Creamy Crawfish and Shrimp Étouffée Recipe

Creamy shrimp and crawfish étouffée served in a floral bowl, a classic New Orleans–style Cajun dish

5 from 1 vote

Creamy Crawfish and Shrimp Étouffée Recipe

This creamy crawfish and shrimp etouffee recipe builds a smooth Cajun sauce from a blonde roux and heavy cream with seasoned crawfish tails and shrimp simmered until tender.

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: Dinner, Homemade Recipes

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 312kcal

Author: Emily Rider

Equipment

1 Dutch Oven
1 Wooden spoon
1 Whisk

Ingredients

½ cup shrimp peeled, deveined, and chopped into bite-sized pieces, 120 grams
1 cup crawfish tails about ½ pound, 227 grams
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning plus 1 to 2 teaspoons for seasoning seafood, 8 grams
3 tablespoons butter unsalted or salted, 42 grams
½ cup shallots finely diced, about 2 small, 75 grams
1 cup green bell pepper diced, 150 grams
1 tablespoon garlic minced, 10 grams
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 16 grams
2 cups heavy cream at room temperature, 480 grams
¼ cup dry white wine or light rum optional, 60 grams
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 5 grams
½ teaspoon smoked paprika 1 gram
1 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped, 4 grams
½ teaspoon salt adjust based on Cajun seasoning used, 3 grams
½ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 gram
3 green onions thinly sliced, about 15 grams

Instructions

Season the seafood – Toss the shrimp and crawfish tails with 1 to 2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning and set aside. This short rest allows the seasoning to begin penetrating the seafood before it goes into the sauce.
Prepare the vegetables – Chop the shallots, garlic, bell peppers, parsley, and green onions and measure out the remaining ingredients. Having everything ready before the roux begins keeps the cooking steady and prevents the flour from scorching while you prepare other components.
Melt the butter – Add the butter to a large sauté pan or heavy skillet over medium heat. Let it melt completely and begin to bubble without browning before adding the vegetables.
Soften the shallots and bell pepper – Add the shallots and green bell pepper to the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until softened and translucent.
Add the garlic and seasoning – Stir in the garlic and remaining Cajun seasoning and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant without browning.
Build the blonde roux – Sprinkle the flour evenly over the butter and vegetables. Stir constantly over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes until the raw flour smell cooks off and the mixture turns a light golden color with a slightly nutty aroma.
Add the cream slowly – Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in the heavy cream gradually while whisking or stirring constantly to keep the sauce smooth and free of lumps throughout.
Season the sauce – Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, wine or rum if using, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Let the sauce simmer gently on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes until it begins to thicken and coat the back of a spoon.
Add the seafood – Add the seasoned shrimp, crawfish tails, parsley, and green onions to the pan. Stir gently to keep the seafood intact and distribute it evenly through the sauce.
Simmer until just done – Keep the heat low and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are pink and opaque and the sauce coats a spoon. Do not boil after the seafood goes in as high heat can toughen the shrimp quickly.
Serve warm – Spoon the etouffee over hot cooked rice and serve with crusty bread or sourdough cornbread on the side for soaking up the sauce.

Notes

Build the blonde roux carefully – Cook the butter and flour together for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the raw flour smell cooks off and the color turns a light golden with a slightly nutty aroma. Pulling it too early leaves a floury taste in the finished sauce.

Add the cream slowly – Pour the heavy cream in gradually at medium-low heat while whisking constantly. Gradual addition gives the roux time to absorb the liquid evenly and prevents the sauce from breaking or forming lumps.

Add the seafood near the end – Shrimp and crawfish need only 8 to 10 minutes on low heat to cook through. Adding them too early or using too high a heat produces rubbery shrimp and broken crawfish tails.

Season in layers – Season the seafood first, then taste and adjust the sauce after the cream has settled. This approach gives a balanced, well-rounded flavor rather than relying on heavy seasoning at the end.

Nutrition