Crawfish Étouffée with Rice (Printable)
Tender crawfish in a rich roux sauce served with fluffy white rice, embodying Creole southern flavors.
# Ingredient List:
→ Étouffée Base
01 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter
02 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
05 - 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
08 - 2 cups seafood or chicken stock
09 - 1 1/2 lbs crawfish tails, peeled and cleaned
10 - 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
11 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
12 - 1 teaspoon paprika
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
16 - 4 green onions, sliced
17 - Salt and black pepper to taste
18 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
→ White Rice
19 - 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
20 - 3 cups water
21 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
22 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
# How to Make:
01 - Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon butter to a boil. Stir in the rice, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15-18 minutes, or until all water is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
02 - In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven, melt 1/2 cup butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, to make a medium roux (light brown color), about 5-7 minutes.
03 - Add onion, bell pepper, and celery to the roux. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more.
04 - Add drained diced tomatoes, Creole seasoning, cayenne, paprika, and bay leaf. Stir to combine. Gradually add stock, stirring to avoid lumps. Bring to a simmer. Add Worcestershire sauce. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Stir in crawfish tails and simmer for 5-8 minutes, until heated through. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice, half the parsley, and half the green onions. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Spoon fluffy white rice onto plates or bowls. Ladle crawfish étouffée over rice. Garnish with remaining parsley and green onions.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- The roux creates an incredibly rich, silky texture that coats every crawfish tail perfectly
- Its one of those rare dishes that tastes like it simmered all day but comes together in under an hour
- The combination of fresh herbs and just enough heat makes everyone ask for seconds
02 -
- A burned roux cannot be saved, if you see black spots start over immediately
- Adding cold stock to hot roux causes lumps, let the stock reach room temperature first
- Crawfish overcooks faster than you think, once they curl they're done
03 -
- Chop all your vegetables before starting the roux, you won't have time to prep once it's cooking
- The étouffée actually tastes better the next day, make it ahead if you're entertaining