This cream of crab soup recipe is easy and so tasty with all the flavors of the Maryland shore. You can make a batch and freeze it for any time of year.
Once while visiting one of my husband's cousins we were served this delicious cream of crab soup. He didn't give us the exact recipe but he did tell us what some of the ingredients were, so I've created my own version and am sharing it with you today.
Five Ingredient Cream of Crab Soup
Since my husband grew up about 1 hour from the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, eating crab meat was second nature. Growing up in Pittsburgh I never even heard of eating steamed crabs or steamed shrimp with Old Bay Seasoning and beer.
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I have since come to enjoy the custom of spending an evening, sitting around drinking beer, and picking spicy crabs. And although they are still hard to come by in Pittsburgh we make sure to indulge on vacation at the beach.
What you need to make this cream of crab soup recipe:
This recipe is very easy. You can get just about all the ingredients at any grocery store. No need to create a roux or use heavy whipping cream like you would in many other cream of anything soup recipes.
- can cream of potato soup
- can cream of celery soup
- 12 oz. can evaporated milk
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 lb lump crab meat or jumbo lump crabmeat
Can you substitute canned crab meat for fresh lump crab meat?
Yes, you can substitute canned crab meat or imitation crab meat but fresh will taste much better. However, since this is a soup and not something like a crab cake or crab imperial I think you can get away with canned versus fresh.
Any fresh crab meat that is labeled jumbo, special or claw will work fine in this recipe.
Fresh lump crab meat, however, is now readily available in the seafood section of most markets, making this dish a simple and tasty one that I can make any time of year.
Can You Freeze Cream of Crab Soup?
Sure. Just make sure you let the soup cool first and then place it into a freezer-safe container. Or ladle out some into individual containers. It should last for a few months in the freezer but don't do what I sometimes do. That's forgetting all about it in the freezer.
This creamy crab soup recipe makes a nice-sized pot of soup that you can share with several people and then freeze the leftovers for the next time you're craving a bowl. Or pair it with a nice salad for an any-day-of-the-week meal.
More Creamy Soup Recipes:
Easy Cream of Crab Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 can cream of potato soup 10.5 oz
- 1 can cream of celery soup 10.5 oz
- 1 can evaporated milk 12 oz.
- 1 tablespoon. Old Bay seasoning
- 1 lb lump crabmeat
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add canned soup plus one can of water each (total of two) to a large saucepan.
- Pour in evaporated milk.
- Add crabmeat and Old Bay seasoning and stir well.
- Simmer on medium-high heat until heated through about 5-10 minutes and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although attempts have been made to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Sharon
Is this recipe supposed to be watery? I followed the recipe and it is do watery. it is a good thing I bought extra can of cream of potatoes and cream of celery. I added them without adding any more water. Also added cornstarch to thicken it.
Patti Estep
Sharon, it's not watery. It's basically the same as the canned soup would be with the addition of crabmeat and a can of evaporated milk and that is somewhat thick. I'm not sure why yours was watery.
Sharon
Patti, in the instruction section, step one, you included "add one can if water each" made it watery. If no water is added, then it would have been creamy.
Patti Estep
Sharon, I always add 1 can of water for each can of soup. However, not for the can of evaporated milk. If you were doing that then I could see it being watery. I will edit the recipe in case the was not clear.
Robert Shepherd
Hi Patti,
I’ll be using your recipe soon but wanted to know what effect using a can of milk for each can of soup would do (whole, 2%, half and half or even heavy cream)? Perhaps half a can of water to half dairy for each can of soup.
We like creamy soups and wouldn’t worry about the nutritional consequences. Just need to exercise more!
Great recipe, thanks
Patti Estep
Robert, I think the canned milk is a little thicker than whole milk. Probably not half and half or cream. However, I haven't tried them in the recipe. I guess it depends on how thick or thin you like your soup. Enjoy!
RUTH A Murray
Does this recipe call for a total of two cans of water?
Patti Estep
Yes it does. You can experiment with more or less to suit your preference.
Carol montervino
This sounds perfect for my son. Can I add diced potatoes instead of can water could I use chicken broth instead. How about can cream of crab soup.
Patti Estep
Carol, I haven't tried any of those ideas but I don't see why you couldn't use them. Let me know how it turns out.
Dawn
Can you freeze it?
Patti Estep
Dawn, I'm haven't done that but I really don't see why not.
Sonia
Patti
I made this soup this eve except I used imitation crab ( only because I had a large package on hand) and added some hot sauce and a bit of Worcestershire , it was very lovely
The canned soup made everything creamy and super easy
I started following you on IG
Patti Estep
That sounds great Sonia. Thanks for sharing.
Mary Enders
What size can of evaporated milk?
Patti Estep
I use a 12 oz. can Mary. Thanks for pointing this out. I've updated the recipe to reflect the can size.