Crawfish & Shrimp Etouffee

Name: Crawfish & Shrimp Etouffee with Roux
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter; 1 cup flour; 4 cups diced yellow onions; 2 cups diced celery; 2 cups diced bell peppers (assorted colors); 2 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon white pepper; 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper; 1 tablespoon minced garlic; 1 1/2 cups water; 1/2 cup dry sherry; 1 tablespoon creole seasoning; 3 bay leaves; 1 (10 ounce) can Rotel Tomatoes (drained); 1/2 cup chopped parsley; 1/2 cup chopped green onion; 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped; 2 lbs shrimp, peeled & deveined; 1 lb crawfish tail; 8 cups steamed cooked white rice (I prefer long grain)

Crawfish & Shrimp Etouffee is a rich, Cajun-Creole seafood braise built on a dark roux foundation with caramelized onions, celery, and peppers. The roux is the make-or-break component that gives this dish its deep, complex flavor and luxurious body.

🥗Pescatarian 🏷️Crawfish 🏷️Cajun 🏷️Creole 🏷️Healthy 🏷️< 4 hours

Total

1h 20m

Servings

8

Difficulty

Hard

Est. Cost

$35–$58

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Food.com · by Chef RHT IV

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup flour
4 cups diced yellow onions
2 cups diced celery
2 cups diced bell peppers (assorted colors)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon creole seasoning
3 bay leaves
1 (10 ounce) can Rotel Tomatoes (drained)
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
2 lbs shrimp, peeled & deveined
1 lb crawfish tail
8 cups steamed cooked white rice (I prefer long grain)

20 Ingredients

Delivery in as fast as one hour.^*

Powered by Instacart

Prices vary by store

^*Service fees apply. Instacart^® and the Instacart logo are registered trademarks of Maplebear Inc. d/b/a Instacart.

Instructions

1
In a large pot or dutch oven with the butter & flour over medium heat make a medium brown roux.
2
Add the onions, celery, bell pepper, bay leaves, salt, and cayenne & white peppers. Cook, stirring over medium high heat until onions, bell peppers & celery are soft, about 7 to 8 minutes.
3
Add the garlic & thyme and stir well for about a minute or so.
4
Add about 3/4 of the water and sherry & stir well.
5
When the mixture comes to a boil add the rest of the water if needed. You want mixture to nearly coat a spoon.
6
Add rotel, parsley, green onions & creole seasoning, simmer about 6 minutes until mixture thickens. Add shrimp & crawfish and simmer until seafood is done, until Shrimp curl & turn pink.
7
Discard bay leaves & serve over steamed rice, garnish with parsley and green onions.

Was this recipe helpful?

Tips & Notes

Pro tips

The roux is critical—stir constantly over medium heat for 8-12 minutes until it's deep chocolate brown. Rushing or burning it will ruin the dish.
Dice vegetables uniformly (about 1/2-inch) so they soften evenly and distribute flavor throughout the braise.
Add seafood only in the final 3-5 minutes to prevent overcooking; crawfish and shrimp become rubbery quickly.
Taste and adjust seasoning after adding the water—the braise may need more salt or cayenne depending on stock saltiness.

Substitutions

Crawfish → crab meat or additional shrimp (adjust cooking time as crab is already cooked)
White pepper → black pepper (white pepper provides subtler heat; use less black pepper)
Unsalted butter → salted butter (reduce added salt by 1/2 teaspoon to compensate)
Yellow onions → white onions (will taste slightly sharper; use the same quantity)

Storage & make-ahead

Store leftovers in an airtight container refrigerated up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water to restore sauce consistency; avoid high heat which will toughen the seafood.

Common Questions

How do I make a proper roux for etouffee?

Use equal parts butter and flour (1:1 ratio). Melt butter over medium heat, whisk in flour gradually, and stir constantly for 8-12 minutes until it reaches a deep chocolate-brown color. Slow cooking prevents burning and develops rich flavor.

Can I make this dish ahead?

Yes. Prepare through the vegetable and spice stage, then refrigerate. Add seafood and water just before serving to prevent overcooking the crawfish and shrimp.

What's the difference between etouffee and gumbo?

Etouffee is a concentrated braise served over rice with a thick sauce, while gumbo is a stew with a thinner consistency. Both use roux but etouffee relies on it almost exclusively for thickening.