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Authentic Cajun Crawfish Étouffée Recipe | Traditional Louisiana Cajun Dish

Authentic Cajun Crawfish Étouffée Recipe

This Authentic Cajun Crawfish Étouffée is a rich and spicy Louisiana classic. Crawfish tails are simmered in a dark roux with the “holy trinity” of Cajun cooking—onions, bell pepper, and celery—then served over rice. A soul-warming Southern dish packed with flavor and heritage.

  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups seafood or chicken stock

1 lb cooked crawfish tails (with fat, if possible)

1 tsp Cajun seasoning

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Salt and black pepper to taste

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp chopped green onions

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Cooked white rice (for serving)

Instructions

1. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat.

2. Whisk in flour to make a roux. Stir constantly for 6–8 minutes, until it turns a rich peanut butter color.

3. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

4. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more.

5. Slowly whisk in seafood or chicken stock until smooth.

6. Add crawfish tails, Cajun seasoning, paprika, cayenne, Worcestershire, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

7. Reduce heat and simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

8. Stir in green onions and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

9. Serve hot over cooked white rice.

Notes

Use crawfish fat (if included) for the most authentic flavor.

To thicken the sauce more, simmer uncovered an extra 5–10 minutes.

You can substitute shrimp if crawfish isn’t available locally.

  • Author: Mila Bryn
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Main Course, Seafood, Southern
  • Method: Sautéing, Simmering
  • Cuisine: Cajun, Creole, Louisiana

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1.5 cups (with rice)
  • Calories: 410
  • Sugar: 4g
  • Sodium: 690mg
  • Fat: 22g
  • Saturated Fat: 11g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 9g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 28g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 26g
  • Cholesterol: 165mg

Keywords: crawfish étouffée, cajun crawfish recipe, louisiana étouffée, authentic southern seafood dish