Couvillion is a thick and hearty stew made with a rich roux, loaded with fish and crawfish, simmered in a piquant Creole tomato sauce. It's so comforting, you'll want to make it again and again. You'll also love my Seafood Gumbo.
Couvillion Recipe (Creole Courtbouillon)
Most spicy food lovers I know have an appreciation for Cajun and Creole cuisine.
It is loaded with seasonings and flavors, giving us famous dishes like gumbo, etouffee, hoppin' john, and red beans and rice.
One dish you may not have heard of, though, is Couvillion. We're making it today, my friends, and I think you're going to absolutely love it.
What is Couvillion?
Couvillion is thick, tomato-based seafood stew from Louisiana made with lot of seasonings and vegetables. It is a Cajun or Creole version of the French court-bouillon, which is more of a spiced stock used for poaching seafood.
It is sometimes referred to as coubillion, coubion, or simply courtboullion.
It is very much like a Creole Gumbo, though you will find variations depending on the cook and the location it is being served.
In New Orleans, you'll find couvillion served with a whole fish with a similar style sauce.
This particular version is more of the rustic variety, which starts with a dark roux, includes the Cajun Holy Trinity of vegetables, and lots of seasonings, fish and crawfish, my very favorite way to make it.
Let's talk about how to make couvillion, shall we?
Couvillion Ingredients
- Fish. Use redfish fillets or other firm white fish, like grouper, snapper, swordfish, halibut. See the recipe notes for options.
- Crawfish. Or use shrimp, or both.
- Cajun Seasonings. Try my homemade Cajun seasoning for serious flavor.
- Vegetable Oil. Or you can use butter.
- All-Purpose Flour. For making the roux.
- Vegetables. Onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. You can add in hotter chilies, if desired.
- Herbs. Fresh thyme and bay leaf.
- Tomatoes. Canned or fresh are both good for this recipe.
- Stock. I prefer seafood stock, though a good chicken stock or vegetable stock will work.
- Hot Sauce. A must!
- For Serving. Fresh chopped parsley or green onion, red pepper flakes, extra hot sauce
How to Make Couvillion - the Recipe Method
Season the Seafood. Cut the fish into bite-sized chunks and set them into a bowl with the shrimp (or crawfish). Season with 1 tablespoon Cajun seasonings and refrigerate until ready to use.
Make a Roux. Make a roux by heating the oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven to medium heat. Add the flour and stir to form a slurry. Cook, stirring constantly to keep the roux from burning, for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the roux darkens to the color of chocolate.
See my post on How to Make a Roux for further directions.
Cook the Vegetables. Add the onion, peppers and celery. Cook, stirring often, for 5-6 minutes, or until the vegetables soften.
Stir in the garlic, thyme and bay leaves and cook for 1 minute.
Simmer the Couvillion. Stir in the remaining Cajun seasonings, chopped tomatoes, seafood stock, hot sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Stir occasionally. You can simmer longer if you’d like to continue developing flavor.
Add the Seafood. Increase heat to medium and add the fish and shrimp. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the seafood cooks through, and the fish becomes flaky.
Garnish and Serve. Remove from heat, sprinkle with parsley or green onion (or both), and red chili flakes. Serve.
Boom! Done! Your couvillion is ready to serve. Doesn't it look amazing? This is so rich and delicious, I just can't wait to dive in. Pass the hot sauce, please!
I love a good fish stew.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- The best fish for couvillion is local redfish, or firm white fish like grouper, snapper, swordfish, halibut, or mahi mahi. Catfish is a commonly used fish.
- Add other seafood to your couvillion as desired, like succulent shrimp, tender crab. or plump oysters.
Storage & Leftovers
Couvillion will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. Simply warm it in a pot or pan to enjoy again.
You can also freeze it for 2-3 months.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this couvillion recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
Cookbook Recommendation
If you enjoy Cajun and Creole cuisine, I recommend the following cookbook, which I used to adapt this recipe. It has a lot of great recipes.
- Louisiana Real and Rustic, by Emeril Lagasse (affiliate link, my friends!)
