Roasted Sweet Pepper Crab Bisque

This creamy Roasted Sweet Pepper Crab Bisque is made with a base of puréed roasted Sweet Peppers and seafood stock and is loaded with crab meat, sweet corn, carrots, celery and onions.

My husband Walter is from Maryland so crabs are kinda a big deal in our house. We love picking crabs in the summer and he will devour anything with crab. He was the official taste tester (as per usual) of this Creamy Roasted Sweet Pepper Crab Bisque and he gave it 5 stars!

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For the base of this Creamy Roasted Sweet Pepper Crab Bisque we will roast sweet peppers. These peppers are crisp, nutritious, colorful and available year-round. We roast them to char the skin so we can remove it and get that delicious, sweet pepper meat!

To roast the peppers, start by slicing off the tops and removing the seeds. Next slice the peppers in half vertically and place the peppers face down on a baking sheet. Bake them at 500°F for 25-3o minutes, the skins will char as the pepper meat roasts. As soon as they are done, remove them from the oven and cover tightly with a sheet of aluminum foil. Let them rest for about 20 minutes, this allows the peppers to cool and the skin will be much easier to separate. After the 20 minutes, carefully remove the skin from each pepper and discard.

At this point we are ready to purée the pepper meat and then add it to the seafood stock. You can purée them in a food processor and then add them to a pot with the seafood stock. Or you can use an immersion blender and purée them in the pot once you add them to the seafood stock, either way works!

Now that we have roasted and puréed the sweet peppers and added them to the seafood stock, we have the base for our bisque! We will now season the bisque with some salt, old bay seasoning (made for crab!) and a little smoked paprika.

So what else goes into the bisque?

sautéed onions, carrots and celery

corn sliced straight from the cob

shredded crab leg meat

This makes for a hearty bisque, that really focuses on the flavor of the roasted peppers in the broth and highlights the crab. The last ingredients is heavy cream, just 1/2 cup. You don’t have to add it if you want to keep the bisque on the lighter side, but it really helps to give it a little extra creaminess.

You will want to serve the soup immediately upon preparation. I’ve chosen to garnish it with some fresh parsley and oyster crackers. A fresh loaf of warm bread would also make a great side!

How to Make Roasted Sweet Pepper Crab Bisque

1. Prepare the Peppers:

• Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C).
• Wash and dry the mini sweet peppers. Slice off the tops and remove the seeds. Cut each pepper in half lengthwise.
• Arrange the peppers, cut side down, on two large baking sheets, ensuring they do not overlap. This may require two sheets to accommodate all the peppers.
• Roast the peppers on the middle rack, one sheet at a time, for 25-30 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the skins are charred.

2. Steam and Peel the Peppers:

• After roasting, immediately cover the peppers with aluminum foil on the baking sheet. Let them steam for about 20 minutes. This will help loosen the skins.
• Carefully remove the charred skins from the peppers; they should come off easily. Discard the skins and transfer the roasted pepper flesh to a food processor.

3. Sauté the Vegetables:

• While the peppers are steaming, heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat.
• Add the chopped onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 6-8 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened and slightly browned. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl and set aside.

4. Blend the Peppers:

• Process the roasted peppers in a food processor until completely smooth. If you don’t have a food processor, a blender will work as well.
• Transfer the puréed peppers back into the stock pot.

5. Cook the Bisque:

• Add the seafood stock, salt, Old Bay seasoning, and a pinch of smoked paprika to the puréed peppers. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a low boil over medium heat.
• Return the sautéed vegetables to the pot, followed by the corn kernels. Allow the bisque to cook for an additional 2 minutes.

6. Add Cream and Crab:

• Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir in the heavy cream until fully incorporated.
• Gently fold in the crab meat, being careful not to break up the chunks.

7. Serve:

• Ladle the bisque into bowls, garnishing with fresh parsley and oyster crackers. Serve hot.

