Cajun
Crawfish Pie
A small Cajun crawfish pie with a flaky double crust and a deeply seasoned smothered crawfish filling. The trinity, roux, crawfish fat, green onion, and parsley make it taste like a Louisiana kitchen supper.
Ingredients
- Pie dough for a double crust, chilled1 small 6-inch double crust or 2 individual pie crusts
- Louisiana crawfish tails with fat, thawed if frozen8 oz
- Unsalted butter2 tbsp
- All-purpose flour2 tbsp
- Yellow onion, finely diced1/2 cup
- Green bell pepper, finely diced1/4 cup
- Celery, finely diced1/4 cup
- Garlic, minced2 cloves
- Crawfish stock, seafood stock, or chicken stock1/2 cup
- Cajun seasoning, preferably salt-free1 tsp
- Kosher salt1/4 tsp, plus to taste
- Black pepper1/4 tsp
- Cayenne pepper1/8 tsp
- Worcestershire sauce1 tsp
- Hot sauce1 tsp
- Green onions, thinly sliced2 tbsp
- Fresh parsley, chopped2 tbsp
- Fine dry breadcrumbs2 tbsp
- Egg, beaten with 1 tsp water1
Method
- Heat the oven to 400°F and place a small baking sheet on the middle rack to preheat.
- Roll the pie dough and line a 6-inch pie plate, or two individual pie tins, leaving a little overhang; keep the top crust chilled while making the filling.
- Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat, then stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the roux is light peanut-butter brown, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook until softened and glossy, about 6 minutes, scraping the skillet so the roux does not scorch.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the stock a little at a time, stirring until the roux loosens into a thick gravy.
- Season with Cajun seasoning, salt, black pepper, cayenne, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce, then simmer for 2 minutes.
- Fold in the crawfish tails and any crawfish fat, and cook just until the crawfish are heated through, about 2 minutes; do not boil hard.
- Stir in the green onions, parsley, and breadcrumbs, then remove from the heat and let the filling cool until warm, not hot.
- Spoon the cooled crawfish filling into the bottom crust.
- Cover with the top crust, crimp the edges firmly, trim excess dough, and cut 2 small vents in the top.
- Brush the crust with the egg wash.
- Set the pie on the preheated baking sheet and bake until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling at the vents, about 25 to 30 minutes.
- Rest the pie for 10 minutes before slicing so the crawfish gravy settles.
Common questions
What can I substitute for crawfish tails if I can't find them?
Shrimp is the closest swap; use peeled, chopped shrimp and add them at the very end so they stay tender. Crab meat also works, but reduce seasoning slightly because crab is sweeter and more delicate.
How do I know when the filling is thick enough before baking?
It should look like a very thick gravy that slowly mounds on a spoon, not a loose sauce. If it’s too thin, simmer a minute or two longer before adding crawfish so the crust stays crisp.
What are the most common mistakes when making crawfish pie?
The biggest ones are overcooking the crawfish, making the filling too wet, and undercooking the roux. Also avoid salting too early if your stock or Cajun seasoning already contains salt.
Can I make crawfish pie ahead of time or freeze it?
Yes. Assemble and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking, or freeze unbaked for up to 2 months. Bake from chilled or frozen, adding time as needed until the crust is deep golden and the filling bubbles.
What should I serve with crawfish pie?
Serve it with a simple green salad, coleslaw, or buttered green beans to balance the richness. A little hot sauce on the side is traditional, and the pie is best slightly cooled so the filling sets.