1️⃣ Warm up the Dutch oven with olive oil and butter over medium-low heat. Add in the onions and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. 🧅🍳

2️⃣ Add in diced celery and continue to cook until they are very soft. The veggies need to be really soft and tender before we add the tomato paste. 🌿🍳

3️⃣ Add in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. 🧄

4️⃣ Mix in the flour and stir well until everything is coated. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the flour is completely cooked out. 🌾

5️⃣ Stir in the tomato paste, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper. It will be really thick. 🍅🌿🧂🌶️

6️⃣ Slowly pour in the vegetable stock, using a wooden spoon or spatula to stir while the stock is being added. 🍲

7️⃣ Add in the bay leaves. 🍃

8️⃣ Simmer for 20 minutes. The longer it simmers, the deeper the flavor becomes. ⏳

9️⃣ Remove both bay leaves. Then carefully add the soup to a blender in batches and blend until it is completely smooth. An immersion blender or food processor can also be used. 🍃🍲

🔟 Transfer the soup back to the pot over low heat and add in the heavy cream and crab meat. Cook for 5 minutes or until the soup is brought back up to temperature and the crab meat is warm. 🥛🦀🍲

1️⃣1️⃣ Serve warm and enjoy! 😋