She Crab Soup is a rich, deliciously creamy bisque that I discovered on a visit to Charleston, SC. Whether you use fresh crab or canned, this easy recipe will become a favorite.
She crab soup is a rich, creamy bisque that originated in the South Carolina Lowcountry and is now popular across the American South. With its elegant creaminess and flakes of crab meat, this soup is a cherished regional specialty. But what exactly is she crab soup and how did it become such a iconic Southern dish?
A Brief History of She Crab Soup
She crab soup has its roots in Colonial America In the 1700s, English colonists in South Carolina would combine blue crab meat with cream and sherry to make a simple but luxurious soup The female crabs used in the soup were called “she-crabs,” hence the name she crab soup.
The soup became more refined and well-known in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Affluent plantation owners in South Carolina would serve she crab soup during formal dinners and parties. Recipes were passed down through generations of Southern home cooks. By the mid-1900s, she crab soup had become a Lowcountry classic, served in restaurants across Charleston and Savannah.
What Makes She Crab Soup Special
There are a few key components that set she crab soup apart:
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Blue Crab Meat – Fresh crab meat is essential, preferably from female blue crabs native to the Carolina coast. The sweet, delicate flavor of the crab shines.
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Crab Roe -Traditionally, crab roe from female crabs is used to add richness and a subtle briny taste. However, it can be hard to source so many modern recipes omit it.
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Cream/Milk – A good ladleful of heavy cream or whole milk gives she crab soup its signature velvety texture.
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Sherry – A splash of dry sherry near the end of cooking adds a sophisticated, complex note.
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Seasonings – Classic seasonings like shallots, sherry, leeks, and thyme complement the crab. Some versions also use Old Bay seasoning for a hint of warmth.
The combination of these elements creates a soup that is indulgently rich yet bright and fresh at the same time.
How She Crab Soup is Made
While recipes can vary, there is a basic technique for making she crab soup:
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Cook aromatics – Onions, celery, carrots and sometimes bell peppers are sautéed as the base.
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Make seafood stock – The soup is simmered in a stock made of shellfish, fish and/or chicken broth.
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Thicken – Rice or a roux helps create the bisque-like texture.
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Puree – Half the soup is blended to make it completely smooth and creamy.
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Finish with seafood – Crab meat and possibly shrimp or oysters are gently poached in the hot soup just before serving.
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Enrich with dairy – Heavy cream or whole milk is stirred in at the end for even more luxury.
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Season – Sherry, hot sauce, parsley and other flavorings are added to taste.
The result is a comforting, elegant bisque fit for the most formal occasions.
Types of She Crab Soup
There are a few variations on traditional she crab soup:
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Classic She Crab Soup – Made with crab meat, roe, cream, sherry, and classic aromatics. The most traditional version.
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Crab Bisque – Similar to she crab soup but usually uses only heavy cream as the base rather than a shellfish stock. May omit the crab roe.
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Vegetarian She Crab Soup – Substitutes vegetable stock for the seafood stock and mushrooms for the crab meat. Captures the velvety texture.
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Spicy She Crab Soup – Adds cayenne, hot sauce or other peppers for a fiery kick.
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Low Country She Crab Soup – Uses authentic Lowcountry seasonings like benne seeds, smoked sausage and okra.
No matter which version you try, you can expect an elegant, satiny soup with indulgent crab flavor.
Tips for Making the Best She Crab Soup
Here are some tips for nailing this Southern classic at home:
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Use fresh, high-quality crab meat rather than canned. Look for jumbo lump or backfin crab.
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Make the seafood stock from scratch using shells and shrimp heads for the deepest flavor.
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Don’t overcook the crab meat. Gently fold it in just before serving.
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Add the cream slowly and taste as you go to control richness.
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Finish with a splash of good sherry just before eating.
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Garnish with extra crab meat, paprika, parsley and lemon wedges.
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Serve piping hot with buttery crackers or cornbread on the side.
With quality ingredients and careful cooking, you can make restaurant-worthy she crab soup at home.
Where to Enjoy She Crab Soup
While you can make your own she crab soup, it’s also worthwhile seeking it out when traveling in the South:
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Charleston, South Carolina – She crab soup abounds in Charleston restaurants like Magnolias, Cru Café and Virginia’s on King.
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Savannah, Georgia – Top spots for she crab soup include Olde Pink House, Elizabeth on 37th and The Pirates’ House.
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Hilton Head, South Carolina – Look for she crab soup at iconic restaurants like Skull Creek Boathouse and Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks.
