It is hard to talk about cajun and creole cuisine without mentioning etouffee and with good reason given how easy it is to make and how tasty it is! Etouffee is a thick stew that is made with a roux that is cooked until deep brown to ensure that it is full of flavour. The meat in etouffee is typically shellfish with crawfish and shrimp being two good choices and it is generally served over rice. The key to a good etouffee is definitely the roux and you want to cook the butter and flour for a good long time until it turns a deep golden brown before adding the veggies. Once the roux is done the rest of the recipe is nice and easy and absolutely worth the effort to make!
This is definitely one of those lick your plate clean dishes and the leftovers get even better the next day!
This shrimp etouffee is a great way to celebrate Mardi Gras!
Shrimp Etouffee
A cajun and creole dish of shrimp in a tasty roux gravy.
ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour (or rice flour)
- 1 pound shrimp, shelled and deviened
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1/2 cup celery, diced
- 1/2 cup bell pepper, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
- 1 cup tomato, diced
- 1 tablespoon creole seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- hot sauce to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (~1/2 lemon)
- 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
directions
- Melt the butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat, cook until it starts to brown sprinkle in the flour while mixing and simmer, stirring frequently, until it turns a dark brown, about 10-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring the shrimp shells and chicken broth to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes before straining the solids from the broth and set aside.
- Add the onion, celery and peppers to the roux and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add the garlic and thyme and cook for a minute.
- Whisk in the broth, add the tomatoes, creole seasoning and Worcestershire sauce and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add the shrimp and cook until cooked, about 5 minutes.
- Season with hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste.
- Mix in the butter, lemon juice, green onion and parsley and enjoy over cooked rice.
Slow Cooker: Implement step 1, optionally implement steps 2-4, place everything except the shrimp, butter, lemon juice, green onions and parsley in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-10 hours or high for 2-4 hours before adding the shrimp and cooking for anouther 10 minutes and then mixing in the butter, lemon juice, green onions and parsley.
Shrimp Gumbo
Jambalaya
Shrimp Creole
Cajun Red Beans and Rice
Shrimp and Roasted Corn Chowder
Shrimp Bisque
Shrimp Creole Soup with Bacon and Cheddar Dumplings
Cajun Sweet Potato Seafood Chowder
Cheddar Biscuits and Shrimp and Andouille Gravy
Cajun Shrimp and Andouille Cheese Dip
Steak in Creamy Cajun Shrimp Sauce (Surf and Turf)
Looks amazing, Kevin! Perfect for the winter weather we're experiencing!
Gorgeous photos and dish!
NOM NOM NOM! it looks scrumptious!!!!!!
oh i would give just about anything for a big pipping hot bowl of this right about now. One of my favorite dishes. SO packed with flavor!
Doesn't gumbo have to have andouille sausage in it too?
this isn’t gumbo, it is Etouffee
This looks delicious! What would you recommend to make it vegetarian (just add more veggies or possibly tofu)?
Norma said: Doesn't all gumbo have to have andouille sausage in it too?
Kevin,
You kill me with your wonderful recipes and extraordinary food photography and styling!! Keep up the delicious work coming!!!
Kevin,
Each recipe you publish is more wonderful than the last!
Keep up your delicious work!!
Thanks! Just one recommendation from an ancient roux maker, use vegetable oil rather than butter. Much more authentic and less likely to burn. Thanks for all your fun recipes, Kevin
Lovely dish. I love Etouffee and just bought a pound of shrimp yesterday. I think I'll make this today.
Thanks!
Anything to do with Shrimps, they are my absolute fav dish. Surely try this, it sounds yummy.
Perfect Kevin! Makes me crave a trip to New Orleans 🙂
This looks really authentic!!
This is a beautiful recipe !
it looks gorgeous
Hello Kevin, I found your blog on Pinterest. I can't wait to make this and so glad to find your blog. It looks yummy
This recipe turned out wonderful! Perfect spice! We tossed in a few scallops I had on hand, in addition to the shrimp. My husband loved it!
Hi! I’m new follower of your blog and would like to invite you to join me at my weekly Clever Chicks Blog Hop: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2013/02/clever-chicks-blog-hop-20-and-lollipop.html
I hope you can make it!
