She-Crab Soup
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON
Have you heard of she-crab soup? Nope, neither had we! But now that we’ve tasted it, we’re gonna make it again and again.
Similar to a crab bisque, this creamy soup comes to us from the South Carolina low-country. Thick, rich, and loaded with crab flavor, it promises to take you to Charleston in less time than it takes you to clean your bowl.
Read on for tips on making this soup, or check out some other Southern-inspired classics.
What is she-crab soup?
She-crab soup traditionally features Atlantic blue crabmeat, crab or seafood stock, heavy cream, sherry, and—this is the kicker!—crab roe, or crab eggs. It’s called “she-crab” because of the addition of the crab roe, which adds a distinctive briny flavor as well as an orangey tone to the finished soup. That said, crab roe is hard to find, even if you’re in South Carolina, so we’ve chosen not to include it in the recipe below. if you happen to have some, though, you should absolutely use it!
Lump crab is expensive! Can I use claw meat?
We love lump crab because those beautiful whole pieces add great texture to the soup, but we’re also watching our grocery bill, and we get it. If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, try buying half claw meat and half lump. You can add the claw meat to the soup with the cream, where it will still provide body and lots of flavor to the soup, then top your soup with the lump crab, where you’ll be able to see and appreciate it the most.
I don’t like spicy food. Can I leave out the paprika?
You can, but honestly, the paprika is only there to balance the rich cream and briny stock. We don’t think it makes the soup spicy at all. If you’re nervous about it, try reducing the paprika to 1 teaspoon when you stir it in with the stock, then taste at the end and add more as needed.
That’s a lot of cream. Can I substitute for something lower-fat?
Sure! Heavy cream is traditional (and it makes a very delicious soup), but if you like, you can substitute half the heavy cream for half-and-half or whole milk. Just keep in mind that the texture might not be quite as thick or rich as it would be if you were using all heavy cream.
Made it? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
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Yields:
4
servings
Prep Time:
0
hours
10
mins
Total Time:
0
hours
40
mins
small white onion, chopped
celery stalk, finely chopped
tsp.
kosher salt, plus more
tbsp.
all-purpose flour
c.
homemade or store-bought seafood stock
tsp.
paprika, plus more for serving
lb.
lump crabmeat, picked over, divided
tbsp.
fresh lemon juice
c.
finely chopped chives
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- In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion, celery, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in flour to coat vegetables, then whisk in sherry until a thick paste forms. Whisk in stock, paprika, Old Bay seasoning, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Add cream and half of crabmeat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes longer. Stir in lemon juice. Taste and season with salt.
- Divide soup among bowls. Top with remaining crabmeat; sprinkle with chives and more paprika.
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PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON
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