This homemade tomato bisque with crab is made with a combination of canned and oven-roasted fresh tomatoes. The bisque recipe is adapted from Memories and Recipes from Savannah by Vic’s on the River restaurant. It is delicious any time of year, but it’s especially excellent when made with a bounty of summer tomatoes!
Tomato Bisque Topped with Crab Meat
This recipe combines fresh and canned tomatoes to create a rich tomato-basil bisque. However, what makes it interesting and delicious is the addition of jumbo lump crab, spooned on top of each piping-hot bowl, just before serving.
Substituting Canned Tomatoes for Fresh
Fresh tomatoes in the winter are usually not as flavorful as those in the summer, so this recipe is best used in the summertime when you can find garden-fresh tomatoes. However, you can make this bisque without fresh tomatoes by substituting fire-roasted canned tomatoes. This shortcut works any time of the year and reduces the overall recipe time.
I used Roma tomatoes for this recipe; however, you can use other varieties of fresh tomatoes as well. Just make sure they are fully ripe and fragrant. Avoid hard tomatoes or any with deep cracks that may be difficult to remove.
Steps for Roasting Tomatoes
Follow these easy steps for preparing fresh tomatoes for roasting.
Making the Tomato Bisque with Crab
This bisque features cream cheese and cream to achieve a smooth, creamy texture. Puree it in a blender to give it a velvety texture. Follow these steps for mixing the bisque.
Garnish for Tomato Bisque with Crab
Choose fresh pasteurized crab to top this bisque. Use jumbo lump or regular lump for the best flavor. Enjoy!
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Homemade Tomato Bisque with Crab
Equipment
- baking sheet with sides
- parchment paper
- blender
Ingredients
Tomatoes
- 9 small to medium Roma tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Soup
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- (1) 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
- 3 cups chicken stock
- ½ cup fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces pasteurized jumbo lump crab
Instructions
Tomatoes
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Wash and drain the fresh tomatoes. Cut them into quarters, removing the stop stem and small core.
- Place a sheet of parchment paper onto the baking sheet. Add the tomatoes, sprinkling them with salt and pepper. Toss them with olive oil.
- Roast for 20 minutes or until the tomatoes are tender and charred.
Soup
- Add olive oil to a large Dutch oven and heat on medium. Add the onions and saute until wilted. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add the roasted tomatoes, canned tomatoes, chicken stock, basil, and sugar. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
- Simmer for 30 minutes. Cool slightly; then add the mixture to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and puree.
- Add the cream cheese and sour cream and blend until smooth.
- Simmer for an additional 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Ladle into bowls, and top with crab and a sprig of fresh basil.
Notes
Substituting Canned Tomatoes for Fresh
You can substitute canned roasted tomatoes for the fresh ones in this recipe. Or you can roast canned tomatoes yourself by following these steps:-
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- Buy (1) 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes.
- Drain them.
- Count out the same number as the fresh ones used in this recipe.
- Cut them in half, letting any excess water drain off.
- Place them on a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.
- Bake them as listed in the recipe until charred and dried out.
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