---
title: "Chilean Crab Chupe — Homemade Chupe de Jaiba Recipe"
description: "Versión en Español Chupe de jaiba is a Chilean crab casserole made by simmering crab meat with a sautéed base of onion, bell peppers, and white wine, combining it with a soaked-bread paste and two..."
url: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-crab-chupe-recipe/
date: 2026-07-26
modified: 2026-07-26
author: "Carlos Uhart M."
image: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Chilean-Crab-Chupe-de-Jaiba-Recipe.jpg
categories: ["Main Dishes"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# Chilean Crab Chupe — Homemade Chupe de Jaiba Recipe

[Versión en Español](https://comidaschilenas.com/receta-de-chupe-de-jaiba/)

![Chilean Crab Chupe de Jaiba Recipe — creamy crab casserole gratinated with parmesan in clay bowls](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Chilean-Crab-Chupe-de-Jaiba-Recipe.jpg)*Chilean Crab Chupe — Homemade Chupe de Jaiba Recipe*

Chupe de jaiba is a Chilean crab casserole made by simmering crab meat with a sautéed base of onion, bell peppers, and white wine, combining it with a soaked-bread paste and two cheeses, then gratinating under the broiler until golden — ready in about 60 minutes and serving 6 people.

A magnificent coastal dish from Chilean gastronomy, chupe de jaiba transforms humble crab meat into a rich, creamy casserole with deep maritime flavor and a signature golden parmesan crust that makes it a centerpiece of any celebration table.

## How to Make Chilean Crab Chupe?

Chilean crab chupe is built on three key elements working together: a soaked-bread base that provides body and richness, an aromatic sauté of onion and bell peppers deglazed with white wine that layers depth of flavor, and a dual-cheese finish of mantecoso and parmesan that melts into the mixture and then gratinates into a golden crust. Each element is prepared separately before being combined and finished in the oven in individual clay bowls, producing a casserole that is simultaneously creamy, savory, and intensely satisfying.

## Nutritional Information

Each serving of Chilean chupe de jaiba contains approximately 400 calories, 13 g of carbohydrates, 25 g of fats, 22 g of proteins, 1 g of fiber, 3 g of sugars, 75 mg of cholesterol, and 440 mg of sodium. Crab meat is a lean, high-quality protein source rich in zinc and selenium, minerals that strengthen the immune system and support cardiovascular health through its omega-3 fatty acid content.

## Homemade Chupe de Jaiba Recipe

**Prep Time:** 30 minutes

**Cook Time:** 30 minutes

**Servings:** 6

### Ingredients

- 500 g crab meat (jaiba)
- 240 ml whole milk
- 200 ml dry white wine
- 120 ml heavy cream
- 100 g mantecoso cheese, grated
- 100 g parmesan cheese, grated
- Bread slices (crusts removed), enough to cover the base of a wide dish
- 2½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon paprika (ají de color)
- ½ red bell pepper, finely chopped
- ½ green bell pepper, finely chopped
- Fine sea salt
- Black pepper

### Instructions

1. **Prepare the bread base:** Arrange the crustless bread slices in a wide dish. Pour the milk and cream over them and let soak for several minutes until fully softened. Drain the excess liquid and process the soaked bread into a smooth, homogeneous paste using a blender or food processor. Set aside.

![Soaked bread base for Chilean Chupe de Jaiba — bread slices soaking in milk and cream](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Soaked-Bread-Base-for-Chupe-de-Jaiba.jpg)*Step 1 — Soaked bread base for Chupe de Jaiba*

1. **Make the aromatic sauté:** Heat the olive oil in a large pan over high heat. Add the onion and bell peppers and reduce to medium heat. Add the garlic and paprika and cook for 5 minutes until the vegetables are translucent and fragrant. Pour in the white wine and reduce for 2 minutes. For a more intense flavor, optionally add 30 ml of pisco at this stage and flambé before adding the wine.
2. **Combine all ingredients:** Add the crab meat, bread paste, and any remaining milk and cream to the pan. Cook for 1 minute, stirring to integrate. Add the grated mantecoso cheese, season generously with salt and pepper, and stir until fully incorporated. Preheat the oven grill to 200°C (392°F).

