Maryland Crab Soup
I’ve lived on the east coast my entire life and one of my favorite staples is Maryland Crab Soup. I always order it whenever I get the chance ever since I first had it at the university I attended in Maryland. So obsessed. I’m a big fan of basically anything seafood so it was an easy sell. Savory and loaded with veggies, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Every time we visit back home, we like to order fresh crabs if they’re in season. The last time, everyone else was crabbed out so Zach and I picked the rest of the bushel and froze the meat for later. And there’s no better way to use frozen crab meat than to make my all time favorite soup!
I started by looking for a recipe online but after reading comments (I really like to read comments on recipes…you find a lot of helpful tips there), I decided to just wing it and couldn’t be happier with with the results. This is the Maryland Crab Soup soup I remembered. Try it out and comment to let me know what you think! Is there anything you would do differently?
This recipe first appeared on my old blog The Traveler’s Nest!
Maryland Crab Soup
Ingredients
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 cup carrots (sliced)
- 1 cup potato (cut into small cubes)
- 1 cup yellow sweet corn (frozen)
- 1 cup lima beans (frozen)
- 1 cup peas (frozen)
- 15 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 1 half medium onion (diced)
- ½ 6 oz can tomato paste
- freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1 lbs crab meat (cooked)
- 1 tablespoon mustard (Optional: a reader suggestion!)
Instructions
- Combine beef broth, water, Worcestershire Sauce, Old Bay, carrots, potatoes, corn, lima beans, peas, tomatoes, onions, tomato paste and black pepper in a 4-quart pot.
- Bring to boil over medium high heat.
- Reduce heat to low.
- Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the crabmeat, replace the lid and simmer for 2 hours.
Check out my other SOUP recipes or my SOUPS AND STEWS recipe board on Pinterest!
I live in PA and my family loves Maryland crab while I prefer cream of crab. I made this with frozen soup veggies and drained a can of diced potatoes, phillips claw meat, It was AMAZING. Will be on the dinner rotation for sure! Everyone LOVED it. Thank you
I’m so glad you all enjoyed it!! 🙂
I grew up in Maryland and now live in Germany. Made my first batch for my anniversary, and it’s such a hit, I’m making it for Christmas Eve and Christmas dinner guests. I use Phillips canned crab claw (all I can get). Left out the beans. Added celery. I sautéed the onions and a little bit of garlic in Irish butter before adding the contents (including Coleman’s mustard powder.) For this batch I threw in some Slap ya Mama to add a little bit of NOLA to the party. I’ll be making this “back home” recipe all winter. Chef’s kiss!
Most real crab soup in Baltimore has cabbage btw
I put crab claws and tomato soup to thicken in my soup.
I was born and raised in Maryland and would like to clarify that the mustard used in this soup is dry mustard (I use Coleman’s), not the Heinz or Gulden’s variety out of a squeeze bottle.
Thank you for clarifying 🦀
I used 32 ounces of Beef broth, 2.5 table spoons of Old Bay, I also cut up and used 3 long sticks of celery, then omitted the Lima Bean (I hate Lima beans). I also used 1 pound of blue crab claw meat and tossed in 13 crab claws, I haven’t had crab soup like this since I was a kid back in the 1970’s growing up where Back River meets the Chesapeake Bay. This recipe is Soooooo Good.
Best Maryland Crab Soup I’ve had outside of my home state. I love how the tomato paste gives the soup base a little more body. I misread the ingredients and put in all 6 oz, and loved it. But I would recommend editing “½ 6 oz can tomato paste” to be just “3 oz tomato paste.” I also put in a tablespoon of Dijon mustard and would do so again. As I can’t stand peas, I just doubled up the lima beans. The balance of liquid to solids is perfect, every spoonful has everything you want. Great flavor, great consistency.
I tried your version and it was very tasty. I altered your recipe slightly by using equal parts spicy V8 juice, beef broth and water and it was divine !!!
I tried your recipe and it was right tasty !!! I also live on the East coast. I used equal parts of spicy V8 juice with beef broth and water and it was out of this world delicious 🤤 !!!
I tried this recipe and left out peas and Lima beans. I added cut up shrimp. It was delicious!!❤️
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!
Should I thaw vegetables before adding?
Hi! You don’t need to thaw before adding 🙂
Lance,
Also the vinegar in Worcestershire sauce will keep the starch in potatoes from breaking down and getting mushy. Think about it like when you pickle a cucumber, the acidity preserves the texture.
Just got back from Baltimore and decided to make this soup. It is OUTSTANDING and tastes just as good as it does at my favorite restaurants there. Definitely a keeper! I did not add mustard as was one of the suggestions. I added a little more Old Bay than called for to use up what I had. I used a frozen peas, carrots, and corn mix to equal the number of cups of vegetables called for in the recipe. Served with oyster crackers.
I made this yesterday and it was absolutely awesome. Didn’t change anything in the recipe except to add more crab. Unbelievable. Will definitely make it again.
I’m so glad that you liked it!!
Can I make this in crockpot,and would I change anything
You sure can! Just put all of the ingredients in the crockpot, cover, and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Let me know how it turns out! – Corinne
This was my 3rd time making this recipe and my family loves it! It’s the best Maryland crab soup recipe I’ve ever made.
Five stars for this crab soup recipe. Best flavor !
Taste just like Phillips Crab Soup in Ocean City , Md.
Great recipe!! I made a few tweaks with the veggies between fresh and frozen, added more pepper and old bay since we like it spicier, and added the mustard. Claws were added as well! Will use this recipe again as it was delicious! Thanks!
