This Crawfish Jambalaya is easy to make and will bring a taste of Louisiana to your kitchen. It’s bold and spicy with lots of crawfish and andouille sausage.

Bowl full of Crawfish Jambalaya

 

If you’ve never eaten crawfish before, they are a little like a cross between shrimp and lobster, and they’re a little difficult to peel. Unless you grew up in the swamps of Louisiana, and then it should be second nature for you.

Since I grew up in the Carolina Piedmont, I struggle with peeling mudbugs. There’s a deeply buried southern belle in me that wants to bat my eyes at my husband and ask him to Puhleeze peel me some crawfish. But he’d probably say no and even if he did I’d have to pay for it in one way or another.

Crawfish Jambalaya

 

So I suck it up and do it myself, which means I don’t eat much.

Crwafish Jambalaya

But on this particular occasion, we had mega pounds of crawfish left over from a boil. There was no way I could trash them, so I peeled and peeled and peeled, until I literally had cuts on the sides of my thumb. I did however discover that I have an easier time pushing the tail meat out of the shell when they’re cold.

But let’s just say it’s going to be a long, long time before I peel anymore crawfish.

Note: Shrimp can easily be substituted for crawfish.

This easy to make Crawfish Jambalaya is a filling meal with plenty of spice. The Holy Trinity (onions, celery, and bell pepper) and some tomato paste really create a lot of flavor.

Bowl full of Crawfish Jambalaya

 

Try These Other Jambalaya Recipes:

Crawfish Jambalaya

5 from 4 votes

By Christin Mahrlig

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 6
This Crawfish Jambalaya is easy to make and will bring a taste of Louisiana to your kitchen. It's bold and spicy with lots of crawfish and andouille sausage.
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Ingredients

  • 4 andouille sausage links, or other smoked sausage
  • 1 ยฝ cups chopped onion
  • ยฝ cup diced celery
  • ยฝ cup diced green bell pepper
  • 2 large garlic cloves,, minced
  • 2 tablespoons butter,, divided
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil,, divided
  • 1 ยฝ cups long grain rice
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ยฝ teaspoon ground thyme
  • ยฝ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ยฝ teaspoon tabasco sauce
  • 1 ยฝ tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 pound crawfish tail meat
  • ยฝ cup chopped green onions

Instructions 

  • Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil. Add sausage and saute until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove sausage from Dutch oven and set aside.
  • Add remaining butter and oil to Dutch oven along with onion, celery, and green pepper. Saute vegetables until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add remaining ingredients, except crawfish, reserved sausage, and green onions, and stir together well.
  • Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and cover pot. Cook about 15 minutes, until rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed.
  • Add in crawfish and sausage and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes to warm the crawfish. Sprinkle green onions on top and serve with additional Tabasco sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 445kcal

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag us @spicysouthernkitchen on social media!

Bowl full of jambalaya

More Crawfish Recipes

Crawfish and Cauliflower Soup

Fried Crawfish Etouffee Ball

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13 Comments

  1. Elke says:

    Followed exactly, Will be adding to the rotation.

  2. Kevin says:

    Bold flavors. Make this dish often and it always turns out great! Thanks for the recipe!

  3. Annie says:

    Turned out wonderfully!

  4. Joseph Tolbert says:

    When do you cook the crawdads?

  5. Karen says:

    Excited to try this recipe! Iโ€™m Cajun so jambayla, gumbo, etc are some of my favorites!

  6. Ari @ Ari's Menu says:

    Okay, I have to admit, I’m a little bit afraid of the picture with those fish eyes, but the meal does look delicious! ๐Ÿ˜‰

    1. Christin Mahrlig says:

      LOL! Sorry about the scary eyes looking at you. I admit it’s kind of creepy!

  7. Irina @ wandercrush says:

    Ooh, this makes me miss the good ol’ South! I haven’t even heard the word jambalaya since I moved to London!

    1. Christin Mahrlig says:

      So jealous you live in London. One of my favorite places!

  8. amanda @ fake ginger says:

    Love this! I haven’t had crawfish since we left the south but I randomly crave it. Definitely craving it now!

  9. Looking FANCY says:

    Not a big fan of seafood though, but this looks absolutely amazing!