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.
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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
- Butter
- Onion
- Celery
- Garlic
- Old Bay Seasoning
- Salt and Pepper
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Tomato Paste
- All Purpose Flour
- Seafood Stock (or fish stock)
- Dry White Wine
- Bay Leaves
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Fresh Crab Meat
- Fresh Parsley
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities.
Recipe walkthrough: Instructions
- 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
- Saltgrass Baked Potato Soup
- Easy Taco Soup
- Seafood Gumbo
- Corn and Crab Bisque
- Crab Soup
- Slow Cooker Cajun 15 Bean Soup
- Cuban Chicken Soup
- Crab Chowder
- Fisherman's Pie
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.
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.
If you use the eggs found in the female crabs in your soup then it is known as She-Crab Soup.
Well, obviously, the she-crab soup is made with female crabs - they're full of eggs and add another flavor profile. He-Crabs are male crabs and so will not have the additional eggs.
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Crab Soup
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter unsalted
- 1 Each Yellow Onions 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 Bay Leaves
- 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 2-½ Pounds Crab Meat cooked
- Fresh Parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Add the 5 Tablespoons of unsalted butter to a large heavy bottomed pot (I like to use a Dutch Oven).
- Add the 1 chopped onion and 3 ribs of chopped celery and cook over medium-high heat until translucent.
- Add the salt and pepper, 2 teaspoons of Old Bay Seasoning, 4 cloves of chopped garlic and 2 Tablespoons of tomato paste and stir well to combine.
- Add the 4-½ Tablespoons of flour and stir, cook for about 2 minutes.
- Add the 6 Cups of seafood stock, 1-½ Cups of white wine and 2 bay leaves and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for about 40 minutes.
- Remove the 2 bay leaves and blend using a stick blender until creamy.
- Add the 1 Cup of heavy cream and give a good stir.
- Stir in about 2 pounds of the crab meat, into the soup and turn off the heat.
- Serve in soup bowls with a sprinkling of the remaining crab meat on top with some chopped parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
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