Floyd & Shirley's Crab Soup

8 generous bowls Prep: 20 m Cook: 1 h Total: 1 h 20 m Intermediate
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This rich, buttery crab soup was made often for our family gatherings in Cameron. With tender lump crab meat, tomato sauce, and a butter-flour base, it’s a comforting bowl that lets the sweet crab shine through.

Ingredients

8 servings servings
  • 1 1/2 cups butter
  • 2 small onions, grated
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Pinch of thyme
  • 1/4 cup chopped celery leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 quarts water
  • 2 pounds crab meat
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley
  • 1-2 lemons, sliced
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Melt butter in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add bay leaves, celery leaves, thyme and garlic, mixing well. Stir in tomato sauce, then slowly add flour and stir until combined. Slowly stir in water. Cook on a medium-low heat until the flour taste is gone, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Fold in crab meat, being careful to not break up the meat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
  3. Serve in soup bowls. Sprinkle parsley and add a slice of lemon to each bowl.

Common Problems and Solutions

Q: Why is my soup too thick or pasty?

A: The flour needs to cook fully for about 45 minutes on medium-low heat to lose its raw taste and properly thicken. If it's too thick, add more water a cup at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

Q: Can I use imitation crab meat?

A: Real crab meat is essential for this recipe—the delicate sweetness and texture are what make this soup special. Imitation crab won't give you the same flavor or the beautiful lumps of meat.

Q: Why does the recipe call for grated onions?

A: Grating the onions helps them melt into the soup base and creates a smoother, more refined texture than chopped onions would provide.

Tips and Techniques

Don’t skip the full 45-minute cooking time for the flour base—this is what transforms it from a raw flour taste to a smooth, properly thickened soup. When adding the crab meat, fold it in gently to keep those beautiful lumps intact rather than shredding them. The lemon slice in each bowl brightens the rich, buttery broth.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • crab meat: lump crab meat or claw meat
  • butter: half butter, half olive oil
  • fresh parsley: dried parsley

Equipment Needed

  • heavy pot or Dutch oven
  • grater (for the onions)
  • wooden spoon

Historical Context

Cameron, Louisiana, on the Gulf Coast, has long been crab country, and family crab soup recipes like this one reflect the abundance of blue crab in the marshes and bays. The generous use of butter and the technique of grating onions show French Creole influences in South Louisiana cooking.