Let me be the first to say it…Soup is excellent all year round! Sometimes you just want that warm comforting bowl of goodness regardless of the season or temperature. And spring is prime for soupage.
Peak season for Chesapeake Bay blue crabs begins in April and runs until the end of November. As I type, crabbers are taking the bay once again to harvest the best crabs in the world. And for some reason the sweetest crab meat always comes with the first taste of the season (or that just might be my excitement talking, blue crab meat is delicious all season long).
This Spring Minestrone Crab Meat soup highlights the best of the best of spring…leafy greens, snappy peas and thin stalks of crisp asparagus…not to mention jumbo lump Maryland crab meat from the first crabs harvested this year!
Spring Minestrone Soup with Crab
- Prep Time 10 minutes
- Cook Time 20 minutes
- Total Time 30 minutes
- Servings 4 people
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 1/2 cup yellow onion peeled and minced
- 1/2 cup fresh leeks chopped and cleaned
- 1/4 cup celery chopped and cleaned
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup snap peas chopped
- 1 cup asparagus chopped
- 1/2 cup shelled spring peas
- 1 1/2 cup kale chopped
- 1 can white beans drained and rinsed
- 1 lb. Cameron’s Seafood Jumbo Lump Crab Meat drained
- salt and pepper to taste
Toppings:
- cooked ditalini or orzo noodles
- chopped basil
- chopped toasted pine nuts
- crushed red pepper flakes optional
- grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot heat olive oil over medium high heat. Saute garlic, onions and celery for 3 minutes or until fragrant and tender. Pour in broth.
- Bring broth to a simmer and stir in snap peas, asparagus, spring peas and kale. Reduce heat to medium and cover with a lid. Simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- Gently stir in beans and crab meat, return cover and simmer for another 2 minutes or until crab meat and beans are hot. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Portion soup into bowls and stir in cooked noodles. Top with basil, pine nuts, pepper flakes and parmesan cheese before serving.
Buy Maryland Crab Meat Online
The Jumbo Lump Crab Meat listed in this recipe is available at our online store. As we say, ‘from shore to door, 3 days fresher than the grocery store’-all of our crab meat is delivered right to your door when you schedule it, guaranteed! And remember, the best crab meat comes from Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs 🙂
We’d love to see your Cameron’s Seafood soup recipes-share your images on any of our social pages, Instagram, Facebook or Twitter be sure to tag us @cameronsseafoodonline.
