Easy Upgrades to the Trader Joe’s Lobster Bisque Pasta

If there’s a way to make a restaurant-quality weeknight dinner with only five ingredients from the same grocery store, I’m in — especially if pasta is involved.

The popular Instagram account Trader Joe’s 5 Items or Less shares simple five-ingredient recipes using Trader Joe’s products. One dish that went viral and remains a fan favorite is the Lobster Bisque Pasta.

This recipe uses Trader Joe’s Lobster Bisque as the pasta sauce. I’m always intrigued when a soup is used as a sauce — most premade soups are packed with flavor and require minimal extra seasoning. And unlike brothy soups, a bisque’s thicker consistency makes it ideal for coating pasta.

As the account promises, this dish requires only five ingredients, all of which are available at Trader Joe’s, allowing you to pick everything up in just one visit. Here’s how to recreate it at home.

What is Lobster Bisque? 

The term “bisque” refers to a thick and creamy soup that’s typically made with shellfish. Unlike chowder, which contains chunks of meat and vegetables, a bisque is smoother and much more velvety. Lobster bisque is usually prepared by sautéing lobster shells with other aromatics to create a flavorful stock, which is then thickened with a roux. Trader Joe’s version includes lobster stock, lobster meat, butter, sherry wine, thyme, onions, garlic, tomato paste, sugar, salt, clam broth, and paprika.

What do you need to make the 5-ingredients Lobster Bisque Pasta? 

The star of the dish is Trader Joe’s Lobster Bisque from the chain’s refrigerated soup section. Additionally, the original recipe calls for Trader Joe’s Langostino Tails from the frozen aisle, farfalle (though you can use any pasta you prefer), garlic (the original recipe lists frozen crushed garlic cubes, but I prefer to use fresh), and a block of Parmesan cheese.  

So, how do you make the Trader Joe’s lobster bisque pasta? 

I recently decided to give this recipe a try. I gathered my five ingredients — opting for fusilli instead of farfalle — and began by thawing the langostino tails and rinsing them with cold water.

Next, I boiled water for the pasta. Typically, I like to start the sauce first, especially if it requires simmering or reducing. But since the sauce here is already a premade bisque, it made sense to begin with the noodles. 

While the pasta cooked, I heated some extra-virgin olive oil in a pan (opting out of butter, as the bisque already contains plenty). I crushed two garlic cloves and sautéed them briefly (just a minute or so) before adding the now-thawed langostino tails.

A lobster bisque is already rich in flavor and heavy due to the addition of cornstarch, heavy cream, and butter. Although the original recipe keeps it simple with salt and pepper, I included some chili flakes, sumac, garlic powder, and white pepper to add more complexity and heat — making sure the langostino tails were well-coated in spices.

At this point, I decided to taste the lobster bisque, and while it’s very flavorful and well-seasoned, it was a little too intense and too fishy for a pasta sauce. To brighten the dish, I squeezed in the juice of half a lemon, then added about a fourth of the container of lobster bisque to the pan and stirred to combine.

During this step, feel free to adjust the seasoning to your taste. I stirred in a spoonful of Pranzo Calabrian peppers and another splash of lemon juice to further balance the richness. Finally, I drained the pasta and tossed it into the sauce. A sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano on top finished it off.

This dish is an easy and creative way to prepare seafood pasta with convenient ingredients I don’t usually gravitate toward. The final result was tasty, but I found the additions of spice and lemon essential to balance the bisque’s creamy, briny profile. If you prefer your pasta with a bit of brightness and kick, you’ll likely want to tweak the flavors too.

While it may not become a weeknight staple for me — I tend to favor simple dishes like pasta al limone or spaghetti pomodoro — I’d definitely consider making it again for guests. With the added seasonings, it’s a quick yet impressive meal that feels fancier than the effort it requires. If you have access to fresh lobster, you could easily elevate the dish even more.