Blackened Catfish with Crawfish Etouffee
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Do you love etouffee but don’t know how to make it? This catfish etouffee recipe is easy and delicious. You’ll love the flavor of the catfish in this Cajun dish.
Plus, it’s a great way to use up leftover catfish. Give this recipe a try today!

There’s nothing quite like a big, steaming bowl of catfish etouffee to warm your belly on a cold winter night. This Louisiana classic is sure to please even the pickiest of palates, and it’s easy to make at home with this simple recipe.

If you’re looking for an easy, delicious Cajun dish to make for your family, look no further than this catfish etouffee recipe. It’s simple to follow and takes only 30 minutes to prepare. Plus, the whole family will love it! So put on your favorite Zydeco music and get cooking!

This etouffee recipe is the perfect way to warm up on a cold winter day. The flavors of Cajun cuisine are sure to tantalize your taste buds and leave you wanting more. So, what are you waiting for? Get in the kitchen and start cooking!
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Table of Contents
- What is Crawfish Etouffee?
- Why we love this recipe
- What does crawfish taste like?
- Recipe Variations
- What Goes Well with Crawfish Etouffee
- How To Make Blackened Catfish with Crawfish Etouffee:
- How do you get the best crawfish?
- Serving Suggestions
- Storage
- Reheating
- Blackened Catfish with Crawfish Etouffee
- More Tasty Seafood Recipes
What is Crawfish Etouffee?
Crawfish etouffee is a dish made from crawfish tails, butter, onions, and celery. The crawfish tails are simmered in the butter and vegetables until they are cooked through. The etouffee is then served over steamed rice.
Why we love this recipe
We love this recipe because it is a delicious and hearty dish that is perfect for colder weather. The catfish etouffee is hearty and flavorful, and it is sure to warm you up on a cold day.
What does crawfish taste like?
Crawfish is a type of shellfish that is commonly found in Louisiana. It has a slightly spicy taste and a slightly chewy texture.
Recipe Variations
There are many variations to catfish etouffee, but the most popular ones include adding Andouille sausage, green bell peppers, and/or onions. Some people also like to add a roux made with flour and butter.
What Goes Well with Crawfish Etouffee
Crawfish etouffee is a popular dish in Louisiana, and it goes well with a variety of side dishes. Some people like to serve it with rice, while others prefer potatoes or corn. I personally like to eat my crawfish etouffee with a nice piece of French bread. It’s the perfect way to soak up all the delicious gravy!
Ingredients:
- Unsalted butter
- Catfish fillets
- Cajun Blackening spice
Basting cajun Butter:
- Butter
- Cajun spice
Etouffee:
- Olive oil
- Unsalted butter
- All-purpose flour
- Diced purple onion
- Diced green bell peppers
- Diced yellow peppers
- Diced orange peppers
- Diced celery
- Minced garlic
- Chicken broth
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Cajun seasoning
- Medium deveined shrimp
- Cooked crawfish tails
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Sliced green onion
How To Make Blackened Catfish with Crawfish Etouffee:
Step 1. Brush 1 tbsp. Melted butter onto the fish and then evenly sprinkle the cajun spice on all sides of the fish.

Step 2. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Etouffee:
Step 1. Add 1 tbsp. Olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Step 2. Add the onions, peppers, minced, garlic and celery to the saute pan.

Step 3. Cook until tender.
Step 4. Remove from the pan and set to the side.
Step 5. Add ½ stick of butter to the skillet over medium heat.
Step 6. Once the butter is melted, stir in the flour, and cook for 4 minutes.
Step 7. The flour-butter mixture will turn to a caramel color.
Step 8. Add the onion pepper mixture to the flour mixture and cook for 4 minutes.
Step 9. Begin to slowly add the broth, and stir until fully mixed.
Step 10. Add your seasonings and stir to combine.
Step 11. Bring your mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a medium.
Step 12. Cover and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
Step 13. Make sure to stir often.
Step 14. Add your shrimp, and cook until fully heated, the shrimp will turn to beige color and no longer translucent.

