Once in a blue moon…on a very rare occasion…you have left over crab meat. Not enough to make crab cakes or crab imperial. But just enough to throw into a soup. Today’s chowder is my favorite crab soup…not as heavy as Cream of Crab, yet a little heartier than Maryland Crab Soup and packed with great nutrients.

Crab Chowder

For a print-friendly recipe see below

4 strips of bacon, chopped
2 cups diced red potatoes
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cups of corn (fresh, frozen or canned)
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon minced rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
1 cup crab meat (or more if you have it)

Fry the bacon in your favorite large soup pan.

Add the carrots, onions and celery and saute until just tender. Stir in the flour. Add the 2 cups of broth and bring to a slow boil.

Meanwhile, dice the potatoes and add to the pot.

Cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add  a little water if needed. Then add the red pepper, corn, parsley and rosemary. Let simmer for 10 minutes.

Add milk, then gently fold in the crab meat. Stir and heat through. Try not to let it come to a boil at this point; just nice and hot.

Stir in the Old Bay. Adjust seasonings as needed.

Ladle into bowls and serve with a little Old Bay on the side.

PRINT RECIPE ADD TO COLLECTION Go to Collections

Chesapeake Crab Chowder

From the Eastern Shore, a classic Waterman's chowder

Ingredients

• 4 strips Bacon, diced
• 2 cups Red potatoes diced
• 1 cup Celery, diced
• 1 cup Carrots, diced
• 1 Large onion, chopped
• 1 Red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cups Sweet corn (fresh, frozen or canned)
• 3 tbsp Flour
• 2 cups Chicken broth
• 2 cups Milk
• 1 tbsp Fresh rosemary, minced
• 1 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning
• 1+ cup Blue crab meat

Instructions

• Fry the bacon in a large soup pan.
• Add the carrots, onions and celery and saute until just tender. Stir in the flour. Add the 2 cups of broth and bring to a slow boil.
• Add the dice potatoes to the pot. Cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add  a little water if needed. Then add the red pepper, corn, parsley and rosemary. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add milk, then gently fold in the crab meat. Stir and heat through. Try not to let it come to a boil at this point; just nice and hot.
• Stir in the Old Bay. Adjust seasonings as needed. Ladle into bowls and serve with a little Old Bay on the side.

Notes