This Crab Coconut Thai Soup is made in 30 minutes and packed with crab, shrimp and a big and bold broth made from coconut, peanut butter and fish sauce.
Crab Coconut Thai Soup
This is a post from a while back when I first started this site so be gentle on the photos, but IÂ thought it warranted a second look!
The other day I was in the mood for some soothing and flavorful soup because to me soup feeds the soul. I decided while at the market the seafood was too good to pass up and went for a Thai themed soup I love to make.
The crab and shrimp was just put out and looked great. I grabbed a couple crab legs, some medium sized shrimp and hit up the fresh vegetables and herbs. They had some lemon grass, amazing basil and jalapeños.
When I got home I broke out the large soup pot and poured in some homemade chicken stock. Over medium heat I started the stock simmering and washed the lemon grass.
To get the most flavor out of them I used the side of my knife and smashed the bulb end of each and cracked it open. Trimming the tops off I cut each in half and dropped them in the simmering chicken stock.
Slice the ends off the jalapeño pepper, slice it down the middle lengthwise and drop it in the stock as well.
After the lemon grass and jalapeño simmered in the chicken stock for 15 minutes, pull them out and discard. Add the peanut butter, coconut milk, fish sauce and Sambal Oelek Chili Paste and using a whisk to stir to mix completely.
Wash and slice the water chestnuts in half and do a quick chop on the basil and set aside. Next up, I cracked the crab legs open and removed the beautiful, sweet crab meat and set aside. Doing a quick chop for bite size pieces and washed the shrimp that was already cleaned and deveined. Add the seafood and water chestnuts to the pot and cook on low for another 5 minutes until heated through and serve topped with basil.
The sweet crab goes perfectly with the flavorful broth. The coconut milk mixed with the peanut butter and spicy chili paste is so good. I keep taking spoonful after spoonful.
The nuance that the fish sauce gives with this is amazing. All topped with the fresh chopped basil and slight crunch of the water chestnuts and shrimp makes this a great, light and healthy meal. Enjoy!
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Crab Coconut Thai Soup
Ingredients
- 2 large crab legs
- 1 lb medium shrimp
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 4 stalks lemon grass (See Note1)
- 1 jalapeño pepper
- 14 oz can coconut milk
- 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
- 3 tbsp Sambal Oelek Chili Paste
- 2 tsp fish sauce (See Note 2)
- 1 can sliced water chestnuts drained
- 4 leaves large basil
Instructions
- Heat 3 cups of chicken stock in a stock pot over medium heat.
- With the side of your knife smash the bulb ends of the lemon grass. Trim the top ends off and chop each stalk in half. (See Note 1). Trim the stem off the jalapeño and slice lengthwise down the middle. Add to the simmering stock for 15 minutes. Remove and discard.
- Next add the coconut milk, chunky peanut butter, Sambal Oelek Chili Paste and fish sauce. Stir to incorporate.
- Crack the crab legs open and remove the crab meat. Do a quick chop for bite size pieces and set aside.
- Wash the shrimp that was already cleaned and deveined. Add the seafood and water chestnuts to the pot and cook on low for another 5 minutes until heated through and serve topped with basil.
Video
Notes
- Feel free to substitute 1 tablespoon lemon grass paste if fresh lemon grass is not available.
- Please note that fish sauce does have a high sodium content for those watching their intake, but the nuanced flavor is amazing.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.
Thanx for this I will try it out tonite with a different type of crabs ( blue swimmers) which are popular and easy to catch here in australia! Perhaps I’ll cook the crabs first in chilli lemon grass and oil and then remove it and make a soup out of it
Ciao
That sounds wonderful Putty, wish I could drop by to help test! 🙂
It’s only breakfast-time but you’ve got me craving this soup! I am crazy for crab legs any which way I can have them! This soup looks so silky and divine! I’ll take the entire pot, please!
Sorry for the late reply Annie as I’ve been gone the last 2 weeks in India, but am back sifting emails, checking out everyones posts I missed and replying here. Thanks for the kind words. One can’t go wrong with coconut milk, peanut butter and crab! 🙂
That looks delicious, man.
Sorry for the late reply Jeff as I’ve been gone the last 2 weeks in India, but am back sifting emails, checking out everyones posts I missed and replying here. Thanks!