Cheers,
Kathy Shea Mormino
The Chicken Chick
Sam: This recipe would be great even if you just omitted the shrimp but adding extra vegetables would bulk it up. If you are looking for more protein the tofu is good or you could serve it on quinoa instead of rice.
This is stinkin' fantastic!
While I love your recipes, I am baffled by all the misspelled words in your recipes. You may want to do a little spell check or have someone edit before posting them. Also the total time on some of your recipes are wrong also, just saying…..
Haven't had etouffee in years but love it. In fact it was the first dish I tried my first visit to New Orleans. Looks delicious!
First etouffee is NOT gumbo and secondly not all gumbo has andouille in it – I've been making Paul Prudhomme's etouffee and gumbo for eons for some of my own adaptations. Hubby is an N'awlins boy. I highly recommend his first cookbook, Louisiana Kitchen.
Have you tried making Prudhomme’s Turtle soup?
I’ve never made it but must get some whenever I visit New Orleans.
I even have the cookbook but have not tracked down any turtle
I have not tried making it, but it is good!
Kevin, I love that you have made the dark roux. So many people just a light roux for Etouffee and it doesn't achieve the richness that it needs.
I made this recipe last night for Mardi Gras and it was fantastic! My finacee (a super picky Cajun food eater from New Orleans) even approved and ate every little bit. Thanks for the recipe, Kevin.
Sea food dishes are my favourite, specially I like this kind of things.
I'm so glad you posted this recipe! I tried making some etouffee once (several months ago several weeks ago for a dinner party). What is the key to making the roux a deep brown? I must have cooked the butter/flour stove-top for at least 10 minutes but it never turned more than a tannish hue. Thanks!
There are lots of ways to make roux…it can even be done in an oven or microwave. My method is different for a butter roux or an olive or vegetable oil based roux. Creoles tended to use butter, Cajuns tended to use their butter for other things and used an oil base. For oil based, use a 50/50 combination of flour and oil. To speed up the process (after you have done a few), heat the oil to 350 before you add the flour. You have to stir constantly, preferable with a roux spoon, which has a flat end, perfect for scraping the bottom of the skillet. About halfway through, the roux will undergo a very noticeable texture change…it will turn very grainy. Don’t let that bother you….keep cooking and that will work its way back into a smooth mixture. The big challenge is knowing when to stop. The color should be a deep, deep chocolate brown. The smell is very nutty but not burned smelling. Most people will stop too early so it is a bit of an art. If you go too far and burn it, you will know. The different between done and burned is not very long so be careful the first times. Also remember, it will continue cooking after you turn off the burner. I like to cool it quickly by turning off the heat, dumping in the diced vegetables and keep stirring. This caramelizes the veggies a bit and cools the mixture quickly. Good luck…the roux is the secret to all of these stew type dishes.
Butter is a little more delicate and can burn easily. I can’t get nearly as dark a roux with butter.
Mari @ Oh, Sweet & Savory: It can sometimes take up to 20 minutes. I like to add the butter first and cook it until it starts to brown and then add the flour and continue to cook until it browns. I find that if you start with the browned butter, the roux browns quicker.
Great recipe. I served over my jalapeno cheese grits for a version of shrimp and grits. Make the number of servings of grits according to directions, add chopped jalapenos to taste and a good melting cheese of your choice. My favorite is asiago.
I made this the other night for dinner and it was delicious! I really enjoy your recipes!
P.S. I served it over polenta, instead of rice. Yum!
love your site! i checked it regularly. you really have a lot of creative dishes. i'd leave a comment on every one but i think you'd get tired of hearing from me! keep up the good work!
I made this dish for my husband and I last night – and as native New Orleanians – this was not only authentic in taste and flavor, it was also a major hit. The only change I made to the dish was adding smoked turkey andouille sausage after whisking in the stock. The sausage seemed to add a little extra flavor. Love the recipes you've included on this site! Keep doing what you're doing 🙂
Yum! Just made it and doubled the recipe because I knew it'd be really good 🙂
Having lived in Louisiana for 10 years I can attest to the authenticity of this dish. You have put many a cajun cook to shame with your rendition, Kevin in Toronto! Beautiful pictures and lovely blog.
