Crawfish Étouffée with Rice (Printable)
Tender crawfish cooked in a rich roux-based sauce paired with fluffy steamed white rice.
# What You Need:
→ For the Crawfish Étouffée
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
→ For the Fluffy 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
# Steps:
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.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- Crawfish étouffée is comfort food at its finest, a rich dish that somehow feels luxurious and homey all at once.
- Once you master the roux, this becomes one of those recipes everyone begs you to make again.
02 -
- A burned roux cannot be saved and will ruin the entire dish. When in doubt, start over.
- Adding crawfish too early makes them tough and rubbery. They only need a few minutes to heat through.
03 -
- Mise en place is crucial. Have all vegetables chopped before starting the roux since it requires constant attention.
- Let the étouffée rest for 5 minutes off the heat before serving. This allows the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly.