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If you’re a soup person, then soup season never really ends; it just changes shape throughout the season. Ina Garten has a soup recipe that’s so flavorful and impressive tasting, those you serve it to won’t believe you whipped it up in under an hour. It’s a French Mussel Bisque, and it will make you feel like Julia Child pulling it together.

“One of the classic French bistro soups is called mussel bisque. I just love it,” Garten said in a clip from Barefoot Contessa on Food Network’s YouTube page. “I know it sounds complicated to make, but believe me, it’s not.”

Garten starts by soaking her mussels in water seasoned with a bit of flour, which helps to get rid of any sand. You also want to make sure that any beards on the shells are removed before you steam them in a mixture of water and white wine, which only takes about five minutes. When the shells open, you know they’re done.

Meanwhile, in a stockpot, sauté chopped yellow onion, leek, carrots, minced garlic, and a dash of saffron in butter. Season with salt and pepper, cover with a lid, and wait until the veggies get soft.

While your veggies are sautéing and your mussels are steaming, chop several canned San Marzano tomatoes and add them to the softened veggies. Take your steamed mussels off the heat and out of the broth, and allow them to cool a bit so you can remove the mussels from the shells. Remember, if you have a mussel that hasn’t opened, just toss it (it’s probably dead and not healthy to eat!).

Strain the leftover broth through a strainer and some cheesecloth to remove any remaining sand and pour a portion of that strained broth into the stockpot with your veggies and tomatoes, as well as the remaining white wine. Your soup is starting to take shape!

While the stock simmers away, remove the mussels from their shells and drop them right into the stockpot. Thicken the whole thing up with some half and half and cream (“It is a French dish, after all,” Garten says), as well as a bit more salt and pepper and some chopped parsley, and you’re ready to enjoy.

Serve your bisque with some crusty bread, and you have yourself a delicious, rich soup that’s so flavorful it will taste like you’ve been cooking it all day. Grab Garten’s full recipe here and try your hand at French cooking made easy!

Before you go, check out Ina Garten’s easy weeknight dinner recipes below: