30 Minute One Pot Creamy Crab Soup
This super simple one pot crab soup takes just 30 minutes from start to finish and is loaded with lump crab meat and tender diced potatoes in a creamy broth for the ultimate cold weather comfort food.
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You Will Love This
- It’s super easy but loaded with flavor! This cream of crab soup comes together all in one pot and is super luxurious but you don’t have to worry about making a classic finicky roux. It’s got a delicious combination of dried herbs with classic aromatic veggies in a creamy seafood base with plenty of crab meat and fork tender potatoes for a crab chowder your family will love!
- If you loved this crab soup recipe, be sure to check out my Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup, my 30 Minute Instant Pot Chicken Chili, or my Creamy Instant Pot Chicken Soup with Rice.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Butter – Unsalted butter is going to give you the best flavor and texture for this creamy crab chowder. The butter combines with the flour to help thicken the creamy soup. Olive oil will work in a pinch, but its not ideal.
- Onion – You can use white or yellow onion, but I do not recommend substituting with red onion.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic will give you the best flavor, but if you don’t have fresh, try a 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder in its place. Add more to taste.
- Old Bay Seasoning – Old Bay is the key ingredient in this soup. It offers the most delicious combination of flavors with just a hint of spice and it pairs perfectly with the creamy broth and chunks of crabmeat.
- Flour – All-purpose flour will give you the best flavor and texture for this creamy crab soup. It is the main thickening agent working in conjunction with the butter and stock to create the creamy base for this soup.
- Baby Yellow Potatoes – I chose baby yellow potatoes because they cook quickly, are super creamy, and have a thin skin so they don’t need to be peeled. Potatoes are a great addition to creamy soups because they add great texture and substance without overpowering the other flavors.
- Half and Half – Half and half is the perfect way to make this soup luxuriously creamy without being too thick. If you don’t have any on hand, you can substitute with equal parts whole milk and heavy cream.
- Seafood Stock – Seafood stock bolsters the seafood flavors, and makes the soup a little more reminiscent of a seafood stew. If you don’t have seafood stock, add more vegetable stock but the flavor won’t be quite as pronounced.
- Chicken Broth – Broth is part of the base for the soup. If you want a thicker soup, add less, and if you want to stretch the soup a little further add more. You could also use veggie broth or beef broth in place of the chicken broth.
- Bay Leaves – Bay leaves give soups a savory, peppery flavor. If you don’t have bay leaves, don’t worry, just omit them and add an extra pinch of pepper.
- Jumbo Lump Crab Meat – Crab meat is the star of this show! Lump crab meat is best for this crab chowder, but picked crab meat will work as well. Canned crab will not give you the same flavor. Neither will imitation crab.
- Sherry Vinegar – Sherry vinegar is another key ingredient that really gives this crab soup it’s signature flavor. Adding something acidic like vinegar is my favorite way to boost the flavor of any creamy soup. If you don’t have any on hand you could also substitute with white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, or regular balsamic vinegar in its place although it will slightly alter the flavor. You could also add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice in a pinch. Sherry vinegar is not the same as dry sherry or cooking sherry.
Instructions
Sauté onion and celery in butter. Add garlic and cook.
Add flour and cook.
Add half the seafood stock to deglaze the pan and scrape all the yummy bits off the bottom.
Add remaining seafood stock, half and half, and chicken broth. Then add potatoes, Old Bay seasoning, and bay leaves along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Stir until well combined.
Simmer gently for 5 minutes then add most of the crab meat, reserving some for garnish. Simmer until potatoes are fork-tender. Stir in sherry vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Garnish with chives, parsley, and remaining crab meat, and enjoy!
Fresh Crab vs. Canned Crab
- Fresh crab meat is ideal for this crab soup recipe. You can typically find fresh picked crabmeat or lump crabmeat at the seafood counter or near the deli section at your local grocery store or fish market. It is expensive which is why I only use half a pound in this recipe. For that very reason, this is a recipe that we love to serve on special occasions.
- If you’re looking for a slightly cheaper way to get fresh crab, you can also buy your own crab legs, bake them, crack them, and remove the crab meat yourself. This way is definitely a bit more work, but I promise it’s worth it.
