4 Easy Imitation Crab Soup Recipes 蟹味棒汤食谱

May these 4 imitation crab soup recipes inspire you to create your own.

Different types of imitation crab sticks

Imitation crab sticks are a type of seafood made from something called surimi. It is a fish paste made from starch and finely pulverized white fish. It is then shaped and coloured to resemble the crab leg meat. It is also known as krab sticks, seafood sticks. 

It contains little or no crab and so many argue that it is less nutritious than the real thing. Note that it is less nutritious, not no nutrition. 

Even though it may not have the same nutrition as real crab, it is convenient and cheap to use. Not everyone can afford the real thing. 

I have seen people use it in salads, dips, sushi rolls, fried rice or noodles, savoury, pancakes, and crispy crab chips. Here are some examples of it being used in soups. 

Recipe 1 - Egg drop imitation crab soup

This is a classic egg drop soup recipe using imitation crab soup. The portion is for one person. 

Ingredients

  • 2 stalks spring onion
  • 1 packet imitation crab sticks
  • 2 eggs
  • 80ml chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine
  • 1 tablespoon mirin (optional)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Slice the imitation crab sticks into bite-sized pieces. Shredding is fine too.
  2. Separate the spring onion stems from the leaves
  3. Slice the stems into bite-sized pieces and julienne the leaves as garnish
  4. Heat up 2 tablespoons cooking oil in a sauce pan
  5. Stir fry the stalks of the spring onion
  6. Add the chicken stock, soy sauce, rice wine, mirin and salt
  7. Add the crab sticks and let cook for 2 to 3 minutes. The imitation crab is cooked. The cooking is to heat and soften them as well as for flavour absorption
  8. Beat the eggs and stir into the soup to create egg flowers
  9. Serve with julienned spring onion leaves as garnish
  10. Add a dash of sesame seed oil if you have some
  11. Serve hot

Recipe 2 - Shredded chicken and imitation crab soup

This is a thickened egg drop soup.  

Ingredients

  • 6 imitation crab sticks (shredded)
  • 3 pieces dried black fungus (soaked and shredded)
  • 1 chicken breast (cooked and shredded)
  • 1 small carrot (shredded)
  • 2 litres chicken broth
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 to 3 tablespoon cornstarch mixture (link to thickened soup)
  • Soy sauce and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Bring the chicken broth to a boil
  2. Add the shredded carrot, black fungus
  3. Add the shredded chicken and crab sticks
  4. Bring the soup back to the boil and cook until the carrot is cooked
  5. Beat 2 eggs and pour them into the soup. Stir to form egg flowers
  6. Season with soy sauce and pepper
  7. Thicken the soup with the cornstarch mixture
  8. Turn off the heat and serve

Recipe 3 - Imitation crab steamed egg custard

This steamed egg custard is flavourful and soft. Great on its own or with rice. If you are new to steaming soup, do visit this page on the steaming technique. 

 Ingredients

  • 3 eggs
  • 5 imitation crab sticks 
  • 2 conpoy (dried scallops)
  • Soup stock
  • Soy sauce
  • Sesame seed oil 
  • Pepper

Instructions

  1. Soak the dried conpoy with some hot water to rehydrate. It is ready when it is soft enough to break into pieces
  2. Beat the eggs and add an equal amount of stock
  3. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce to taste
  4. Shred the imitation crab sticks and add them to the egg mixture
  5. Heat up a tablespoon of cooking oil in a frying pan
  6. Fry the dried conpoy pieces on medium heat for a couple of minutes
  7. Add the fried conpoy to the egg mixture
  8. Pour the egg mixture into a serving bowl, cover with cling wrap 
  9. Bring a deep pot or wok of hot water to a roaring boil 
  10. Steam the egg mixture for about 10 minutes or until the steamed egg custard has set
  11. Drizzle with sesame seed oil and pepper before serving

Recipe 4 - Imitation crab and radish soup

When daikon radish is soft, it is not mushy. It acts like a sponge, soaking up the flavour from the soup. This recipe is a quick way to enjoy this giant vegetable. 

Ingredients

  • 250ml superior stock (affiliate link)
  • 500g daikon radish
  • 6 imitation crab sticks
  • 20g sliced ginger
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil

Instructions

  1. Peel the daikon radish and slice them into ½-inch strips
  2. Slice the imitation crab sticks in half lengthwise
  3. Heat the cooking oil in a pan
  4. Fry the sliced ginger till it is slightly brown
  5. Pour the soup stock into the pot and bring it to a boil
  6. Add the radish sticks and cook until they are soft
  7. Add the crab sticks and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes
  8. Serve

I hope you enjoy these imitation crab soup recipes and do take a look at my crab soup recipes and crab corn soup recipes.

Happy Souping, Phoebe