Go Back
The Boat Shed Kitchen

Cajun Crawfish Etouffee

This Cajun crawfish étouffée is a rich, buttery Louisiana classic filled with crawfish tails, aromatic vegetables, and bold Cajun spices. Served hot over rice, it’s the ultimate comfort food for seafood lovers.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 410

Ingredients
  

  • 2 pounds crawfish tails cooked and peeled
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 4 yellow onions chopped
  • 6 ribs celery chopped
  • 2 green bell peppers chopped
  • 4 bay leaves large
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 4 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
  • 6 tablespoons green onions chopped
  • 2 cups seafood stock
Seafood Stock
  • Crawfish peelings pan full
  • 2 onions from crawfish boil, or fresh
  • 2 garlic bulbs from crawfish boil, or fresh
  • Water to cover by 3 inches

Method
 

  1. Make seafood stock by simmering crawfish shells, onions, and garlic with water for 1 hour.
  2. Strain and set aside.
  3. Melt butter in a large pan. Add onions, celery, and bell peppers. Cook until soft.
  4. Stir in flour and cook 3 minutes.
  5. Add crawfish tails and cook 2 minutes.
  6. See full steps with tips & photos → https://theboatshedcafe.com/cajun-crawfish-etouffee/

Notes

  • Étouffée should be thick but spoonable—add a splash more stock if it gets too dense.
  • For a smokier flavor, substitute smoked paprika for half the cayenne.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully the next day after the flavors meld.