Crab Soup
A rich and creamy seafood soup featuring succulent crab meat in a velvety broth with aromatic vegetables and delicate seasonings - perfect for elegant dining or coastal-inspired comfort food.
Ingredients
- 1 lb lump crab meat
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups seafood or chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup dry sherry (optional)
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, and bell pepper until soft (5-6 mins). Add garlic; cook 1 minute.Make Roux: Stir in flour; cook 2 minutes until golden.Build Broth: Gradually whisk in stock until smooth. Add sherry (if using), Old Bay, paprika, and cayenne. Simmer 15 minutes.Add Crab: Gently fold in crab meat; simmer 5 minutes (don't stir vigorously).Finish: Stir in cream; heat through (don't boil). Season with salt/pepper.Serve: Garnish with parsley.
Notes
- For thicker soup, increase flour to ⅓ cup.
- Substitute imitation crab for budget version (reduce cooking time).
- Freezes well (without cream - add when reheating).