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Crawfish in Sauce

Featured in Family Dinner Ideas.

This recipe offers all the bold Louisiana flavors, starting with a buttery, golden-brown roux crafted from flour and butter. Aromatic bell peppers, onions, and celery form a fragrant base. A flavorful broth made with seafood stock and lobster base enhances the dish, with fresh crawfish tails simmered till tender. Serve on rice or grits in under an hour—perfect for family dinners or fancy gatherings.
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Updated on Mon, 24 Feb 2025 14:40:44 GMT
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A steaming bowl of rice topped with shrimp and a spoon resting on the side. | quickierecipe.com

This timeless Louisiana dish transforms fresh crawfish into a buttery, flavorful masterpiece. Each bite highlights perfectly seasoned tail meat in a rich, golden sauce made from a carefully developed roux base - delivering authentic Cajun comfort in every spoonful.

The key to exceptional étouffée lies in developing a proper dark roux. This foundational step creates the deep, complex flavors that make this dish truly memorable. The sauce should beautifully coat each grain of rice while letting the crawfish shine through.

Key Ingredients

  • Crawfish: Fresh Louisiana crawfish tails, cleaned and ready to cook
  • Butter: High-quality unsalted butter for the roux base
  • Vegetables: Fresh celery, onion, and bell pepper, finely diced
  • Stock: Rich seafood stock as the sauce foundation
  • Seasonings: Garlic, cayenne, paprika, thyme
  • Flour: All-purpose flour for roux making

Cooking Method

Prepare Vegetables:
Dice the trinity (onion, celery, pepper) into uniform pieces. Cook gently in butter until softened but not browned.
Make the Roux:
Cook butter and flour together, stirring constantly until deep golden brown. This develops essential flavor and thickening power.
Build the Sauce:
Gradually whisk in warm stock until smooth. Let simmer to develop flavor and proper consistency.
Add Crawfish:
Incorporate crawfish tails gently, cooking just until heated through to maintain their delicate texture.
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A bowl of soup with a wooden spoon in it. | quickierecipe.com

The essence of étouffée comes from balancing rich sauce with sweet crawfish - each element should complement without overpowering.

Timing Tips

Watch sauce thickness carefully as it reduces. It should coat the back of a spoon but still flow smoothly. Crawfish need just 3-5 minutes to heat through.

Presentation

Serve atop hot long-grain rice. Garnish with chopped parsley and green onions for fresh contrast.

Variations

Adjust seasoning intensity to taste. Traditional additions like filé powder or extra heat from cayenne are welcome but optional.

Storage

Store cooled leftovers up to 3 days. Reheat slowly on stovetop, adding stock if needed to maintain consistency.

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A bowl of shrimp and pea soup with a spoon in it. | quickierecipe.com

This classic Cajun dish celebrates Louisiana's culinary heritage while being adaptable to home kitchens. Focus on technique and quality ingredients for exceptional results.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ What type of crawfish works best?
Go with Louisiana crawfish tails for the best flavor. Skip imported options and check for local labeling.
→ Is it okay to use a different stock?
Absolutely! While seafood stock is ideal for authentic flavor, chicken or veggie stock works too.
→ How do I know if my roux is ready?
Your roux should be the color of peanut butter—golden and fragrant. Watch closely to avoid burning.
→ Can I prep this in advance?
Totally! You can prepare it ahead of time. Store it in the freezer for up to three months or reheat it later.
→ How’s Cajun étouffée distinct from Creole?
Cajun recipes skip tomatoes, while Creole styles add tomatoes like diced or paste for extra flavor.

Crawfish in Sauce

A comforting Louisiana-style meal with crawfish tails cooked in a savory, thick roux-based sauce, paired perfectly with a bed of warm rice or grits.

Prep Time
15 Minutes
Cook Time
40 Minutes
Total Time
55 Minutes
By: Meryem

Category: Main Dishes

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: Cajun

Yield: 7 Servings (7 cups)

Dietary: ~

Ingredients

→ Holy Trinity Base

01 2 celery stalks, chopped up
02 A big handful of garlic cloves, about 5, diced up small
03 1 green bell pepper, chopped into pieces
04 1 yellow onion, diced into little cubes

→ Roux and Sauce

05 ½ cup all-purpose flour for thickening
06 12 tablespoons butter (use part to cook and some for roux)
07 A full 4 cups of seafood broth
08 2 teaspoons of lobster flavor base (Better Than Bouillon)

→ Seasonings

09 1 teaspoon of spicy Cajun seasoning mix
10 A pinch of dried thyme flakes (about ¼ teaspoon)
11 ½ teaspoon of fresh black pepper, ground up
12 ¼ teaspoon of coarse kosher salt
13 A little heat with ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper powder

→ Main and Garnish

14 Hot rice or creamy grits to serve the dish with (4 cups cooked)
15 A bundle of green onions, chopped to top things off
16 1 pound of crawfish tails from Louisiana
17 Use hot sauce on the side to your liking

Instructions

Step 01

Melt 3-4 tablespoons of butter in a large cast-iron skillet or heavy pan over medium heat. Toss in the onion, celery, peppers, and garlic, and cook for about 5 minutes until softened and clear. Scoop them out and set aside.

Step 02

Lower the heat to medium-low. Add 8 tablespoons of butter to the pan, stir in the flour, and whisk like crazy. Keep whisking for 10-15 minutes until it turns a light brown, similar to peanut butter. If it’s burning, lower the heat more.

Step 03

Turn the heat down to its lowest setting. Slowly stream in the seafood stock while constantly whisking until it’s smooth. Toss the veggies back in along with the seasonings and lobster paste. Let it simmer for 10 minutes until it thickens up like gravy.

Step 04

Drop in the crawfish tails and gently cook them until they’re just heated through. Taste it and tweak the seasonings to your preference.

Step 05

Spoon the dish over warm rice or grits. Sprinkle some green onions on top. Add hot sauce on the side before serving.

Notes

  1. Always try to use good-quality crawfish tails from Louisiana for that authentic taste.
  2. If you don’t have seafood stock, you can swap in chicken or veggie broth.
  3. This dish works great when made in advance and warmed up before serving.
  4. It stores well in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Tools You'll Need

  • A 12-inch heavy pan like a cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven
  • A handy whisk to stir things up properly
  • A separate bowl for mixing

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Has crawfish, which is shellfish.
  • Uses butter, so it contains some dairy.
  • Made with wheat flour, so contains gluten.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 370
  • Total Fat: 21 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 37 g
  • Protein: 8 g