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Flavorful Crawfish Étouffée Recipe Easy Homemade Spicy Sauce

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A rich and creamy crawfish étouffée with a spicy homemade sauce that delivers soulful Southern comfort food in under 45 minutes. Perfect for family dinners, potlucks, or festive occasions.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 pound peeled and deveined crawfish tails (fresh or frozen, thawed)
  • 1 cup seafood stock or chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Chopped fresh parsley or green onions (for garnish)
  • Cooked white rice (for serving)

Instructions

  1. In a skillet or Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat. Whisk in 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and stir continuously for about 10 minutes until the roux turns a rich golden brown with a nutty aroma.
  2. Add the finely chopped onion, diced green bell pepper, and celery to the roux. Cook over medium heat until vegetables soften and become translucent, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic during the last minute.
  3. Slowly whisk in 1 cup seafood stock or chicken broth, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Stir in 1 tablespoon tomato paste if using, 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer until sauce thickens.
  4. Fold in the crawfish tails gently, then pour in 1/2 cup heavy cream and stir to combine. Simmer for about 5 minutes until crawfish are heated through and sauce is creamy and slightly thickened.
  5. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, adding more salt or cayenne pepper if desired.
  6. Serve the crawfish étouffée hot over warm white rice. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or green onions.

Notes

Keep stirring the roux continuously to avoid burning. Add liquids slowly to prevent lumps. Gently warm crawfish to keep them tender. For gluten-free, substitute all-purpose flour with almond flour. For dairy-free, use coconut cream instead of heavy cream. Leftovers keep well refrigerated for 3 days and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat gently on stovetop.

Nutrition

Keywords: crawfish étouffée, spicy sauce, Cajun, Louisiana, seafood, comfort food, creamy étouffée, easy recipe

Find it online: https://lucydishes.com/flavorful-crawfish-e-touff-e-e-recipe-easy-homemade-spicy-sauce/