Crawfish Étouffée with Cajun Holy Trinity

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-25 · Updated 2026-05-25

A rich and hearty stew of crawfish simmered with the classic Cajun ‘holy trinity’ of vegetables in a thick, flavorful roux-based sauce. This Cajun-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 45 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 450 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, peeled crawfish tails
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 medium, finely chopped onion
• 2, finely chopped celery stalks
• 1 medium, finely chopped green bell pepper
• 3, minced garlic cloves
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tbsp, chopped fresh parsley
• 2, sliced green onions
• 4 cups, cooked white rice

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk in 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and cook, stirring constantly for 6-8 minutes until the roux is a deep golden brown and smells nutty.
2. Step 2: Add 1 finely chopped onion, 2 finely chopped celery stalks, and 1 finely chopped green bell pepper to the roux. Sauté for 5 minutes until the vegetables are soft and fragrant.
3. Step 3: Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Then add 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning, 1 bay leaf, and 3 cups vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until thickened.
4. Step 4: Add 1 lb peeled crawfish tails and simmer for 5 minutes until heated through. Remove the bay leaf, then stir in 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley and 2 sliced green onions.
5. Step 5: Serve the crawfish étouffée hot over 4 cups cooked white rice.