Crab and Corn Chowder
Crab and Corn Chowder is a quick and easy weeknight dinner, made with frozen corn, crab meat, and potatoes, ready in under 45 minutes!
This is an incredibly easy recipe that can be made for a weeknight dinner, dressed up for the holidays, or made with more fresh ingredients during the summer. It’s so versatile and quick to get on the table, that it’s sure to make it into your dinner rotation!
If you loved this recipe, you may also love my Crockpot Corn Chowder, or my Gluten Free Crab Cakes! For another favorite seafood recipe, check out this Low Country Shrimp Boil!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Easy Comfort Food – This corn chowder is creamy, cozy, and filling, and warms you up from the inside out!
Sweet and Savory – The corn has a natural sweetness that pairs really well with the tender crab meat, giving this meal the perfect balance of flavor.
Hearty Texture – The crab makes this feel extra special, with a velvety broth and pops of sweet corn in every bite!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Crab. I used canned lump crab meat. You can also use regular canned crab or backfin for the most cost-effective version, or fresh lump crab for the best flavor.
We’re reserving some of the crab and corn on the side when we puree this soup, so it’s good to have some larger pieces of crab in the soup for serving.
Corn. I use regular frozen corn kernels for this recipe. I just throw it into the soup frozen, you don’t really need to defrost it first. You can also use fresh corn for this recipe.
Broth. You can use vegetable broth, chicken stock, or chicken broth, just make sure it’s gluten free.
Butter. I like to use unsalted butter to saute the veggies, adding a deeper flavor to the chowder.
Olive Oil. Adding a touch of olive oil helps create a richer texture and flavor, and helps keep the butter from burning while the vegetables caramelize.
Onion. Yellow onion, white onion, or Vidalia onion would all work for this recipe.
Potatoes. I like to use Yukon gold potatoes, because they hold up well in the chowder and you don’t have to peel them.
For a faster and easier way to do this, use frozen cubed potatoes (the same ones you’d buy for breakfast). Check that they’re gluten free, because this can vary by brand.
Gluten Free Flour. This helps thicken the chowder, but you only need a small amount. Any regular gluten free all-purpose flour will work.
If you’re not gluten free, just use regular flour.
Milk. I like to add creaminess to the chowder with some milk, but you can also use half and half or heavy cream.
Spices. I’m adding garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper to taste. If you want more garlic flavor, you can add 2-3 minced garlic cloves when sautéing the vegetables.
Parsley. I like to use fresh parsley for the flavor, but you can also use parsley flakes if that’s what you have.
Kitchen Tools
For this recipe you’ll need a medium dutch oven or soup pot.
How to Make Crab and Corn Chowder
Add butter and olive oil to the dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the butter is mostly melted, add the onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the potatoes and seasoning and stir everything together. Sprinkle the flour over the potatoes and cook an additional 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the corn, crab meat, and broth. Stir everything together, then bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Once done, remove from the heat and stir the heavy cream and fresh parsley into the chowder.
Use an immersion blender to puree about half of the soup. If it helps, you can ladle some of the soup into a bowl, then return the bigger pieces back into the pot after pureeing the rest.
Top with additional fresh parsley and serve.
Recipe Variations
- Add even more flavor with some crispy bacon pieces and green onions on top!
- Try making seafood chowder with shrimp, canned clams, or bay scallops. Just make sure you follow the cooking instructions for whichever meat you use for the best seafood flavor!
- Add a kick of heat with a pinch of cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, cajun seasoning, or a dash of hot sauce.
- Try adding other veggies like zucchini, bell peppers, celery, or spinach for a summer garden feel. Or some Old Bay spice for extra flavor.
Recipe Tip! If you want even more flavor, try making this with a seafood stock. I use vegetable or chicken stock because it’s quick and easy, but seafood stock will bring the flavor to the next level.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fresh lump crab meat works best for chowder, but don’t be afraid to use canned or frozen meat if that’s what’s available to you. It will still be good! When I make recipes like this, I always think about how fresh is best. But sometimes you just want to get dinner on the table, and something quick, available, cost-effective, and easy to make is what works best for my family.
Recipe Tip! Don’t add the cream with the broth, we’re saving it for later in the recipe to prevent it from curdling from the heat.
More Hearty Soup Recipes
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Freeze leftover corn chowder in an airtight container for 2-3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator the night before.
Cooking Tips
- I’m using canned crab, which is already pre-cooked. If you’re starting with raw crab, just make sure it’s cooked through before serving.
- Always check the crab meat for shells before cooking with it.
- If you forgot to add the flour before the broth, you can take a ladle of the broth and whisk it with the flour until there’s no lumps. Then gently stir it into the chowder to cook.
Tried this recipe? ⭐ Leave a review and share what worked best for you—your tips help other home cooks get the same delicious results!
Crab and Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, washed and cubed
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon gluten free all-purpose flour , 1:1
- 36 ounces corn kernels, (1 large frozen bag)
- 16 ounces lump crab meat, canned or fresh
- 4 cups vegetable broth, gluten free, low sodium
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
Equipment
- 1 Dutch oven or soup pot
Instructions
- Add butter and olive oil to the dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the butter is mostly melted, add the onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and seasoning and stir everything together. Sprinkle the flour over the potatoes and cook an additional 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the corn, crab meat, and broth. Stir everything together, then bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Once done, remove from the heat and stir the heavy cream and fresh parsley into the chowder.
- Use an immersion blender to puree about half of the soup. If it helps, you can ladle some of the soup into a bowl, then return the bigger pieces back into the pot after pureeing the rest. Top with additional fresh parsley and serve.
Notes
- I’m using canned crab, which is already pre-cooked. If you’re starting with raw crab, just make sure it’s cooked through before serving.
- If you don’t have an immersion blender, work in batches using a blender. Just be careful, because it’s really hot.
- Always check the crab meat for shells before cooking with it.
- If you forgot to add the flour before the broth, you can take a ladle of the broth and whisk it with the flour until there’s no lumps. Then gently stir it into the chowder to cook.
- Don’t add the cream with the broth, we’re saving it for later in the recipe to prevent it from curdling from the heat.
Nutrition
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