Name: Sopa de cangrejo (Guapi-style Colombian Pacific crab soup)
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 6 medium whole raw crabs, cleaned by the fishmonger and purchased from an authorized seller; about 1.5 kg whole; 2000 ml water for the crab broth; 400 g green plantain, peeled and cut into chunks; 300 g pastusa potatoes, peeled and diced; 125 ml Pacific refrito, divided; 400 ml unsweetened thick coconut milk; 8 g fresh chillangua, finely chopped; 3 g fresh poleo, finely chopped; 8 g fine salt, divided; 1 g ground black pepper; 15 ml neutral oil for roasting the plantain; 300 g dry white rice, rinsed and drained; 600 ml water; 2 g fine salt

Guapi-style crab soup with white rice, lime and herbs served on a banana leaf.

Region Guapi, Cauca, in Colombia’s Pacific region

Category Crab and coconut soup with green plantain, potato and Pacific herbs

Prep time 35 minutes active

Cook time About 55 minutes

Passive time None

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Sopa de cangrejo (Guapi-style Colombian Pacific crab soup)

Crab, green plantain and potato in a fragrant coconut broth

This sopa de cangrejo comes from Guapi, Cauca, on Colombia’s Pacific coast. Its character comes from the crab broth, mashed green plantain, pastusa potatoes, thick coconut milk and local herbs such as chillangua and poleo. The crab is cooked first so its broth can flavor the soup; the meat is picked from the shells and returned near the end with the plantain and coconut. Plain white rice is served alongside.

The name sopa de cangrejo is also used for the distinct Raizal crab soup of San Andrés and Providencia, which has its own island ingredients and traditions. This recipe follows the Guapi version documented with crab, green plantain, potato, refrito, coconut milk, chillangua and poleo. Crab size and the amount of meat each yields vary, so choose medium crabs from an authorized seafood seller and check the picked meat carefully for shell fragments.

For a manageable home batch, the plantain is roasted before mashing rather than deep-fried; the documented Guapi method allows frying or roasting. The mashed plantain thickens the broth while leaving visible pieces of potato and crab. Add the coconut milk at the end and simmer gently so the soup stays creamy and the herbs remain distinct. Serve each bowl with a scoop of plain rice.

Ingredients

Crab soup

6 medium whole raw crabs, cleaned by the fishmonger and purchased from an authorized seller; about 1.5 kg whole
2000 ml water for the crab broth
400 g green plantain, peeled and cut into chunks
300 g pastusa potatoes, peeled and diced
125 ml Pacific refrito, divided
400 ml unsweetened thick coconut milk
8 g fresh chillangua, finely chopped
3 g fresh poleo, finely chopped
8 g fine salt, divided
1 g ground black pepper
15 ml neutral oil for roasting the plantain

White rice

300 g dry white rice, rinsed and drained
600 ml water
2 g fine salt

Method

Start the rice and keep the crabs cold Rinse the rice until the water is mostly clear and drain it well. Keep the raw crabs covered at or below 4°C and separate from ready-to-eat foods. In a medium saucepan, bring the rice, 600 ml water and 2 g salt to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook until tender, about 15–18 minutes. Turn off the heat and keep covered while you make the soup.
Cook the crabs and strain the broth Bring 2000 ml water to a boil in a heavy 6–8 L pot. Add the crabs carefully and cook until the shells turn red and the thickest crab meat is firm, pearly and opaque; check a thick section with the thermometer and make sure it reaches at least 63°C. Remove the crabs with tongs. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl, then return it to the pot.
Pick and season the crab meat When the crabs are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bodies and claws. Check it carefully for shell fragments. Toss the meat with 60 ml of the refrito and keep it covered. Work promptly; if you need to pause, refrigerate the picked meat at or below 4°C rather than leaving it at room temperature.
Roast and mash the plantain Heat the oven to 220°C. Toss the plantain chunks with 15 ml oil and roast on a lined tray for 20–25 minutes, turning once, until browned and tender. Mash coarsely with a fork. Warm the remaining refrito in a skillet, add the mashed plantain and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring, until the plantain is coated and fragrant.
Simmer the potatoes and herbs Bring the strained crab broth back to a simmer. Add the potatoes, chillangua, poleo, 6 g of the salt and the black pepper. Simmer for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender when pierced. Keep the broth at a steady, gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil.
Finish with plantain, crab and coconut Stir the refrito-coated plantain into the broth. Add the reserved crab meat and coconut milk. Lower the heat, cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice without breaking up the crab. The soup should be hot throughout and creamy, with visible crab, potato and plantain. Taste and add only as much of the remaining 2 g salt as needed.
Serve and store leftovers safely Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with warm white rice. Refrigerate soup leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours at or below 4°C; use within 2 days and reheat once to 74°C. Cool leftover rice as quickly as possible, ideally within 1 hour; refrigerate at or below 4°C, use within 24 hours and reheat only once until steaming hot throughout.

Practical guidance

Practical

Practical guidance

Buy crabs from an authorized seller. Choose fresh crabs kept properly chilled and have the fishmonger clean them if that service is available. Keep them cold until cooking and separate from food that will be eaten without further cooking. If the crabs smell sour, rancid or strongly fishy, do not use them. Check the picked meat slowly. Crab meat can hide small pieces of shell, especially around the claws and body joints. Spread it on a clean tray and feel through it with clean fingers before seasoning. The meat yield varies with crab size, so six medium crabs may produce different amounts; distribute the meat and broth evenly among the six bowls. Roast the plantain until fully tender. The original Guapi preparation fries or roasts the plantain before mashing it. Roasting is convenient at home and uses the measured oil. The plantain should mash easily and have browned edges; if it is still firm in the center, return it to the oven before adding it to the soup. Keep some texture in the mash. Mash the plantain coarsely rather than into a smooth purée. It thickens the coconut broth while small pieces remain in the bowl. Stir it into the remaining refrito before adding it to the broth so it disperses without forming lumps. Add coconut milk after the potatoes soften. Coconut milk can catch on the bottom of a vigorously boiling pot. Let the potatoes become tender first, then lower the heat before adding the thick milk. A gentle covered simmer helps the coconut, crab and herbs come together without breaking up the picked meat. Use the herbs with a light hand. Chillangua has a distinctive aroma, while poleo adds a different herbal note. The measured amounts season the broth without masking crab. If fresh chillangua is unavailable, cilantro is a practical substitute, but the flavor will change; keep poleo optional. Serve the rice separately. The soup is traditionally accompanied by white rice. Keeping it in its own bowl lets diners add the amount they want and makes it easier to chill the soup and rice safely after the meal.

Final notes

Allergens: Contains crustacean shellfish (crab) and coconut. Check coconut milk and refrito ingredients for additional allergens or cross-contact statements. Food safety: Keep raw crab at or below 4°C and separate from ready-to-eat foods. Cook crab until the meat is firm, pearly and opaque and reaches at least 63°C. Refrigerate soup within 2 hours, but cool rice ideally within 1 hour; store rice no longer than 24 hours and reheat it once until steaming hot throughout.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: 1 of 6 servings, including rice
Calories: 540 kcal
Carbohydrate: 72 g
Protein: 22 g
Fat: 18 g
Fibre: 6 g
Sodium: About 950 mg

Sopa de cangrejo (Guapi-style Colombian Pacific crab soup)

Ingredients

Crab soup

White rice

Method

Practical

Practical guidance

Final notes

Nutrition per serving

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