![Mantecoso and parmesan cheese for Chilean Chupe de Jaiba casserole](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Mantecoso-and-Parmesan-Cheese-for-Chupe-de-Jaiba.jpg)*Step 3 — Mantecoso and parmesan cheese ready for the casserole*

1. **Gratinate and serve:** Lightly oil individual clay bowls (pocillos de greda) or a single baking dish and distribute the crab mixture evenly. Cover generously with the grated parmesan. Place under the oven grill for about 10 minutes until the surface is deeply golden and bubbling. Serve immediately.

## Additional Tips

### For a More Intense Flavor

After sautéing the onion and bell peppers, add the crab meat to the pan and cook it briefly in the aromatics before deglazing. Then add 30 ml of pisco and flambé by tilting the pan carefully to ignite, burning off the alcohol before adding the white wine. This step concentrates the marine and smoky notes significantly.

### Choose the Right Bread

Day-old pan amasado or marraqueta that has become slightly firm works far better than fresh sliced bread. The drier crumb absorbs the liquid more efficiently without becoming waterlogged, reducing excess moisture in the final mixture and producing a more cohesive, flavorful base.

### For Even Gratination

Cover the surface of each clay bowl all the way to the edges with parmesan before placing under the grill. Bowls positioned on the highest rack of the oven develop a uniform golden crust rather than browning only in the center, which gives the chupe its characteristic festive appearance.

| Ingredient | Standard Version | Substitute | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Crab meat (jaiba) | Fresh | Frozen or canned crab | Drain thoroughly; check for shell fragments |
| Mantecoso cheese | Grated | Gouda or mild mozzarella | Must melt smoothly into the mixture |
| White wine | Dry white wine | Fish stock or clam juice | Skip the flambé step if using stock |
| Bread (soaked) | Pan amasado / marraqueta | Thick mashed potatoes | Reduces carbohydrates; changes texture slightly |

## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

### Can I make chupe de jaiba with frozen crab meat?

Yes, frozen crab meat works well when fresh is not available. Drain any excess liquid thoroughly before adding it to the sauté and check carefully for shell fragments.

### Can I freeze chupe de jaiba?

You can freeze the mixture before gratinating, although the creamy texture may be slightly affected. It is best consumed freshly gratinated. When reheating, add a little extra mantecoso cheese to restore creaminess.

### What is the difference between chupe and pastel de jaiba?

Chupe de jaiba uses a soaked-bread base that gives it a creamier, looser texture when gratinated with cheese. Pastel de jaiba (crab pie) typically has a firmer texture with less bread and a distinct top crust of grated cheese or breadcrumbs.

### What bread is best for chupe de jaiba?

Day-old pan amasado or marraqueta that is slightly firm is ideal over fresh sliced bread. The drier crumb reduces excess moisture and concentrates flavor, creating a more robust base for the casserole.

## What Is Chilean Crab Chupe?

Chupe de jaiba is a traditional Chilean coastal casserole built on the country’s abundant coastal crab species, most commonly the swimming crab (Cancer setosus and related species) found along the Chilean Pacific coast. The dish combines shredded crab meat with a soaked-bread paste, a seasoned sauté, milk, cream, white wine, and a dual-cheese blend that is baked in clay bowls under the broiler. The result is a casserole with creamy interior texture, briny depth, and a golden, crisp parmesan crust.

## History of Chupe de Jaiba in Chile

The chupe tradition in Chile draws from both indigenous and Spanish colonial culinary influences, adapting European thickening techniques using bread soaked in dairy to the abundant seafood of the Pacific coast. Crab was historically a widely consumed ingredient in coastal communities from Arica to Chiloé, and the chupe preparation — gratinating the mixture with local cheese — became one of the defining expressions of Chilean coastal home cooking throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

## Did You Know?

The Chilean jaiba (Cancer setosus, Cancer porteri, Cancer coronatus, and Homalaspis plana) inhabits sandy, rocky, and algae-covered seabed environments along the entire Chilean coastline. Unlike the Chilean loco, crab is not subject to strict seasonal bans, making chupe de jaiba a more accessible and year-round coastal dish compared to the highly regulated chupe de locos.

## Recommended

- [Chilean Abalone Chupe — Homemade Chupe de Locos Recipe](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-abalone-chupe-recipe/)
- [Traditional Chilean Seafood Pulmay Recipe](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/traditional-chilean-seafood-pulmay-recipe/)
- [Chilean Salmon Cancato Recipe](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-salmon-cancato-recipe/)
- [Homemade Chilean Tripe Chupe Casserole Recipe](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/homemade-tripe-chupe-casserole-recipe/)