Easy Crawfish Étouffée (Print version)
A cozy crawfish étouffée with tender tails, a buttery roux, Cajun seasoning, and plenty of gravy for spooning over rice.
# Ingredients:
For serving
01 -
3 cups cooked long-grain white rice, hot
02 -
Hot sauce, for serving
For the étouffée
03 -
6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter
04 -
1/3 cup (42 g) all-purpose flour
05 -
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
06 -
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
07 -
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
08 -
4 cloves garlic, minced
09 -
1 tablespoon tomato paste
10 -
1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, plus more to taste
11 -
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
12 -
1 bay leaf
13 -
2 cups (480 ml) seafood stock or chicken stock
14 -
1 lb (450 g) cooked Louisiana crawfish tails, thawed if frozen
15 -
3 green onions, thinly sliced
16 -
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
17 -
Salt and black pepper, to taste
# Instructions:
01 -
Prepare the white rice according to package directions and keep it warm while you make the étouffée.
02 -
Melt the butter in a heavy Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring often, for 6-8 minutes until the roux is light brown and smells nutty.
03 -
Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables soften and the roux coats them well.
04 -
Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, Cajun seasoning, cayenne, and bay leaf. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
05 -
Slowly whisk in the stock, scraping the bottom of the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes until the gravy thickens enough to coat a spoon.
06 -
Stir in the crawfish tails, green onions, and parsley. Simmer gently for 3-5 minutes, just until the crawfish is hot. Remove the bay leaf and season with salt and black pepper.
07 -
Spoon the crawfish étouffée over hot rice and serve with hot sauce on the side.
# Good to know:
01 -
Use Louisiana crawfish tails when possible for the cleanest flavor.
02 -
Add crawfish near the end so it stays tender.
03 -
The gravy should be thick but spoonable.