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Ultimate Creamy Crab Soup Recipe

A close-up of a creamy, orange-hued bowl of amazing crab soup topped with white crab meat and cracked black pepper.
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This recipe delivers a rich, velvety crab soup, similar to a classic She Crab Soup or seafood chowder, packed with lump crab meat and seasoned with Old Bay for authentic flavor.

Ingredients

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  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups seafood or chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup half-and-half or whole milk
  • 1 pound lump crab meat, picked over for shells
  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup dry sherry (optional, for classic flavor)
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and celery. Cook until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Do not brown the vegetables.
  2. Whisk the flour into the softened vegetables and butter. Cook this roux for 1 minute, stirring constantly. This cooks out the raw flour taste.
  3. Slowly whisk in the seafood broth until the mixture is smooth. Bring the soup to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the broth thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
  4. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream and half-and-half. Heat gently until the soup is hot, but do not let it boil once the dairy is added.
  5. Stir in the Old Bay seasoning and black pepper. If using, add the dry sherry now.
  6. Gently fold in the lump crab meat. Heat through for about 2 minutes. You want the crab meat warm, not cooked further.
  7. Taste the soup and add salt as needed. Serve this rich crab soup immediately.

Notes

  • For a smoother, more restaurant-style crab bisque, you can carefully blend about one cup of the soup base (before adding the crab) until smooth, then stir it back into the pot.
  • If you prefer a Maryland Crab Soup style, skip the heavy cream and use a tomato base instead of thickening with a roux, adding diced tomatoes and vegetable broth.
  • Use fresh, high-quality lump crab meat for the best flavor in this comforting seafood soup.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://kitchenslang.com/creamy-crab-soup-recipe-rich-velvety/