Spicy Crawfish Étouffée with Roux-Infused Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-03 · Updated 2026-05-03

A rich and spicy Cajun classic featuring tender crawfish tails simmered in a dark roux-based sauce with bell peppers, onions, and celery. This Caribbean Mardi Gras recipe, ready in about 60 minutes, pairs unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, and yellow onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner. 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 "Build a week of meals around this recipe" 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

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb crawfish tails, peeled
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 2 tsp cajun seasoning
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• 2 green onions, sliced for garnish
• 4 cups cooked white rice, for serving
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper

The pan we’d use for this → Best Nonstick Cookware for 2026: Top 5 Skillet Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large heavy skillet, melt 1/2 cup unsalted butter over medium heat. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 12-15 minutes until the roux turns a deep caramel brown and smells nutty.
2. Step 2: Add 1 large finely chopped yellow onion, 1 medium finely chopped green bell pepper, and 2 finely chopped celery stalks to the roux. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables are tender.
3. Step 3: Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Step 4: Slowly whisk in 3 cups chicken stock, making sure no lumps form, then add 2 tsp Cajun seasoning and 1 tsp hot sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
5. Step 5: Add 1 lb peeled crawfish tails, stirring gently. Simmer for 5 minutes until crawfish are heated through.
6. Step 6: Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve étouffée over 4 cups cooked white rice and garnish with 2 sliced green onions.