Name: Louisiana Crawfish Étouffée
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Cajun/Creole
Ingredients: 1 lb crawfish tails, peeled; 4 tbsp butter; 1 onion, chopped; 1 bell pepper, chopped; 2 celery stalks, chopped; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 3 tbsp flour; 2 cups seafood stock or chicken broth; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning; 1 tsp paprika; 1/2 tsp thyme; 2 bay leaves; 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 1/2 tsp hot sauce (or to taste); 3 green onions, chopped; 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped; Cooked white rice, for serving

Description

Louisiana Crawfish Étouffée is a rich and flavorful Cajun and Creole dish featuring tender crawfish tails smothered in a buttery, roux-based sauce with aromatic spices. Served over rice, this comforting Southern classic is perfect for seafood lovers and fans of bold Louisiana flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

1 lb crawfish tails, peeled
4 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp flour
2 cups seafood stock or chicken broth
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp hot sauce (or to taste)
3 green onions, chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Cooked white rice, for serving

Instructions

Prepare the Base: Melt butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions, bell pepper, and celery. Sauté until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Make the Roux: Sprinkle in the flour, stirring constantly to create a roux. Cook until it turns light brown, about 3-5 minutes.
Build the Flavor: Add garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in tomato paste, Cajun seasoning, paprika, thyme, and bay leaves.
Create the Sauce: Slowly pour in seafood stock or chicken broth, stirring well to avoid lumps. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Add the Crawfish: Stir in crawfish tails and let simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Season and Finish: Add Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, green onions, and parsley. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Serve: Remove bay leaves and serve hot over cooked white rice.

Notes

Shrimp Étouffée: Substitute shrimp for crawfish.
Chicken or Sausage Version: Use diced chicken or smoked sausage.
Gluten-Free Option: Use cornstarch or gluten-free flour.
Extra Creamy: Add a splash of heavy cream.
Vegetarian Twist: Use mushrooms or tofu instead of crawfish.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Sautéing, Simmering
Cuisine: Cajun/Creole

Keywords: Crawfish étouffée, Cajun recipe, Creole dish, Louisiana seafood, Southern comfort food