Difference Between Soup and Bisque

One of the things that come with the onset of winters is the soup. As the winters approach, a steamingly hot cup of soup is the most desirable food.

It is taken as a remedy to the cold weather, however, it can be taken in any weather. It is good for health and can be made as per the taste of the person.

There are different types of soups such as clear soup, thick soup, purees, stews, chowder, bisque, etc.

Key Takeaways

1. Soup is a liquid dish made from meat, vegetables, or grains, often with added seasonings and spices; bisque soup typically contains seafood or shellfish, cream, and butter.
2. Soup can be made from various ingredients and have a thin or thick consistency; bisque is typically smooth and velvety, with a rich, creamy texture.
3. Soup can be served hot or cold and can be a main course or a starter; bisque is usually served hot as a starter or appetizer.

Soup vs Bisque

The difference between soup and bisque is that soup refers to the food that is taken in the liquid form, prepared with vegetables, sauces, meat, flour, pulses, seasonings, etc, a soup is served hot, however, it also has some exceptions, on the other hand, a bisque is a kind of soup that is made creamy and smooth, it has the French origin, the most used ingredients in the bisque are crabs, crayfish, lobsters and shrimps, the cream is added to it during the cooking time so that it reduces in amount and thickens. 

The soup is the collective word that refers to all the foods that are taken in the liquid form made by adding vegetables, sauces, flour, etc and is mostly served hot with a variety of bread.

The bisque refers to a kind of soup which is majorly based on creams, it is smoother and thicker as compared to the other soups.

Comparison Table

Parameter of Comparison	Soup	Bisque
Origin	The earliest pieces of evidence of soup date back to around 20,000 BC, the word “Soup” was derived from the French word Soupe. Some soups of different countries became the national soup of the respective nations.	The origin place of the bisque is France.
What is it?	The word soup is used to refer to the liquid food which is mostly served hot, however, there are some exceptions that are served cold or at room temperature.	Bisque is used to refer to the soups that are majorly based on creams. It is basically the method for the extraction of flavors from different foods.
Main ingredients	Some of the major ingredients for making soup are vegetables, meat, sauces, flour, seasonings, etc.	The major ingredients for making bisque are seafood including crabs, shellfish, crayfish, lobsters, shrimps, rice, etc.
Thickened using	Soup is generally thickened using flour, rice, grains, lentils, starch, pasta, potatoes, etc.	Bisque is mostly thickened using either the cream or the shells of the seafood.
Servings	Soup is mostly served hot with different types of bread, however, there are some exceptions that are served at the room temperature.	Bisque is usually served with milk, cream and other saltine crackers.

What is Soup?

The word soup was derived from the French word Soupe. The earliest evidence of the existence of the soup was found to be dated back to around 20,000 BC and has its root in France.

After being made in one’s style and being liked by the people it became the national food of the respective countries.

The soup is used collectively to refer to all the food that is taken in the liquid form, it is usually served hot but there are some soups that are served cold or at room temperature. Some of the major ingredients used to make soup are vegetables, meat, flour, sauces, seasonings, etc. 

It is thickened using flour, rice, grains, pasta, potatoes, starch, grains, etc. Soup is served hot with a variety of bread and other seasonings. Soup is thinner with a rough texture.

What is Bisque?

Bisque also has its origin in France. Bisque is a word that is used to refer to the soups that are based in creams.

It also refers to the method of extracting flavors from different foods.

The ingredients for making bisque include seafood in a major proportion. Some of them are crab, shellfish, lobsters, shrimp, crayfish, etc.

It is thickened using cream. The cream is added to the bisque while cooking so that it is reduced in amount and becomes thick.

Bisque due to cream it is thick and has a smooth texture.

Main Differences Between Soup and Bisque

1. Soup is a collective word referring to all the liquid foods whereas bisque is the name given to a kind of soup.
2. Soup and Bisque both have their origin in France, but the soup came into existence much before the bisque.
3. The word soup is used to refer to the food that is taken only in the liquid form, on the other hand, bisque is a type of soup, it refers to the soups that are based on creams.
4. Soups are mostly served hot but there are some exceptions that are served at room temperature, on the other hand, bisque is either served steaming hot or chilled cold.
5. The major ingredients of the soup are vegetables, flour, sauces, meat, seasonings, etc, on the other hand, the major ingredients of the bisque are the seafood such as crabs, crayfish, shellfish, lobsters, shrimp, etc.
6. Wine or cognac is another important ingredient of bisque that is not present in the soup.
7. Soup is thickened using flour, rice, starch, lentils, pasta, potatoes, grains, etc, on the other hand, bisque is thickened using either the cream of the shells of the seafood.
8. Soup is mostly served hot with different types of bread, on the other hand, bisque is served with milk, cream and other saltine crackers.
9. Soup is thinner and has a rough texture, on the other hand, bisque is thicker and has a smooth texture as compared to other soups.
10. A soup can be of two types, namely, clear soup and thick soup, whereas bisque does not fit in the two categories since it is a combination of the two types.

References

1. http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=US201302106932
2. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1013&context=stories