Name: Classic New England-Style Lobster Bisque
Yield: 8–10 servings
Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients: 1–1½ pounds prepared vegan lobster pieces; 1 stick vegan butter (8 tablespoons), divided; 1 large onion, diced; 2 carrots, finely chopped; 3 celery stalks, finely chopped; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 3 tablespoons tomato paste; ½ cup dry white wine (optional); 5 cups vegetable broth; 1 bay leaf; 2 cups unsweetened soy milk; 1 cup unsweetened vegan cooking cream, or full-fat coconut milk; ¼ cup all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; ½ teaspoon sweet paprika; ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning (optional); ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional); 1 tablespoon lemon juice; Salt and black pepper to taste; Fresh parsley for garnish

INGREDIENTS

8–10 servings

Vegan lobster and vegetables

1–1½ pounds prepared vegan lobster pieces
1 stick vegan butter (8 tablespoons), divided
1 large onion, diced
2 carrots, finely chopped
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup dry white wine (optional)
5 cups vegetable broth
1 bay leaf

Creamy bisque base

2 cups unsweetened soy milk
1 cup unsweetened vegan cooking cream, or full-fat coconut milk
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning (optional)
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and black pepper to taste
Fresh parsley for garnish

METHOD

Make it

1
Sauté the vegetables. Melt 5 tablespoons of vegan butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook 8–10 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
2
Build the bisque flavor. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, allowing it to darken slightly. Sprinkle in flour and stir for another minute. Add wine, if using, and stir to loosen the browned bits from the bottom.
3
Add broth and seasonings. Gradually whisk in vegetable broth. Add thyme, paprika, Old Bay, bay leaf and optional cayenne. Simmer gently for 20 minutes, until vegetables are completely tender.
4
Blend the bisque. Remove the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until completely smooth. For an especially silky restaurant-style texture, pass it through a fine-mesh strainer.
5
Add the cream. Stir in soy milk and vegan cooking cream or coconut milk. Simmer gently for 5–10 minutes without boiling vigorously. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper.
6
Prepare the vegan lobster. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons vegan butter in a skillet. Add vegan lobster pieces and cook according to package instructions until heated through and lightly browned.
7
Finish. Divide lobster pieces among bowls and ladle the hot bisque over them, or gently stir them into the pot just before serving. Garnish with parsley.

Cooking notes

Prepared vegan lobster must be heated or cooked according to its package; add near the end to preserve texture.
Uses 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter: 5 in the soup and 3 for the lobster. A 4-tablespoon lighter option is mentioned without a separate allocation.
Blend the base, not the lobster; optional fine-mesh straining.
Main list uses 1 cup cream or coconut milk; later suggestion permits one coconut-milk can with slightly reduced soy milk, without a precise soy-milk amount.

Serving suggestions

Crusty bread, garden salad and lemon cake.