I couldn’t resist riffing on Bobby Flay’s Crab & Corn Chowder, and my Creamy Crab Chowder hides an unexpected ingredient that will make you curious to read the full recipe.
I never thought a chowder could make me stop mid-sip, but Bobby Flay’s Crab & Corn Chowder did just that. Sweet corn kernels and tender lump crab meat feel like a simple pair, yet the bowl unfolds in little surprises, it’s familiar and a little defiant.
As someone who reads every new Bobby Flay Soups note with suspicion, I was caught off guard by how this hits like a Creamy Crab Chowder with an attitude. I kept poking for the twist, wanting to pin down why one spoonful is so much better than the last, and now I want you to taste it too.
Ingredients
- Bacon: smoky, salty, adds fat and protein, it’s craveable but high in sodium.
- Corn: Sweet, starchy, gives fiber and carbs, brightens chowder’s flavor.
- Lump crab meat: Delicate, lean protein, brings briny seafood taste, low in fat.
- Heavy cream: Makes chowder silky, adds calories and saturated fat, very rich.
- Onion: Adds savory sweetness, some fiber and antioxidants, builds base flavor.
- Red bell pepper: Sweet, vitamin C rich, bright color, mild peppery note.
- Old Bay seasoning: Salty, herby, celery seed and paprika forward, brings classic seafood zing.
- Lemon: Cuts richness with acidity, adds fresh brightness and offers vitamin C.
Ingredient Quantities
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 4 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 pound lump crab meat
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives or parsley for garnish
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges for serving
How to Make this
1. Cook the bacon in a large heavy pot over medium heat until crisp, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot; add the olive oil and butter if the fat looks scant.
2. Add the chopped onion, celery and red bell pepper to the hot fat and sweat until soft and slightly golden, about 6-8 minutes; toss in the garlic for the last 30 seconds.
3. Stir in 2 cups of the corn (reserve 1 cup for texture/garnish), then sprinkle the flour over the veg and cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste.
4. Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any brown bits, and let it reduce a minute or two.
5. Add the chicken stock, whole milk, heavy cream, thyme, bay leaf, Old Bay, cayenne (if using) and bring to a gentle simmer; lower heat and simmer 8-10 minutes so the flavors marry and the soup thickens.
6. While it simmers pick through the lump crab to remove any shells or cartilage; reserve a handful of crab for garnish if you like.
7. If you want a creamier chowder, remove about 2 cups of the soup with some corn and use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree, then stir it back in; this gives thickness without adding more flour.
8. Gently fold in the crab and the reserved bacon, warm just 2-3 minutes — do not boil or the crab will get rubbery — then remove the bay leaf and taste, adjusting salt and pepper.
9. Serve hot, topped with the reserved corn/crab, chopped chives or parsley and lemon wedges; squeeze lemon over each bowl and enjoy.
Equipment Needed
1. Large heavy pot or Dutch oven, for browning the bacon and simmering the chowder
2. Slotted spoon, to lift bacon out and drain the fat
3. Chef’s knife, sharp for chopping onion, celery, pepper and for picking through crab
4. Cutting board, sturdy and easy to clean
5. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, to stir and scrape up those brown bits
6. Measuring cups and spoons, for the flour, wine, stock, milk and cream
7. Immersion blender or regular blender, if you want to puree some soup to thicken it
8. Small mixing bowl and a ladle, bowl to hold reserved bacon/crab, ladle for serving
FAQ
Bobby Flay’s Crab & Corn Chowder Recipe – Creamy & Delicious Substitutions and Variations
- Bacon: swap with pancetta or smoked turkey bacon for a similar smoky pork flavor. If you want vegetarian, skip it and add 1 tsp smoked paprika and a little extra butter.
- Dry white wine: replace with equal parts low sodium chicken stock plus 1 Tbsp lemon juice, or use dry sherry or vermouth if you got it on hand.
- Heavy cream: use half-and-half plus 2 Tbsp melted butter to mimic richness, or use full-fat coconut milk for a dairy free version (taste will be a bit different).