Love cajun and your recipe. Featured it on my Friday Five – Cajun addition over @ Feed Your Soul Too – http://www.feedyoursoul2.com/friday-five-cajun-addition/
I made this last night and it is delicious!!!
This is my staple dish and asked for by name whenever a big event is upcoming.
The classic etouffee is wonderful. My version is very similar, with the exception that I add andouille sausage,as well. Blasphemous for true cajun chefs, but the flavor added by the sausage is tremendous.
One other point, add the shrimp/crawfish as laste as possible. ANy extra residence time of the shellfish will leave it shriveled and stringy.
Couple the meal with a sweet bread like filipino Pandesol or King's Hawaiian…nice mix of flavors. Additionally, to spice it up, would recommend Srichacha sauce, as it adds great flavor.
i've made this a few times it is soooo good!!! just gotta make sure the celery gets cooked enough the past 2 times i made it, the celery was still crunchy. even tho i cooked them before i add the stock and tomatoes, then i wait about 1 hour to eat and they were still crunchy lol..but it is sooooo delicious!
Anonymous: I am glad that you like it! The celery should be nice and tender in the finished dish. If it is not, you can cook it longer in step 2, say 15-20 minutes.
This is scrumbunctious! I'm worried it will be gone by the time my guests arrive!
I had craw fish etouffee 20 years ago when I waited tables in an up scale fresh seafood restaurant.It did make my top ten of memorable dishes that I've had.
It may even be number one!
It had a very rich rue!
This recipe (and picture) sounds exactly like the one I've been craving for 20 years now!
Thank you!
I've saved the shells and tails from 3 lbs of shrimp to make the shrimp stock just for shrimp etouffee!
I will make this with in the next 2 weeks! It's getting cold outside.., I'm looking forward to meal with a kick to it!
I'll post back and let you know how it came out!
I found your site by accident! I have made one of your soups-so wonderful there was not a spoonful leftover. I went to
Amazon and bought 3 of your ebooks. When are you going to put more ebooks out. Best money I've spent in years. You deserve a cooking show!! Everyone I know cannot believe how tasty your recipes are. Thank you very much!!
Anonymous: I am glad that you enjoyed it! Keep an eye out for some new eBooks early next year!
What sort of beer do you recommend boiling the shrimp shells in? I'm intrigued!
Andrew: I like an IPA for this.
Thank You!
I will try it asap =)
The recipe says to cook the roux until dark brown, then add the veggies & cook 8 to 10 minutes more. Won't this burn the roux?
Just Curious: You are correct in that you want to get a nice dark brown colour but you do not want to burn it so you need to try to judge the timing. Adding the vegetables will reduce the temperature but if it looks like the roux is going to burn, you can jump ahead to adding the liquids to prevent it from burning. The vegetables will continue to cook and get tender while simmering.
Etouffee wants a light(er) roux, not a dark one. "Peanut butter" color. No thyme. No parsley. *Never* put tomato in etouffee. Ick! I dunno who started that but it's WRONG.
Clam juice added to etouffee is a definite plus.
Rodney Grantham: Yep, even more seafood flavour!
I made this tonight and it was delicious! Had it with crock pot grits. Thank you for providing this. I will definitely make it again!
I'm making this for the first time today. We don't tend to have these sorts of dishes here in New Zealand so should be a wonderful taste sensation. Had to make my own creole spice as we don't seem to have a pre-made one here. Fingers crossed it turns out ok.
This is SO good. Made it initially for an at home Mardi Gras dinner with the fam. Have made it several times since. Great to make in bulk. Make sure to really brown the roux! Delish.
Hi and thanks for this amazing recipe!! I made it for dinner tonight and it was so incredibly good!!
Made this dish this evening, it was great!. Didn't have parsley, so subbed with cilantro which worked fine.
Just made this last night and LOVED IT! I omitted the parsley and green onion at the end, and it was still amazing! Thanks!
The etouffee's I've had from restaurants have been so rich and creamy. Made this for dinner, nowhere close, extremely disappointed. Don't understand any of these good reviews. I was so excited to make this…what a freaking let down.
I made this last weekend and it was fabulous. Thanks Kevin!!!!!
