Easy Crab Soup Recipe (2024)

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This easy crab soup recipe requires only 5 ingredients and it is done in less than 30 minutes! A hearty soup with tasty flavors from the ocean will fill you up and warm you up. This meal tastes complex but is actually very simple!

Easy Crab Soup Recipe (1)

Original post created: August 2014 | Updated: December 2022

Why This Recipe Works

If I lived closer to the coast, I would enjoy tons of crab, lobster and shrimp on a regular basis. Here in the Midwest, we don’t have access to fresh seafood, sadly. I love incorporating packaged lump crabmeat into recipes such as this yummy soup!

The simplicity of this soup is mind-blowing. When you scroll down to the recipe card you might gasp. It requires only FIVE ingredients but doesn’t taste like it.

If you are looking for a super easy dinner option that’ll fill up the bellies at your table, you’re in luck!

Recipe Ingredients

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Butter – You may use salted and unsalted butter, depending on your taste preferences.

Crab meat – Use fresh jumbo lump crab meat when possible, but canned crab meat can be used, as well.

Heavy whipping cream – Replace a portion of the heavy cream with milk to slim down the recipe.

Milk – Use any variety of milk to create this dish. Whole, 2%, 1% or skim all work great.

Cooking sherry – This ingredient can be found in the same aisle as vinegar in your local grocery store.

Easy Crab Soup Recipe (3)

How To Make Crab Soup

Step 1

Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or heavy saucepan. Add the crab meat, whipping cream and milk.

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Bring to a boil over medium heat then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes and stir occasionally.

Step 2

Remove the mixture from heat and add dry sherry and a little salt and black pepper for good measure.

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And that is it! So easy.

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Recipe Notes

  • Fresh lemon juice and saltine crackers or oyster crackers are the perfect complement to this soup.
  • If you have it on hand, add a sprinkling of old bay seasoning!
  • To slim down the recipe, cut the amount of butter used in half and replace half of the cream with milk.
  • A splash of Worcestershire sauce adds a punch of flavor.

How To Store Leftover Soup

Store leftover crab soupin an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days for best results. Freezing the soup is not recommended. The cream in the soup will cause it to lose quality once thawed and reheated.

How To Add Flavor To Soup

Check out these tips to learn how toadd flavor to your next batch of soup!

What To Serve With Crab Soup

This is such an easy meal that is bursting with seafood and a super rich flavor. But what do you serve alongside it? Read on for 11 delicious ideas about what to serve with crab soup!

How To Make Maryland Crab Soup

This creamy crab soup recipe is quite different from Maryland Crab Soup. The Maryland version is made using crab meat combined with tomatoes, chicken or beef broth or seafood stock, beans, corn, Old Bay seasoning and sometimes vegetables such as carrots, onions, celery or green beans.

Easy Crab Soup Recipe (6)

Canned Crab vs Fresh Crab Meat

Fresh crab meat is more costly since it requires extra work to harvest the meat. It has amazing flavor and will make your next recipe taste delicious! If you have the time and are willing to put in the work, I highly recommend using fresh crab meat.

Canned or packaged crab meat is available on your grocer’s shelf. You can pop this ingredient straight out of the can. Often it comes with fillers, so pay attention to the ingredient list. Added flavors may affect the flavors in your recipe.

What is Imitation Crab Meat

Imitation crab meat is not actually crab meat, so be sure to read the label first. It looks similar to crab meat and flakes in the same way, but it is actually Alaska pollock.

Cooking Sherry vs Drinking Sherry

Both cooking and drinking sherry will work for any recipe, but there are a few notable differences to consider. Cooking sherry is meant for cooking-use only. It is not something you would drink on its own.

Cooking sherry contains sodium in order to extend the shelf life. Taste test the recipe first and add salt as needed when using this ingredient for cooking.

Another good reason to choose cooking sherry is its affordability! Once opened, drinking sherry has a short shelf life. You will need to use it fairly quickly to avoid wasting it.

More Crab Recipes

  • Mango crab guacamole
  • The cheese wedged into the centers of these crab stuffed mushrooms will send you to your knees. Great finger food for parties!
  • Imitation crab cakes are ready in 20 minutes, believe it or not, with simple ingredients and not a lot of filler.

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Easy Crab Soup Recipe (7)

Easy Cream of Crab Soup Recipe

This easy crab soup recipe requires only 5 ingredients and it is done in less than 30 minutes! This meal tastes complex but is actually very simple!

4.85 from 19 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 727kcal

Author: Megan Porta

Ingredients

  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 1 lb crab meat
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 tbsp cooking sherry
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or heavy saucepan. Add the crab meat, whipping cream and milk. Bring to a boil over medium high heat then reduce to low heat. Simmer for 20 minutes.

  • Remove from heat and add sherry, salt and pepper. Serve with lemon wedges and saltine crackers.

