Today we’re taking a trip to South Carolina with this she crab soup, y’all! It’s a staple down there, and after my last visit to Charleston, I understood why. The base is smooth and rich, and it’s filled with chunks of crab! My version of she crab soup is simple, made in one pot, and heavy on the crab, just how I like it. I treat it kind of like a crab bisque since I don’t use roe, it’s super hard to find (I’ll get into that later), but the flavor is still on point, boos. This bowl will take you straight to the Lowcountry!
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How to Make She Crab Soup
These step-by-step photos show how to make she crab soup, but be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and detailed instructions. Skip to the → Easy She Crab Soup Recipe
1. Sauté the onion and celery in butter
Add salt and sauté until the vegetables are softened and translucent. Then, add the garlic, black pepper, nutmeg, cayenne, and paprika, and cook until fragrant.
2. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables
Stir to form a light roux.
PRO TIP: Remember to set aside 1 cup of crab meat and reserve it for serving!
3. Slowly pour in the seafood stock and half and half
Whisk until smooth and slightly thickened.
4. Add the crab meat, clam juice, and lemon zest
Let the mixture come to a low boil. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and let it cook until the soup thickens slightly, stirring occasionally.
5. Pour in dry sherry and lemon juice
Stir well until smooth.
6. Garnish your South Carolina she crab soup
Serve it into bowls and top each one with remaining crab meat, minced chives, and black seaweed pearls, if using. Enjoy hot!
PRO TIP: She Crab Soup was traditionally made with the roe from female crabs, but in order to preserve the population, it is illegal to fish for pregnant female crabs, and so the roe is almost impossible to find. However, to still enjoy the briny pop you would usually get from roe, you can substitute with another seafood roe. I use black seaweed pearls, which can be found online (shoutout to Caviart!) or in an upscale grocery store.
Full She Crab Soup Recipe
She Crab Soup Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup small diced yellow onion about 1 small onion
- ½ cup small diced celery 1 small stalk
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup seafood stock
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 pound lump crab meat well-picked through for shell fragments
- ¼ cup clam juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup dry sherry
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons minced chives
- 1 tablespoon black seaweed pearls
Instructions
- Set aside 1 cup of crab meat and reserve for serving.
- In a medium Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat and add onion, celery, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook until the vegetables are softened and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic, black pepper, nutmeg, cayenne, and paprika and cook for 1 additional minute until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir until coated. Continue stirring and slowly stream in the seafood stock and half and half. At first, the mixture will be thick and paste-like, but will smooth out as you stir and continue pouring in the liquids.
- Add the crab meat, clam juice, and lemon zest, and let the mixture come to a low boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let cook for 15-20 minutes, until the soup thickens slightly, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the dry sherry and lemon juice.
- Serve soup into bowls and top each one with remaining crab meat, minced chives, and black seaweed pearls, if using. Enjoy hot!
Notes
How to Store
- Fridge: Let the soup cool down, then transfer it to an airtight container. Keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I don’t suggest freezing it, boos. This soup has dairy, so it tends to separate.
- Reheating: Warm it over low heat on the stovetop, stirring often. Don’t let it boil or the texture can get weird. You can also microwave individual bowls for about 1 minute, stirring halfway through so it heats evenly.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- For this simple she crab soup recipe, use fresh crab, not canned. It makes a world of difference in both flavor and texture. You can usually find a container of fresh lump crab meat at the seafood counter of your grocery store.
- Pick through the crab! Even when it says “clean”, you still want to check for any little shell pieces before it goes in the pot.
- Dice those veggies real small, boos. Tiny onion and celery pieces help the soup stay creamy instead of chunky. Grating them works too.
- Blend the base if you want it extra smooth. Before the crab goes in, hit the soup with an immersion blender to get a silky texture.
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Serving Suggestions
- As a Starter: Serve smaller bowls before a seafood dinner like shrimp and grits, blackened fish, or crab cakes.
- Get Some Bread: This soup begs for something to dip, y’all! Think crusty bread, garlic bread, or warm yeast rolls.
- Add Something Fresh: If you’re making this the main, add a simple cucumber and onion salad or a slaw.
- Lowcountry Spread: Pair it with fried green tomatoes, hush puppies, or a small seafood platter for a Southern-style meal.
Recipe Help
Yep! Swap it with the same amount of seafood stock.
You can, but it will make your she crab soup thicker and richer. If you use it, you may want to thin the base with a splash of stock.
It’s best for flavor, but you can also use chicken stock.
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