Easy Crab Soup Recipe (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Main Ingredients
01 -
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
02 -
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
03 -
1 cup thinly sliced celery
04 -
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
05 -
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
06 -
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
07 -
1 pound baby yellow potatoes, cut into small cubes
08 -
1 quart half and half cream
09 -
1 can (14.5 ounces) seafood stock
10 -
1 cup chicken broth
11 -
2 dried bay leaves
12 -
1/2 pound fresh lump crab meat
13 -
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
14 -
Kosher salt, to taste
15 -
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ For Serving
16 -
Fresh parsley, chopped
17 -
Fresh chives, thinly sliced
18 -
Extra crab meat
19 -
Oyster crackers
20 -
Extra Old Bay seasoning
# Instructions:
01 -
Place a large Dutch oven on the stove over medium-high heat and melt the butter until it's bubbling. Toss in your chopped onion and celery with a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper, then let them cook for about 4 minutes, stirring now and then until they start to soften.
02 -
Turn the heat down to medium and add your minced garlic, stirring constantly for about a minute until it smells amazing. Sprinkle the flour over everything and mix it all together, letting it cook for another minute while you stir occasionally.
03 -
Pour in half of the seafood stock and use your spoon to scrape up all those tasty browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add the rest of the seafood stock along with the half and half and chicken broth, stirring everything together.
04 -
Drop in your cubed potatoes, Old Bay seasoning, and bay leaves. Give it another sprinkle of salt and pepper, then stir well to make sure everything's mixed in nicely.
05 -
Crank the heat up to medium-high and bring the whole thing to a gentle simmer. Once it's bubbling, reduce the heat to medium-low.
06 -
Let the soup simmer gently for 5 minutes, giving it an occasional stir to keep things moving.
07 -
Stir in most of your crab meat, but save a little bit aside to make your bowls look fancy later.
08 -
Continue simmering gently for another 5 minutes or so, until your potatoes are tender enough to pierce easily with a fork.
09 -
Stir in the sherry vinegar and taste your soup, adding more salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and top with fresh chives, parsley, and that reserved crab meat. Serve with oyster crackers on the side and dig in!
# Notes:
01 -
Want to make this more like a chowder? Feel free to toss in a cup of corn kernels, diced carrots, peas, or green beans when you add the potatoes.
02 -
Don't be shy with the salt! Since the ingredients are pretty simple, seasoning as you go will really bring out all the flavors. Add a pinch or two each time you add new ingredients.
03 -
For an extra savory kick, add a splash of Worcestershire sauce to the soup.
04 -
If you want an ultra-smooth, creamy texture, use an immersion blender to partially or fully blend the soup before adding the crab meat.