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Crab Soup is always a hit, but what to serve with it? These side dish ideas will guarantee the perfect pairing, whether for a specific course or a particular season of the year.
Let’s start with the Crab Soup itself. I love a hearty, creamy soup with plenty of fresh lump crab meat and a little kick from Old Bay. (As a Maryland native, this is basically required.) If you do too, you might want to check out my simple recipe for Maryland Cream of Crab Soup.
But of course, there are lots of crab soup, crab bisque, and crab chowder recipes out there, and you may already have a favorite. So pick your favorite and read on!
You might have noticed that creamy soups like this one can be a little bit underwhelming to look at when served. A brimming bowl of plain off-white soup is not nearly as delicious-looking as one with some pretty garnishes.
Fresh herbs are always my go-to as a starting point because they add both color and flavor. For crab soup, go with fresh chopped parsley or chopped chives. Fresh dill or thyme would be lovely as well.
Then, adding some seasoning for even more color will help the presentation even more. Old Bay Seasoning sprinkled on top gives a great color contrast to the soup and the fresh herbs. You could also try a little bit of mild chili powder, smoked paprika, or even a few red pepper flakes. Italian seasoning or some celery salt would also work, and don’t forget your basic freshly ground black pepper.
Finally, you can’t go wrong with little oyster crackers on top—or some crumbled saltines. These add flavor and crunch, as well as visual interest to your dish.
Now that your soup looks great, which course should you serve it?
Serve Crab Soup as an Appetizer
Want to start out your meal with elegance? Crab soup is the answer! It’s the perfect first course for special occasions or for a romantic dinner for two.
Now, what if you want to serve a bowl of soup as your main course? That’s a great option too, as this soup is plenty hearty for a full meal. In that case, you’ll want to pair it with a hearty green or grain salad, fresh vegetables, or some delicious crusty bread. Check out these options:
1
Mediterranean Tomato and Cucumber Salad
This Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad combines tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and feta cheese in a summery salad tossed with a red wine vinaigrette.
This Pear Gorgonzola Salad is made by tossing arugula and radicchio in a balsamic vinaigrette and topping with creamy Gorgonzola, pears, and glazed walnuts.
This fig salad contains baby spinach tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette, then topped with fresh figs, blue cheese, proscuitto, and lightly caramelized pecans.
This summery fresh tomato salad is France-inspired and includes just 5 ingredients. Simple to put together but makes a colorful and delicious side dish!
White Asparagus Mimosa is a classic French recipe that highlights delicate, lightly sweet white asparagus with a lemon-caper vinaigrette topped with minced hard-boiled eggs.
This Kale Butternut Squash Salad features toasted hazelnuts, dried cherries, and crumbled goat cheese topped with crispy bacon and tossed with a maple vinaigrette.
Black Bean and Corn Salad is the ultimate healthy summer side dish—packed with fresh corn, black beans, and cherry tomatoes and dressed with a cilantro-lime vinaigrette.
Braised Leeks with Crispy Bacon is a wonderful spring or fall side dish. Leeks are braised in white wine and broth, then topped with crispy bacon bits.
This Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad contains shredded kale and Brussels sprouts tossed in a creamy, savory miso-ginger dressing and topped with avocado and chia seeds.
This Summer Orzo Salad is brimming with the tastes of summer: cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet corn, and basil tossed with an easy red wine vinaigrette and feta cheese.
This quinoa chickpea salad features quinoa tossed with spinach, chickpeas, and cucumber in a lemony vinaigrette and topped with cubes of creamy Brie cheese.
Many crab soup recipes call for white wine or dry sherry in the ingredients of the soup. Choose a high-quality wine or sherry, and you can also pair it with the soup as a beverage. For white wines, my favorites are unoaked Chardonnays, dry Sauvignon Blanc, or a light Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio. Any leftover fresh crab meat could be made into these Crab Salad Crostini, which also pair beautifully with these wines.
Hope you have found some delicious recipes to pair with your Crab Soup. Feel free to mix and match, because the best side dishes go great together with or without the soup.
Let me know your perfect pairing in the comments!
More About Molly
Cooking healthy(ish) meals with seasonal ingredients is my passion. Trained as a French pastry chef, I spent over 10 years as a personal chef. Here you'll find well-tested recipes that you and your family will love!
