Rich, creamy, thick, and oh-so-comforting, this delectable Cajun Corn and Crab Bisque recipe is a perennial family favorite. Made with just 12 easy-to-find ingredients (including a couple of brilliant canned food hacks), this simple crab and corn soup is easy enough to whip up on even your busiest weeknights.
Table of contents
Why We Love This Recipe
As Coasties, we have a real thing for seafood. We like putting it on toast, in gumbo, in dips, and even in our breakfast. All that said, it should come as no surprise that we love this crab bisque soup with sweet corn.
Loaded with plenty of delicious lump crab meat, tender pieces of potatoes, and sweet pops of corn all in a creamy, dreamy bisque base, this is a meal that we (and our families & friends) can really get behind. Aside from being absolutely craveable, this crab and corn bisque recipe is also:
- Quick & Easy. You just need 15 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of mostly hands-off cook time to get this delicious dinner on the table.
- Made With Just 12 Ingredients. Despite tasting pretty darn close to the famous Copeland’s corn and crab bisque, this yummy recipe is made extra simple by smartly using two cans of pre-made shortcuts.
- Cozy & Comforting. It’s warm and creamy, which makes it perfect for colder weather. The addition of sweet summer corn is also a great way to add a ray of sunshine to your day when it’s dark and gloomy out.
Ingredients & Substitutions
As promised, you only need a handful of ingredients to make this quick recipe for crab bisque with corn. Here’s what to grab:
- Butter – We used salted butter, but unsalted will also work! Just check the seasoning when you’re done to see if it needs a little extra savory oomph.
- Flour – Plain all-purpose white flour does the trick, but feel free to swap in bread flour, cake flour, or even a gluten-free flour blend depending on what you have on hand.
- Yellow Onion – This is our go-to cooking onion. Feel free to swap in white onion instead.
- Milk – Here in the South, we like whole milk. If you’re using lighter milk (e.g. skim or 2%), consider adding a splash of cream or half-n-half to give it a bit more body.
- Canned Cream-Style Corn – This is Hack #1. It adds lots of body while still giving you plenty of texture from the corn kernels.
- Canned Cream of Potato Soup – This is Hack #2. You’ll be amazed how quickly you get the perfect consistency for corn bisque with this simple addition.
- Mace – If you’re unfamiliar, this warming spice comes from the lacy coating found on the outside of nutmeg seeds. It tastes sort of like a blend of cinnamon and pepper – warm, woodsy, with a touch of pine. If you can’t find it, swap in about half as much ground nutmeg or ground allspice. They have similar flavor profiles but are more pungent than mace.
- Red Pepper Flakes – For just a touch of heat. Feel free to use a pinch or two of cayenne pepper if you need to.
- Crab Meat – It’s super easy to buy a tub or jar of lump crab meat, but we find picking it off of freshly steamed crabs is more flavorful. We’ll leave the decision up to you.
- Swiss Cheese – For a hit of salty, savory, tasty goodness and the creamy, thick mouthfeel you want from a bisque.
- Parsley – Either flat-leafed or curly parsley will work just fine here.
- Green Onions – Slice ‘em thin and use both the whites and greens for the best color and flavor.
How To Make Corn & Crab Bisque
We’ve made the recipe for this corn and crab soup about as easy as can be. Here’s how it’s done:
Step 1: Make White Roux. Melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook until it smells nutty – about a minute.
Step 2: Cook Onions. Add onions to pot and stir to coat with the roux. Continue cooking until the onion is soft – about 10 minutes.
Step 3: Add The Next 5 Ingredients, up to and including the red pepper flakes. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and being careful not to scorch it.
Step 4: Finish the bisque by adding crab, cheese, parsley, and green onions. Serve with a hunk of crusty French bread & enjoy!
Optional Variations
We simply LOVE this New Orleans-style corn crab bisque recipe just the way it is, but there are always plenty of ways to customize our recipes to fit your needs and preferences. Here are a few variations to consider:
- Gluten-Free – Simply swap in your favorite cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend and make sure to check the labels on your soup and creamed corn.
- Shrimp and Corn Bisque – Can’t find (or afford) crab meat? Opt for bay shrimp (those adorable little cocktail shrimps that come pre-cooked) instead.
- Dairy-Free
- Spicy
Expert Tips
- Pick your own crab, or, at the very least, opt for the lump crab meat in the refrigerated aisle. The shelf-stable canned kind just can’t hold a candle to the flavor of fresh.
- Grate your own cheese. It might be tempting to reach for a bag of pre-grated cheese, but resist the urge. Those individual shreds stay separate from one another because they’re coated with a starchy substance which also inhibits them from melting properly.
FAQs
We use a roux of flour and butter, plus the addition of thick ingredients like canned cream of potato soup and creamed corn. If yours feels too thin, you can make a slurry of a teaspoon of cornstarch dissolved in a tablespoon of water. Add it to the pot and cook for a minute or two until thickened. Repeat as needed until you reach your desired consistency.
Rich, velvety, and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
More Soup/Seafood/One-Pot Recipes
If y’all tried this sumptuous recipe for Corn & Crab Bisque, holler and let us know how it turned out for you by giving us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and commenting below. You can also always feel free to tag us (@creamcheeseandlemonsqueeze) in your social media posts so we can cheer you on.
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XO,
Anna & Ashley
Cajun Crab and Corn Bisque
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 1 qt milk
- 1 (16 oz) can cream-style corn
- 1 can cream of potato soup
- 1/4 tsp mace
- 1/4 tsp red pepper
- 1 pt crabmeat picked
- 1/4 lb swiss cheese grated
- 2 tbsp parsley snipped
- 2 tbsp green onions finely chopped
Instructions
- In a large pot, melt butter on medium heat.
- Stir in flour until well blended (white roux), but not brown and add onion
- Cook on medium heat until onion is soft – about 10 minutes.
- Add all but last 4 ingredients and simmer about 15 minutes (be careful not to scorch)
- Before serving, stir in crabmeat, cheese, parsley, and green onions.
Notes
- Pick your own crab, or, at the very least, opt for the lump crab meat in the refrigerated aisle. The shelf-stable canned kind just can’t hold a candle to the flavor of fresh.
- Grate your own cheese. It might be tempting to reach for a bag of pre-grated cheese, but resist the urge. Those individual shreds stay separate from one another because they’re coated with a starchy substance which also inhibits them from melting properly.