Shrimp and Butternut Squash Bisque
This Shrimp and Butternut Squash Bisque brings warmth, comfort, and a touch of elegance to your table. Perfect for weeknight dinners or special occasions, it’s a recipe you’ll turn to time and time again!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 225kcal
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash peeled, and ½" diced
- 1 yellow onion peeled, and cut into small dice
- 1 lb jumbo shrimp cleaned and deveined. If using jumbo shrimp, cut shrimps into thirds. You can use smaller shrimp and cut maybe in half or not at all depending on their size.
- 2 oz butter
- ¼ cup olive oil divided, for roasting squash and for sauteeing onions
- 1 cup Brandy or White Wine optional
- 1 qrt vegetable or seafood broth
- 1 pnt heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Peeling the butternut squash
- Cut the top and bottom of the squash. Then, cut the squash in half.
- Place a cut end on the cutting board. Place the blade of the knife as close to the skin of the butternut squash and begin to cut downward to peel it.
- With a spoon, scoop all the seeds and guts from the squash.
- Cut squash into half to an inch slices. Then, into half to an inch batons or sticks.
- Finally, cut the sticks into dice. Toss the butternut squash with oil, salt, and pepper and roast on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 350℉.
To clean and devein the shrimp
- Gently squeeze the tail and pull it while wiggling it until it comes off. If that does not work, the tail has two ridges on the underbelly; you may pull away as you did with the legs.
- With a pairing knife, make a shallow incision on the top of the shrimp to expose the vein.
- Cut the shrimp into thrids. See note.
Making the bisque
- Once the butternut squash is roasted, please remove it from the oven and let it rest.
- Add butter and olive oil to a Dutch oven or a large sauce pot. Add half of the shrimp and saute until cooked. This will garnish the bisque and add shrimp flavor to the butter.
- Remove shrimp and add onions. Sautee until soft and beginning to caramelize.
- Add butternut squash and cook until the squash breaks down.
- Add the other half of the shrimp. The picture shows partly cooked shrimp, but it is better to use raw shrimp instead. Cook and stir until the shrimp is bright pink.
- Add white wine. Mix thoroughly. Allow the wine to deglaze the pot.
- Season with cumin, salt, and pepper. Hold the cayenne until the end of the cooking process; otherwise, it will overpower the bisque.
- Add broth. Make sure to have more broth handy when adjusting the bisque's thickness.
- If using a blender, puree the bisque in batches. I used an immersion blender right on the stove. Add cream and adjust the thickness to your liking. Taste for flavor, and add a dash of cayenne to add some heat to the bisque; this is optional.
Notes
- Choose Fresh Shrimp: Use fresh or high-quality frozen shrimp for the best flavor.
- Make It Ahead: Prepare the bisque base and add the shrimp before serving.
- Consistency: If the bisque is too thick, add more broth; if it is too thin, let it simmer to reduce.
- Blender Tips: Blend the soup in batches using a standard blender to avoid spills.
- Already cleaned Butternut Squash: If you are pressed for time or do not want to peel it, many supermarkets offer it already peeled and diced.
- Use a higher-count or smaller shrimp: If you find raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp with tails off, use that instead of the lower-count larger shrimp. You will have fewer shrimp to clean using the larger shrimp, plus they tend to be readily available.
Nutrition
Serving: 12oz | Calories: 225kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 373mg | Potassium: 444mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 10302IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 1mg
