Louisiana Crawfish Étouffée
A rich and savory Louisiana Crawfish Étouffée made with tender crawfish, aromatic spices, and a silky Cajun-style sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 lb crawfish tails (fresh or thawed, peeled and cleaned)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken or seafood broth
- 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tsp salt (to taste)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp hot sauce (optional)
- 1 tbsp alcohol-free Worcestershire sauce
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced (garnish)
- Cooked white rice (serving)
- Fresh parsley (optional garnish)
Instructions
1. Prepare the Roux
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the butter and oil over medium heat.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring constantly, until the roux becomes lightly browned.
2. Cook the Vegetables
- Add onion, bell pepper, and celery.
- Cook for about 5 minutes until softened.
- Stir in garlic and cook for 1–2 more minutes.
3. Build the Sauce
- Slowly pour in the broth while stirring.
- Add Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer for 10–15 minutes until the sauce thickens.
4. Add the Crawfish
- Stir in the crawfish tails and simmer for 5–7 minutes.
- Add hot sauce if you want more heat.
5. Finish and Serve
- Stir in Worcestershire sauce and adjust seasoning.
- Remove bay leaf.
- Serve over warm white rice and garnish with green onions and parsley.
Notes
- The “holy trinity” (onion, celery, bell pepper) is essential for authentic flavor.
- You can customize the heat level to your taste.
- Works with fresh or frozen crawfish—just thaw before using.
- Best served fresh, but reheats very well the next day.