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Easy Crab Soup Recipe

June 2, 2020 by Megan Porta 40 Comments

Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

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!

top view of bowl of crab soup with lemon wedges and saltines

Original post created: August 2014 | Updated: June 2020

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 catches, sadly. I love incorporating packaged crab meat into recipes such as this yummy crab 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!

HOW TO MAKE THIS EASY CRAB SOUP RECIPE

Requires FIVE ingredients and is done in less than 30 minutes!

Dutch oven with crab meat, butter and cream

STEP 1

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 heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes.

STEP 2

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

Top view Dutch oven with cream, salt and pepper inside

And that is it! Seriously.

RECIPE 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.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH CRAB SOUP

Now that you have this soup simmering on the stove, it’s time to prepare an easy vegetable! How about these Oven-Roasted Parmesan Green Beans or Creamy Crockpot Corn!

IF you prefer rice to enjoy on the side, I recommend trying a healthy Cauliflower Mushroom Rice. Maybe you just prefer some bread to dunk in it! Dinner Rolls are also great because you can add a little honey butter to them or just dunk them into the savory soup.

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 and can be popped right out of the can. Often it comes with fillers, so pay attention to the ingredient list. Flavors may have been added that will affect 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.

Bowl of crab soup set up ready to eat next to stack of saltines and a spoon

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 sold on supermarket shelves for cooking-use only. It is not something you would drink on its own.

Sodium is added to cooking sherry to create a longer shelf life. When it is used for cooking, salt may need to be added to the recipe (after taste-testing).

Another good reason to choose cooking sherry is its affordability! Drinking sherry has a short shelf life once it is opened, so drink it quickly or it’ll go to waste.

OTHER GREAT RECIPES FEATURING CRAB MEAT

  • Mango Crab Guacamole
  • Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Easy 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!
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: how do i make crab soup
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 736kcal

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: 736kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 66g | Saturated Fat: 41g | Cholesterol: 269mg | Sodium: 1198mg | Potassium: 482mg | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2506IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 272mg | Iron: 1mg

Filed Under: Latest, Popular, Soup Tagged With: 30 Minutes or Less, Brunch, Crab, Dinner, Dinner Party, Popular, Seafood, Stove Top

Previous Post: « The Best Seasoned Sour Cream Recipe (Champps Copycat)
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sherry

    October 17, 2020 at 6:04 pm

    5 stars
    Loved this soup! I added one teaspoon full of fresh nutmeg to mine.

    Reply
    • Megan Porta

      October 20, 2020 at 10:05 pm

      That is a great tweak and perfect addition. Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
  2. Beth

    March 8, 2019 at 9:33 am

    Hello. I am a native of Charleston, SC, so She-Crab Soup is what I am accustomed to (and love, if it is from a local, usually upscale restaurant). I, honestly, don’t care for the "roe" part (which is, of course, why it is called "She" crab soup). Does this taste similar to the aforementioned soup, minus the roe? If so, this will be an absolutely perfect recipe for me and I will enjoy it immensely. Thank you for any feedback. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

    Reply
    • Megan Porta

      March 11, 2019 at 1:50 am

      Hi Beth, Thank you for the question. I would love to claim to know more about crabs than I do, but honestly, crab isn’t caught here, it’s driven in from an ocean far away. So I have limited access! I would pick the ear of the people at a farmers market style place where you can buy it or at a deli counter maybe? Sorry I’m not much help!

      Reply
  3. Connie

    March 2, 2019 at 5:02 am

    What’s a good drinking sherry available in the States?nn

    Reply
    • Connie

      March 2, 2019 at 5:06 am

      What is a good drinking sherry in the States? Recipe looks amazing, but I don’t want to use the wrong product! (Please no Amatidillo!)

      Reply
      • Megan Porta

        March 2, 2019 at 9:29 pm

        Hi Connie,
        I will have to admit I use the expertise of the staff at a wine shop because sherry is versatile and not one of them are alike it seems. They vary quite a bit! Sounds like you know what NOT to try though. Here’s a link to an article describing some of the characteristics.

        https://winefolly.com/review/dry-sherry-wine-guide/

        Reply
  4. Tara

    January 14, 2019 at 1:01 am

    This was simple and excellent! It’s a keeper.

    Reply
    • Megan Porta

      January 14, 2019 at 4:01 pm

      Yay! That’s great to hear!

      Reply
  5. Addy J

    October 24, 2018 at 6:54 pm

    How about sautéed diced onions? Do you think that would take away from the flavor? I’m going to try this recipe today ☺️

    Reply
    • Megan Porta

      October 26, 2018 at 1:15 am

      It would not detract from the flavor. I say go ahead and add them!

