How to make Trinidadian style Crab and Callaloo

There’s a reason callaloo shows up at so many Sunday lunches across the Caribbean. Creamy, thick, and full of flavor from coconut milk, herbs, ochro, and pumpkin, then you throw in crab? Yes, we outside. This crab and callaloo dish is a must-have on your table if you’re looking to bring real island flavor into your home.

Imagine you’re in the Caribbean, feeling that sea breeze while a pot bubbles on the stove, the scent of coconut milk and seasoning filling the air. On your stovetop? The real GOAT of a Caribbean Sunday lunch, crab and callaloo.

This dish is rich, savory, and full of depth. It’s usually served as a side, but trust me, with crab in the mix, it walks like a main dish. Add some macaroni pie, stewed lentils, maybe a little stew chicken, and a salad, and you’ve got the perfect meal.

What is dasheen bush?

Dasheen bush is actually the leaf of the dasheen plant, a common Caribbean ground provision. The leaves have a slightly nutty, earthy flavor, kind of like spinach but with more depth. It’s the base of a true Trini callaloo.

If the stems bend, they’re fresh. If they snap? Leave them. That’s old bush, and it’ll make your callaloo bitter.

How To Make Crab and Callaloo

Ingredient Notes

Let’s break this down by what brings the flavor:

Greens & Veggies:

• Dasheen bush (or taro leaves) – fresh, frozen, or freeze-dried
• Ochro/Okra – adds thickness
• Pumpkin (calabaza) – or sub butternut squash
• Hot pepper – whole Scotch bonnet or habanero
• Pimento pepper – adds mild heat and aroma

Aromatics:

• Garlic cloves – fresh, but powder or puree works
• Green seasoning – homemade or store-bought
• Onion and chive – if using the sauté method

Flavors & Liquid:

• Coconut milk – creamy base, use full-fat or reduced. And you can even make your own coconut milk.
• Brown sugar – deepens the flavor
• Cloves – optional but adds subtle spice
• Salted meat or pigtail – optional, but traditional
• Crab – blue crab is great, but any variety works with this addition.

Make sure to check out the recipe card for all ingredients needed and the quantities.

Instructions

You’ve got two options here — both deliver, just depends on your vibe.

Method 1: Dump-and-Go

1. Add all ingredients (except coconut milk) to your heavy-bottom pot.
2. Pour in coconut milk, stir well.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the coconut milk reduces by half.
4. Remove the hot pepper and crab carefully.
5. Blend the callaloo with a swizzle stick or immersion blender until smooth and thick.
6. Return the crab and pepper to the pot and stir. Taste and adjust seasoning. Dump method:

Method 2: Sauté & Simmer

1. In a pot, heat some coconut oil.
2. Sauté garlic, onion, and green onions until fragrant.
3. Add sliced ochro and cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Pour in coconut milk and pumpkin.
5. Once it starts to boil, add chopped dasheen leaves and all other ingredients.
6. Simmer on medium heat until thickened.
7. Blend and re-add crab as in method 1. Taste for salt and pepper.

Optional: How to Add Pig Tails

1. Boil pig tails in water until tender and some salt is removed.
2. Chop into smaller pieces.
3. Add to the pot along with the coconut milk and let it cook with the callaloo.

Storage & Reheating

• Store in fridge: 3–4 days in an airtight container
• Freeze: Up to 3 months
• To reheat: Simmer gently on the stove. Add water if it thickens too much.

Tip: You can also make callaloo “packs”. Freeze the prepped ingredients together in a ziplock bag for easy cooking on a later day.

More Crab Recipes to Try

• Tobago curry crab and dumpling
• Curry crab stuffed dumplings
• Crab legs (jerked)

Final Note

This dish isn’t just food — it’s part of who we are. If you’ve never made crab and callaloo before, let this be the recipe that brings it into your kitchen. Let me know in the comments if you try it.

Recipe

Tobago Crab and Callaloo

This easy crab and callaloo recipe combines dasheen bush, fresh herbs, and creamy coconut milk into a rich, savory side dish. A Trinidad and Tobago favorite that’s often served with Sunday lunch or enjoyed as a soup all on its own.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Caribbean

Calories: 338

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 1 bunch 10–15 leaves callaloo bush (dasheen bush or taro leaves)
• 1 pack ochro/okra about 12–15 pieces; see notes
• 2 cups coconut milk homemade or canned
• 4 pimento peppers chopped
• 1/2 tsp brown sugar
• 3 cloves garlic crushed
• 3 whole cloves lightly crushed
• 1/3 cup diced pumpkin calabaza or substitute butternut squash
• 1 tbsp green seasoning make your own
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 whole hot peppers Scotch bonnet or habanero
• 2 –3 crabs cleaned and chopped

Method

 

1. Wash and chop dasheen bush leaves, discarding any tough stems.
2. Add all ingredients (except crabs and hot peppers) to a large saucepan or heavy-bottomed pot.
3. Pour in coconut milk and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
4. Add crabs and whole hot peppers.
5. Reduce heat to medium and let simmer until coconut milk has reduced by half (about 25–30 minutes).
6. Carefully remove the hot peppers and crabs and set aside.
7. Use a swizzle stick or immersion blender to blend the callaloo until thick and smooth.
8. Return crab to the pot, stir, and taste for salt and pepper before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 338kcal

Notes

Callaloo bush = dasheen bush = taro leaves. Baby spinach is a decent backup if needed.
I use about 2 ochros per leaf of callaloo bush.
Tough stems = old bush. If they bend and don’t snap, skip them — they’ll make the dish bitter.
For extra flavor, sauté garlic and onion in a bit of oil first before adding everything else (optional method).
You can also make this dish with salted pigtail — boil first to remove excess salt, then add it with the coconut milk.

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