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When the weather gets cooler I crave comfort food, and today, Creamy Crawfish Etouffee came to mind! Etouffee can be made with shrimp, crab or other meats, but my favorite is crawfish!
Cajun and Creole foods are near and dear to my heart. They are the recipes I like to cook the most because they remind me of my mom and grandma's style of cooking. For me, they're true comfort foods.
What's the difference between Crawfish Etoufee, Jambalaya, and Gumbo?
While it's true that they all are made with the trinity they differ widely in their preparation and result in three different dishes.
Gumbo is a thickened soup made of several types of meat, like chicken, shrimp, and sausage. It begins with a roux for thickening the soup and adding a depth of flavor. The trinity is combined with okra to finish the soup. Gumbo is served over hot cooked rice for a hearty dish! Try my Seafood Gumbo and my Cajun Style Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo!
Jambalaya is more like a rice casserole made with various types of meat, the trinity of onion, bell pepper and celery, sometimes tomato. Uncooked rice is mixed in with the rest of the ingredients and stock is added to cook it all together. The end result is a delicious, inexpensive one-pot-meal!
Etouffee is more like a smothered meat dish served over hot cooked rice. Typically, shrimp, crab, crawfish, chicken or smoked sausage is simmered in a gravy made from a light or dark roux. Etouffee is a French word that means "smothered" or "suffocated".
Tips for making Crawfish Etouffee: It's all in the Roux!
- Have all of your ingredients chopped and measured so that you can complete the recipe.
- Make sure to have enough time to give your undivided attention to making your roux from start to finish, as it can burn easily.
- Start with a clean, heavy-bottom skillet that is at least 2 inches deep. I usually use a cast-iron skillet or cast iron dutch oven.
- Use a long-handled metal whisk for stirring. This will smooth out the roux and keep your hands a safe distance away.
- Keep the roux moving at all times to avoid burning, being careful to whisk all the way to the outer rim of the skillet where the roux is most likely to burn. I like to use a flat whisk.
- If you see black specs floating in the oil, you have accidentally burned the roux. Discard the burnt roux and start over. Cool it in a dish before you throw it in the trash.
- Most recipes that use a roux will include chopped seasoning vegetables consisting of onions, celery, and green bell pepper. Before you begin your roux, make sure all the vegetables are chopped and measured. These vegetables are added to the roux to stop it from browning any further, so it's crucial that the vegetables are fully prepped before beginning the roux.
More Cajun Inspiration! Try these recipes:
Have you made any of my recipes? Post it on Instagram and tag @jennifercooks123 and #jennifercooks!
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Creamy Crawfish Etouffee
Rich, creamy, and full of bold Cajun flavor, this easy Crawfish Étouffée brings Louisiana comfort to your table-serve it over rice with garlic bread for a true Southern classic.
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Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 702kcal
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 cup celery diced
- 1 onion diced
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 1 teaspoon Slap Ya Mama Cajun seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay seafood seasoning used: Old Bay
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups crawfish stock chicken broth or water
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 pounds Crawfish Tail Meat
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley for garnish
- 6 cups parboiled rice
- Garlic Bread for serving
Instructions
- In a heavy bottomed sauce pan (like an iron skillet), melt the butter over medium-high heat. Next, whisk in the flour to form a roux. Continue whisking and cooking until the roux begins to change color.1 stick unsalted butter, ½ cup all-purpose flour
- When the roux has turned a light golden brown, add the trinity: celery, bell pepper, and onion and saute until the vegetables become tender.
- Once the vegetables are tender, add the spice and garlic and saute for about 30 seconds.
- Add the broth a little at a time, stirring to bring all the ingredients together to form a thickened gravy.4 cups crawfish stock
- Stir in the crawfish tail meat, and then the cream and lemon juice.
- Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes.
- Serve over hot cooked rice and garnish with parsley.1 tablespoon fresh parsley, 6 cups parboiled rice
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Notes
Ingredient Substitutions:
- Crawfish: Substitute with peeled shrimp or lump crab meat if crawfish is unavailable.
- Stock: Use seafood stock or chicken broth in place of crawfish stock.
- Cream: Half-and-half may be used for a lighter consistency.
- Serve over hot cooked white rice with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
- Pair with warm garlic bread or crusty French bread for dipping.
- Add a crisp green salad or sautéed greens on the side for a balanced meal.
- Offer hot sauce or extra Creole seasoning at the table for those who like more heat.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of broth or cream if needed.
- Cool completely before transferring to freezer-safe containers.
- Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving plus 1 cup rice | Calories: 702kcal | Carbohydrates: 87g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 568mg | Potassium: 463mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2161IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 136mg | Iron: 2mg
*Nutrition information is automatically calculated based on ingredient data and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient options are provided, the first listed is used for calculation. Optional ingredients and garnishes are not included in the nutrition analysis.
Marsha Wilson says
Jennifer- I made this a week ago and it was fabulous! My husband loved it so much it has set up a meal for me to make it again tonight for friends. He thinks it would be a great sauce to serve over fried fish. The only question I have is when do you add lemon juice? I just omitted it first time, but want to make the recipe correctly. Thank you.
Jennifer says
I'm so glad y'all like it! You can add the lemon juice at the same time you add the cream. It would be fabulous over fried fish or blackened fish, as well as blackened chicken or steak!
Mary Jo Larose says
Jennifer I love your recipes I would like to receive recipes from you
Paula says
How much creole seasoning?
Jennifer says
Start with 1 teaspoon and add more to taste! Enjoy!
Constance says
Born & raised in Louisiana where our food is a huge part of our culture. This recipe is outstanding!! My entire family loved it!! We’re even thinking of trying it on pasta next time!!
Jennifer says
That means so much coming from someone born and raised in Louisiana—thank you!! I’m so happy your whole family loved it! And yes, serving it over pasta sounds incredible… like a Cajun twist on crawfish Alfredo. Let me know how it turns out if you try it!