Crawfish Etouffee Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is etouffee sauce made of? ›

Étouffée is a type of stew if you want to get technical. It's made with a roux, onion, celery, and bell pepper (the holy trinity), tomato, garlic, hot sauce, and either shrimp, crawfish, or chicken. Cajun Étouffée does not contain tomatoes. The addition of tomatoes is the Creole way of preparing etouffee.

My trick for the crawfish tail meat is to add fresh squeezed lemon juice to them before adding into the light roux base with vegetables. That way, if you are introducing yourself to the crawfish world, you won't be put off by the fishy smell.

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.

Some of the best options include rice, potatoes, and green beans. Each of these sides provides a unique flavor that compliments the etouffee perfectly. No matter which side dishes you choose, your guests are sure to enjoy this delicious meal.

To make my etoufee spicy, I use Louisiana sauce. Louisiana sauce is the best because it has the perfect balance of spicy to acidity, and limited ingredients.

Flour: All-purpose flour thickens the étouffée. Tomato sauce: Canned tomato sauce lends even more depth of flavor.

What is the yellow stuff inside a crawfish? The bright yellow to orange crawfish “stuff” squeezed from the heads and sticking to the tail meat is not fat in the usual sense. It actually is an organ in the head called the hepatopancreas that functions much like the liver in other animals out there.

In the 1700's, Acadians, now Cajuns, arrived from Canada and settled along bayous. Crawfish were eaten mostly of necessity, as the poor man's food was cheap and readily accessible.

It should be thick, but be a sauce-like or stew-like consistency. Mix well so there are no lumps. Add cayenne, Tony Chachere's, Louisiana hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce and stir well. Bring mixture to a boil and slide in shrimp.

Most people avoid eating the shell, tail, and antennae. If any crawfish died before boiling, you should test the meat for safety. Mushy meat should be avoided.

Is crawfish etouffee good for you? ›

Crawfish is a lean protein and crawfish tails are a great way to get a meal on the table. Usually an etouffee includes lots of butter and/or oil and is not healthy. What's great about my recipe is this easy crawfish recipe tastes just as good and it is a diabetic crawfish etouffee.

Taste of Etouffee

Etouffee is rich and spicy with the sweet and briny flavor of shellfish. The shellfish is coated in a velvety thick gravy flavored with traditional Cajun or Creole seasonings. The dish is typically served over rice, which soaks up the lush etouffee sauce.

Taste of Etouffee

Etouffee is rich and spicy with the sweet and briny flavor of shellfish. The shellfish is coated in a velvety thick gravy flavored with traditional Cajun or Creole seasonings. The dish is typically served over rice, which soaks up the lush etouffee sauce.

The etouffee has more of a gravy consistency which means that it's thicker than shrimp creole. Another difference is that shrimp etouffee is a lot spicier than shrimp creole. Lastly, shrimp creole normally has a tomato base while shrimp etouffee utilizes a roux for its base.

While both dishes use a broth base—like shrimp stock, crawfish tail stock, or chicken broth—étouffée has a thicker, gravy-like consistency because chefs make it with a roux (a mixture of all-purpose flour and butter). Gumbo, on the other hand, is thinner than étouffée, with a soupy stew broth.

While gumbo and etouffee have some similarities and common ingredients like onions, celery, bell peppers, and a roux, each dish has its own unique flavor and characteristics (via Our Everyday Life).