- Canned crab meat does not have quite the same flavor as fresh crab meat so I only recommend using fresh for this recipe.
- I do not recommend using imitation crab meat either, because it is vastly different in flavor and texture, does not cook the same way, and will not absorb the other soup flavors as well.
Tips
- Feel free to add other veggies to this recipe. Adding a cup or so of corn, diced carrot, peas, or even green beans along with the potatoes will give this creamy crab soup more of a chowder type feel.
- Salt moderately and often! The ingredients in this dish are SO simple that salt is going to go a long way in boosting the flavors of all the ingredients. A good rule of thumb is to add a couple pinches of salt and pepper each time you add new ingredients to a dish. This helps to season each ingredient and layer the flavors.
- To add a bit of umami flavor to this creamy soup, try adding a dash of Worcestershire sauce.
- If you’d like to make this soup extra creamy, before adding the crab in, use an immersion blender or high speed blender to blend half or all of the soup.
Make Ahead, Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
- Make Ahead: This creamy crab soup can be made up to 3 days in advance and the flavors will just get better with time!
- Storage: Store leftover crab soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Because of the creamy texture of this soup and the seafood, I prefer not to freeze this soup. It really tastes best fresh or after just a couple days.
- Reheating: Reheat crab soup in a saucepan over medium heat. You’ll need to add a splash or two of broth, milk, or half and half to loosen it up as it will thicken as it cools. Be sure to season to taste with salt and pepper after reheating as well. Try adding a pinch of Old Bay Seasoning too, just to freshen up the flavors.
FAQ
What is cream of crab soup made of?
This delicious cream of crab soup is made with veggies sautéed in butter, mixed with flour and Old Bay Seasoning. Then you’ll add seafood stock, broth, half and half, diced potatoes, and of course crab meat.
What is the best crab soup recipe?
The is hands down the very best crab soup recipe you’ll find on the internet! It’s made with fresh, real ingredients, key spices, and lump crab meat. It’s rich and luxurious without being too heavy.
Is crab soup healthy?
I prefer not to refer to foods as healthy or unhealthy – the key is to enjoy everything in moderation! However, the best part about this crab soup is that you know exactly what’s in it and it’s made with real ingredients so you can feel good about feeding it to your family!
Serve Crab Soup With
- Beet Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
- Arugula Salad with Dried Cherries
- Goat Cheese Salad with Dijon Dressing
- 5 Minute Garlic Bread
- Tomato Mozzarella Caprese Garlic Bread
Easy Soup Recipes
Did you love this recipe?
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Creamy Crab Soup
This super simple one pot crab soup takes just 30 minutes from start to finish and is loaded with large pieces of crab and tender diced potatoes in a creamy broth for the ultimate cold weather comfort food.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
- 6 tablespoons flour
- 1 lb. baby yellow potatoes, diced into 1/2-3/4 inch pieces
- 1 quart (32 oz.) half and half
- 1 (14.5 oz.) can seafood stock
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 pound fresh crab meat
- 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
- Kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
Garnish
- chopped parsley
- sliced chives
- crab meat
- oyster crackers
- Old Bay Seasoning
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium to medium high heat.
- Add onion and celery along with a couple large pinches of salt and pepper and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add flour and stir to combine. Cook for another minute, stirring occasionally.
- Add half the seafood stock to deglaze the pan and scrape all the yummy bits off the bottom.
- Add remaining seafood stock, half and half, and chicken broth.
- Then add potatoes, Old Bay seasoning, and bay leaves along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Stir until well combined.
- Bring to a simmer over medium high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium low and simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add most of the crab meat, reserving some for garnish.
- Simmer gently for another 5 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
- Stir in sherry vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Garnish with chives, parsley, and remaining crab meat and enjoy!
Notes
- Feel free to add other veggies to this recipe. Adding a cup or so of corn, diced carrot, peas, or even green beans along with the potatoes will give this creamy crab soup more of a chowder type feel.
