Creamy Crab Corn Soup Recipe

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This creamy Corn Crab Soup recipe has fresh crabmeat and a touch of spice, but no flour. Pureed corn thickens this healthy, gluten-free soup!

At first taste, this crab and corn chowder is sweet. But after it lingers on your palate for a moment, a little heat kicks in.

You can absolutely leave out the cayenne pepper. But you won't want to. You'll be drawn right back in for another taste because it's so addictively delicious.

If you've ever had a kickin' crab chowder (I used to enjoy it at Crisper's), you know just what I'm talking about!

This recipe has the delicious flavor you'd expect from a restaurant-style seafood chowder. It's just healthier.

Here are more reasons to love this corn crab soup recipe:

• It's thickened with pureed corn. No flour, cornstarch, or potatoes are used.
• It's lower in carbs and calories!
• It's quick and easy to make in 30 minutes!
• It's a hearty, filling chowder!

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• Ingredients
• Directions
• Storage
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Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this easy crab corn soup recipe:

• Corn kernels - Fresh or frozen
  • Fresh, sweet corn is absolutely my first choice for this chowder. You don't need to cook it first; just remove the kernels from the cob.
  • I like to microwave corn in its husk so the silky strands slide right off.
  • Defrosted, frozen corn works too.
• Crab - Lump crab meat or claw meat give the best flavor.
• Butter and/or olive oil is used to sautee the vegetables.
• Onion & celery are finely diced, then softened.
• Vegetable, chicken broth, or seafood stock - Watch the sodium amount and adjust added salt accordingly.
• Whole milk or half and half give this soup a creamy flavor. Heavy cream is an option too, but I find it's perfectly creamy with one of the other options.
• Cayenne pepper - We used a pinch for a small kick. Omit if desired.
• Salt and black pepper to taste.
• Sugar or sweetener alternative is optional. The sweetness of the corn may be enough. But a little extra sugar offsets the spice you often find in a restaurant version of this soup.

I know...crab is a bit pricey and decadent. If you have leftover chicken, use it to make chicken corn chowder.

And if you have leftover crab meat, make crab balls or crab-stuffed salmon!

Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.

Directions

Here's how to make thick and creamy crab corn soup:

1. Melt butter and combine with olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and celery to the pot and saute 5 minutes or until soft.
2. Add broth, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, sugar, and 1 cup of corn kernels to the pot. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. While the soup simmers, process the remaining 2 cups of corn and milk in a blender or food processor until smooth. An immersion blender can be used instead. Depending on your preference, the mixture can be chunky or very smooth, like a crab bisque.
4. Add pureed corn and milk and simmer for 5 minutes. Fold crabmeat into the soup and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes more. Leave some pieces of crab in clumps for the final presentation.

Ladle into bowls and enjoy! Popular toppings include oyster crackers, sliced green onion, crumbled bacon, and parsley.

Yield: 5 cups

Variations: Add more vegetables, such as diced potatoes, in step 1. Add additional cooking to ensure the vegetables are fork-tender.

Storage

Store leftover crab and corn soup in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat over low heat on the stovetop.

We do not recommend freezing this soup as the texture will change when it defrosts and is reheated.

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📋 Recipe

 This recipe was originally published on June 22, 2014 and has been updated to improve the reader experience.