By: Céline Alis
Crawfish is a Louisiana staple you will find in many of our Cajun and Creole dishes, from crawfish etouffée to bisque, fried and boiled crawfish.
Although crawfish season runs from January through June, we find the best time to enjoy the boiled “mudbugs” at our local eateries starts around Mardi Gras in February/March, as they become larger and easier to find.
Read on to learn more about crawfish health benefits and try a handful of tasty and easy recipes that go beyond the basics, from crawfish fritatta to burgers and dips.
Boiled crawfish at R&M's Boiling Point
Did you know that crawfish, on top of being delicious, also has many health benefits?
- Crawfish is packed with high-quality protein. A 3-ounce serving contains close to 15 grams of protein.
- Crawfish is low in fat and contains only trace amounts of saturated fats.
- Crawfish is high in B Vitamins and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc and phosphorous.
- A 3-ounce serving of cooked crawfish contains less than 75 calories and zero carbohydrates.
4 crawfish recipes bursting with fresh, Louisiana flavor
Our friend, Laurel Blackerby with the Delcambre Market Health & Wellness Program, sent us the following recipes so you can wow your guests with a healthy and tasty crawfish dish at your next get together.
For the maximum health benefits and support our area's fishermen and economy, it’s always best to get your crawfish locally. Frozen crawfish tails also give you the option to make those recipes year-round. You can purchase frozen or live Louisiana-certified crawfish from:
- Delcambre Direct Seafood
- Delcambre Seafood and Farmers Market
- Gonsoulin Land & Cattle Farm Store
- Louisiana Direct Seafood Shop
You can find many of the other ingredients, like fresh eggs, bell peppers and cheese in season at our local farmers markets.
Bon appétit!
1. Crawfish Frittata with Smoked Pepper Jack Cheese
Courtesy of Laurel Blackerby
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 lb. Louisiana crawfish tails
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cup liquid egg whites
- 1/2 cup half & half (or cream of choice)
- 1 cup low fat mozzarella, shredded
- 1 cup smoked pepper jack cheese, shredded, like Peace Love and Smoke
- 3 tbsp. Trinity seasoning blend like Cajun 180
- 1 tbsp. Cajun seasoning blend like La Cajun Gold
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
- Sauté onions 5 minutes in oven-safe saucepan or iron skillet over medium heat.
- Add red bell pepper and sauté another 10 minutes until soft.
- Meanwhile, combine eggs, dairy and seasonings in a bowl.
- Add onions/pepper mix to the bowl and mix well.
- Return to the pan for 3 minutes.
- Bake in over for 20 minutes or until set.
TOTAL TIME: 40 MIN.
Prep: 10 min.
Cook: 30 min.
2. Ragin Cajuns-inspired Crawfish Zucchini Dip
Courtesy of Laurel Blackerby
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 lb. Louisiana crawfish tails, cooked
- 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 lb. (about 4 cups) zucchini pulp
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 tbsp. Cajun 180 Trinity Seasoning Blend
DIRECTIONS:
- In a large pan over medium heat, sauté onion in olive oil until translucent.
- Add zucchini pulp and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add tomato paste and white wine and keep stirring until it is cooked and tender approximately 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, red bell pepper, and diced tomato and stir for 2 minutes.
- Season with Cajun 180 Trinity Seasoning Blend and add the lemon juice.
- Stir everything well together for a minute then turn off the heat.
- Garnish with feta crumbles and cooked crawfish.
- Serve with warm grilled crostini.
TOTAL TIME: 40 min
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 30 min
3. Crawfish Burgers
Courtesy of Chef David Hulin
Burger Patty
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 lb. Louisiana crawfish tails
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 fresh egg (Chef Hulin uses duck eggs for richness)
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp. Cajun 180 La Cajun Gold Seasoning
- 1 tbsp. Cajun 180 Trinity Seasoning Blend
DIRECTIONS:
- Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl, set in the refrigerator for 1 hour to allow it to firm up.
- Once firm, make a patty and place in a hot skillet with butter and pan sear on both sides for a few minutes
- Pull off and allow to rest for 5 minutes
- Serve hot
Guacamole
INGREDIENTS:
- 6 avocados
- 3/4 cup chopped red onions
- 1 large jalapeno, seeded and diced
- 1 lime, squeezed
- 8 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 tsp. Cajun 180 Trinity Seasoning Blend
DIRECTIONS:
- Mix all in a bowl until desired texture and consistency of the guacamole that you like.
TOTAL TIME: 70 min
Prep: 1 hour
Cook: 10 min
4. LSU-inspired Crawfish Avocado Mango Dip
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 lb. Louisiana crawfish tails, cooked
- 1 mango, chopped
- 1 small purple onion, diced
- 1 small red bell pepper
- 1 jalapeno, diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 3 tbsp. olive or avocado oil
- 1 tbsp. Cajun 180 Trinity Seasoning Blend
DIRECTIONS:
- In a medium bowl, toss together the crawfish tails, mango, avocado, tomatoes, jalapeno and onion. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon, olive oil and Cajun 180 Trinity Seasoning Blend. Pour the dressing over the crawfish mixture and toss gently to combine, being careful not to break up the crawfish and avocado.
- Marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes.
- Serve with plantain chips.
TOTAL TIME:
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 30 min
For more delicious recipes and nutrition tips, visit the blog of the Delcambre Seafood and Farmers Market Health & Wellness Program, sign up for their newsletter and follow them on Facebook.
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