This deliciously creamy soup is one of our family favorites. Crab soup, full of rich southern flavors and comforting texture should be next on your list of recipes to try.
I love to make crab soup with leftover crab meat when we have a crab boil. I peel those extra crabs, keep the meat in the refrigerator while I make some good seafood stock with the crab shells/peelings. Throw in some shrimp shells too if you have any.
Jump to:
- What makes this recipe yummy
- Groceries you'll need: Ingredients
- Recipe walkthrough: Instructions
- Recipe variations and substitute ideas
- Necessary gear: Equipment
- Other soup recipes I think you'll love
- How to store leftovers
- Melanie Cagle
- Mel's kitchen notes
- Frequently asked questions: FAQs
- Crab Soup
- 💬 Comments
What makes this recipe yummy
- This creamy Crab soup is quite simple in its ingredients and can be made super fast compared to other soups I make.
- This is a seafood lovers dream with tender crab meat and the fresh produce.
Groceries you'll need: Ingredients
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities.
Recipe walkthrough: Instructions
This is an overview of the recipe steps. For more detailed instructions visit the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Step 1: Add the butter to a large Dutch Oven Pot. Turn on medium-high heat.
- Step 2: Cook the onions and celery until translucent.
- Step 3: Add the Old Bay seasoning, the salt and pepper, garlic and tomato paste and stir well to combine.
- Step 4: Add the flour and stir again to combine. Cook about 2 minutes.
- Step 5: Add the white wine, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce and the seafood stock. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer on low to medium heat (uncovered) for 40 minutes (until the liquid is reduced by about half).
- Step 6: Remove the bay leaves and using an immersion blender blend until nice and creamy.
- Step 7: Add the cream and give a good stir.
- Step 8: Add about ¾ of the crab meat, reserving the rest to add to each bowl as you serve it.
Hint: If you're using leftovers from a seafood boil add some of the vegetables to the soup (after it has been blended).
Recipe variations and substitute ideas
- Lemon Juice - For a little added citrus note, add a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Whole Milk - if you prefer, add whole milk instead of cream. You may need to increase the amount of flour you use though.
- Broth - use beef broth or chicken broth instead if you don't have seafood.
- Dry Sherry - in place of the white wine you could use a dash of sherry.
- Fresh Green Beans - add some cooked green beans to the soup after you blend it.
- Spiciness - Add red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper or hot sauce for a little added heat.
- Red Potatoes - Add some cooked red potatoes to the soup - after you blend it.
- Lima Beans - Again, add cooked at the end.
- Clam Juice - great for adding flavor.
- Carrots - these can add a lovely flavor and sweetness.
- Lump Crab Meat - could be used instead.
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Necessary gear: Equipment
I like to use a Dutch Oven to make a soup, or a cast iron pot. It helps keep the heat nice and even all around the pot.
Use an immersion blender (stick blender) to blend the soup in the pot. If you don't have one, use a regular blender - allow the soup to cool somewhat first though.
I have some affiliate links in the recipe card below.
Other soup recipes I think you'll love
How to store leftovers
Once the soup has cooled completely store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The beautiful sweet flavors of this rich soup has the best flavor the next day.
It does freeze well. Freeze in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
About The Author
Melanie Cagle
Melanie is a professional cook, food photographer and Cajun food connoisseur. Since 2020 she has been sharing rigorously tested recipes and tutorials right here on this blog.
Her work has been featured on Fox News channels, Yahoo news, Southern Living and more.
Mel's kitchen notes
Next time you have a seafood boil of some kind - whether it's shrimp, crawfish or crabs - take a pot full of the peelings and fill with water, vegetables, herbs and spices and simmer for a few hours. Strain and reserve the juices to use as seafood stock.
Frequently asked questions: FAQs
I use beautiful blue crab that we have in abundance here in south Louisiana. We actually catch our own - I know, lucky us.
You can use any crab meat though. Lump crabmeat, claw meat, dungeness crab, crab roe.... it's all good. I wouldn't use the imitation crab though, that wouldn't work.
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Crab Soup
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter unsalted
- 1 Each Yellow Onion chopped
- 3 Ribs Celery chopped
- 4 Cloves Garlic chopped
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 4-½ Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
- 6 Cups Seafood Stock
- 1-½ Cups Dry White Wine
- 2 Each Bay Leaves
- 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 2-½ Pounds Crab Meat cooked
- Fresh Parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Add the unsalted butter to a large heavy bottomed pot (I like to use a Dutch Oven).5 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- Add the chopped onion and celery and cook over medium-high heat until translucent.1 Each Yellow Onion, 3 Ribs Celery
- Add the salt and pepper, Old Bay Seasoning, chopped garlic, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste and stir well to combine.4 Cloves Garlic, 2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning, Salt and Pepper to taste, 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- Add the flour and stir, cook for about 2 minutes.4-½ Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
- Add the seafood stock, white wine and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for about 40 minutes.6 Cups Seafood Stock, 1-½ Cups Dry White Wine, 2 Each Bay Leaves
- Remove the 2 bay leaves and blend using a stick blender until creamy.
- Add the heavy cream and give a good stir.1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- Stir in about 2 pounds of the crab meat, into the soup and turn off the heat.2-½ Pounds Crab Meat
- Serve in soup bowls with a sprinkling of the remaining crab meat on top with some chopped parsley.Fresh Parsley
Notes
Nutrition
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