You certainly don’t *have” to simmer it for that long…that just allows the flavors to meld. When I’m in a hurry, I’ve cooked it for much less time with equally delicious results so feel free to cook until the potatoes are at your desired texture.
Would love to hear how it turns out!
Corinne
Hey, there!
Out of curiosity how many ounces do you consider a serving size? I’m thinking about making this for a few neighbors and want to see how much I should make. Thank you so much for having the double and triple feature…so nice not to do math! Thanks!
Hi Heather! I consider the serving size to be about 8oz.
I’d love to hear if you made it/how it turned out!
Best,
Corinne
I’d like to make this soup looks delish, would you recommend a sub for the lima beans i’m not a fan of those?
I think you’d be okay if you just left them out 😉 I hope you like it!
Corinne
We’re not lima fans either. Used cannelloni beans.
Born and raised in Maryland, made this today…it’s amazing…didn’t have ground mustard so said oh well, used yellow…it’s pretty good!! This will be my go to from now on!!
Instead of diced tomatoes, could I used crushed tomatoes?
Thanks, Janet
I think that you could! Let me know how it turns out 🙂
Can this be made in a crockpot
Absolutely! I would put all of the ingredients in the crock pot on low for approximately 6-8 hours.
I made this today. It was perfect. Thank you!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it! 😀
Corinne
This sounds yummy except I’m the only one in this household who eats seafood. Are there any special instructions for making say a fourth of the recipe or can I just divide every thing by 4 and the soup will turn out o.k.?
I haven’t tried making it in a smaller batch like that but I don’t see why it shouldn’t work! I would taste test it after you add the adjusted spices and see if you should add a bit more or not. Let me know how it turns out!
Corinne
I love a good soup..can’t wait to try this..Thanks Corinne…
Hi Melissa!
I’d love to hear if you liked it or not! Thanks for reading 🙂
Corinne
I live in Colorado Springs and do not have the freshest seafood options. Can jumbo lump canned crab meat work? Also, my husband doesn’t eat beans or peas, so I’d leave those out.
I don’t see why not! Let me know how it turns out 🙂 I’m currently cooking up a batch myself!
I live in Mass and still use canned crab meat. Faster and cheaper. This recipe is the best. I grew up near Maryland and it reminds me of my childhood.
Thanks for sharing this
Definitely my favorite and I love how easy it is with the frozen ingredients. I prefer this over any $10 bowl or be gotten from a restaurant. Marylander approved! I usually make this more often when I’m sick because it’s the only kind of soup I like, I add more old bay to give it more of a kick and clear my sinuses! (Haha)
I used a bag of frozen soup vegetables….eveything you need.
I have lived in MD for my entire life, I always add cabbage to my Maryland Crab Soup but this looks very similar.
I’ll have to try this the next time I make it!
Could this be done in the crock pot on low?
I think it would work just fine!
I was in a hurry so I microwaved the potatoes and cut the carrots really thin. We LOVED it! I lived in Maryland for 7 years total and this is one of my favorites!! Can’t believe I took so long to make it myself!!!
Yes that’s the way I grew up making it cabbage and left over ham bone.👍
A life long Maryland resident and crab soup connoisseur – this is an excellent recipe! A KEEPER!
Do you have a nutritional chart for this soup. Just wondering how many calories in it? Thanks
I’m so sorry- I don’t!
My husband & I loved this soup, despite me forgetting the carrots. I did add green beans. I also used the mustard as recommended & it added a great depth. This soup is very healthy which is one of the main reasons I made it. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Just made this a couple days ago, and it was so good!! My husband is from Baltimore and said this was one of his favorites!!
Thanks,
Maureen
Hi Maureen! That makes me so happy that another Marylander approves! 🙂
How much ground mustard do you add and when do you add it?
Hi Ellen! Another reader suggested 1 tablespoon of mustard…I will update my recipe to include the suggestions I’ve gotten 🙂
As a Marylander too I can appreciate a good crab soup receipe. This is certainly one. I followed the receipe as suggested and added some ground mustard as one of the commentors suggested. It was a hit!
Made the soup for supper to nite. Followed the receipe and added some ground mustard as one of the commentors suggested. It was a hit! The 2 hour simmer time really blended the ingredients well.
Hi Tony!
Thank you for your kind words…I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I’m going to have to try the ground mustard next time myself 🙂
If the crabmeat is cooked, why summer it for 2 hours? Photos are great. I would love to try this recipe.
Hi Janis!
You certainly don’t have to simmer it for that long, but doing so allows the flavors to really meld! 🙂 Thanks visiting my blog! -Corinne
I’ve used this recipe a few times. It always makes an authentic MD crab soup.
tablespoon of ground mustard…. that makes it perfect
I’m going to have to try that next time…thanks!! 🙂
Do you simmer for two hours covered?
Covered! 🙂
Is ground mustard the same thing as dry mustard (spice?)
I believe it is! 🙂
Do you simmer for two hours covered or uncovered?
Sounds like a really good recipe and was anxious to try it but the instructions don’t talk about when to add the green beans, potatos or tomato paste
Hi there! Looks like there was a glitch (it should be fixed now!) You would add them in the first step 🙂 Thanks for visiting! -Corinne
The directions are leaving out some Ingredients. i.e. potatoes and worstershire sauce
Hi there! Looks like there was a glitch (it should be fixed now!) You would add them in the first step 🙂