Notes

  • Fresh lemon juice and saltine crackers are the PERFECT complement to this soup.
  • If you have it on hand, add a sprinkling of old bay seasoning!
  • To slim down the recipe, half the amount of butter used and replace half of the cream with milk.

Nutrition

Calories: 727kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 65g | Saturated Fat: 41g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 242mg | Sodium: 1162mg | Potassium: 535mg | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2499IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 286mg | Iron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?If you loved this recipe, please rate the recipe and leave a comment below!

Easy Crab Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between she-crab soup and crab soup? ›

If you haven't figured it out yet, She-Crab Soup is made with female crabs. He-Crab Soup is made with male crabs. That wasn't difficult, but what's the difference? The female crab has roe (eggs) and the male crab doesn't.

What is good to eat with crab soup? ›

Serving a crab soup? Egg is always a good pairing with crab, so consider an open-faced egg salad sandwich (possibly with hot sauce). Also consider grilled fruit; the sweet goes well with the crab. If you're serving traditional salads, consider citrusy vinaigrettes.

What is Maryland crab soup made of? ›

Combine carrots, potato, onion, celery, green beans, corn, lime beans, peas, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning and mustard in a large heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the canned tomatoes, tearing up the tomatoes into chunks, along with the tomato juice from the can, beef broth, and water.

How do you thicken cream of crab soup? ›

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

Is she-crab soup only made with female crabs? ›

The soup is named for the "she-crab", or female crab, originally a gravid (roe-carrying) crab, as the orange crab roe comprise a chief ingredient in traditional she-crab soup. As with turtle soup, other ingredients may be added to the soup or substituted for others, although crab meat is found in all versions.

How healthy is crab soup? ›

Crab is packed with protein, which is important for building and maintaining muscle. Crab also contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, and selenium. These nutrients play vital roles in improving general health while helping prevent a variety of chronic conditions.

Is crab soup good for blood pressure? ›

While crabs can be part of a balanced diet, their high sodium content may not be ideal for individuals with high blood pressure. It's essential to monitor overall sodium intake and focus on a heart-healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins.

What flavors go best with crab? ›

vegetal and green notes. Cooked crab's vegetal aroma is most dominant and best described as being similar to that of cooked potatoes, which makes it a complementary pairing for potatoes (of course), but also eggplant, asparagus, cabbage, chicken, fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves and even kimchi.

How long is she-crab soup good for in the fridge? ›

Always refrigerate or freeze this product immediately upon arrival by leaving the She Crab Soup in their containers. This product has a refrigerated shelf life (not frozen) of 2 days fresh from the time of arrival.

What is the yellow stuff in Maryland crabs? ›

mustard Yellow substance found inside a cooked crab. Contrary to popular belief, the "mustard" is not fat, rather it's the crab's hepatopancreas, the organ responsible for filtering impurities from the crab's blood.

Is canned crab cooked? ›

Crabmeat is almost always sold in cans or containers rather than fresh; it's cooked, cleaned, pasteurized, and then packaged. Though the crabmeat sold in the United States may come from different species of the crustacean, all are closely related with a similar taste and texture.

What is imposter crab made of? ›

What Is Imitation Crab? The key to that flavor is surimi, a seafood paste made from white fish, artificial and natural flavors, starch, sugar, and sodium. And the preferred white fish in this amalgam is Alaskan Pollock—the same variety most commonly utilized in frozen fish sticks and fast-food seafood sandwiches.

Can you add milk to soup to make it creamy? ›

Whole milk or half-and-half also thicken up the soup. I've even made it with half the amount (1/2 cup or 120ml) heavy cream in a pinch. (Add more chicken broth if you use heavy cream; see recipe Note.) Nice and thick, without being too heavy.

Does adding heavy cream to soup make it thicker? ›

Heavy cream

Use heavy cream as a keto-friendly thickening option for your soups and broths. Heavy cream has more fat than regular whole milk, so you can add it to your soup recipes without worrying about it curdling.

What is the difference between crab bisque and chowder? ›

Chowder. Although a bisque and a chowder are both cream-based soups and most often feature seafood, it is their consistency that defines them and makes them quite different from each other. Whereas a bisque is smooth, a chowder is chunky, chock full of hearty pieces of ingredients such as potato and clams or corn.

What is the difference between crab and she crab? ›

She-crabs are simply female crabs, not a distinct species. Spring she-crabs carry flavorful roe or crab eggs, which will make a difference in the recipe. It is also thought that the female crab adds more color than the male.

Why is she-crab soup called she-crab soup? ›

Deas created an elevated version of crab soup for the president. He used an unusual ingredient — crab roe. Crab roe is the egg mass found on “pregnant” female crabs, which is how the dish got its feminine name. Deas' creation later became known as she-crab soup.

What is it called she-crab soup? ›

She crab soup is a bisque-like concoction with crabmeat and crab roe. She crab soup experienced a similar reincarnation, with its first life spent as partan bree, a broth with added cream and crab, brought to South Carolina by a wave of Scotch-Irish settlers in the 1700s.

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