Crawfish Étouffée Steamed Rice (Printable version)
Savory crawfish tails cooked in a flavorful sauce, paired with light, fluffy steamed rice.
# Ingredient List:
→ Étouffée Base
01 - 1 pound crawfish tails, peeled and cleaned
02 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
06 - 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken or seafood stock
09 - 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
10 - 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
11 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 2 bay leaves
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
16 - 2 green onions, sliced
17 - Salt and black pepper to taste
18 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
→ Steamed Rice
19 - 1 cup long-grain white rice
20 - 2 cups water
21 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
# How to Make It:
01 - Rinse the rice under cold water until water runs clear. Bring 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in rice, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes until tender. Remove from heat, let stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
02 - Melt butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 4 to 6 minutes until mixture forms a medium brown roux with nutty aroma.
03 - Add onion, bell pepper and celery to the roux. Cook for 5 minutes until vegetables are softened. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Gradually stir in stock, scraping up browned bits from bottom. Add drained tomatoes, Creole seasoning, smoked paprika, cayenne, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
05 - Stir in crawfish tails and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until just heated through. Remove from heat and discard bay leaves. Stir in parsley and lemon juice.
06 - Spoon steamed rice onto plates or bowls. Ladle crawfish étouffée over rice. Garnish with green onions and additional parsley.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The roux creates an impossibly rich velvety sauce that clings to every grain of rice
- It comes together in under an hour but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
- The balance of heat and comfort hits exactly right on rainy evenings
02 -
- Overcooking the crawfish makes them tough and rubbery so add them last and keep an eye on the clock
- The roux can burn in seconds so maintain steady stirring and adjust heat if needed
- Your sauce will thicken as it rests so dont panic if it seems slightly loose in the pan
03 -
- Pre chop all your vegetables before starting the roux because once that flour hits the butter you cannot walk away
- Room temperature crawfish cook more evenly so pull them from the fridge while you prep