Crab & Crawfish Bites with Cajun Aioli
Crab & Crawfish Bites with Cajun Aioli
Ingredients
For the Crab & Crawfish Bites
- 1/2 pound crawfish tail meat, cooked, chopped
- 1/2 pound crab meat, lump or claw, picked clean
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1/2 cup celery, diced
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, diced
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
- 2 large eggs, beaten for egg wash
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs, for dredging
- 4 cups vegetable oil, for frying, or as needed
For the Cajun Aioli
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, Crystal or Louisiana preferred
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced bell pepper, onion, and celery. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and translucent.
⏱️ 7 min
- 2
Add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic to the skillet and cook for another 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min
- 3
Stir in the chopped crawfish tail meat and picked crab meat. Season with 1 teaspoon of all-purpose seasoning and 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning. Cook for 2-3 minutes, just to heat through and combine flavors.
⏱️ 3 min
- 4
Transfer the seafood mixture to a large bowl and allow it to cool completely. This will take about 15 minutes. You can place it in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process.
⏱️ 15 min
- 5
Once cooled, add 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon of hot sauce, 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup of plain bread crumbs, 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, and 2 tablespoons of diced cilantro to the seafood mixture. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Scoop out portions of the mixture (about 1 1/2 tablespoons each) and gently form them into small, round balls or flattened bite-sized patties.
⏱️ 10 min
- 7
Prepare your dredging station: Place 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour in one shallow dish, the 2 beaten eggs (for egg wash) in a second shallow dish, and 1 cup of panko bread crumbs in a third shallow dish.
⏱️ 2 min
- 8
Dredge each bite: first roll in flour, shaking off any excess, then dip into the egg wash, allowing extra to drip off, and finally coat generously with panko bread crumbs, pressing gently to adhere.
⏱️ 10 min
- 9
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer, heat 4 cups of vegetable oil (or enough to submerge the bites) to 350°F.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350
- 10
Carefully fry the coated bites in batches, without overcrowding the pot, for 2-3 minutes per batch, or until golden brown and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bites and place them on a wire rack lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
⏱️ 6 min•🌡️ 350
- 11
While the bites are frying, prepare the Cajun Aioli: In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup of mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 2 finely grated garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of hot sauce, 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of honey, and 1/4 teaspoon of all-purpose seasoning.
⏱️ 5 min
- 12
Whisk all aioli ingredients together until smooth and well combined.
⏱️ 1 min
- 13
Serve the Crab & Crawfish Bites hot with the prepared Cajun Aioli on the side.
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Crab & Crawfish Bites with Cajun Aioli
For the Crab & Crawfish Bites
- 1/2 pound crawfish tail meat, cooked, chopped
- 1/2 pound crab meat, lump or claw, picked clean
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1/2 cup celery, diced
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, diced
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
- 2 large eggs, beaten for egg wash
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs, for dredging
- 4 cups vegetable oil, for frying, or as needed
For the Cajun Aioli
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, Crystal or Louisiana preferred
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced bell pepper, onion, and celery. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and translucent.
⏱️ 7 min - 2
Add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic to the skillet and cook for another 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min - 3
Stir in the chopped crawfish tail meat and picked crab meat. Season with 1 teaspoon of all-purpose seasoning and 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning. Cook for 2-3 minutes, just to heat through and combine flavors.
⏱️ 3 min - 4
Transfer the seafood mixture to a large bowl and allow it to cool completely. This will take about 15 minutes. You can place it in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process.
⏱️ 15 min - 5
Once cooled, add 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon of hot sauce, 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup of plain bread crumbs, 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, and 2 tablespoons of diced cilantro to the seafood mixture. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Scoop out portions of the mixture (about 1 1/2 tablespoons each) and gently form them into small, round balls or flattened bite-sized patties.
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Prepare your dredging station: Place 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour in one shallow dish, the 2 beaten eggs (for egg wash) in a second shallow dish, and 1 cup of panko bread crumbs in a third shallow dish.
⏱️ 2 min - 8
Dredge each bite: first roll in flour, shaking off any excess, then dip into the egg wash, allowing extra to drip off, and finally coat generously with panko bread crumbs, pressing gently to adhere.
⏱️ 10 min - 9
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer, heat 4 cups of vegetable oil (or enough to submerge the bites) to 350°F.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350 - 10
Carefully fry the coated bites in batches, without overcrowding the pot, for 2-3 minutes per batch, or until golden brown and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bites and place them on a wire rack lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
⏱️ 6 min•🌡️ 350 - 11
While the bites are frying, prepare the Cajun Aioli: In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup of mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 2 finely grated garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of hot sauce, 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of honey, and 1/4 teaspoon of all-purpose seasoning.
⏱️ 5 min - 12
Whisk all aioli ingredients together until smooth and well combined.
⏱️ 1 min - 13
Serve the Crab & Crawfish Bites hot with the prepared Cajun Aioli on the side.