Crab Chowder Recipe

This Crab Chowder recipe is creamy, savory, and easy to make. It is the perfect way to satisfy anyone’s craving for delicious seafood soup.

clam chowder

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Crab Chowder Recipe

It’s finally soup season. Cozy soups like Black Bean Soup, Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup, and Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup are perfect for warming up with on a chilly fall or winter night.

I made this wonderful chowder soup to use some leftover crab meat. I love crab, and sometimes, I have crab leftover from a seafood meal. This chowder recipe is perfect for such an occasion. My husband is not the biggest fan of crab meat. How unfortunate for him. I coaxed him, however, to try at least a spoonful of my crab chowder soup, and he loved it. Of course, he did not stop there. Two bowls of chowder later—a huge Score for the crab chowder. If you want to substitute clams in this soup, go for it. You’ll have an amazing Clam Chowder soup to warm you up. This would be an excellent base soup for any chowder.

What You’ll Love About this Chowder Recipe

  • Easy – This recipe is easy and quick. You’ll have it in bowls and ready to eat before you know it.
  • Great Base Soup – This chowder recipe can be made with clams, shrimp, or crab. It’s so versatile.
  • A Family Favorite – The flavor of this soup is so delicious that it will be a fan favorite.

Ingredients You’ll Need

crab chowder ingredients
  • 1/2 cup of unsalted butter
  • One medium onion – chopped
  • 1 cup of carrots – sliced
  • celery – about three stalks, sliced
  • 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 4 cups of whole milk
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube
  • 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. of garlic powder
  • 12 oz. or more of minced cooked crab meat – This time I used lump crab meat from the can it was perfect for this recipe

Equipment You’ll Need

A large soup pot, dutch oven, or stock pot

How to Make Crab Chowder

Step One

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium/high heat

Add onion, carrots, and celery.- cook the vegetables in the butter for about 10 minutes, or until they are tender

adding vegetables to crab chowder

Step Two

Add the cornstarch and whisk in to incorporate it into the butter

adding cornstarch to crab chowder

Step Three

Gradually add the milk, 1 cup at a time – whisking with the butter mixture

Increase heat and bring it to a boil (Watch closely. Once the milk starts to boil, it can overflow from the pot. If this happens, reduce the heat so it settles down).

Add the bouillon cube.

adding chicken bouillon to soup

Stir constantly for about 1 minute or until the milk mixture is thick and smooth and the bouillon dissolves.

Step Four

Lower heat to a simmer, add vinegar, seasonings, and crab meat – Stir in, and simmer for about 5 minutes – stirring occasionally

lump crab meat

Serving Suggestion

  • You can serve this in a bread bowl – or with sliced bread
  • With shredded cheddar cheese, sliced chives, and oyster crackers
crab chowder recipe

Tips and Tricks

Make sure you use whole milk and not a thinned-down version. The fat in the whole milk helps add thickness and creaminess to the crab chowder.

Don’t Skimp on the White Pepper – I believe the only time I’ve ever used white pepper in a recipe is when I make a chowder. It really is a key ingredient to the flavor of this chowder recipe.

Variations

Heavy Cream – Instead of whole milk if you want a little richer soup

Chicken Stock – This is less salty and will thin the soup down a bit

Green Onion – Fold green onion into the soup for an even tastier soup

Bacon – Sprinkle bacon onto the soup for a salty and hearty flavor

Bacon Grease – Instead of butter to add flavor to the stock

Corn – Add corn kernels in the last five minutes of cooking for a Crab and Corn Chowder Soup Recipe

Red Pepper Flakes – Sprinkle in red pepper flakes for some extra heat

More Soup Recipes You’ll Love

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    Watch My Video on Making Crab Chowder

    Printable Recipe for Soup

    clam chowder

    Crab Chowder Recipe – Kid Friendly Things To Do

    Creamy Crab Chowder Recipe
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 459cal
    Author: Melissa
    Cost: $5

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup of unsalted butter
    • 1 medium onion chopped
    • 1 cup carrots sliced
    • celery about 3 stalks – sliced
    • 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
    • 4 cups whole milk
    • 1 chicken bouillon cube
    • 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
    • ½ tsp. ground white pepper
    • ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
    • ¼ tsp. of garlic powder
    • 12 oz. minced cooked leftover crab meat or lump crab meat from the can

    Instructions

    • In a large pot, melt the butter over medium/high heat
    • Add onion, carrots, and celery, – cook the vegetables in the butter for about 10 minutes, or until they are tender
    • Add the cornstarch, and whisk in to incorporate it into the butter
    • Gradually add the milk, 1 cup at a time – whisking with the butter mixture
    • Increase heat, and bring to a boil (Watch closely. Once the milk starts to boil, it can overflow from the pot. If this starts to happen, reduce the heat so it settles down).
    • Add the bouillon cube
    • Stir constantly for about 1 minute or until the milk mixture is thick and smooth and the bouillon dissolves
    • Lower heat to a simmer, add vinegar, seasonings, and crab meat – Stir in, and simmer for about 5 minutes – stirring occasionally

    Notes

    Nutrition facts are only an estimate. 
    Serving Suggestions:
    • You can serve this in a bread bowl – or with sliced bread
    • With shredded cheddar cheese, sliced chives, and oyster crackers

    Nutrition

    Calories: 459cal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 890mg | Potassium: 616mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 6463IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 349mg | Iron: 1mg

    ~Melissa – KidFriendlyThingsToDo.com

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