Creamy Crab and Mushroom Soup

Seafood, Soups

Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Servings: Servings: 4 servings Source:

Ingredients

6 tablespoons butter, divided

1/4 cup finely chopped onion or shallot

1/4 cup chopped bell pepper, finely chopped

1 green onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1 teaspoon salt

Dash freshly ground black pepper

Dash ground nutmeg

Dash cayenne pepper

1 cup half-and-half or light cream

1 1/2 cups lump crab meat, fully cooked

2 tablespoons dry sherry


Optional Garnish: croutons

Directions

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.

Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy skillet or saute pan over medium heat. When the butter is hot and stops foaming, add the onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Cook until the onions are softened and translucent and the mushrooms are golden brown.

Add the chopped green onion and parsley; continue cooking for 2 minutes longer. Remove the vegetables from the heat and set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir the flour into the butter until smooth. Continue cooking for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually add the milk while stirring or constantly. Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper. Continue cooking until thickened, stirring constantly.

Add the reserved sauteed vegetables to the saucepan along with the half-and-half or light cream; cook until hot and bubbly, stirring constantly.

Stir in the cooked crabmeat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the sherry just before serving and stir to blend.

Top the soup with purchased or homemade croutons.

Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Crab meat comes in a variety of grades, including jumbo lump, lump, special, and claw. Special and claw are ideal for soup and salads, while the lump crab meat is an excellent choice for crab cakes, dips, and casseroles. Jumbo lump is the premium grade and is best used in dishes where appearance is important, such as certain appetizers and sauteed dishes.

Croutons are easy to make at home with sliced bread and a little butter. Heat the oven to 350 F. Remove the crusts from 4 slices of day-old bread. Melt about 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter; brush over the bread slices. Cut the bread into cubes and spread out on a baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with salt, if desired. Bake for about 14 to 16 minutes, or until browned. Let the croutons cool and serve them with the soup.

Nutrition

(per serving)
565 Calories 46g Fat 27g Carbs 14g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 565
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 46g 58%
Saturated Fat 27g 135%
Cholesterol 146mg 49%
Sodium 721mg 31%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 10%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Protein 14g
Calcium 232mg 18%
*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.