Crawfish has always been a New Orleans classic. Whether you’re a Tulane student enjoying Crawfest or a local hosting a boil, crawfish is an absolute staple in the New Orleans diet.
But let’s face it, peeling a crawfish is a LOT of work – you’re not getting a ton of meat out of that lil crustacean body. Not to mention that you will definitely have smelly fingers and stains on your clothes. If you’re lazy like me, but still want to experience one of the best foods New Orleans has to offer, check out these dishes:
Crawfish Étouffée at Bon Ton Cafe
Photo courtesy of allyoucanjetallyoucaneat.com
Crawfish étouffée is a Creole classic. To make this dish, you start with a a roux, or thick mixture of butter and flour that serves as the base. Next, you add a variety of Creole seasonings and, of course, a healthy portion of crawfish and let the mixture simmer. This rich étouffée is smothered over parsley buttered rice for a hearty and filling meal.
Crawfish Monica at Jazz Fest
Photo by Samantha Hartman
One of the defining experiences of Jazzfest is Crawfish Monica – add it to your bucket list. Similar to mac n cheese, this pasta is topped with a warm, creamy crawfish sauce. Whether you’re jamming to Stevie Wonder or Snoop Dogg (Lion?), it’s the perfect complement to the tunes you’ll be listening to all day.
Crawfish Étouffée Dog at Dat Dog
Photo by datdognola.com
Dat Dog is famous for its novelty hot dogs, and this crawfish dog puts the perfect New Orleans spin on a traditional dog. Crawfish lovers, prepare yourself for overload: a crawfish sausage, topped with crawfish étouffée, sour cream, onions, tomatoes, and creole mustard – definitely not for the faint of heart.
Crawfish & Creole Cream Cheese Gnocchi at Commander’s Palace
Photo by Gillian Bayer
Eat like New Orleans royalty. Commander’s Palace serves up chargrilled crawfish tails with Creole cream cheese gnocchi, grated parmesan, soybeans, herbs, and spicy garlic cream. 10/10 would recommend.
Crawfish Quesadillas at Warehouse Grille
Photo courtesy of warehousegrille.com
These crawfish quesadillas are stuffed with sautéed crawfish tails, pico de gallo, cheddar and pepper jack cheese, and topped with a queso crème fraiche. When you give Mexican food a Creole flare, you get the best of both worlds (cue the Hannah Montana).
Louisiana Roll at Asuka Sushi and Hibachi
Photo courtesy of asukaneworleans.com
There are lots of ways to eat sushi, and rolling up some crawfish is definitely one of them. If you’re feeling skeptical, try the Louisiana Roll. This savory roll is stuffed with tempura shrimp, snow crab, crawfish, avocado, masago, cream cheese, and topped with a special sauce. Most importantly, it’s lightly fried – could it really be a “Louisiana” roll otherwise?
Crawfish Cornbread at Superior Seafood
Photo courtesy of Superior Seafood
When crawfish joins forces with cornbread, only good things can happen. This thick slice of cornbread is smothered in crawfish étouffée, making it an all-star seafood appetizer.
Jewish Coonass at Slim Goodies Diner
Photo courtesy of see-sip-taste-hear.blogspot.com
As a Jewish girl living in New Orleans, I can tell you firsthand that this dish marries two of my favorite things: potato latkes and crawfish. These warm potato latkes are layered with eggs, spinach, and crawfish étouffée. If anyone has ever told you that crawfish can’t be enjoyed for breakfast, they’re wrong.