Crab Soup
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This rich and creamy crab soup seasoned with Old Bay is the essence of the Eastern shore.
Filled with fresh lump crab meat and seasoned with Old Bay, a spice blend that comes from my home state of Maryland, this soup tastes like a day on the Eastern shore. In fact, the recipe was scribbled down on a piece of paper for me by the chef from the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay, when we were there celebrating my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. It is unapologetically rich and indulgent. Please don’t be tempted to substitute the half & half with milk. It won’t work unless you add more butter and flour, which would defeat the whole purpose of making it lighter. I promise, it’s 100% worth it!
What you’ll need to make Crab Soup
If possible, use fresh-off-the-boat crab meat. It comes in a clear plastic container and is usually resting on ice in the seafood department. It’s not always available depending on the season and region, so your second-best option is refrigerated crab meat, such as Phillip’s, which is readily available year round. Just avoid shelf-stable canned crab meat; it contains additives that affect the taste and texture of the meat.
Old Bay seasoning is a spice blend that you can find at most supermarkets near the seafood department. If you’d like to make your own, I recommend this recipe. I love Old Bay and use it in many recipes, such as Maryland Crab Cakes, Salmon Cakes, Shrimp Salad, Chesapeake Corn with Tomatoes and Basil, and Peel n’ Eat Shrimp.
How to make Crab Soup
To begin, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, then add the flour.
Whisk for about 1 minute, until well blended.
Whisking constantly, gradually add the half & half.
Add the mustard, Old Bay, salt, and pepper. Bring to boil, whisking frequently (be sure to scrape the edges of the pot, where the flour mixture tends to settle).
As soon as the soup starts to boil, reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 30 seconds.
Stir in the sherry and crabmeat. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
If the soup is too thick, add water, little by little, to thin it out (it will thicken the longer it sits on the stove, even off of the heat). Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with chives. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.
You may also like
- French Onion Soup
- Vegetable Soup with Pesto
- Southwestern Corn Chowder
- Easy Butternut Squash Soup
- Potato Leek Soup
- Summer Corn Soup with Fresh Herbs
Crab Soup
This rich and creamy crab soup seasoned with Old Bay is the essence of the Eastern shore.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups half & half
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning, plus more for serving (see note)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry
- ½ pound lump crabmeat, picked over to remove any shells
- Finely chopped chives, for garnish
- Lemon wedges, for serving (optional; see note)
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for about 1 minute, until well blended.
- Whisking constantly, gradually add the half & half. Add the mustard, Old Bay seasoning, salt, and pepper. Bring to boil, whisking frequently (be sure to scrape the edges of the pot, where the flour mixture tends to settle). As soon as the soup starts to boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 30 seconds. Stir in the sherry and crabmeat. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. If the soup is too thick, add water, little by little, to thin it out (it will thicken the longer it sits on the stove, even off of the heat). Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with chives. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.
- Note: Old Bay seasoning is sold in the seafood department at most supermarkets. It can also be ordered online or made from scratch.
- Note: Lemon is really only necessary if not using the sherry.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 475
- Fat: 37 g
- Saturated fat: 23 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Sugar: 11 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Sodium: 580 mg
- Cholesterol: 167 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I made this tonight and it was delicious!! After I bought the ingredients, I was worried that there are no onions or celery. It is a rich, delicious soup. The Old Bay makes it! Thank you!
It was great. Made in minutes. Did use canned crab but still great. I want to try with clams and cooked potatoes. Great base. I ate for breakfast
Hi Jenn! Do you have any salad suggestions that would pair well with this recipe? I just got your new cook book, and I look forward to making this soup for dinner this week.
Hi Jessica, thanks for your support with the cookbook! This soup would pair nicely with this baby kale salad or this arugula salad. Hope you enjoy the soup!
Such an easy and quick recipe that tastes great. Very pleased. Thank you.
This looks wonderful. We have crab pots off of our dock so we get loads of fresh crab and this looks like a great way to use some of the meat. My question is that I only have cream sherry. Can that be used in place of the dry sherry. Don’t want to mess up such a great recipe by using the wrong stuff. Thanks
Hi Mafajous, Unfortunately cream sherry cannot be substituted here — it’s too sweet. Sorry!
I used cream sherry and it turned out wonderful! I use cream sherry in another recipe of mine, seafood chowder.
This is not only a great tasting recipe, it is quick and easy! Rarely can you find a recipe that states that the prep is 5 minutes and actually only takes 5 minutes! The only change I made – I didn’t have sherry wine so I used white cooking wine and added a little apple cider vinegar. (I would have use sherry if I had it). Delicious soup!
never use white cooking wine, bad stuff…an inexpensive sherry is the way to go
This is a wonderful recipe for a lovely soup that allows the taste of the crab to be the star. Smooth, simple and flavorful like you would get in a high-end restaurant near the Chesapeake Bay. Don’t change anything on this recipe! The first time I made it, I only had 2 cups of the half and half (substituted milk for the rest) and didn’t have sherry on hand. It truly needs the 4 cups of half and half for a more luxurious soup and the sherry really enhances the flavor. I tried a couple of substitutions for the sherry and none compared to the dry sherry. It is a must. It is a tradition for this soup. Jenn, I am so happy that I discovered you. Thank you!!!
Such a wonderful dish! You’re the best, Jenn!
Seriously Jenn? How do you do it? All of your recipes are 5 star, and this one is no exception! It is FAB! Not only easy to make, but absolutely delicious. I made dungeness crab (my favorite being from San Francisco) sandwiches and had a bunch of crab left over. I made this soup with everything I already had on hand, except for the half n half, and it was better than the sandwiches! Ina used to be my go-to for new recipes, but I am thinking now it is you. Thank you for all of your work in perfecting your wonderful recipes.
💗
This recipe tastes exactly like what we get in good restaurants here in MD. Thank you!
I used a pound of imported lump as it’s too early for local. I seasoned it with some old bay and a pinch of sugar to make up for it not being fresh and local. Yum!
Just made your she crab soup and it’s AWESOME. First time eating it was in Myrtle Beach and haven’t find anything come close to it until now. Family loves it and will be making again and again. Thanks so much for sharing. Delicious!!!