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Myrtle Beach, South Carolina – Places like Sea Captain’s House and Wicked Tuna offer their takes on this Lowcountry classic.
Trying authentic she crab soup during a visit to the South is a true culinary experience.
The Popularity of She Crab Soup Today
While she crab soup originated hundreds of years ago, it remains highly popular today both in upscale Southern restaurants and home kitchens. Its elegance and deep, comforting flavors have enduring appeal.
The soup appears on menus at white tablecloth restaurants during the holidays or for special occasions. Locals and tourists alike eagerly order bowls of the stuff when visiting Charleston and Savannah.
Outside the Lowcountry, she crab soup is often considered a “fancy” dish and is reserved for date nights, celebrations and dinner parties. The dramatic presentation makes it a great choice for impressing guests.
When made well using fresh, quality ingredients, she crab soup continues to impress people with its silky, nuanced flavors. This lush bisque encapsulates the best of coastal Southern cuisine.
She Crab Soup: A Southern Classic
She crab soup has come a long way from its humble Colonial origins to become one of the South’s most iconic dishes. This beautiful bisque brings together shellfish, cream, sherry and other coastal flavors for a uniquely elegant and delicious soup. Savoring a bowl of silky, crab-studded she crab soup is a time-honored culinary tradition, whether at a white-tablecloth Charleston restaurant or your own dining table. So consider adding this luscious Lowcountry classic to your repertoire.
What is the “She” in She Crab Soup?
One summer we took a family trip to Charleston, South Carolina. Whenever I go somewhere new, I like to find the dish that the city is known for and eat it as many times as I can. How else would you know which is the “Best She Crab Soup in Charleston” if you haven’t tried a lot of them?
She Crab Soup, also called She Crab Bisque, was the dish of the trip. I discovered that the soup is made with female crabs. Makes sense. In addition, the roe (fish eggs) of the female crab is added to the recipe.
How can you tell the difference between a male and a female crab? A crab vendor taught me about “crab anatomy” at a food conference in New York City one spring.
He flipped over two crabs and explained that the male crabs have the Washington Monument on their undersides.
The females have the wider Capitol Building on their bellies.
What are the Ingredients in She Crab Soup?
After returning from that trip to Charleston, I was determined to re-create the recipe for She Crab Soup. I got ideas from The Joy of Cooking’s lobster bisque recipe, which is where this recipe is mostly based.
Most recipes call for fresh crab. To make things even more French, you could use the crab shells to make a very rich stock. Obviously this is not always practical. And if you don’t live in a place where crabs are regularly caught, it will probably be harder to find “female” crabs.
The seafood counter at my grocery store sold canned lump crab meat, and I used bottled clam juice instead of fish stock to make this She Crab soup recipe quick and easy. If you can find fish stock, substitute that for the bottled clam juice and chicken stock.
Red bell pepper, butter, dry white wine, white rice, tomato paste, Old Bay seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, heavy cream, and spices are some of the other things you’ll need.
What gives this bisque that certain ineffable quality, is the addition of sherry. If you can help it, don’t skip that step! For extra kick, I like to add a shot of sherry right before serving.
This Is The BEST SOUP I’ve Ever Made! | Life Changing She Crab Soup Recipe
FAQ
What is the difference between crab soup and she-crab soup?
What is special about she-crab soup?
Why is it called a she-crab?
What does she-crab soup taste like?
What is she-crab soup?
She-crab soup is a luxurious and creamy chowder with an undercurrent of briny crab flavor. If this is your first time trying this type of soup, the flavor is somewhat similar to clam chowder. While clam chowder relies on hearty potatoes and bacon for flavor and heft, she-crab soup is more delicate.
What is she crab soup?
She-crab soup is a rich soup, similar to bisque, made of milk or heavy cream, crab or fish stock, Atlantic blue crab meat, and (traditionally) crab roe, and a small amount of dry sherry added as it is plated.
Is she crab soup gluten-free?
The soup can be made gluten-free by leaving out the flour and thickening with a cornstarch slurry, or by using rice as a thickener. She-crab soup is a rich, creamy seafood bisque made with freshly harvested crabmeat, half-and-half, and sherry wine. This luxurious Charleston soup deserves a spot on every dinner table.
What is crab soup?
She crab soup is a dish guaranteed to impress any seafood lover. It’s perfect for a cozy night in or a fancy dinner party. But what is it, exactly? It’s a creamy, decadent, and slightly sweet bisque made with fresh blue crab meat, sherry, and heavy cream. What sets it apart from regular crab soup is the addition of crab roe.