      Reply
  6. Susan

    September 27, 2018 at 9:40 pm

    Have you ever made it in the crockpot?

    Reply
    • Megan Porta

      September 28, 2018 at 3:05 pm

      I have not. It does need a little heat at the beginning to get the whipping cream to boil and thicken. But after that you could simmer the ingredients on low for a couple of hours.

      Reply
  7. Pamela

    July 26, 2018 at 7:11 pm

    I made this recipe it was so delicious I gave it to 3 of my family members they enjoyed lt also. My brother asked me for the recipe. I will make it for my sister’s birthday on August 30, 2018. Thank you for sharing this recipe it is worth making yum to the yum

    Reply
    • Megan Porta

      July 28, 2018 at 2:35 am

      That makes me so happy! Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
  8. Lin

    May 13, 2018 at 4:53 am

    Oh, and as much as I love lemon anything and always use it on fresh seafood, I never thought of "spritzing" it on soup. Can’t wait to add that dimension! You always have such new perspectives!

    Reply
    • Megan Porta

      May 16, 2018 at 2:30 am

      I’m glad you are finding useful tips in the recipes. Thank you for taking the time to share it with me – love that!

      Reply
  9. Lin

    May 13, 2018 at 3:50 am

    I’m so glad you offered "cooking" sherry as an option, rather than the "real" thing. Since I don’t drink (and like another follower, I don’t want that added expense), cooking sherry is quite affordable and flavorful, and I have some other recipes I substitute it in. But, until, now no one ever affirmed my use of it. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Megan Porta

      May 16, 2018 at 2:29 am

      Of course!

      Reply
  10. Joyce

    April 18, 2018 at 10:20 pm

    We really enjoyed this creamy soup—even my husband who isn’t fond of creamy clam chowder and such soups! I chopped up 8 oz of imitation crab legs and used half and half in place of the milk as I had some I needed to get used! It was a thick creamy soup and we loved it!

    Reply
    • Megan Porta

      April 19, 2018 at 1:57 am

      Half and half would make it nice and creamy. I’m glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  11. Andrea Hill

    November 10, 2016 at 5:53 pm

    I’m new to eating crab, what form of crab did you use (fresh, frozen, canned)? Thanks, it sounds really good.

    Reply
    • Megan Porta

      November 10, 2016 at 8:05 pm

      Hi Andrea! I prefer the lump crab meat that can be found in containers or sealed packages in the refrigerator near meat/seafood. If you are unsure where to look, ask someone behind the meat counter and they’ll be able to point you in the right direction. Enjoy the soup!
      Megan

      Reply
  12. karen morgan

    October 2, 2016 at 5:18 pm

    is the cooking sherry necessary? that’s not something I keep on hand and don’t want to pay for a bottle when only using a tablespoon. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Megan

      October 2, 2016 at 6:50 pm

      Hi Karen! If you don’t have sherry, skip it. I totally understand not wanting to buy a bottle just to use so little!
      Megan

      Reply
  13. cis

    June 15, 2016 at 9:31 pm

    Can you add the nutrients such as carbs? I’m on a low carb diet.

    Reply
    • Jeff

      June 9, 2020 at 8:53 pm

      Super simple and great flavor. Next time I will add more crab meat.

      Reply
      • Megan Porta

        June 9, 2020 at 10:38 pm

        So glad you liked it! Thank you for sharing.

        Reply
  14. Kim

    March 9, 2015 at 1:45 am

    You don't want to boil milk or it curdles/separates.

    Reply
  15. Megan Porta

    March 6, 2015 at 1:48 am

    Hi Carlee! I hope you are surviving the storm! Try milk as a substitute. Report back!
    Megan

    Reply
  16. CarLee

    March 5, 2015 at 11:39 pm

    I certainly do not have whipping cream on hand. What could be substituted?
    …snowbound in the northeast

    Reply
    • oldsoulclm

      May 27, 2016 at 2:23 am

      If you have canned milk maybe try that or add a little flour

      Reply
  17. Koolteach

    February 15, 2015 at 5:37 pm

    I just made this and added a bit more milk, cream, and crab so it would stretch for another meal for us. My husband loves it and I do too. Thanks for the recipe. So glad I found it!

    Reply
  18. foodgigo

    September 1, 2014 at 6:42 pm

    It attracting to make it and serve to my whole family.

    Reply
  19. dina

    September 1, 2014 at 2:11 pm

    this looks simple yet so delicious!

    Reply
  20. Thalia @ butter and brioche

    September 1, 2014 at 8:24 am

    This crab soup looks so delicious and SO creamy… I am definitely craving a bowlful right now. Pinned!

    Reply
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