It doesn't get any simpler than this. All you need is five ingredients, pasta, and 30 minutes. That's all it takes to make super delicious Sweet Daddy D's Crawfish Fettuccini Alfredo. Start with a simple cheesy Alfredo sauce, add Louisiana Crawfish tails and South Louisiana seasonings, then toss it with some fettuccini. Done!
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What Makes This Recipe Special?
Many Alfredo recipes use butter and Parmesan cheese instead of the heavy cream and Romano cheese used in this recipe. Sweet Daddy D’s Crawfish Fettuccini Alfredo's use of heavy cream makes it almost foolproof when making the sauce creamy. Romano cheese is sharper and saltier than Parmesan, and when combined with heavy cream, balances well with the sweetness of Louisiana Crawfish Tails and the savory Creole Seasoning.
Tips for a Perfect Crawfish Fettuccini Alfredo
- Cook the pasta to al dente. Overcooked pasta is a buzz-kill.
- Don't rinse the cooked pasta, but do save some of the cooking water.
- Mixing in a little cooking water will make the sauce a little creamier and easier to adhere to the pasta.
- Don't overcook the crawfish tails. They are already cooked and only need to be warmed through.
- Add the pasta to the sauce a little at a time. Stop when the consistency is what you want and the pasta is completely coated in sauce. If you add too much pasta, there may not be enough sauce to make the dish creamy.
- Serve immediately after mixing.
Here’s What You Need
Here are the main ingredients. The exact quantities are listed on the printable Recipe Card below.
Ingredient Notes
- Crawfish: Use only Louisiana crawfish, avoid imported crawfish. Frozen tails are available at the grocery or seafood markets. Leftover tails from a crawfish boil work well in this recipe and will add the flavor dimensions of the boiling spices. Check out the Hints and Tips (FAQs) section below for where to find Crawfish Tails online.
- Cheese: It's common to see Parmesan cheese in Alfredo sauce recipes. I use Romano cheese because the sharpness and saltiness are perfect with the crawfish. You can use Parmesan or Romano or a blend of both! It's best to grate the cheese just before using, but pre-grated cheese can be used and is a time-saver.
- Pasta: Traditionally, Fettuccini is used in this dish. The pasta should be cooked to al dente according to the directions on the package.
- Salt: I developed this recipe using Le Bon Papa Creole Seasoning, a no-salt all-purpose Creole or Cajun seasoning. If you use a Creole seasoning containing salt, you should taste the sauce before adding more salt. Other sources of salt in this recipe are the heavy cream, the Romano (or Parmesan) cheeses, and the pasta via the pasta cooking water.
Check out the Hints and Tips (FAQs) section below for a word on substitutes.
Equipment
This post is not sponsored, but you will find affiliate links on this page. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. The price you pay as a consumer does not change, but I may make a small commission based on your purchase.
Crawfish Fettuccini Alfredo does not require any special equipment. It would be helpful to have a Stockpot to cook the pasta and a 12” saute pan/skillet to make the entire dish. Other than that, all you'll need is the usual prep tools.
Hints and Tips (FAQs)
Shrimp are a great substitute for crawfish tails. The only change to the recipe would be to saute the shrimp (seasoned with creole seasoning) in butter for about 1 minute on each side in the same pan in which you will make the sauce. Remove the sauteed shrimp, then add them back as you would the crawfish tails. The shrimp will finish cooking in the Alfredo sauce.
Leftovers can be kept in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3 to 5 days. Reheat in a saucepan on the stove until warmed through. You may need to add a touch of milk or water to re-emulsify the sauce. Cream sauces usually do not freeze very well, so I do not recommend freezing leftovers.
It’s common to use grated parmesan cheese in Alfredo sauce and can easily be substituted for the Romano cheese, or a combination of both. Also, you can substitute Half & Half for the heavy cream if that is what you have. You can also add a tablespoon of butter to the heavy cream if you would like.
Nope, use whatever pasta you like, but I recommend a broad pasta that will easily grab the sauce.
I recommend only Louisiana Crawfish Tails. You can use leftover tails from a boil for the added flavor dimension of the crawfish boil seasoning. I usually use frozen Louisiana Crawfish Tail which can be purchased at many grocery stores and seafood markets in one-pound frozen packs or online at CajunGrocer.com (no affiliation) or on Amazon (of which I am an affiliate). Read the label carefully to make sure they are Louisiana crawfish. If all you can find is imported tails, rinse them in cold water, pat dry, and sprinkle them with Le Bon Papa's Creole Seasoning.
Here’s What You Do
First…you have a beer. Make this simple recipe simpler by preparing yourself and all the ingredients before you start. Sit down with a beer and read the recipe all the way through. Make sure you have all the ingredients and equipment you need, and know what to do with each. Do your mise en place and then all you have to do is assemble the recipe, and sip some more beer!
