoy. 

What do you eat crab bisque with?

Consider pairing a fresh green salad with a citrus vinegarette with your soup, oyster crackers, sandwich, etc.

This recipe is very hearty and can easily be a meal in one. But feel free to pair it with any or all of your favorite side dishes. 

Can I freeze crab bisque?

Due to some of the ingredients in this dish, you will find it can curdle once it thaws. To help prevent curdling, whisk well as you are whisking up the soup to reheat on the stove.

Also, heating up on low heat can help allow all the ingredients to re-incorporate. 

When you freeze the bisque, leave some room at the top of the freezer container.

Soups and bisques expand as they freeze.

If you fill it too full, it will break open the lid and make a mess in the freezer. 

Use these souper cubes to freeze your leftover bisque. 

Now that you have this recipe, it’s time to grab all the ingredients and give it a try. 

More recipes to check out:

Shrimp Bisque Recipe Made in the Instant Pot

No Bake Chocolate Pie Recipe With Toasted Meringue

Seafood Udon Noodle Salad

Instant Pot Crab Bisque Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Servings: 0

Author: This Worthey Life

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Ingredients

 

1x2x3x4x5x

• 3 tbsp EVOO divided
• 1 cup carrots chopped
• 1 cup onion diced
• 1 1/2 cups Thai Kitchen Lite Coconut Milk
• 5 cups vegetable stock
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 6 tbsp flour
• 1/2 tbsp Old Bay® seasoning
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 cup lump crab meat fresh or canned
• Kosher salt to taste
• Freshly cracked black peppercorns

Instructions

• Unlock & remove the lid of the Instant Pot® & select the Sauté setting, and add two tablespoons of EVOO. When the oil is hot, add onions and carrots & sauté until the onions are opaque, 5-7 minutes
  
  Using a slotted spoon, remove onions & carrots & place them into a bowl for later.
  
  Keep the Instant Pot® on Sauté & add 4 tbsp of unsalted butter.
  
  When the butter is melted, use a wire whisk & add all-purpose flour. Continue to whisk until a dark blond roux appears in about 5 minutes.
  
  Continue to stir & cup by cup, add the vegetable stock, and cook, still using the sauté setting, for ~5 minutes.
  
  Add Old Bay® seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, fresh lemon juice, & dry white wine. Whisk until all ingredients are blended. Add 1 cup of the lump crab meat, Coconut Milk, onions, and carrots. Working in batches, ladle the soup into a blender and pulse until the soup is smooth
  
  Repeat until soup has blended
  
  Return soup to the Instant Pot® & select the sauté setting & warm the bisque until it steams ~5 minutes.
  
  Add the remaining lump crab meat, 1 tbsp of butter, & 1 tbsp of EVOO.
  
  Add Kosher salt & freshly cracked black peppercorns to taste.

Notes

*Note: During the blending process, be sure to remove the center “pour hole ” (also known as a "fill cap") located on the blender lid to allow steam to escape. Not doing so may result in excess pressure build-up and the lid blowing off.

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