Crawfish Etouffee Recipe
Rich, creamy stew with tender crawfish tails, simmered in Louisiana's holy trinity served with fluffy white rice
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Etouffee Base
Liquids & Seasoning
Seafood & Finish
Rice (Serve with)
Method
Rice (Cook first)
Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. In a medium saucepan combine rinsed rice, 3.5 cups water, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tbsp butter. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 18 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered 5–10 minutes, then fluff with a fork and keep warm.
Etouffee Base (Roux & Vegetables)
Make the roux
In a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven set over medium heat, melt 6 tbsp butter. When butter foams, add 6 tbsp flour and stir constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk to form a smooth paste. Cook the roux, stirring continuously, until it reaches a light brown color (blonde roux) about 6–8 minutes; do not let it burn. Reduce heat to medium-low if it browns too quickly.
Add the holy trinity
Add the chopped onion, green bell pepper and celery (total ~4 cups) to the roux. Sauté, stirring, until vegetables are soft and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant. Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to remove raw flavor.
Liquids & Seasoning (Simmer)
Slowly whisk in 3 cups chicken stock, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add 1 tbsp Cajun or Creole seasoning, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp hot sauce, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered 10 minutes to slightly thicken and meld flavors.
Seafood & Finish (Add Crawfish and Cream)
Stir in 1 lb crawfish tails and simmer gently 4–6 minutes until heated through and flavors meld; do not overcook or crawfish will become tough. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tbsp butter, 1 cup heavy cream, 2 tbsp chopped parsley, sliced green onions, and 1 tsp lemon juice. Adjust seasoning to taste (more salt, hot sauce or Cajun seasoning if desired). If the etouffee is too thick, thin with up to 1/2 cup additional stock; if too thin, simmer a few more minutes to reduce.