- Salt moderately and often! The ingredients in this dish are SO simple that salt is going to go a long way in boosting the flavors of all the ingredients. A good rule of thumb is to add a couple pinches of salt and pepper each time you add new ingredients to a dish. This helps to season each ingredient and layer the flavors.
- To add a bit of umami flavor to this creamy soup, try adding a dash of Worcestershire sauce.
- If you’d like to make this soup extra creamy, before adding the crab in, use an immersion blender or high speed blender to blend half or all of the soup.
Most restaurants use bases instead of real meat for soups like this. I’ve found all kinds; crab, lobster, clam, shrimp, etc. Some brands are much better than others and have much more natural (less artificial) flavor. I’ve used a brand called Minor’s (a Nestle brand) for many years. It keeps almost indefinitely in the fridge and goes a very long way. Great stuff!
I kicked in about another 1/2 tablespoon of the Old Bay because our first taste test was a bit bland. Other than that I followed to the T and it is soooooo good! Very cold today and a perfect cold weather soup
What a great recipe; so rich and creamy. Will definitely add this to my winter sound rotation.
Good recipe, wanted to replicate a crab soup from a resturant I went to before and this one is pretty identical. I thought there were way too many potatoes though so I halved it.
Hello from the Southern Maryland coast! I needed a quick fix as opposed to my usual all day prep for She-Crab soup. Your recipe is perfect as is!
Did I add farm-fresh corn? Yep. Did I add dried chipotle peppers because I like it spicy? Also yes. But your recipe is the perfect base melody for everyone to riff off from. Five stars, Ma’am!
Love ❤️ this recipe! Easy and delicious 😋
This recipe would be a 5 to me if you omit the potatoes. if using Maryland blue crab meat that’s fresh, please don’t add potatoes. They take away the deliciousness of the fresh crab meat and you the starchiness takes away from the delicate crabmeat texture. Save the potatoes for New England clam chowder. If using imitation crab or imported crabmeat from a can, then using potatoes would be okay in my book (just my opinion though). I’m from Southern MD and live on the Patuxent River connected to the Chesapeake Bay. While crab is a staple here in the summer, it’s still super expensive and not so easy to come by these days. Bottom line – if the crab meat is good and fresh then less is more! Also, I’d recommend using dry sherry over the sherry vinegar.
Thanks I am going to try it this way. Without the potatoes.
-Marylander missing her crab soup down in Texas.
I thought this was delicious as presented. Thanks for your thoughts Anne, you are obviously a crab snob!
I made this for my husband and it was a big hit. I also added shredded cheese and it added to the creamy taste. I only had canned crab, but still was delicious! Will definitely make again!
Soooooo! Good – simple and was very easy to follow. The best thing is I had every for the recipe except the Sherry which I don’t miss it because it taste great! I actually compare this recipe with another and so glad I followed this recipe. Thank you for offering options and ideas. My family and I love ❤️ this recipe- A+++
Hi,
I made this soup for my husband today because he loves crab and he loved this soup. Thanks for the great recipe.
I am so glad to hear that you both enjoyed this creamy crab soup, Shanna! Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Very easy and very good!
I made this with canned crab (the large refrigerated can from the deli) and it was fantastic. Some other substitutions- balsamic vinegar instead of sherry vinegar, Better than Bouillon (chicken) for seafood stock, and regular potatoes. Celery was not listed in the ingredients but was noted in the recipe, so I added it. Excellent! (Took about an hour to make)
Is leaving the potatoes outgoing to alter the taste any? Trying to keep Carbs low.
I think it would still taste delicious without the potatoes! Great idea to keep it low carb!
Followed recipe as posted, wife and I both thought it was very good. We refer the new dishes as keepers that we like. This is a definite “Keeper.”
I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe – thanks for leaving a review!
I am curious as to the serving size, never mentioned? 6 oz? 8 oz? What’s the scoop?
I’m always apprehensive to include specific serving sizes as everyone requires a different amount of food. I would guesstimate a serving to be around 1-1.5 cups or so. Hope that helps, Ken!
Made this for the first time. Followed it to the T. My family loved it. Took a little longer than I anticipated. Well worth it!!! I appreciated the sherry, it gave it depth. Would make again.