4.55 from 46 votes

How to make a shrimp and crab chowder for your next special dinner. This restaurant-style soup is sure to amaze your guests!

Shrimp and Crab Chowder in a brown crock on a multi colored green napkin on a black background

At the beginning of this year, I received an invitation to participate in a Recipe Swap of sorts from Christianna of Burwell General Store. During her travels, Christianna had found an old-time hymnal and cookbook ( All-Day Singin’ and Dinner on the Ground by Albert E. Brumley) and thought it would be fun to update the older recipes and give them our own twist.

The rules of the swap are pretty simple: change three things about the original recipe while staying true to its basic premise and adding your own twist. This month’s Selection for the recipe swap was “Wild Rabbit with Vegetables.”

wild rabbit with vegetables vintage recipe card

Now I have to tell you, the thought of eating a little fluffy bunny is not high on my list. I do understand they’re considered good eatin’ in certain parts of the world, but I’m afraid rabbit has not made its way into my repertoire.

As I looked over the recipe, it really didn’t look much different from any stew I could make, and chicken would have been the easiest substitution for the little fluffy bunny. Sigh.

But I had Shrimp and jumbo lump crab meat on hand, so rather than make a trip to the store, I decided to make my entry in this month’s swap a Seafood stew. I did have some fish pieces in the freezer, but they looked a little worse for wear, so instead of ingredients in the stew, they found their way into the stock pot with all the shrimp shells I had been saving.

This would have made a wonderful fisherman’s stew with chunks of fish and even a few clams, but without the fish, I decided to make it into a chowder. It was without a doubt a good decision, and it will be making many more appearances at our table. Feel free to recreate this dish with whatever seafood you have on hand or is available in your area.

For another seafood stew or soup recipe, be sure to try my popular cioppino recipe, it is a crowd pleaser.

Any way you make it, I’m sure it will be a hit at your table!

More Recipes You’ll Love!

brown crock of shrimp and crab chowder with toasts on a white plate

Print Recipe Save

4.55 from 46 votes

Shrimp and Crab Chowder

This delicious Shrimp and crabmeat chowder is sure to bring smiles to your table. Just don’t forget the loaf of crusty bread to enjoy with the soup,

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 703kcal

Author: Chef Dennis

Ingredients

1 medium onion medium dice
3-4 carrots , rough cut medium
6 celery stalks rough cut medium
2 medium potatoes rough cut medium
1 lb shrimp peeled, deveined, and chopped
½ lb crab meat ( I used jumbo lump)
½ lb unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1 Cup all purpose flour
2 quarts fish or chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
old bay to taste
black pepper to taste

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

start a seafood stock with any fish pieces, or scrap, shrimp shells or fish bones you may have on hand. ( you may use clam juice instead)
add the butter to a 4 quart sauce pan with all of the rough cut vegetables and allow to cook until they begin to soften.
Add the flour to the vegetables and mix well, to make a roux, allow this to cook for at least 5 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste.
add the heated stock to the roux mixture and blend well.
add in the heavy cream and season.
allow chowder to simmer for 20-30 minutes.
add the chopped shrimp pieces and allow to cook in the chowder for 3-5 minutes
Before serving add in your crab meat.

Notes

*if using fish pieces add them in raw and allow them to cook in the chowder, they will remain more intact this way and impart flavor to the chowder.

Nutrition

Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

Comments

4.55 from 46 votes (19 ratings without comment)

Shrimp and Crab Chowder Recipe