She-Crab Soup

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.
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Updated on 06/21/21
She crab soup recipe

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
585 Calories
40g Fat
8g Carbs
47g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 585
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 40g 51%
Saturated Fat 25g 123%
Cholesterol 345mg 115%
Sodium 4031mg 175%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 47g
Vitamin C 10mg 49%
Calcium 391mg 30%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 818mg 17%
*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.)

A regional specialty from Virginia, this rich crab soup is similar to a bisque and gets its name from the female crab, or she-crab. The she-crab is favored for its orange-colored crab roe, the main ingredient in she-crab soup. You will find she-crab soup on menus down South, especially in Georgia and South Carolina.

This recipe calls for live whole crabs, which are then boiled and shelled. The crab meat and roe are combined with milk and heavy cream, as well as seasonings and a bit of dry sherry to create a thick and luxurious soup. 

Ingredients

  • 4 quarts water

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons salt, divided

  • 12 female Atlantic blue crabs, about 4 inches wide

  • 1/4 cup butter

  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

  • 2 cups milk

  • 2 cups heavy cream

  • 2 teaspoons onion, finely grated

  • 1 teaspoon lemon peel, finely grated

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

  • 3 tablespoons dry sherry

  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for she crab soup
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  2. Bring 4 quarts water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil in a large (about 8-quart) kettle. Drop in the crabs and return the water to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes.

    Water and salt
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga 

  3. Drain the crabs, clean, and shell. Set meat and roe aside.

    Drain crabs
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  4. In a heavy 3- to 4-quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When the foam begins to subside, add the flour and stir until smooth and bubbly.

    Melt butter
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  5. Stirring the mixture constantly with a wire whisk, pour in the milk and cream slowly, and cook over high heat until the sauce comes to a boil and is smooth and slightly thickened.

    Stir mixture
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga 

  6. Gently stir in the crabmeat and roe, along with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, grated onion, lemon peel, nutmeg, and white pepper. Reduce heat to low, and simmer partially covered for 20 minutes.

    Gently stir in crabmeat
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  7. Stir in the sherry and taste for seasoning.

    Stir
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  8. Pour the soup into a heated serving dish or individual soup bowls and sprinkle the top with parsley.

    Pour soup in pot
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  9. Serve immediately.

    Serve she crab soup
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga 

Tip

  • If you are unable to find a dozen female crabs, you can buy the crab meat and roe already cooked. For this recipe, you will need about 1 pound of Atlantic Blue crab meat and 1/2 cup of roe.

More Seafood Bisques

If you are a fan of this velvety smooth seafood soup, there are a few others you can try.

  • One crab bisque features snow crab legs and a bit of tomato paste to give it a little tang and beautiful red color.
  • Impress your guests with a lobster bisque that comes together quickly with pre-cooked lobster and just a few other ingredients.
  • For something a little different, try a scallop bisque, a simple recipe with rich flavors.

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