This is my kind of soup! The balance of flavors in Thai food is so completely addictive. Love the use of sweet crab here too!
Hey there Faith! One can’t go wrong with all those flavors AND crab and shrimp! Looking forward to checking out what I’ve missed on your site. 🙂
Yay to reviving old recipes, Kevin! We are twinning, because I’m sharing the same thing today! SOOOO glad you brought this one back, because holy deliciousness!!! Crab, shrimp, coconut and Thai flavors?! GIMME! This soup looks and sounds seriously scrumptious, buddy! Totally want to snuggle up to a big ole vat of this! Pinned! Cheers and Happy St. Patty’s day! <3
Sorry for the late reply Cheyanne as I’ve been gone the last 2 weeks in India, but am back sifting emails, checking out everyones posts I missed and replying here. Looking forward to checking out your site.
Thanks and I can’t believe we shared the same on the same day! Cray!
Yum! Must try this soon. (You forgot to include the water chestnuts in the list of ingredients, though…!)
Sorry for the late reply Marlene as I’ve been gone the last 2 weeks in India, but am back sifting emails, checking out everyones posts I missed and replying here. Thanks for pointing that out as I have updated the recipe to include the water chestnuts in the ingredients list!
Happy to help! Bet you enjoyed India. I loved it. I was at the Taj Mahal for a second time last month, in fact, and just blogged about it. That was our only India stop on the trip.
Wow, what timing, eh?! So amazing, although I was a little bummed 3 of the minarets were covered with scaffolding for cleaning, but it was still just stunning.
We were luckier; only one was in scaffolding. And boy, the minarets really needed the cleaning; we saw a before and after comparison.
Hey Kevin! Soup is my go to on cold or rainy days and this sounds wonderful! One day last week when it was cold I made a shrimp and corn chowder that was quite tasty. I’m always up for a good soup or chowder!
Sorry for the late reply Dorothy as I’ve been gone the last 2 weeks in India, but am back sifting emails, checking out everyones posts I missed and replying here. Thanks and that shrimp and corn chowder sounds so good right now! Hope things have been going well for you guys. Good to be home. 🙂
What a fantastic recipe! So many layers of flavors in this soup – and the clincher is it comes together in 30 minutes!
Sorry for the late reply Sashi as I’ve been gone the last 2 weeks in India, but am back sifting emails, checking out everyones posts I missed and replying here. Thanks for the kind words… it’s a goal of mine to get as much flavor in a meal in as little time as possible. This is one for sure!
30 minutes for big, bold flavors?? Now you’re speakin’ my language, Kevin! Great use of the crab legs here. I’m thinking I need to whip up a batch of this soup soon before it gets too warm out here. (Don’t worry…they’re calling for a possible snow this weekend. It would be the first one in weeks…so I can’t complain.) #WolfpackCrabby
Sorry for the late reply Dave, but I’m back sifting emails, checking out everyones posts I missed and replying here. This is super easy and def delivers on the taste. I mean crab, coconut milk and peanut butter? Come on!
Can’t believe you still have snow out there. A friend sent me a pic of Vermont – crazy! This soup will warm you three up. 🙂
Anything with crab hits my sweet spot! Ever been to an all-you-can-eat-crab joint? I have!! A place in Marylands and in Japan too! Only two times in my life I’ve been crabbed-out! Love the Peanut Butter addition in this, I bet it makes a difference! Never tried it – but I WILL!
Sorry for the late reply Nagi, but I’m back sifting emails, checking out everyones posts I missed and replying here.
Me too! LOVE crab. Now, as for an all-you-can-eat place… I need to find a crab one – stat. I can’t imagine being crabbed out, but I’d give it a try. The coconut and peanut butter make this for sure. Thanks Nagi!
Made this a few days ago. Another huge hit! I had a lb of lump crab that I used instead of the leg meat and it worked great. Took the leftover to work the next day and shared with my co-worker who raved about it. Thanks for another great recipe!
Fantastic, glad to hear it Dave. I love the sweet taste of crab and lump is perfect, too. Really appreciate your feedback friend, have a great day!
In which market did you find the lemongrass?
Hi Shannon! They have it fresh at Albertsons and I’ve seen in in squeeze tubes in VONS, all in the vegetable section. We need to hike soon!
Thank you, this looks delicious, I’m going to try it! Yes, we totally have to hike soon!