This Cajun crawfish etouffee recipe is loaded with meaty crawfish tails smothered in a rich gravy with spices and fresh herbs, served over rice. It's huge on flavor and easy to make. One of our very favorites!
Crawfish Etouffee Recipe
We're cooking up a big pot of warm, comforting Crawfish Etouffee in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen, my friends. Would you care for a bowl? Come on and join us!
Crawfish étouffée is a simple dish of sweet and meaty crawfish served up in a rich and flavorful gravy that is made from a quick roux. The dish includes the Cajun holy trinity of onions, bell peppers and celery, along with lots of garlic, spicy Cajun seasonings, and fresh chopped herbs.
The name itself, étouffée, is a French term meaning "to smother" which refers to the rich gravy that smothers and surrounds the crawfish.
This is food from the heart, a staple of Louisiana, and with one bite, you'll be hooked for life.
Crawfish Season
Crawfish season in Louisiana typically runs from November through July, depending on the weather. Cooking crawfish is typically done in a boil, like a crawfish boil, with lots of corn and seasonings.
Crawfish today is hugely popular in etouffee, which I know you're going to love.
Let's talk about how to make crawfish etouffee, shall we?
Crawfish Etouffee Ingredients
- Butter. Or you can use peanut oil or other vegetable oil.
- All Purpose Flour.
- Vegetables. Onion, Celery and Bell Pepper (the Cajun Holy Trinity) + Garlic. I like to use jalapeno peppers in place of the bell pepper for some extra heat in my etouffee.
- Cajun Seasonings. Try my homemade Cajun seasoning blend. Or you can use Creole seasonings or seafood boil seasoning.
- Cayenne Pepper. Optional, for additional spice factor.
- Salt and Black Pepper. To taste.
- Stock. Use either chicken stock, seafood stock, or vegetable stock. Homemade crawfish stock is awesome!
- Louisiana Crawfish Tails.
- Fresh Chopped Parsley.
- For Garnish. Extra chopped parsley, green onions, spicy chili flakes, hot sauce.
- Cooked Rice. For serving, if desired.
How to Make Crawfish Etouffee - the Recipe Method
Make the Roux. Heat a large pan or pot to medium heat and melt the butter. Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Stir constantly for 5 minutes, or until the roux turns a copper color. Do not let the roux burn. A Dutch oven is great for making etouffee.
See my post on How to Make a Roux.
Cook the Vegetables. Add the onion, bell peppers, celery and garlic. Stir and cook for 5 minutes to soften.
Stock, Seasonings, Simmer. Stir in the Cajun seasonings, cayenne, salt and pepper to taste, and stock or broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, to let the flavors develop. I like to simmer 30 minutes.
Crawfish and Parsley. Add the crawfish tails and warm them through. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley.
Serve the Etouffee. Serve over white rice (if desired) and garnish with extra parsley and spicy chili flakes.
Boom! Done! Your crawfish etouffee is ready to serve. Looks so good, doesn't it? Man, we love this recipe. Who doesn't love a tasty etouffee?
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Raw Crawfish. If using raw crawfish, cook the peeled tails with with the onion, peppers and celery, then continue with the recipe. The tails will cook through during simmering.
- Extra Ingredients. Bay leaves are a nice flavor addition here. You can also make this recipe with tomatoes for more of a Creole version.
- Other Proteins. You can make this recipe with other seafood, like fish or shrimp. Try my awesome shrimp etouffee recipe. So good! It's more of a Creole version.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my crawfish etouffee recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. Keep it spicy!
Cookbook Recommendation
If you enjoy Louisiana cooking, including Cajun and Creole cuisine, I have found this book very informative with lots of great recipes and techniques.
- Louisiana Real and Rustic, by Emeril Lagasse
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
- Shrimp and Grits
- Cajun Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
- Creole Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
- Cajun Pasta with Shrimp and Smoked Sausage
- Shrimp Creole
- Cajun Corn Maque Choux
- Jambalaya Recipe
- Hoppin’ John
- Cajun Red Beans and Rice
- Creole Chicken
- Chicken Fricassee
- Boudin Balls
- Crawfish Boil
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.
