Description
This Cajun Ninja Crawfish Etouffee is a comforting, family-friendly dish with authentic Louisiana flavor, perfect for a hearty and quick dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb crawfish tails, thawed and peeled (or shrimp)
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter (or olive oil)
- 0.5 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free blend)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp paprika
- 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
- 0.5 tsp dried thyme
- 0.5 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp hot sauce, or to taste
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- long-grain white rice, for serving
- 0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 0.25 cup green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Prep Ingredients: Chop all vegetables and measure spices.
- Make The Roux: Melt 0.5 cup butter in a 10-inch skillet. Whisk in 0.5 cup flour, stirring constantly until light brown and nutty (10-15 minutes).
- Sauté Vegetables: Add chopped onion, celery, and bell pepper to roux. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened and fragrant. Stir in minced garlic for 1 minute until aromatic.
- Build Flavor Base: Whisk in 4 cups chicken broth until smooth. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, dried seasonings, and bay leaf. Simmer gently.
- Add Crawfish And Simmer: Gently stir in thawed crawfish tails and hot sauce. Simmer on low heat for 5-10 minutes until thickened and heated through.
- Finish And Serve: Remove bay leaf. Stir in fresh chopped parsley and green onions. Serve immediately over hot, fluffy rice.
Notes
The roux is crucial for depth of flavor; ensure it does not scorch. For convenience, use pre-chopped vegetables. Substitutions include shrimp for crawfish, olive oil for butter (dairy-free), gluten-free flour blend for all-purpose flour, and vegetable broth for chicken broth. Adjust hot sauce and cayenne pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Louisiana
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups (380 g) with rice
- Calories: 500 calories
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg
Keywords: cajun, creole, etouffee, crawfish, spicy, family-friendly, quick dinner, meal prep, healthy