Cajun-Spiced Crawfish Étouffée with Steamed Rice

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-18 · Updated 2026-06-18

Rich and flavorful Cajun crawfish étouffée simmered with a roux-based sauce, bell peppers, and onions, served over fluffy steamed rice for a classic Louisiana dish. This Cajun-inspired one-pot recipe, ready in about 50 minutes, pairs crawfish tails, unsalted butter, all-purpose flour for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 lb crawfish tails
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 4 cups cooked white rice
• 3 tbsp chopped green onions
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper

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Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter. Whisk in 4 tbsp all-purpose flour to form a roux. Cook, stirring constantly for 5-7 minutes until the roux turns a light brown and smells nutty.
2. Step 2: Add 1 diced medium yellow onion, 1 diced green bell pepper, and 2 diced celery stalks to the roux. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables are softened.
3. Step 3: Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add 2 cups chicken broth gradually, whisking to combine and prevent lumps.
4. Step 4: Mix in 2 tbsp tomato paste and 2 tsp Cajun seasoning. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes to thicken slightly.
5. Step 5: Add 1 lb crawfish tails to the sauce and simmer gently for 5 more minutes until heated through. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
6. Step 6: Serve the crawfish étouffée over 4 cups cooked white rice. Garnish with 3 tbsp chopped green onions and 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley for color and freshness.