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Spicy Crawfish Étouffée

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This easy Cajun dinner features plump crawfish tails simmered in a rich, spicy sauce with the classic holy trinity of Cajun veggies. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s a comforting, crowd-pleasing dish perfect for weeknights or festive gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, finely diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 cups chicken or seafood stock (low sodium preferred)
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp hot sauce (plus more for serving)
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 lb crawfish tails, peeled and cleaned (fresh or frozen, thawed)
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • 4 cups cooked white rice (for serving)

Instructions

  1. Cook 4 cups white rice according to package instructions. Fluff and keep warm.
  2. In a large heavy-bottomed skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and stir constantly for 5-7 minutes until the roux turns deep golden brown and smells nutty.
  3. Add chopped onion, celery, and bell pepper to the roux. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until veggies are soft and fragrant. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
  4. Sprinkle in Cajun seasoning, paprika, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Stir to coat veggies evenly.
  5. Pour in chicken or seafood stock, scraping up any bits stuck to the pan. Add Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, lemon juice, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook for 8-10 minutes until slightly thickened. Add more stock if needed.
  6. Stir in crawfish tails and simmer gently for 4-5 minutes until heated through. Do not overcook.
  7. Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Stir in chopped parsley and half the green onions.
  8. Ladle étouffée over bowls of steamed rice. Garnish with remaining green onions and extra parsley.

Notes

For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For dairy-free, substitute butter with olive oil or vegan margarine. Shrimp, chicken, or mushrooms can replace crawfish. Adjust cayenne for desired spice level. Sauce can be made ahead; add crawfish just before serving. Leftovers keep for 3 days refrigerated; freeze sauce without crawfish for longer storage.

Nutrition

Keywords: crawfish étouffée, Cajun recipe, spicy crawfish, Louisiana dinner, easy étouffée, seafood, comfort food, quick dinner, rice, shellfish

Find it online: https://blingbite.com/spicy-crawfish-e-touff-e-e-recipe-easy-cajun-dinner-in-30-minutes/