Description
Authentic Crab Soup is a rich and flavorful seafood dish made with fresh crab meat, aromatic vegetables, and a well-seasoned broth. This hearty soup captures the essence of coastal cooking and is perfect for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound fresh crab meat, picked over for shells
- 4 cups seafood stock or fish stock
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Fresh parsley for garnish
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly to make a light roux.
- Slowly pour in the seafood stock, whisking to avoid lumps. Add the bay leaf, Old Bay seasoning, paprika, and cayenne pepper if using.
- Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
- Stir in the milk and heavy cream, then gently fold in the crab meat. Simmer for an additional 5–7 minutes, being careful not to break up the crab too much.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
- Use fresh lump crab meat for the best flavor, but pasteurized crab can be used if fresh is unavailable.
- For a richer soup, increase the amount of cream slightly.
- Serve with crusty bread or oyster crackers for a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 240
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 590mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 17g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
Keywords: crab soup, authentic seafood soup, creamy crab chowder