Recipe Notes:

• Peeling Peppers: The steaming step is crucial for easy peeling. If you have trouble removing the skins, let the peppers steam a bit longer.
• Seafood Stock: For a richer flavor, consider making your own seafood stock by simmering shrimp shells or fish bones with aromatics like onions, garlic, and herbs.
• Crab Meat: Fresh crab meat is best, but you can also use high-quality canned crab if fresh is unavailable. Be sure to drain it well before adding it to the bisque.
• Serving Suggestion: Pair this bisque with a crusty baguette for a complete meal.

Roasted Sweet Pepper Crab Bisque

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.8 from 4 reviews

• Author: Laura Nockett
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 servings 1x

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Description

With roasted mini peppers, tender crab meat, and a creamy finish, this bisque is both comforting and elegant.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

2 pounds mini sweet peppers (907 grams)

2 tablespoons olive oil (30 mL)

1 cup onions, chopped (150 grams)

1/2 cup carrots, chopped (65 grams)

1 cup celery, chopped (100 grams)

4 cups seafood stock (950 mL)

1 teaspoon salt (5 grams)

1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning (1.5 grams)

Pinch of smoked paprika

2 ears boiled corn, sliced off the cob (1 cup, 166 grams)

1/2 cup heavy cream (120 mL)

1/2 pound crab leg meat (226 grams)

Handful of fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

1/2 cup oyster crackers, for serving

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Instructions

1. Prepare the Peppers:

• Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C).
• Wash and dry the mini sweet peppers. Slice off the tops and remove the seeds. Cut each pepper in half lengthwise.
• Arrange the peppers, cut side down, on two large baking sheets, ensuring they do not overlap. This may require two sheets to accommodate all the peppers.
• Roast the peppers on the middle rack, one sheet at a time, for 25-30 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the skins are charred.

2. Steam and Peel the Peppers:

• After roasting, immediately cover the peppers with aluminum foil on the baking sheet. Let them steam for about 20 minutes. This will help loosen the skins.
• Carefully remove the charred skins from the peppers; they should come off easily. Discard the skins and transfer the roasted pepper flesh to a food processor.

3. Sauté the Vegetables:

• While the peppers are steaming, heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat.
• Add the chopped onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 6-8 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened and slightly browned. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl and set aside.

4. Blend the Peppers:

• Process the roasted peppers in a food processor until completely smooth. If you don’t have a food processor, a blender will work as well.
• Transfer the puréed peppers back into the stock pot.

5. Cook the Bisque:

• Add the seafood stock, salt, Old Bay seasoning, and a pinch of smoked paprika to the puréed peppers. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a low boil over medium heat.
• Return the sautéed vegetables to the pot, followed by the corn kernels. Allow the bisque to cook for an additional 2 minutes.

6. Add Cream and Crab:

• Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir in the heavy cream until fully incorporated.
• Gently fold in the crab meat, being careful not to break up the chunks.

7. Serve:

• Ladle the bisque into bowls, garnishing with fresh parsley and oyster crackers. Serve hot.

Notes

• If you would rather use an immersion blender you can, use it in the large pot once you have added the seafood stock.
• Peeling Peppers: The steaming step is crucial for easy peeling. If you have trouble removing the skins, let the peppers steam a bit longer.
• Seafood Stock: For a richer flavor, consider making your own seafood stock by simmering shrimp shells or fish bones with aromatics like onions, garlic, and herbs.
• Crab Meat: Fresh crab meat is best, but you can also use high-quality canned crab if fresh is unavailable. Be sure to drain it well before adding it to the bisque.
• Serving Suggestion: Pair this bisque with a crusty baguette for a complete meal.

• Prep Time: 60 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Category: Main, Soup
• Method: Boiling
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cup
• Calories: 280
• Sugar: 7g
• Sodium: 850mg
• Fat: 15g
• Saturated Fat: 7g
• Unsaturated Fat: 7g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 25g
• Fiber: 3g
• Protein: 12g
• Cholesterol: 55mg