Butterfly: I'm glad you liked it!
nice blog
Soooo delicious! Made it tonight…thank you!
Soooo delicious! Made it tonight…thank you!
MandyB: I'm glad that you enjoyed it!
Excellent! Made exactly as directed (except used edamame noodles instead of rice) and it was a huge hit with my family. Brilliant idea putting the shells in the brooth, Will be making again often! Thank you.
This is not how you make a roux, it does not simmer, you have to stir constantly so it does not burn.
OK folks, just tried this recipe tonight. I followed the recipe to a tee and wha-la….AMAZING! Love this and will make over and over and over. Thank you, Kevin. Fabulous.
Thanks for sharing all your delicious recipes.
In reference to the person who said use vegetable oil: in the French Quarter Restaurant where I worked they use Peanut oil. I did not have peanut oil so used butter with a little sesame oil. Cook the butter slow wont burn.
Made this last night. I didn't have green pepper so subbed a hatch chili pepper .. wow gave it some extra spice!! Didn't have lemon juice; used lime juice instead and no parsley .. fantastic!!! Oh and it was served over cauliflower rice. Looking forward to leftovers today. Thanks again.
Just stumbled on this recipe on Pinterest and I've got to tell ya — I have my own etouffe recipe that I swear by, but I have to try this one. It sounds fantastic. As everyone knows, no two etouffe recipes are alike, so I say open your mind and enjoy the variations!
just got the news that i have Celiac's and can't eat gluten (it's killing me! I want a F*&^ing donut so bad) this sounds so good and I have everything to make it but what would you suggest as a sub for the flour?
Amber: Rice flour works in this! Enjoy!
This was delicious….made for dinner but I added craw fish
Kevin! This dish was A-MA-Zing!!! My son and I ate it all in one sitting. Needless to say, this is definitely a repeat ALL STAR! Thanx for sharing!
This was delicious. I made it in the crockpot with rice. Didn’t change a thing. ????. The lemon added really nice flavour to the meal.
I've eaten a lot of etouffee, but this turned out to be as good if not better than anything I have eaten in Louisiana restaurants. I added some Louisiana Andouille that was spicy, but it sure made the Etouffee. If all your recipes are this good, I'm going to try them all!
Hi there! I’ve tried your recipe before and it’s insanely delicious! I was wondering, is it possible to make the roux/sauce/veggies ahead of time (day before) and store it in the fridge? Then bring it to a simmer and proceed with the shrimp/finishing touches on the day-of? I have guests who are coming in to town and I would LOVE to make this for their first night here but would rather spend time with them instead of in the kitchen — this recipe takes time and is totally worth every second — but I also don’t want to mess with a masterpiece 🙂
I’m glad you like it! You can make the roux a day ahead of time as you describe!
This sounds great.I would like to try it.I never made a roux before.Makes me nervous.Do you need to stand over it and stir it the whole time.I don’t want it to burn or not be right.Thanks for the recipe and advice.
The roux is pretty easy, though you do need to stick with it and stir frequently. Enjoy!
I made this recipe today, as stated, and it was wonderful. Very flavorful and a mild heat that my girl could handle. Take the time, no shortcuts, and you will be rewarded with a tremendous meal. Very happy i stumbled upon your site, will definately try more of your recipes. Cheers!
This looks utterly divine. However I have a problem with the shrimps not being kosher so I can’t get them. Is it possible to replace the shrimps with chicken breast?
I look forward to your reply.
Yes, you can make this with chicken! Enjoy!
Strange. I left a message maybe an hour ago but it doesn’t appear to be here?
Oops. Very sorry. I’ve found it.
Please forgive my hysterics b
I’ve made this twice already and it is the best Étouffée recipe I’ve tried. The second time, I added one cajun sausage link diced up because I had to use it up and it was perfection.
This was so good. My daughter and I loved it. So easy to make too. Thank you so much
I made this tonight and it got a two thumbs up from the man of the house!! I followed the recipe with two exceptions: I used a can of diced tomatoes with green chiles and added Old Bay (because Maryland here). It made enough for leftovers tomorrow night and we both can’t wait!
Made this last night & it turned out perfect. I was out of rice so I substituted grits. We loved it. Definitely will make again. Thanks Kevin for another Winner.