Crawfish Etouffee Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter or use peanut oil
- 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 medium bell pepper chopped (I use jalapeno for spicier)
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasonings or to taste
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional, for spicier
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups chicken stock or use seafood stock
- 1 pound crawfish tail meat par-cooked
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- FOR GARNISH: Extra chopped parsley, spicy chili flakes, hot sauce
- Cooked rice for serving if desired
Instructions
- Heat a large pan or pot to medium heat and melt the butter.
- Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Stir continuously for 5 minutes, or until the roux turns a copper color. Do not let the roux burn.
- Add the onion, peppers, celery and garlic. Stir and cook for 5 minutes to soften.
- Stir in the Cajun seasonings, cayenne, salt and pepper to taste, and stock or broth. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes to let the flavors develop, stirring occasionally.
- Add the crawfish tails and warm them through.
- Remove from heat and stir in the parsley.
- Serve over white rice (if desired) and garnish with extra parsley and spicy chili flakes. Don't forget the hot sauce!
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 2/4/22 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 8/2/21.
Jayde says
Great recipe!! My family loved it. They want me to make it again. Thank you!!!
Mike Hultquist says
Nice! We really LOVE this dish, Jayde. Glad you all do, too!
Randi says
Hands down one of the best and easiest recipes I’ve ever made. My family loved it and they tght I was in the kitchen all day long ( we won’t tell), next time they want me to double the recipe!❤️
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome!! Thanks, Randi!
Todd says
NICE
I'm originally from Louisiana and this recipe is about as authentic as it gets. Key here is the rich stock and copper color roux . I prefer a seafood stock as described for best flavor but any combo chicken / vegetable works fine. As the author describes, you can add tomatoes which give you an creole version which I also do and love but prefer this cajun "blond" version .
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks so much, Todd! I appreciate it!
Rick says
Loved it. Totally awesome. I used Serrano peppers and a bit extra hot sauce and spices. Also I love a blend of brown, red, and wild rice. Food of the Gods
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you loved it, Rick! Thanks!
Leanne Burnett says
Wow! This is wonderful. I never leave reviews but I have to say what a good etouffee this is. I have tried 3 other recipes and was always disappointed. I did use seafood stock and I think it gave it greater depth of flavor. I won’t ever use another etouffee recipe. Thank you!
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent! Glad you like my recipe, Leanne! I appreciate you commenting and sharing! Thanks so much.
Susie says
This is my go to recipe!!! Love it. Thank you
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome to hear, Susie! Glad you love it! Thanks!
Amanda says
I’m not sure if I should use white onion or yellow but I plan to use white!
Mike Hultquist says
White or yellow are great here, Amanda. You can use either. Enjoy!
Marsena says
This recipe sounds so good. I would love to make it but the one thing I have a problem is the all purpose flour. Can I substitute either whole wheat flour or corn starch. Or what can you suggest. I am trying to cut out white flour out of my diet.. Thank you
Mike Hultquist says
Marsena, yes, you can use either of those for the initial roux. Corn starch thickens up more, so you might need a bit more liquid. Let me know how it turns out!
Jenae says
This recipe tastes like home! I used seafood stock as optionally suggested in the recipe, and I only deviated from the instructions a bit by adding in one very finely diced mushroom with the veggies since I like to add a hint of that taste. Thanks for sharing your recipe with us! I will definitely be making this again.
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent! Glad you enjoyed it, Jenae!
Mike H. says
I appreciate your feedback, Jenae. Enjoy!
