Spicy Crawfish Étouffée
Spicy Crawfish Étouffée
Ingredients
For the Roux
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
For the Étouffée Base
- 1 yellow onion, large, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, large, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more, to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, optional, or to taste
For the Crawfish
- 1 1/2 pounds crawfish tails, peeled, defrosted if frozen
For Serving
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
- 4 cups cooked white rice, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Prepare your ingredients: Dice the yellow onion, celery, and green bell pepper (this is known as the 'holy trinity'). Mince the garlic. Chop the fresh parsley and slice the green onions for garnish.
⏱️ 15 min
- 2
Make the roux: In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Once melted, gradually whisk in the all-purpose flour until smooth. Continue to cook, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon, until the roux turns a rich peanut butter color. This can take 10-15 minutes. Do not rush or burn it.
⏱️ 15 min
- 3
Add the trinity: Add the diced onion, celery, and green bell pepper to the roux. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 8-10 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Build the flavor base: Stir in the minced garlic, tomato paste, cayenne pepper, paprika, dried thyme, kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
⏱️ 3 min
- 5
Simmer the étouffée: Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, ensuring no lumps form. Add the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken.
⏱️ 25 min
- 6
Add the crawfish: Stir in the peeled crawfish tails and hot sauce (if using). Cook for only 5-7 minutes, or until the crawfish are just heated through. Overcooking crawfish will make them tough.
⏱️ 7 min
- 7
Finish and serve: Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, adding more salt, pepper, or cayenne if desired. Stir in half of the chopped fresh parsley and green onions. Serve the spicy crawfish étouffée hot over cooked white rice, garnished with the remaining fresh parsley and green onions.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Spicy Crawfish Étouffée
Ingredients
For the Roux
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
For the Étouffée Base
- 1 yellow onion, large, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, large, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more, to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, optional, or to taste
For the Crawfish
- 1 1/2 pounds crawfish tails, peeled, defrosted if frozen
For Serving
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
- 4 cups cooked white rice, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Prepare your ingredients: Dice the yellow onion, celery, and green bell pepper (this is known as the 'holy trinity'). Mince the garlic. Chop the fresh parsley and slice the green onions for garnish.
⏱️ 15 min - 2
Make the roux: In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Once melted, gradually whisk in the all-purpose flour until smooth. Continue to cook, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon, until the roux turns a rich peanut butter color. This can take 10-15 minutes. Do not rush or burn it.
⏱️ 15 min - 3
Add the trinity: Add the diced onion, celery, and green bell pepper to the roux. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 8-10 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Build the flavor base: Stir in the minced garlic, tomato paste, cayenne pepper, paprika, dried thyme, kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
⏱️ 3 min - 5
Simmer the étouffée: Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, ensuring no lumps form. Add the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken.
⏱️ 25 min - 6
Add the crawfish: Stir in the peeled crawfish tails and hot sauce (if using). Cook for only 5-7 minutes, or until the crawfish are just heated through. Overcooking crawfish will make them tough.
⏱️ 7 min - 7
Finish and serve: Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, adding more salt, pepper, or cayenne if desired. Stir in half of the chopped fresh parsley and green onions. Serve the spicy crawfish étouffée hot over cooked white rice, garnished with the remaining fresh parsley and green onions.
⏱️ 5 min