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Authentic Maryland Crab Soup: Your Chesapeake Bay Feature Meal

Close-up of a bowl of rich, reddish-orange Maryland crab soup filled with chunks of crab meat, potatoes, green beans, and corn.
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Make a truly authentic Maryland Crab Soup, a broth-based classic packed with fresh vegetables and sweet lump crab meat, seasoned perfectly with Old Bay. This recipe brings the taste of the Chesapeake Bay right to your table.

Ingredients

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  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning, plus more for garnish
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels
  • 1/2 cup frozen green beans
  • 1 pound fresh lump crab meat, picked over for shells
  • 1/4 cup dry sherry (optional)
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrot. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 6 to 8 minutes.
  2. Stir in the thyme, oregano, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 minute to create a roux base.
  4. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, broth, Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons of Old Bay Seasoning, and the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
  5. Add the diced potatoes. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
  6. Stir in the frozen corn and green beans. Cook until the vegetables are heated through, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
  7. Gently fold in the lump crab meat. If using, stir in the dry sherry. Heat the soup through for 2 to 3 minutes; do not boil after adding the crab meat.
  8. Taste the soup and add salt if needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra Old Bay Seasoning before serving.

Notes

  • For the best flavor, use high-quality lump crab meat. Gently pick through it to remove any stray shell pieces before adding it to the soup.
  • If you prefer a slightly thicker soup, you can increase the flour to 1/3 cup, making sure to cook it longer with the vegetables to eliminate the raw flour taste.
  • This soup tastes even better the next day after the flavors have fully combined.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://magazinemeal.com/maryland-crab-soup-recipe/