Crawfish Etouffee

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This recipe is for a classic Louisiana dish crawfish etouffee. Etouffee's was made famous by the Cajun's. Usually, etouffee is made with crawfish, shrimp, chicken, or sometimes all the above.

Louisiana crawfish season is from mid-March to mid-June. This recipe, however, can be made with fresh crawfish tail meat or frozen crawfish tail meat, which is readily available year-round and found in most grocery stores.

Some Louisiana seafood companies offer frozen crawfish tails for out-of-season enjoyment. Be careful, though because there are several frozen brands that say Louisiana crawfish but are really from China.

In New Orleans, you may find some crawfish etouffee's with a reddish hue from tomatoes or tomato paste. This recipe is more Cajun than Creole. Mainly in New Orleans, you will find shrimp etouffee over crawfish.

I learned how to make an authentic Cajun Crawfish etouffee in college, and this recipe hasn't changed in the last 12 years because you don't mess with perfection.

Key Ingredients:

To make this signature Louisiana recipe, you will need the following key ingredients to make an etouffee successfully: 

Crawfish tails

I cannot stress the fact that all crawfish tails are not made the same. Louisiana crawfish tails are loaded with fat, and that fat equals an abundance of flavor! You can find frozen crawfish tails year-round in the frozen seafood section in the grocery store.

Fat

You can use either butter or oil for making your roux for your etouffee recipe. I find butter gives it a better overall mouthfeel.

All-Purpose Flour

Flour is the second key component for making a roux. It's going to add the toasted nutty flavor and body to our etouffee.

Yellow Onion

Yellow onion is the leader in the trinity of Cajun-Creole cooking.

Bell Pepper

Green bell pepper is the co-star of yellow onions and provides a mild sweetness.

Celery

Celery ties the trinity together by providing a mild bitterness that goes unnoticed.

Chicken Broth

I like to use chicken broth in my crawfish étouffée. I find that it adds another layer of flavor. However, you can use a homemade seafood stock from any crawfish boil scraps.

Cajun-Creole Seasoning

I like to use Cajun seasoning for my etouffee. Salt and pepper won't add enough depths of flavor. You can adjust the seasonings at the end by adding a little salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper.

Rice

Louisiana is one of the largest rice producers in the world. If you're going to enjoy a delicious etouffee, you're going to have it over hot cooked rice. It doesn't matter if it's white rice or brown rice. Avoid jasmine or basmati; the sweetness of those rice will not play well with the etouffee.

How to make Cajun Crawfish etouffee Recipe

Making crawfish étouffée is simple. It's all in the roux, and once you learn how to get the correct color. You are on your way to etouffee heaven. Here is what you need to make them at home successfully.

1 stick unsalted butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons Cajun or Creole seasoning
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dry thyme
3 – 3 ½ cups unsalted chicken stock
2 lbs. peeled Louisiana crawfish tails
1 cup sliced green onion
4 cups cooked rice
to taste Louisiana hot sauce

Heat a cast iron skillet or large skillet over medium heat, melt butter and whisk in flour. Whisk until a peanut butter brown color is achieved; then stir in onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic, bay leaf, savory seasoning, cayenne, and thyme.

Whisk 3 cups of stock in thirds, stirring occasionally and bring to a boil. If etouffee is too thick, add ¼ cup more stock. Reduce heat to a simmer, adjust the flavor to taste, add crawfish tails. Cook for 3 minutes until crawfish are cooked. Stir in ½ cup of green onion. Serve over hot cooked rice and garnish with remaining green onions.

Crawfish Etouffee Tips & Tricks:

Here are some of my top tips and tricks to help you make this dish: 

Your roux should be peanut butter brown. Your roux will smell and look like peanut butter.

