Crab Newburg

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 03/1/22
Crab and pasta

Dan Goldberg / Getty Images

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
223 Calories
9g Fat
15g Carbs
20g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 223
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 11%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 105mg 35%
Sodium 456mg 20%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 6%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 20g
Vitamin C 5mg 24%
Calcium 202mg 16%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 497mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This creamy Crab Newburg recipe is a rich and delicious classic that you can serve over toast points, rice, pasta, or puff pastry shells. It makes an elegant lunch entree or you can serve it for dinner. A crisp side salad or lightly steamed vegetables would add color and texture to your meal.

Crab Newburg is a variation of Lobster Newberg. But shouldn't it be Newberg, then? Originally, it was Lobster a la Wenberg, named after the sea captain who created the dish in 1876 and served at Delmonico's restaurant in  New York City. But after the friendship ended in enmity between the chief and the captain, it was renamed Newberg, an anagram of Wenberg, and the Newburg spelling variation caught on as well. The dish is similar to Lobster Thermidor, which was created about the same time,1880, by noted chef Auguste Escoffier in Paris.

You can make this recipe with canned or frozen lump crabmeat or with fresh crabmeat that has been cooked prior to adding it into the recipe. You can use your favorite fresh or wild mushrooms.

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces cooked crabmeat

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped onion

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 4 ounces sliced mushrooms

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1 1/2 cups milk

  • 2 tablespoons dry sherry

  • 1 dash cayenne pepper

  • 4 toast points, or cooked rice, pasta, or puff pastry shells

  • 1 dash paprika

Steps to Make It

  1. In a large nonstick saucepan, sauté the onion and mushrooms in the butter until they are tender.

  2. Stir in 3 tablespoons flour. Cook, with stirring, for 1 minute to make the roux.

  3. Add the milk and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened. It should coat the back of a spoon when it is the right consistency.

  4. Stir in the crabmeat, sherry, and pepper. Continue to heat while stirring, until it is heated through.

  5. Now the Crab Newburg is ready to serve over toast points, rice, pasta, or in puff pastry shells.

  6. Sprinkle the top of each serving with a little paprika.

Recipe Variations

Crab isn't the only seafood you can make into a Newburg. If you have lobster, shrimp, or salmon available, explore these other recipes:

  • Lobster Newburg and Rice: Here is the classic recipe, made with boiled lobster and half-and-half.
  • Shrimp Newburg: If you prefer shrimp or it is simply more available, here is the variation made with shrimp.
  • Salmon Newburg: This recipe uses canned salmon, which would be available year-round. It adds a little dry mustard to the sauce. One suggestion is to add some peas.

Learn how to make toast points.

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