Crawfish Bisque

Rooted in Louisiana Cajun cooking, crawfish bisque turns tender shellfish into a rich, silky soup with gentle heat. A butter-based roux and the classic trinity of onion, pepper, and celery build its deep Southern character.

Serves 6 · 20 min prep · 40 min cook

Estimate for one serving

• 390 cal
• 24g protein
• 18g carbs
• 25g fat
• 3g fiber

Every recipe here is free to read.

Ingredients

• 6 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 large, diced yellow onion
• 1, diced green bell pepper
• 2, diced celery stalks
• 4, minced garlic cloves
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp or to taste cayenne pepper
• 5 cups seafood or crawfish stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 lb peeled crawfish tails
• 4, sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup, chopped fresh parsley
• to taste kosher salt
• to taste hot sauce
• optional, for serving cooked white rice

Instructions

1. 1Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery—the classic Cajun trinity—and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft and the onion is translucent, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. 2Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and cook, stirring constantly, 3 to 4 minutes to build a medium-blond roux that smells nutty.
3. 3Add the tomato paste, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and cayenne; cook 1 minute more so the spices bloom.
4. 4Gradually whisk in the stock until smooth. Drop in the bay leaves, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook uncovered 18 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bisque thickens and the flavors deepen.
5. 5Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the heavy cream and return to a gentle simmer. Taste and adjust salt and heat with more Cajun seasoning or hot sauce if desired.
6. 6Fold in the crawfish tails and most of the green onions and parsley. Cook just until the crawfish are heated through and plump, 3 to 4 minutes—do not overcook or they will toughen.
7. 7Ladle the bisque into bowls. Top with the remaining green onions and parsley. Serve hot, with a scoop of white rice in the center if you want the full Louisiana experience.