She-Crab Soup Recipe: Tips for Making She-Crab Soup

She-crab soup is a classic creamy Southern soup traditionally made from female crabmeat and crab roe, preferably from the prized local blue crabs from the Low Country region of South Carolina. If you don’t have access to female crabs, you can make this soup with lump crabmeat. This rich soup base also includes diced vegetables, heavy cream, tomato paste, and dry sherry.

Historians trace the origins of this crab chowder-like soup to Scottish immigrants settling in the Carolinas in the 1700s, bringing their traditional seafood bisque recipes with them. Today, restaurants in South Carolinian cities like Charleston serve various iterations of this popular local dish.

There are two ways to distinguish between a male and a female crab. First, look at the crab’s underbelly, also known as the apron. Female crabs have a wide, rounded apron or triangle-shaped apron, and males have a long, thin, rocket-shaped apron.

Next, look at the color of the crab’s claws. Female blue crabs have claws with bright red tips, and male crabs have completely blue claws.

This simple Southern crab bisque will be a breeze for home cooks of all levels. Consider these tips when making your first batch of she-crab soup:

1. 1. Use canned crabmeat. You can substitute canned crabmeat from your local grocery store if you have limited access to fresh options. Avoid using imitation crab, which does not contain actual crabmeat.
2. 2. Leave out the dairy. Substitute an unsweetened non-dairy creamer for the cream for a lighter, dairy-free version of this soup. Alternatively, skip the cream altogether to make a broth-based version of this soup.
3. 3. Experiment with additions. Customize this soup to your palate with different vegetables, seasonings, and stocks, depending on what you have on hand. Incorporate additional complementary vegetables, like shallots, bell peppers, jalapeño peppers, and corn. Add crab roe or clam juice for a richer seafood flavor. Incorporate white wine or lemon juice for some acidity. Add flavorful seasonings like cayenne pepper, Cajun seasoning, and dried herbs. Substitute vegetable or chicken stock for the fish stock in a pinch.