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Simple Crawfish Sauce

Featured in Ocean fresh catch of the day.

Dive into bold Louisiana food made simple—smooth, golden-brown roux kicks off this dish's magic. Sautéed veggies like peppers, celery, and onions bring tons of flavor. A savory broth with seafood stock ties everything together, simmered with juicy crawfish tails. Ready in under an hour and great for casual or fancy meals.
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alicia in the kitchen
Updated on Sat, 12 Apr 2025 19:52:48 GMT
A warm bowl of rice topped with crawfish and sauce, with a spoon resting alongside it. Pin it
A warm bowl of rice topped with crawfish and sauce, with a spoon resting alongside it. | tasteofsavor.com

This classic Louisiana creation turns raw crawfish into a buttery flavor bomb. Every mouthful showcases perfectly seasoned tail meat swimming in a rich, amber sauce built from a slowly developed roux foundation - giving you real Cajun comfort with each taste.

Getting amazing étouffée happens when you nail that dark roux. This crucial first step builds those deep, layered flavors that make folks remember your cooking. The sauce should lightly wrap each rice grain but let those crawfish tails be the star.

Main Components

  • Crawfish: Louisiana crawfish tails, cleaned and prepped
  • Butter: Premium unsalted butter for starting your roux
  • Vegetables: Chopped celery, onion, and bell pepper in tiny cubes
  • Stock: Flavorful seafood stock as your liquid base
  • Seasonings: Garlic, cayenne, paprika, thyme
  • Flour: Regular flour for roux creation

Preparation Steps

Get Veggies Ready:
Chop the holy trinity (onion, celery, pepper) into small, even bits. Soften them in butter without letting them brown.
Create the Roux:
Mix butter and flour, stirring non-stop until it turns dark golden. This gives you essential taste and thickening power.
Form the Sauce:
Slowly add warm stock while whisking til smooth. Let it bubble gently to develop flavor and get the right thickness.
Put in Crawfish:
Mix crawfish tails in gently, warming them through without overcooking to keep their soft texture.
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A bowl of soup with a wooden spoon in it. | tasteofsavor.com

What makes étouffée special is how the rich sauce works with sweet crawfish - they should dance together without one stealing the show.

Time Management

Pay attention to how thick your sauce gets as it cooks down. It should stick to your spoon but still pour nicely. Your crawfish only need 3-5 minutes to warm through.

Serving Style

Ladle over steaming long-grain rice. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and sliced green onions for a pop of color and freshness.

Different Takes

Feel free to tweak spice levels to suit your taste. You can add traditional things like filé powder or bump up the heat with extra cayenne if you want.

Keeping Leftovers

Put cooled extras in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm up slowly on the stove, adding a splash of stock if it's too thick.

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A bowl of shrimp and pea soup with a spoon in it. | tasteofsavor.com

This beloved Cajun meal honors Louisiana's food traditions while working in any home kitchen. Just focus on your cooking method and good ingredients to wow everyone at the table.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ What crawfish type should I pick?
Local Louisiana crawfish tails bring the best taste. Avoid imported ones and check labels carefully.
→ Can I swap out seafood stock?
For sure! Seafood stock is ideal, but chicken or veggie stock works as a backup.
→ How do I know when my roux's done?
It should be golden brown, just like peanut butter, with a fragrant aroma. Stir continuously to avoid burning.
→ Can this be made ahead?
Definitely! Cook it in advance and freeze for up to three months. Reheat when needed.
→ What’s the difference between Cajun and Creole styles?
Cajun dishes skip tomatoes altogether, while Creole ones add tomatoes to boost flavor.

Crawfish in Sauce

A true Southern dish showcasing crawfish tails cooked in a thick, flavorful sauce made with creamy roux. Perfectly pairs with grits or rice for a hearty meal.

Prep Time
15 Minutes
Cook Time
40 Minutes
Total Time
55 Minutes
By: Alicia

Category: Seafood

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: Cajun

Yield: 7 Servings (7 cups)

Dietary: ~

Ingredients

→ Holy Trinity Base

01 One small yellow onion, finely chopped into little cubes
02 1 green bell pepper, diced into small pieces
03 5 cloves of garlic, minced up finely
04 2 celery stalks, cut into thin slices

→ Roux and Sauce

05 8 tablespoons of butter (split for roux and cooking)
06 ½ cup of plain white flour for thickening
07 4 cups of rich seafood stock
08 2 teaspoons of Better Than Bouillon's lobster base

→ Seasonings

09 ¼ teaspoon of coarse salt
10 A dash (¼ teaspoon) of cayenne for heat
11 ½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
12 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning for a punchy flavor
13 About ¼ teaspoon of dried thyme leaves

→ Main and Garnish

14 Chopped green onions for sprinkling on top
15 Cooked rice or creamy grits (about 4 cups)
16 A pound of plump crawfish tails from Louisiana
17 Hot sauce on the side to spice things up

Instructions

Step 01

Heat up 3-4 tablespoons of butter in a big skillet or heavy pan over medium heat. Toss in the garlic, peppers, celery, and onions. Stir them around for about 5 minutes till soft and almost clear. Take them out and set them aside for later.

Step 02

Bring the heat to medium-low. Drop in 8 tablespoons of butter, then pour in the flour. Start whisking fast and don’t stop. Keep going for 10-15 minutes until the color matches peanut butter. Adjust heat if it’s cooking too fast.

Step 03

Turn the heat to its lowest setting. Slowly pour in the seafood stock while constantly whisking until it’s smooth. Add the cooked veggies back in, mix in all the seasonings, and stir in the lobster paste. Let it simmer about 10 minutes till it thickens up nicely.

Step 04

Gently stir in the crawfish tails and warm them up just until heated through. Taste the sauce, and adjust the seasoning to make it just right.

Step 05

Spoon the dish generously over warm grits or rice. Sprinkle green onions on top and let everyone add hot sauce as they like.

Notes

  1. To get the best quality, always choose crawfish tails from Louisiana.
  2. You can replace seafood stock with chicken or vegetable broth if needed.
  3. This dish tastes even better made in advance and reheated before serving.
  4. Freeze leftovers for up to three months without losing flavor.

Tools You'll Need

  • A large heavy pan or cast-iron skillet (12-inch size works well)
  • A whisk to keep everything smooth while cooking
  • One bowl for holding ingredients

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Contains shellfish, as it’s made with crawfish tails.
  • Uses butter, so not dairy-free.
  • Prepared with wheat flour, so it includes gluten.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 370
  • Total Fat: 21 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 37 g
  • Protein: 8 g