Mama P says
I have a picky eater & she was looking forward to trying this dish when we had our “mardi gras” festival. However, we were both disappointed. Not one booth offered any etoufee on their menu! Well, this recipe did not disappoint! I will be making it again!! I cheated with the prepared trinity seasonings & I had to add a tablespoon of tomato paste for color since I was impatient to let the roux gravy cook to color. I added a tad bit more cayenne since we like a little more kick. That’s it. Thanks for sharing this recipe!❤️
Mike Hultquist says
Wonderful! Glad you both enjoyed it!! I love to hear it.
Mike H. says
Thank you for sharing. And I am really glad that you are enjoying the recipe!
Christine Erdman says
A neighbor gave me some crawfish, so we decided to make Etouffee. After looking at several recipes this is the one we chose. Glad we did. It turned out wonderful!!!! I did try the roux with the butter and flour but did not use it. Ended up using the basic oil and flour. This is definitely going in my recipe book.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Veronica Nichols says
Made this for Sunday dinner. Spectacular ❣️
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it, Veronica!
Tina Martin says
The Crawfish Etouffee recipe was delicious. I decided to make it for lunch and everyone enjoyed it!
Love to cook
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks so much for sharing, Tina! Glad you enjoyed it! We LOVE this one for sure.
Nancy McFarland says
It took me back to New Orleans. I followed recipe just as it was posted and it was delicious.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks so much, Nancy! Thanks for sharing this!
Michele says
Wow! This was amazing. First time making étouffée and it was easy and the family fell in love! Added some shrimp since we didn’t have much crawfish leftover from the boil.
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent! Glad you enjoyed it, Michele!
BT says
As authentic as it gets! Just made it and being from SETX, this is spot on!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Glad you liked it! Definitely a favorite here. Patty LOVES it.
Kelly Rubio-Merz says
I just made this tonight. It was amazing my family loved it. I do not use measurements...lol to my husband's dismay. But we loved it...I look forward to making another one of your recipes. Thank you.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks for sharing this, Kelly! Very happy you enjoyed it! Haha, I have a bit of trouble with measuring, too. Stuff just gets dumped in.
Lateisha Smith says
I live here in New Iberia La and I tell you this recipe is delicious!!! Living down South is where the great foods come from. I just wanted a different taste besides my own flavor. My family loved it. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe. May God continually bless you and your family
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks so much, Lateisha! Very, very happy you and your family enjoyed it. Bless you!
Vicky says
Followed this recipe as exact with the addition of 1 tsp extra cajun seasoning. Wow! What an easy and flavorful dish. Takes me back down to the famous dishes and flavors of New Orleans! I am so glad I can make this at home. Looking forward to trying out your other recipes!
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Vicky! Nice!
McDiller says
Great recipe, I made it with brown rice flour for a gluten-free version! It was Amazing!!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
julia says
Love your recipes, always my go to.
Living in New Orleans I love anything crawfish; still searching for the perfect crawfish cornbread, any suggestions?
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Julia. I have that on my list to make again! Hopefully I can get it on the site soon!
Suzanne E McGinnis says
how much of each ingredient? I don't see any measurements? Am I missing something?
Mike Hultquist says
Suzanne, the recipe card with all of the measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, above the comments.
Stacie says
I make this often. l love this recipe. I do make a few additions to mine, shrimp, scallops and crawfish. Love the spice level as well, just enough kick but not over kill to the flavor of the other ingredients..
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Stacie. I LOVE the addition of the scallops and shrimp. Perfection!!
Barb says
Ya know I am a big Pinterest follower. It seems that many of my saved recipes come from you. We enjoy, not over the top heat. So I am excited to try this. My crawfish are frozen, would/should I thaw and rinse the fishy off. This is my first etoufee.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Barb! Glad you like my cooking! Yes, you can thaw and rinse the frozen crawfish. I use that often, as it's easier for me to get. Buttermilk is used to remove "fishy" taste from certain fish. I've never done it with crawfish, but I bet it would work.
Inger Oliver says
This was outstanding! Followed the recipe as written and added one jalapeno
for some kick. Might use 1/2 a teaspoon of cayenne pepper next time, as one made it spicy which my husband loved, but I was at my spicy limit. Can't wait to make this again and try more of your recipes. YUM!!
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Inger! I love to hear it!
Barb says
Thanks for your input
Candice Smith says
Really delicious. I've made it 2x in 2 weeks. One question-how much is a serving the calories are figured on?
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you love it, Candice! I estimated 4 servings, so half a pan, without rice. FYI. I hope this helps.
Laura says
Outstanding! Easy to make and delicious!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Laura!
Rosalia Q. Figueroa says
I tried this recipe, and it was really good, but I have questions I want to ask; how can I reach you?
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Rosalia. You can comment here, or shoot me an email.
Marshall says
Incredible recipe! As recommended, I added Jalapenos, and used your cajun seasoning recipe as well; I didn't have ghost pepper powder, but I used habanero instead. Truly the best etouffe I have ever had! Thank you!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome!!! Thanks, Marshall!
Craig says
Great recipe, I always use ONLY Gulf shrimp and/or Crawfish. Imports from the Far East/Latin America just don’t have the right flavor. Also add some shallots and cook my roux a bit longer for a darker color/flavor. Thanks!
Mike Hultquist says
Sounds great, Craig! I love it. Thanks!
Susan Sellers says
Me, too. Plus I only use crawfish caught in south Louisiana. None of that foreign seafood. Please support our Louisiana fishermen. It has the best flavor anyway!
Beth says
I totally agree! We live on the Alabama Gulf Coast, and I love Louisiana crawfish. I buy them from Rouses (a Louisiana Gulf Coast grocery store chain)!
Benton Burch says
I'm about to try your recipe today I usually do my creol recipe but I'm trying something new. I would love to have a chat sometime. thank you Benton Burch
Brian Lee says
I have been using your site for a couple years now and have enjoyed everything that I have tried and that is everything from meals to sauces but this recipe was absolutely outstanding. I am from Chicago and wasn't able to find the crawfish so I used shrimp instead but believe me when I say this is a must try recipe. Thanks to Mike for all you do and keep them coming
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Brian! I appreciate it! Glad you enjoyed this one. A favorite for sure. We're actually from the Chicago area originally.
Rachael W. says
I bet shrimp was good, but in case you ever wanna try it authentically, there are places down in south Louisiana that mail crawfish to ya. They come in a little freezer/insulated type packaging. Same as those meal delivery kits come in. We aren’t stingy with our crawfish!
Rhonda K Lynch says
Yes sir! This is exactly how I remember it tasting! Perfect!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great! Thanks, Rhonda!
LaNell says
Question……can you freeze etoufee? I’ve frozen gumbo before with no problems.
I’m having a big weekend with family and would like to do it ahead of time if possible.
Thanks.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
You definitely can, but seafood (to me) isn't as good after it's been frozen. Still doable!
Erin says
This recipe is AHHHHH-MAZING. I've told several people this recipe ruined ordering etouffee at restaurants for me! Why would I pay twice as much for one serving, when I could make enough for my whole family at half the price, AND make it better than most restaurants I've ordered it at?? Never again. I have certain allergies to ALL normal food, so I substituted celery for bok choy stalks, and used extra onion in place of garlic. Still the BEST etouffee I've ever had. My kids don't even like spicy food, and they gobbled it up. My roux never comes to a copper color, though, but even as a medium tan, the flavor is astonishing. 100% recommend this recipe!!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
So great to hear, Erin! Super HAPPY you enjoyed it that much. I love it! Thanks for sharing. =)
GJM says
Could you use frozen crawfish tails, or would they be too mushy in texture? Luckily, Mardi Gras is right around the corner, and 50 pound sacks of live crawfish will available! Can't wait to try this, because my recipe makes a LOT.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Yes, you can use frozen. Thaw them first. I used frozen ordered from Louisiana for this recipe. Works great!