Description
A classic Louisiana Crawfish Étouffée featuring tender crawfish tails simmered in a rich, flavorful holy trinity vegetable roux-based sauce, served over steaming hot rice or grits. This hearty Cajun dish balances savory, spicy, and buttery notes, perfect for a comforting authentic Southern meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bunch green onions, chopped
Roux & Sauce
- 12 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups seafood stock (or a little more as needed)
- 2 teaspoons Better than Bouillon lobster base
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (ground, or more to taste)
Main & Serving
- 1 lb Louisiana crawfish tails
- 4 cups hot cooked white rice (or grits)
- Hot sauce (such as Crystal), for serving
Instructions
- Sauté “Holy Trinity” Veggies: In a 12-inch cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt 3 to 4 tablespoons of butter. Add the diced onion, celery, bell pepper, and minced garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are translucent. Remove the cooked vegetables and set aside in a bowl.
- Make the Roux: Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the remaining 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of butter to the pan. Once melted, whisk in the flour. Continuously whisk and cook the mixture for 10-15 minutes until it reaches a golden, peanut butter color, being careful not to let it burn.
- Finish the Gravy: Lower the heat to low. Slowly pour in the seafood stock while whisking constantly to achieve a smooth consistency. Return the sautéed vegetables to the pot. Stir in the lobster base, Cajun seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and cayenne pepper. Simmer gently for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens to a gravy-like consistency. If the sauce needs thickening, mix 1-2 tablespoons of flour with a spoonful of broth separately, then stir it back into the pot and cook until thickened.
- Add Crawfish: Stir in the Louisiana crawfish tails and cook just until warmed through. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired.
- Serve: Spoon the crawfish étouffée over hot cooked white rice or grits. Garnish with chopped green onions and offer hot sauce on the side for added heat.
Notes
- This recipe is a traditional Louisiana étouffée with a focus on fresh crawfish and rich roux-based sauce.
- Seafood stock can be substituted with shrimp or fish stock, homemade or store-bought.
- Adjust the cayenne pepper according to your preferred heat level.
- If grits are preferred over rice, ensure they are cooked hot and creamy for the best pairing.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pan, like cast iron or Dutch oven, to prevent roux from burning.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 837 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 62 mg