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Couvillion Recipe (Creole Courtbouillon)
Ingredients
- 1 pound skinless redfish fillets or other firm white fish, like grouper, snapper, swordfish, halibut
- 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined (or use crawfish)
- 3 tablespoons Cajun seasonings divided
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil or use butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 medium bell pepper chopped (add hotter chilies, if desired)
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 28 ounce chopped tomatoes Use canned or equivalent fresh chopped
- 4 cups seafood stock or use chicken stock or vegetable stock – use 6 cups for a looser, soupier stew
- Hot Sauce to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- For Serving. Fresh chopped parsley or green onion, red pepper flakes, extra hot sauce
Instructions
- Cut the fish into bite-sized chunks and set them into a bowl with the shrimp (or crawfish). Season with 1 tablespoon Cajun seasonings and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Make a roux by heating the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven to medium heat. Add the flour and stir to form a slurry. Cook, stirring constantly to keep the roux from burning, for 20-30 minutes, or until the roux darkens to the color of chocolate.
- Add the onion, peppers and celery. Cook, stirring often, for 5-6 minutes, or until the vegetables soften.
- Stir in the garlic, thyme and bay leaves and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the remaining Cajun seasonings, chopped tomatoes, seafood stock, hot sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Stir occasionally. You can simmer longer if you’d like to continue developing flavor.
- Increase heat to medium and add the fish and shrimp. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the seafood cooks through, and the fish becomes flaky.
- Remove from heat, sprinkle with parsley or green onion (or both), and red chili flakes. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Paul:-) says
Hi Mike & Patty,
I'm staying at my Parents' house for a few days and cooked this for them (and my Sister and two Nieces) a couple of nights ago. it went down a treat!
I used Basa fillets and a homemade Prawn Stock and served it with plain steamed rice.
I shall definitely cook it again when I'm not with my Seafood hating Partner! My family love Fish and Seafood...why I fell for someone who hates it I'll never know!
Thanks again for another cracking recipe
Paul:-)
Mike Hultquist says
I'm happy everyone enjoyed it. Thanks, Paul.
Selena Heckard says
I cooked and used your recipe. It was absolutely delicious. I used white fish. I can’t wait to cook it again. Thanks again for sharing.
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent! Glad you enjoyed it, Selena! I love this dish. YUM.
John Fields says
Can I substitute alligator for either the fish or shrimp?
Mike Hultquist says
Absolutely! Just leave it in long enough to cook through. Enjoy!
Paul:-) says
Now that sounds amazing! Just that Alligator meat, though not impossible, is difficult to come by here in Britain but I will deffo keep a look out for it.
Bill Rich says
I've made this with catfish and also with large mouth bass and crawfish. I used bacon grease for the fat. Came out really well. This recipe looks great.
Mike H. says
Thank you Bill - I am glad to hear that!
Don McQuaig says
I believe it's pronounced Cajun Coubion!
Don McQuaig says
They're all correct, but Coubion is the way I remember it being pronounced, while growing up in New Orleans! My mother was from Houma, Louisiana, so some of her French would kinda throw me off to begin with.
Brian says
This was delicious
Mike H. says
Thank you, Brian!
Ethridge Don Griffin says
YUMMY
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks!
Jérémie says
Very interesting story! And a far cry from the original court-bouillon I know - a boring old one, I must say.
Couvillion, on the contrary, is a little bomb for the palate, full of that pure Cajun flavor I love so much.
This is the darker roux I made... and it gave a blooming flavor here: what a great dish! Thanks Mr H.!
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, quite different from the original version, and definitely tasty. Glad you enjoyed it, Jérémie!
Ariana says
In Las Vegas some of the oyster bars have what they call "Pan Roasts"...do you know if this would be the same thing. If not, I want your recipe for a Pan Roast. At the Oyster Bar in Palace Station they also do a Bouillabase and a Bouillaroast where they combine the pan roast and bouillabase. The food is to die for...it's open 24 hours and there is almost always an hours long wait. I would love to see your recipes for these so I can do them at home and not have to wait hours in a line.
Mike Hultquist says
I haven't tried the "pan roasts" in Vegas, but curious to try now! I'll have to book a trip!
Christian says
And in Florida they do a Bouillatrump (not so good!)