Crawfish Stuffed Peppers
Crawfish Stuffed Peppers filled with savory Louisiana crawfish and the Trinity, baked until golden. A simple, flavor-packed Cajun classic.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Here's What You Need
- 4 large bell peppers - for stuffing
- 4 tablespoons butter - plus some for the tops
- 2 pounds crawfish tails
- 2 cups yellow onions - finely chopped, 2 medium
- ½ cup celery - finely chopped, about 1 stalk
- ½ cup bell pepper - finely chopped, about ½ large pepper
- 4 cloves garlic - finely chopped
- 1 cup green onions - chopped, about 1 bunch
- 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs - plus ½ cup for topping
- 1 cup crawfish or chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Herb and Spice Blend
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon basil
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Here's What You Do
Prepare the ingredients
- If frozen, thaw and drain the crawfish tails. Finely chop about ⅓ of the tails and combine them with the whole tails. Mix in about 1 tablespoon of Creole seasoning and set aside.
- Finely chop the Trinity, garlic and green onions. Measure the remaining ingredients. Mix the Herb and Spice Blend in a small bowl.
- Slice 4 bell peppers in half and parboil for about 2 minutes, transfer to an ice bath for about 5 minutes, then set on a cooling rack, cut side down to drain.
Make the filling
- In a heavy-bottomed dutch oven or cast iron frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. When bubbling, add the trinity and saute until starting to brown, about 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic and about ½ of the Herb and Spice Blend and the Bay leaf and saute for a couple of minutes, until aromatic.
- Add the stock and bring to a low simmer until reduced by about ½ (about 10 minutes).
- Mix in the crawfish tails, green onions, Worcestershire sauce and the remaining Herb and Spice Blend. Stir well and let simmer for about 10 minutes until the liquid has reduced.
- Add the bread crumbs and mix well to combine all the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove the pan from the heat and cover. Let it sit about 10 minutes so the breadcrumbs absorb the liquid and create a moist, stuffing-like consistency.
Stuff and bake the peppers
- Remove the bay leaf and stuff the filling into the bell pepper halves, making sure to push the filling into all the voids.
- Sprinkle seasoned bread crumbs on top and place a small tab of butter (about ¼ tablespoon) on top of each one.
- Lightly coat the bottom of a baking dish with vegetable oil or non-stick cooking spray.
- Place the stuffed peppers in the prepared baking dish, add about ¼ inch of water in the bottom (to help keep peppers moist during baking), and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for about 30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
Notes
Refer to my article Crawfish Stuffed Peppers for step-by-step instructions with photos and more detailed FAQs and Tips.
For the best flavor, use Louisiana crawfish tails. If using frozen, thaw and drain well before cooking.
This recipe is a great way to use leftover crawfish tails from a boil.
Use green, yellow, or red Bell Peppers.
The pepper can be eaten right along with the stuffing.
Substitute shrimp or crab for the crawfish. Use other types of pepper for stuffing, such as a poblano.
If your Creole seasoning contains salt, taste the filling before adding additional salt.
Leftover stuffed peppers can be kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow stuffed peppers to come to room temperature within two hours of cooking. Store in an airtight container. Defrost, then reheat at 350°F for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Nutrition
Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 633mg | Potassium: 445mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 3499IU | Vitamin C: 124mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 2mg