Step 15. Add your crawfish tails and cook until fully heated.
Catfish:
Step 1. Using a cast iron skillet, preheat the skillet over medium to high heat for 5-7 minutes.
Step 2. Add 1 tbsp. melted butter to the skillet.
Step 3. In a small bowl add the 4 tbsp. of butter and 3 tbsp. Cajun spice.
Step 4. Melt in a microwave for 45 seconds.
Step 5. Stir to combine.
Step 6. Place 2 fillets at a time into the hot skillet, and cover the top of each fillet with melted cajun butter.
Step 7. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
Step 8. With a wide spatula, carefully turn fish, and top with additional melted butter, cooking for another 4 minutes.

Step 9. Add your catfish on top of rice and smother with Etouffee.

How do you get the best crawfish?
Crawfish are a delicacy in Louisiana, and there are many different ways to enjoy them. Some people prefer to eat them boiled, while others like to get a little bit messy and eat them straight out of the shell. However, the most popular way to enjoy crawfish is in an etouffee.
There are many different recipes for crawfish etouffee, but all of them start with the same basic ingredients: crawfish, butter, onions, and flour. The trick to making a good etouffee is to make a roux, which is a mixture of butter and flour that is cooked until it is browned. The roux is then used to thicken the etouffee sauce.
The best crawfish for etouffee are the ones that are fresh from the bayou. If you can’t find fresh crawfish, frozen crawfish will work just as well. Just be sure to defrost them before you start cooking.
Serving Suggestions
One of the best things about catfish etouffee is that it can be enjoyed with so many different sides. Some of our favorites include simple steamed vegetables, brown rice, and oven-roasted potatoes. If you’re looking for something a little more indulgent, why not try pairing your etouffee with some crispy fried onion strings or cheese-stuffed jalapeños? No matter how you choose to eat it, catfish etouffee is sure to be a delicious and satisfying meal!
Storage
Storage is an important factor when cooking catfish etouffee. You will need to have enough space in your refrigerator to store the leftovers. Otherwise, you may end up with a lot of food waste.
Reheating
If you are reheating catfish etouffee, use a microwave-safe container and cover it with plastic wrap. Heat the etouffee on high for two minutes, or until it is warm.

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Blackened Catfish with Crawfish Etouffee
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- 4 to 6 catfish fillets, about 1 pound
- 3 tbsp. Cajun Blackening spice
Basting cajun Butter:
- 4 tbsp. Butter
- 3 tbsp. Cajun spice
Etouffee:
- 1 tbsp. Olive oil
- 1/4 cup 1/2 stick of unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup of diced purple onion
- 1/2 cup of diced green bell peppers
- ½ cup of diced yellow peppers
- ½ cup of diced orange peppers
- 1/4 cup of diced celery
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 cup medium deveined shrimp
- 1/4 pound cooked crawfish tails
- 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1/8 cup sliced green onion
Instructions
- Brush 1 tbsp. Melted butter onto the fish and then evenly sprinkle the cajun spice on all sides of the fish.
- Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Etouffee:
- Add 1 tbsp. Olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onions, peppers, minced, garlic and celery to the saute pan.
- Cook until tender.
- Remove from the pan and set to the side.
- Add ½ stick of butter in the skillet over medium heat.
- Once the butter is melted, stir in the flour, cook for 4 minutes.
- The flour butter mixture will turn to a caramel color.
- Add the onion pepper mixture to the flour mixture and cook for 4 minutes.
- Begin to slowly add the broth, stir until fully mixed.
- Add your seasonings and stir to combine.
- Bring your mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a medium.
- Cover and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
- Make sure to stir often.
- Add your shrimp, and cook until fully heated, the shrimp will turn to a beige color and no longer translucent.
- Add your crawfish tails and cook until fully heated.
Catfish:
- Using a cast iron skillet, preheat the skillet over medium to high heat for 5-7 minutes.
- Add 1 tbsp. melted butter to the skillet.
- In a small bowl add the 4 tbsp. of butter and 3 tbsp. Cajun spice.
- Melt in a microwave for 45 seconds.
- Stir to combine.
- Place 2 fillets at a time into the hot skillet, and cover the top of each fillet with melted cajun butter.
- Cook for 4-5 minutes.
- With a wide spatula, carefully turn fish, and top with additional melted butter, cooking for another 4 minutes.
- Add your catfish on top of rice and smother with Etouffee.
Nutrition
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