Crawfish Étouffée Recipe

Prepare ingredients

If using frozen crawfish tails, thaw them in the refrigerator and drain. Measure and dice the onion, bell pepper, celery, mince the garlic, and chop the green onions and parsley. Warm the chicken stock so it is ready to add.

Make a blond roux

In a wide heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. When it foams, add the flour and stir constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk to form a smooth paste. Cook the roux, stirring regularly, until it turns a light caramel/blond color, about 6–8 minutes. Watch carefully so it doesn't burn; reduce heat if it browns too quickly.

Add the holy trinity

Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and celery directly to the roux. Stir to coat the vegetables and cook until they are softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.

Deglaze and combine

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Slowly whisk or stir in the warm chicken stock, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add up to 1/2 cup water to reach a saucy consistency.

Season and simmer

Add the Cajun or Creole seasoning, paprika, dried thyme, bay leaf, kosher salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Let it simmer, uncovered, for 8–10 minutes to meld flavors and slightly thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Finish with crawfish

Add the crawfish tails to the pot and stir gently. Simmer just until the crawfish are heated through and opaque, 4–6 minutes (do not overcook or they will become rubbery). Stir in the lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce, and add hot sauce if using. Remove and discard the bay leaf.

To serve, spoon steamed white rice into bowls or cups and ladle generous portions of crawfish étouffée over the rice. Garnish with chopped green onions and parsley. Serve hot alongside additional hot sauce and crusty bread if desired.