Súp Măng Cua (Vietnamese Crab and Asparagus Soup)

This traditional Vietnamese Crab and Asparagus Soup, or Súp Măng Cua, deserves a spot on your upcoming banquet or holiday menu! With a succulent blend of sweet crab, earthy asparagus, and egg white ribbons, this homemade soup promises comforting simplicity with every spoonful. And the best part is that it comes together effortlessly in just 30 minutes!

• Easy: This one-pot Súp Măng Cua recipe is a breeze with just 10 ingredients, a quick 5-minute prep, and a total cook time of 25 minutes. It's the easiest way to enjoy the rich flavors of Vietnamese Crab and Asparagus Soup without the fuss.
• Base recipe: This version of Vietnamese Crab and Asparagus Soup is guaranteed to be one of the easiest. Despite its simplicity, the soup is wonderfully fragrant and satisfying. But it's also a great base to customize it to your liking with your preferred proteins and veggies!
• Crowd Pleaser: Impress your guests with this Vietnamese delight! This Súp Măng Cua is not just easy and versatile but also a family-favorite dish. Its fragrant, rich, and flavorful aroma make it a standout dish that will have everyone asking for seconds.

• Broth and water: The base of our Vietnamese Crab and Asparagus Soup. You can make your own but store-bought broth is delicious and convenient. Feel free to use vegetable, chicken, or pork broth - unsalted chicken bone broth is my go-to.
• Crab: Because of the simplicity of this soup, use fresh crab meat for the best flavor and texture. The fresh, pre-cooked lump crab from Costco is a great deal. But you could also use canned or imitation crab in a pinch. If you have a lot of extra crab, use it in Vietnamese Egg Omelet (Trung Chien).
• White asparagus: Unlike its green counterpart, white asparagus is grown in the absence of sunlight, resulting in a milder flavor. Fresh white asparagus can be difficult to find so canned is actually best for this recipe. Find it at your local Asian grocery store - I use the canned Lucky Crown brand.
• Fish sauce: Adds a punch of umami and salt while enhancing the seafood flavor.
• Sugar: To balance all the savory flavors of the Súp Măng Cua.
• Chicken bouillon powder: A secret ingredient in a lot of Vietnamese cuisine! It makes the Vietnamese Crab Asparagus Soup ultra flavorful and restaurant-quality. I use the Knorr brand.
• Corn starch: Combined with water to create a slurry that will thicken the soup to a more gel-like consistency.
• Egg whites: To create ribbons like in egg drop soup.
• Sesame oil: Just a splash at the end to add fragrance.
• White pepper: Essentially the same as black pepper but with the outer skin removed. It has a milder, more floral taste. Black pepper would work fine as well.
• Kosher salt: The salt amounts listed in this recipe are for Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using Morton kosher salt, sea salt, or Himalayan pink salt, reduce by half. If using table salt, reduce the salt by ¼.
• For garnish: cilantro, green onion, and additional white pepper.

• I've tested this recipe with several different types of crab, and they all work great! Although fresh meat is best, canned crab or imitation crab meat will also work.
• If you can't find canned white asparagus, jarred asparagus will work too, although the texture will be softer. You can also use green asparagus instead. If substituting with fresh green asparagus, steam it first.
• Substitute corn starch with potato or tapioca starch.
• Want more veggies in your Súp Măng Cua? Try adding in shallot, corn, carrots, shiitake mushroom, or bamboo shoots.
• Like I said, this Súp Măng Cua is the perfect base recipe! Include your favorite add-ins like canned quail eggs, dried scallops, or snow fungus.

STEP ONE: To start on the Vietnamese Crab and Asparagus Soup, first pour the chicken broth and water to a large pot. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil.

Then add in fish sauce, sugar, chicken bouillon, salt, and white pepper.

STEP TWO: Bring the heat down to medium to bring the soup down to a simmer. Add the chopped asparagus and crab meat.

STEP THREE: Give the cornstarch slurry a stir evenly distribute any starch that settled onto the bottom. Then pour into the soup and let simmer for 8-10 minutes or slightly thickened and opaque, stirring often. Cook longer if you prefer a thicker consistency.

STEP FOUR: Stir the Súp Măng Cua in a circular motion with your ladle to create a vortex. Very slowly drizzle in the egg whites, while still stirring, to create egg strands. Let cook for 1-2 minutes until egg whites are fully set.

If there's any scum on the surface, use a spoon to gently remove and discard.

STEP FIVE: Then pour in the sesame oil and season to taste. Top with garnishes and serve immediately.

• Keep the soup at a simmer: After the initial boil, keep the heat at medium to medium-high so the Súp Măng Cua is just simmering. Since the crab and asparagus are already cooked, we don't want the high heat to overcook the ingredients. Hot broth (not boiling) will also help create silky delicate egg ribbons instead of large clumps.
• Remove the scum: Depending on the type of crab you're using, you may see scum (tiny impurities that rise to the surface). To prevent this, use high-quality ingredients and maintain a gentle simmer instead of vigorous boil. Use a ladle or skimmer spoon to skim off the scum to keep your soup clear.
• Stir constantly: When adding in the egg, use your ladle or spoon to continuously stir in a circular motion. Slowly pour in the eggs to create beautiful wispy strands instead of large lumps.
• Use fresh garnishes: Elevate the overall flavor by topping each bowl of soup with fresh green onions or cilantro.