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Saucy Crawfish Delight

Featured in Simple seafood recipes you'll love.

This dish bursts with bold Louisiana vibes. Start with a golden butter-and-flour roux, then toss in aromatic veggies like celery, onions, and peppers. Stir in seafood stock and a lobster-base broth for richness. Add crawfish tails and simmer until tender. It's ready in under an hour to enjoy over rice or grits for dinner or a special event.
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Maria from tastyhush
Updated on Sat, 12 Apr 2025 19:50:44 GMT
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A bowl of steaming rice with shrimp and a spoon resting next to it. | tastyhush.com

This classic Louisiana creation turns plump crawfish into a buttery, mouthwatering delight. Every mouthful showcases perfectly seasoned tail meat swimming in a rich, amber sauce crafted from a slowly developed roux foundation, bringing genuine Cajun comfort with each spoonful.

What makes amazing étouffée is getting that dark roux just right. This crucial first step builds those deep, layered flavors that make people remember this dish. Your sauce should gently wrap around every bit of rice while letting those crawfish really stand out.

Essential Components

  • Crawfish: Plump Louisiana tails, peeled and prepped
  • Butter: Premium unsalted butter for starting your roux
  • Vegetables: Chopped celery, onion, and bell pepper, cut small
  • Stock: Flavorful seafood broth as your liquid base
  • Seasonings: Fresh garlic, cayenne, paprika, thyme
  • Flour: Regular flour for making your roux

Cooking Approach

Ready Your Veggies:
Chop the holy trinity (onion, celery, pepper) into small equal bits. Soften them in butter without getting any brown color.
Create Your Roux:
Mix butter and flour, constantly stirring until it turns a nice amber brown. This adds crucial taste and helps thicken everything up.
Form Your Sauce:
Slowly pour in warm stock while whisking. Let it bubble away until it tastes rich and gets just thick enough.
Pop In Crawfish:
Mix crawfish tails in carefully, warming them through without cooking too long so they stay tender.
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A bowl of soup with a wooden spoon in it. | tastyhush.com

What makes étouffée special is finding that perfect balance between a rich sauce and sweet crawfish, where everything works together without one part taking over.

Time Management

Pay attention to how thick your sauce gets as it cooks down. It should stick to your spoon but still move easily. Your crawfish only need about 3-5 minutes to warm up properly.

Serving Style

Ladle over fluffy long-grain rice. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and sliced green onions for a pop of color and freshness.

Different Takes

Feel free to turn the heat up or down to match what you like. You can add traditional stuff like filé powder or extra cayenne if you want, but you don't have to.

Keeping Leftovers

Put cooled extras in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm up slowly on the stove, adding a splash of stock if it's gotten too thick.

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A bowl of shrimp and pea soup with a spoon in it. | tastyhush.com

This treasured Cajun specialty honors Louisiana's food traditions while fitting right into your home cooking routine. Get your technique down and use good ingredients for the best results.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Which crawfish should I use?
Louisiana crawfish tails are the best pick! Skip the imports—go local for the freshest flavor.
→ Can I use a different type of stock?
Of course! Try chicken or veggie stock if seafood stock isn’t an option. Still delicious!
→ When’s my roux ready?
You’re looking for a peanut butter shade—golden and nutty-smelling. Stir constantly to avoid burning.
→ Can I make this beforehand?
Yes, you can! Cook it now and freeze for about three months or reheat whenever needed.
→ What’s the Cajun-Creole difference?
Cajun recipes typically skip tomatoes. Creole ones include them, adding a different layer of flavor.

Crawfish in Sauce

A warm and hearty Louisiana dish featuring crawfish tails simmering in a creamy, thickened roux-based gravy. Ideal served over hot rice or creamy grits.

Prep Time
15 Minutes
Cook Time
40 Minutes
Total Time
55 Minutes
By: Maria

Category: Seafood

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: Cajun

Yield: 7 Servings (7 cups)

Dietary: ~

Ingredients

→ Holy Trinity Base

01 1 yellow onion, cut into small cubes
02 1 green bell pepper, sliced into chunks
03 5 garlic cloves, minced finely
04 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped

→ Roux and Sauce

05 4 cups of seafood stock or broth
06 12 tablespoons of butter, divided for cooking and roux
07 2 teaspoons of concentrated lobster paste (e.g., Better Than Bouillon)
08 ½ cup plain flour to thicken

→ Seasonings

09 ¼ teaspoon of smoked cayenne powder for a spicy kick
10 A sprinkle of thyme (about ¼ teaspoon dried)
11 1 teaspoon of bold Cajun spice mix
12 A dash of fresh black pepper (around ½ teaspoon)
13 ¼ teaspoon of coarse kosher salt

→ Main and Garnish

14 4 cups of cooked rice or rich, creamy grits for serving
15 A pound of Louisiana crawfish tails
16 Hot sauce for extra heat, to taste
17 Green onions, chopped, to top it off

Instructions

Step 01

Put 3-4 tablespoons of butter in a big, heavy pan over medium heat. Add the celery, green peppers, onions, and garlic. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes until they’re soft and see-through. Put them in a separate bowl when done.

Step 02

Drop the heat to low-medium. Toss in 8 tablespoons of butter and the flour, mixing nonstop with a whisk. Keep at it for 10-15 minutes, aiming for a peanut butter-like shade. If it seems to burn, lower the heat more.

Step 03

Reduce the heat to low. Gradually pour in the seafood broth while whisking the mix until smooth. Add the sautéed veggies, seasonings, and lobster base. Let it simmer gently for around 10 minutes to thicken it, like a cozy gravy.

Step 04

Toss in the crawfish tails and let them gently heat through. Taste the dish and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Step 05

Serve it over warm grits or rice. Sprinkle with chopped green onion. Offer hot sauce on the side to add extra heat.

Notes

  1. For the best flavor, go for crawfish sourced from Louisiana.
  2. If you can’t find seafood stock, substitute with vegetable or chicken broth.
  3. This is a perfect make-ahead meal and reheats wonderfully.
  4. You can freeze it for up to three months with no problem.

Tools You'll Need

  • A sturdy 12-inch pan, a cast-iron skillet works great
  • An easy-to-handle whisk to mix everything together
  • A mixing bowl for prepping the ingredients

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Includes shellfish (crawfish).
  • Contains dairy due to butter.
  • Gluten is present because of wheat flour.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 370
  • Total Fat: 21 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 37 g
  • Protein: 8 g