Description
This Crawfish Étouffée is a classic Louisiana dish featuring tender crawfish tails simmered in a rich, buttery roux-based sauce with the traditional ‘Holy Trinity’ of vegetables. Served over hot cooked rice or grits, this comforting and flavorful stew is perfect for a hearty meal with a Cajun kick.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bunch green onions, chopped (for garnish)
Roux and Sauce
- 12 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups seafood stock (or a little more as needed)
- 2 teaspoons Better than Bouillon lobster base
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, ground (or more to taste)
Main Protein
- 1 lb Louisiana Crawfish Tails
Serving
- 4 cups hot cooked rice or grits
- Hot sauce (such as Crystal), for serving
Instructions
- Sauté “Holy Trinity” Veggies: Heat 3-4 tablespoons of butter or oil in a 12” cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once melted, add diced onion, celery, bell pepper, and minced garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are translucent. Remove the veggies to a bowl and set aside.
- Make the Roux: Reduce heat to medium-low and add remaining 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter to the pan. Once melted, whisk in the flour until fully combined. Cook the roux, whisking continuously, for 10 to 15 minutes until it turns a golden color similar to peanut butter. Be careful to avoid burning.
- Finish the Gravy: Lower heat to low. Slowly add the seafood stock in a steady stream while whisking constantly to keep the mixture smooth. Add the sautéed vegetables back into the pot along with the lobster base, Cajun seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes to achieve the consistency of a thick gravy. If the sauce is too thin, mix 1-2 tablespoons of flour with a ladle of broth in a separate cup and stir until smooth, then add back to the pot and continue cooking until thickened.
- Add Crawfish: Stir in the cooked crawfish tails and warm through gently. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
- Serve: Spoon the étouffée over hot cooked white rice or grits. Garnish with chopped green onions and offer hot sauce on the side for extra heat.
Notes
- This recipe is my take on the Louisiana classic étouffée, featuring fresh crawfish simmered in a flavorful, buttery sauce.
- The traditional “Holy Trinity” of onion, bell pepper, and celery forms the aromatic base of the dish.
- Adjust cayenne pepper and hot sauce to your preferred level of spiciness.
- Seafood stock can be substituted with chicken stock or vegetable stock if preferred, but seafood stock adds more authentic flavor.
- The roux is critical—cook it low and slow for the best color and nuttiness without burning.
- Serve over rice or creamy grits depending on your preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 837 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 62 mg
