Crawfish Etouffee
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My Cajun crawfish etouffee is loaded with juicy crawfish tails simmered in a rich, buttery roux-based sauce. It’s surprisingly easy to make, packed with flavor, and brings all the bold flavors of Louisiana straight to your table.
A taste of Louisiana at home!
I spent an entire semester at Culinary school learning about Cajun cuisine and cooking techniques, and the standout dish was always Crawfish Etouffee. It’s been over a decade since I graduated, and this Louisiana classic is now part of my family’s dinner rotation.
Crawfish etouffee is a cozy and comforting Cajun dish where juicy crawfish tails are simmered in a rich, buttery gravy made with a quick roux. It’s loaded with flavor from the Cajun “holy trinity” of onions, bell peppers, and celery, along with some herbs and spices. The name “etouffee” means “smothered” in French- and it lives up to it, because the crawfish is literally smothered in the most luscious sauce.
I typically serve it to my family over rice, and every bite is savory, comforting, and has the right amount of spice.
Key Ingredients
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
- Crawfish tails. My grocery store sells cooked Louisiana crawfish tails, but frozen wild-caught crawfish tail meat is easier to find (even online) and works well for the etouffee. I like the Oceanzen brand.
- Butter. While some recipes suggest peanut oil or safflower oil, nothing beats unsalted butter.
- All-purpose flour. To thicken the gravy.
- Vegetables. I used celery, green bell peppers, and onions, known as the ‘holy trinity’ in Creole cooking.
- Stock. I typically use either chicken stock or seafood stock, but if some specialty fishmongers sell crawfish stock, which would be perfect.
- Cajun seasoning. Another essential component. It’s a blend of black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and paprika.
- Salt and pepper. To taste. Please add excess salt AFTER. The broth and crawfish add salty elements.
- To serve. Cooked rice and a sprinkling of parsley. Although when I enjoyed this dish in New Orleans, I was served it with French bread and a green side salad.
How to make crawfish etouffee
Step 1- Make the roux. Add butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add the flour and gently whisk until a roux is formed. Continue simmering until it darkens.
Step 2- Build the gravy. Add the veggies to the roux, followed by the broth, water, bay leaf, and spices. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
Step 3- Add crawfish. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer. After 5 minutes, add the crawfish and cook for 5-10 minutes or until the crawfish are cooked and the etouffee is thickened.
Step 4- Serve the etouffee over some basmati rice and enjoy immediately.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“I tried this recipe, and it was excellent. It was full of flavor, and the crawfish was so juicy. Definitely adding it to our dinner rotation.” – Suzanne
Recipe tips and variations
- The perfect dark roux. The flavor of the etouffee lies in the roux, and the darker it is, the better. The key to this? Low and slow. It can take up to 10 minutes to achieve the dark, peanut butter color. Please be patient!
- Using raw crawfish. Most crawfish tails are pre-cooked, but if yours are raw, cook the peeled tails when sautéing the vegetables. The crawfish will cook through once assembled.
- Other protein ideas. I’ve made this dish with shrimp, fish (cod is fantastic for it), and even lump crab meat. You could even do a seafood medley of all three!
- Adjust the heat. Etouffee is the kind of dish you can serve anyone with any spice level. If you are a spice fiend or want some extra heat, cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes are great. I’ve also subbed out the bell peppers for jalapeños before.
- Leftovers. Once the stew has cooled, place the leftovers in a shallow container and store them in the fridge for up to five days.
More comforting seafood recipes
If you tried this Crawfish Etouffee recipe, please leave a star rating and comment. It helps others thinking of making this.
Crawfish Etouffee Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds crawfish pre-cooked * See notes
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter chopped
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup celery finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 small onion diced
- 14.5 ounces chicken broth or seafood broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- Add the butter to a large skillet and place it over low heat. Once melted, add the flour and stir together until a roux is made. Aim to cook it for around ten minutes (or until it reaches the color of peanut butter or chocolate milk).
- Add the celery, peppers, and onion to the roux. Add the broth, water, bay leaf, Cajun seasoning, and cayenne pepper. Bring everything to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer. After 5 minutes, add the crawfish and cook everything together for 5 minutes or until the etouffee has thickened.
- Remove from the heat and serve immediately with rice or French bread.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published November 2022, updated and republished August 2025
I was searching for crawfish this week amd bought it. After I saw this recipe. Thanks!
I tried this recipe, and it was really good,