Mise en Place
Lagniappe Tip: If using frozen Louisiana Crawfish Tails, defrost them in their cryo-pack in cold water, replacing the water every 30 minutes to maintain a temperature of less than 40 degrees Fahrenheit. When defrosted, place the tails in a colander to drain any water accumulated by defrosting the ice crystals. Do not rinse Louisiana Crawfish Tails.
Again, can you say “simple”?
- Sprinkle some Creole seasoning on the crawfish tails and set them aside.
- Chop the parsley.
- Grate the cheese (if necessary).
- Measure the heavy cream, Romano (or Parmesan) cheese, and Creole seasoning.
- Boil your salted water to cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente. (You'll cook the pasta while making the sauce so it's all ready at about the same time).
Start with the Alfredo Sauce
What happens in this step: A creamy, cheesy Alfredo Sauce is the key to this recipe. That's where we start.
- Place a 12” saute pan (or similar) over medium-high heat and add the heavy cream. Just as the cream starts to boil, lower the heat to simmer the cream until it starts to thicken. This will take about 10 minutes.
- Add the Romano cheese a little at a time and whisk constantly until the cheese has dissolved into the cream. This will take about another 5 minutes.
Lagniappe Tip: Resist the temptation to boil the cream. Once it reaches a simmer, lower the heat to maintain that simmer.
While you work on Steps 1 and 2 above, it's a good time to cook the pasta to al dente. The goal is to have the pasta cooked just after the sauce is ready so you can go right from the cooking water to the sauce.
Add Crawfish Tails, Seasoning, and Pasta
What happens in this step? Now that we have a cheesy Alfredo sauce, let's bring it home to South Louisiana with seasoning, crawfish tails, and pasta.
- Add the Creole Seasoning, kosher salt, white pepper, and the crawfish tail to the simmering Alfredo sauce. Stir well to distribute the tails and seasoning evenly in the sauce and continue to simmer until the tails are heated all the way through. This will only take about 5 minutes.
- When the sauce and pasta are ready, use a pasta server to add the pasta to the sauce. Let the pasta drain before adding it to the sauce. Mix the pasta and sauce before adding additional pasta.
Lagniappe Tip: The crawfish tails will be precooked, so all we have to do is warm them through.
Lagniappe Tips-adding the pasta:
- Reserve about ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Do not rinse the pasta.
- Add the pasta to the sauce until it's as creamy as you want it. You may not use all of the pasta.
- After blending the pasta with the sauce, you may need to add up to ¼ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water to help emulsify the sauce and coat the pasta better.
- Holding the pasta over the stockpot with a spaghetti server drains the excess cooking water. By placing the pasta right into the sauce, you shouldn't have to add any additional pasta water.
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Serving Suggestions
This Crawfish Fettuccini Alfredo is ready to serve immediately. Plate, then top with parsley and more Romano cheese. For a simple presentation, serve with steamed broccoli or green beans, and a Sensation Salad with garlic bread.
Crawfish Fettuccini Alfredo is rich enough to pair well with many other great dishes for a spectacular and memorable meal. Here are some ideas!
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Publisher Note: This article is a revision of the original article published in May 2022. I have updated the step-by-step instructions, Hints and Tips, and images.
Recipe
Crawfish Fettuccini Alfredo
Here's What You Need
- 12 ounces dry fettuccine noodles
- 1 pound crawfish tails
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup romano cheese plus some for topping
- 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning plus some for the crawfish tails
- 1 tablespoon Parsley
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
Here's What You Do
- Sprinkle crawfish tails with creole seasoning and set aside
- Cook pasta according to the directions for al dente
- Place a 12" skillet over medium heat.
- Add the heavy cream and heat until starting to simmer. Maintain a simmer until the cream begond to thicken, about 10 minutes.
- Whisk in the Romano cheese until it dissolves into the cream, about 10 minutes.
- Add the crawfish tails, creole seasoning, white pepper, and kosher salt. Mix well and heat for about 5 minutes.
- Add the pasta and mix well. (If you have drained the pasta, add about ¼ cup of pasta cooking water, if needed.) See Notes
- Serve immediately. topped with parsley and more Romano cheese.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Estimate
It's Me!
Louisiana is a wonderful place where the rich cultural heritage enriches and entertains. I'm Dave Howson, aka Sweet Daddy D. I'm glad you found my website and I look forward to exploring the cultural mosaic of Louisiana with you…
read the "It's Me" page to find out more about me and this website…
Jacob A.
Greetings from Avoyelles Parish! My family loves this recipe. Doesn't get much more simple than this. I use this sauce to top pasta, fried catfish and fried eggplant. Great recipe!
Sweet Daddy D
Wonderful, Jacob. I'm so glad you tried my recipe and have so many great ways to enjoy it. Many great places and people from Avoyelles! Thanks for taking the time to let me know.