• The holy trinity is the vegetable base of Cajun-Creole cooking. Onion, green bell pepper, and celery.
• Yes, you can use gluten-free flour to make the roux.
• Louisiana crawfish tails are enormous and have more flavor. Then other sourced crawfish tails. However, use whatever crawfish tails you can find. Check the packing to see if it was processed in Louisana.
• Crawfish season starts in March and ends in July.
• You can make a homemade seafood stock by simmering the holy trinity scraps and any leftover crawfish from a crawfish boil.
• Some seasoning can be salty if you're looking for a low-sodium version. I recommend Savory Cajun seasoning.
• If you forget to thaw your crawfish. Place frozen crawfish in a bowl or vessel large enough to hold it, and run cool water. It should thaw in 10 minutes.
• If you're making crawfish etouffee for someone vegan, swap the crawfish for oyster mushrooms.

Frequently Asked Questions about Louisiana Crawfish Etouffee

Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about crawfish etouffee:

What color roux should my etouffee be?

A peanut butter brown roux is the perfect color for an etouffee. A white or blonde roux will not have enough flavor (nutty notes).

A dark cocoa brown roux will have lost its nutty notes and thickening power. An etouffee should be a lovely brown color with flavor notes of nuts, herbs, and spice.

How is etouffee different from gumbo?

The difference between etouffee and gumbo is that etouffee is thicker, made with butter roux, and has a gravy consistency.

An etouffee and gumbo have the holy trinity (onion, celery, bell pepper) and a dark brown roux. Gumbo is thinner, made with an oil roux and a soup consistency.

I should also be mention that gumbos NEVER have crawfish in them.

How thick should etouffee be?

An etouffee should be slightly less thick than a gravy you would use on mashed potatoes. Think of a crawfish etouffee as a jazzed-up gravy and rice dish, except you want the gravy to have some thickness.

What does etouffee taste like?

Etouffee has a deep nutty flavor from the roux. The peanut butter roux creates an umami flavor that deepens depending on the color of your roux. The holy trinity, garlic, and Cajun seasoning take it up a notch from your traditional gravy.
You can add shrimp, crawfish, or chicken to your etouffee.

What does etouffee mean?

Etouffee is a French word that means smothered or suffocated. It is pronounced, "et-too-fe."

What’s the difference between Cajun and Creole?

The easiest way to tell the difference is the Cajun's cuisine is country cooking, where you get a fair amount of smothered and fried foods. The French Acadians settled in west Louisiana and were later known as "Cajuns." Cajun cities are Lafeyette, Golden Medal, and Thibodaux, to name a few.

Creole cuisine is city cooking (New Orleans) and has a certain level of refinement to it. You will see many similar dishes, but Creole cuisine will usually include more tomato products from Italian influence. Creole cuisine is a gumbo of cultures: West African, Native Americans, French, Spanish, Italian, Germans, and English.

Can you make it ahead?

Storage

Fridge: Crawfish Etouffee: After etouffee cools off, place it in an airtight container in the fridge for 7 days max.

Freeze: Crawfish Etouffee: After etouffee cools off, place in an airtight container and freeze for 3 months. Thaw 24 hours before reheating.

Reheating: Crawfish Etouffee: Turn on heat to medium, add all ingredients in a small or medium saucepan, cook until mixture starts to boil. About 10 minutes or less.

Crawfish Etouffee Recipe Video:

One-To-One Substitution Options:

You can have some fun when making crawfish etouffee, regardless of your diet. Here are a few options for swaps:

Chicken, Oyster Mushrooms, Shrimp, or Lobster = Louisiana Crawfish
Shrimp Stock, Fish Stock, or Vegetable Stock = Chicken Stock
Gluten-Free Flour = All-Purpose Flour

what to serve with Crawfish Etouffee?

Crawfish etouffee can be served over hot cooked rice with some cornbread or French bread to soak up all of that delicious gravy!

• Meyer Lemon Sweet Tea
• Southern Mojitos
• Titoade
• Moist Southern Cornbread
• Flatbread with Shallot Herb Butter

More Louisiana Recipes:

• Crawfish Stuffed Bell Peppers
• Instant Pot Red Beans & Rice
• New Orleans Baked Mac and Cheese

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