Crab Gravy with Rice

Crab Gravy with Rice- This thick crab gravy made with veggies, lump crab, and plenty of Old Bay is reminiscent of etouffee with a Chesapeake twist.

March 8, 2026 by Nicole Collins

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Today, we’re making Craby Gravy with Rice!

I’ll be honest with you…when this idea first popped into my head, I wasn’t really sure where it was going to go. I knew I wanted creamy rice. I knew I had crab meat to use. And, I knew that where there’s crab, there’s Old Bay. But thankfully, the instinct kicked in. And we ended up with a thick gravy loaded with veggies and crab that’s what I like to call the Chesapeake cousin to a Cajun etouffee!

The gravy actually comes together very simply. We’ll start by sautéing some veggies in a little butter. We need some green bell pepper, a little onion, and some fresh corn. You could use frozen corn in a pinch, but fresh is so much better if you can get it. Once our veggies have softened, we’ll add in a little flour to help thicken our gravy.

I think the real magic of this gravy comes from the stock. I found lobster Better than Bouillon paste on Amazon and used that to make a delicious seafood stock for the gravy. Let me tell you, that was the move. It adds some rich seafood flavor with a little bit of sweetness. And, I really think that’s what makes this gravy. The jar itself might seem a little pricey at first (about $10), but you’ll be able to make sooooo many batches of stock with it, I think it’s so worth it.

We’ll add the lobster stock along with some Old Bay to the pot, and allow it to simmer for a few minutes while it thickens up. Then, we’ll up the richness value by adding in a splash of cream and a little sherry vinegar to really play off the subtle sweet notes of the crab.

Once all of those flavors have had a chance to marry, we’re going to add in some lump blue crab meat. You guys know how I feel about this, but fresh crab is the way to go. No imitation crab or crab in a can for this one. The crab is the star of the show, so we need the good stuff! If you really want to get fancy, you could get jumbo lump crab so you can really see those hunks of crab throughout the gravy. But, use what you have or what’s easiest to get! Once we get the crab all mixed in, we’ll hit the gravy with a tiny pinch of salt and pepper, give it another minute or two for that crab to heat through, and we’re ready to serve.

I like to serve this with some jasmine rice. To make it fancy, I mold the rice into a little ramekin then plop it in the middle of my serving bowl. The rice slides right out, I promise! Then we’ll take that luxurious gravy, pour it all around the rice, finish it with a little minced parsley for brightness, and we’re ready to dig in.

The rice and gravy only stay separate for a short time, because I like to mix them fully together until they become one. The gravy is rich and creamy. It’s slightly sweet from the crab, lobster, and sherry. It’s perfectly savory thanks to the Old Bay. And it’s sooo hearty with all those veggies sprinkled throughout. Talk about comfort food. I could eat this over and over and it still wouldn’t be enough!

Ok, everyone. Are we ready to transition to summer recipes, or what? I feel like that’s the only way to get the warmer weather to show up!

I hope you guys love this one as much as I do. Let’s eat!

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Crab Gravy with Rice

Serves: 2           Print

Ingredients:

For the Rice:

• 1 tsp olive oil

• ½ cup jasmine rice

• ¾ cup water

• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Crab Gravy:

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter

• ½ of green bell pepper, diced

• ½ of small yellow onion, diced

• ½ cup corn

• 3 tbsp flour

• ¾ tsp Lobster Better than Bouillon paste mixed with 1 ½ cups boiling water

• 2 tsp Old Bay

• ¼ cup + 2 tbsp heavy cream

• 1 tbsp sherry cooking wine

• 8 oz lump crab meat, picked through for shells

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Minced parsley, for garnish

Directions:

1. Make the Rice: Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Add rice and stir occasionally until the rice is lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Add water plus a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 mins. Remove from heat, allow rice to sit for 5 mins, then fluff rice with a fork.

2. Meanwhile, make the gravy: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add bell pepper, onion, and corn; and sauté for 5 mins until veggies have started to soften. Add flour, stir to combine, and cook for 1 minute. 

3. Stir in lobster broth and Old Bay, bring to a simmer, and cook for about 5 mins until the gravy starts to thicken. Stir in heavy cream until combined, and simmer for 2 mins. Stir in sherry, crab, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Allow to cook for 2 mins more then remove from heat.

4. Add rice to the center of a serving bowl. Pour gravy over or around the rice. Garnish with parsley, if desired. Enjoy!
   

Recipe notes:

*I get the lobster Better than Bouillon paste from Amazon. It really adds a lovely seafood flavor to this gravy, so I wouldn’t recommend substituting it. 

*I form the rice into a nice round shape by pressing it into a mini bowl, then inverting it onto a plate. It slides right out easily.

*I use blue crab meat. I always recommend using fresh crab. Don’t use imitation or canned crab for this recipe.

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