- Lump crab meat: swap for canned crab or claw meat (claw is often cheaper and more flavorful), or use chopped cooked shrimp if you cant find crab.
Pro Tips
1) Cook the bacon until it’s really crisp and let it drain on paper towels. Dont throw away all the fat though, keep a couple tablespoons to saute the veg in, it gives way more flavor. If theres too much fat spoon some out or the chowder will be greasy.
2) For better corn flavor, roast or char about half the kernels in a hot skillet before adding them, then stir the rest in raw at the end for bite. Also freeze or fresh is fine, but fresh in season tastes way better; frozen works great year round.
3) Pick through the lump crab very carefully so you dont end up crunching on shell, nobody likes that. Warm the crab in the soup only a minute or two off-high heat, dont boil it or it gets rubbery. Taste the soup before adding salt, crab can add a lot of saltiness.
4) If you want it thicker without more flour, pull out 1 to 2 cups and puree with an immersion blender or regular blender then stir back in. Or use a tiny cornstarch slurry if you prefer, just mix cornstarch with cold water first so it doesnt clump.
Bobby Flay’s Crab & Corn Chowder Recipe – Creamy & Delicious
I couldn't resist riffing on Bobby Flay’s Crab & Corn Chowder, and my Creamy Crab Chowder hides an unexpected ingredient that will make you curious to read the full recipe.
4
servings
742
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large heavy pot or Dutch oven, for browning the bacon and simmering the chowder
2. Slotted spoon, to lift bacon out and drain the fat
3. Chef’s knife, sharp for chopping onion, celery, pepper and for picking through crab
4. Cutting board, sturdy and easy to clean
5. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, to stir and scrape up those brown bits
6. Measuring cups and spoons, for the flour, wine, stock, milk and cream
7. Immersion blender or regular blender, if you want to puree some soup to thicken it
8. Small mixing bowl and a ladle, bowl to hold reserved bacon/crab, ladle for serving
Ingredients
-
4 slices bacon, chopped
-
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
-
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
-
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
-
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
-
2 cloves garlic, minced
-
3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
-
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
-
1 cup dry white wine
-
4 cups low sodium chicken stock
-
1 cup whole milk
-
1 cup heavy cream
-
1 pound lump crab meat
-
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
-
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
-
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
-
1 bay leaf
-
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
-
2 tablespoons chopped chives or parsley for garnish
-
1 lemon, cut into wedges for serving
Directions
- Cook the bacon in a large heavy pot over medium heat until crisp, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot; add the olive oil and butter if the fat looks scant.
- Add the chopped onion, celery and red bell pepper to the hot fat and sweat until soft and slightly golden, about 6-8 minutes; toss in the garlic for the last 30 seconds.
- Stir in 2 cups of the corn (reserve 1 cup for texture/garnish), then sprinkle the flour over the veg and cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste.
- Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any brown bits, and let it reduce a minute or two.
- Add the chicken stock, whole milk, heavy cream, thyme, bay leaf, Old Bay, cayenne (if using) and bring to a gentle simmer; lower heat and simmer 8-10 minutes so the flavors marry and the soup thickens.
- While it simmers pick through the lump crab to remove any shells or cartilage; reserve a handful of crab for garnish if you like.
- If you want a creamier chowder, remove about 2 cups of the soup with some corn and use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree, then stir it back in; this gives thickness without adding more flour.
- Gently fold in the crab and the reserved bacon, warm just 2-3 minutes — do not boil or the crab will get rubbery — then remove the bay leaf and taste, adjusting salt and pepper.
- Serve hot, topped with the reserved corn/crab, chopped chives or parsley and lemon wedges; squeeze lemon over each bowl and enjoy.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 827g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 742kcal
- Fat: 49g
- Saturated Fat: 21g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Polyunsaturated: 4.5g
- Monounsaturated: 20g
- Cholesterol: 203mg
- Sodium: 600mg
- Potassium: 625mg
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 7g
- Sugar: 14g
- Protein: 29g
- Vitamin A: 1200IU
- Vitamin C: 40mg
- Calcium: 90mg
- Iron: 1.2mg
