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Experience the flavors of Louisiana with our single serve Easy Crawfish Étouffée recipe. This classic dish features tender crawfish and vegetables in a rich tomato sauce, bringing the taste of Southern cuisine to your table. Perfect for those seeking a hearty seafood meal, this single serving recipe is simple to prepare and offers a delicious way to enjoy a Louisiana favorite on your own.

What Is Étouffée?

Étouffée is french for “smothered” and generally refers to a stew where the main ingredient (often seafood) is simmered in a rich gravy.

Some versions of étouffée are made with simple Cajun seasonings and butter which yield a very rich, thin sauce. Others, such as this single serving version, are made with a roux made with equal parts butter and flour.

Why This Recipe Works

  • If you’ve been to Louisiana, you’ve probably tasted an étouffée. Though it may sound fancy, it’s an easy dish to make.
  • Crawfish étouffée is the most common version but it can also be made with shrimp too. Since shrimp is often easier to find than crawfish, feel free to use it as a substitute.
  • This étouffee is absolutely delicious. It’s filled with flavor from the vegetables, the roux, and the crawfish.

Ingredient Notes

See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.

  • Butter and flour: These ingredients are necessary to make the roux. The roux is the foundation of this dish. It is made with equal parts of salted butter and all-purpose flour (plain flour). The roux is simply flour that is browned in fat (butter). It acts as a thickener and gives the étouffée its rich flavor.
  • Vegetables: Chopped onions, green bell peppers, and garlic add quite a lot of flavor to this dish, definitely don’t leave them out.
  • Broth: Although I prefer the flavor of seafood stock (broth) in this recipe, chicken broth is an excellent substitute.
  • Seasonings: Use dried thyme, salt, and black pepper
  • Tomatoes: I use 1/4 cup of chopped tomatoes which is about 1 small to medium-sized tomato.
  • Hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce: For great flavor.
  • Crawfish tails: Packages of crawfish meat can be found in the freezer section of most grocery stores. Be sure to look for packages labeled Louisiana crawfish. Alternatively, you can pick the crawfish meat out of fresh boiled crawfish.
  • Lemon juice: Use fresh or bottled lemon juice.
  • Green onions: Add chopped green onions for garnish.
  • Cooked rice: Traditionally, crawfish étouffée is served over white rice.
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How To Make This Recipe

  1. Begin by making the roux which will thicken the étouffée: Melt butter in a medium-sized skillet. Add the flour and stir continuously to make a roux. Stir the roux over medium heat until it’s the color of peanut butter, 2-3 minutes.
Étouffée roux in a saucepan.
  1. Add the vegetables and spices to the pan and cook until they’re tender. Add the stock or broth, the tomatoes, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil.
  2. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the crawfish and lemon juice and simmer 10 minutes more.
Crawfish Étouffée simmering in a skillet
  1. Remove from heat and serve over hot rice. Garnish with chopped green onions.
An overhead view of a bowl of crawfish Étouffée with white rice on a metal tray next to a bottle of Louisiana hot sauce and green onions

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Use Shrimp Instead Of Crawfish?

Yes! Shrimp etouffee is made the same way as crawfish etouffee. Just follow this recipe and use shrimp instead of crawfish.

Where Do I Find Crawfish Tails?

Packages of crawfish meat can be found in the freezer section of most grocery stores. Be sure to look for packages labeled Louisiana crawfish.

What Size Pan Is Best To Use?

For this crawfish etouffee recipe for one, I use a 10-inch skillet. For best results, use a pan of similar size.
If you would like additional information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.

What Are Other Louisiana Recipes?

If you’re looking for traditional creole or cajun recipes, you might like to try these:
Cajun Shrimp Tacos
Shrimp Creole
Red Beans and Rice
Jambalaya
Seafood Gumbo
Bread Pudding With Whiskey Sauce
Bananas Foster
Mini King Cake

Expert Tips

  • Make sure you spend the time to make a roux. The roux helps to thicken the étouffée and is necessary for the dish.
  • This recipe doubles well. If you would like to make extra, just double the ingredients and cook for the same amount of time.
  • Store etouffee in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last for 5 days.

Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients

If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:

If you’ve tried this crawfish étouffée recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.

If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!


Your Cooking For One Source
Because you’re worth it

Crawfish Étouffée For One

4.75 from 4 votes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings: 1 person
Savor the classic flavors of Louisiana with our Easy Crawfish Étouffée recipe for one. Enjoy succulent crawfish and vegetables in a rich tomato sauce.

Ingredients 
 

  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup chopped onions
  • 2 tablespoons chopped green bell peppers
  • 1 clove garlic , minced
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1 ¼ cups seafood stock or chicken broth
  • ¼ cup chopped tomatoes (about 1 medium roma tomato)
  • ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • teaspoon hot sauce (add more if you like a spicier étouffée)
  • 3 ounces crawfish tails
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
  • 1 cup cooked white rice , for serving

Instructions 

  • In a 10-inch skillet set over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir continuously to make a roux. Stir the roux over medium heat until the color of peanut butter, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add the onions and bell peppers to the roux, and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to soften, 1 minute.
  • Add the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring often for 1 minute.
  • Add the stock, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add crawfish tails and lemon juice and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in green onions. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve over hot rice.

Notes

Expert Tips
  • Make sure you spend the time to make a roux. The roux helps to thicken the étouffée and is necessary for the dish.
  • This recipe doubles well. If you would like to make extra, just double the ingredients and cook for the same amount of time.
  • Store etouffee in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last for 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 610kcal, Carbohydrates: 70g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Cholesterol: 74mg, Sodium: 665mg, Potassium: 575mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 1381IU, Vitamin C: 32mg, Calcium: 126mg, Iron: 2mg

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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4 Comments

  1. Hi, every once in a while I see a recipe here that I’d like to share with a friend. I’ve tried, unsuccessfully. How can I share your recipes?

    1. Hi Carol,

      The button with the envelope at the top of the page is for emailing recipes. It should be working now.

      Thanks so much.
      Joanie