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Shrimp Étouffée Recipe: 3 Tips for Making Étouffée

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Nov 24, 2024 • 4 min read

Rustic, rural crawfish étouffée arrived in NOLA’s finest dining rooms in the 1980s, but it was a local comfort food favorite long before. By marrying the heat of Cajun seasoning with the fragrant herbs of Creole seasoning, étouffée is the ultimate vehicle for the best of Southern seafood.

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What Is Étouffée?

Étouffée (from the French word for “smothered”) is a Cajun and Creole dish consisting of seafood—traditionally shellfish—or chicken poached in a light gravy made from seafood stock, garlic, celery, onions, and bell peppers, served with rice.

What Are the Differences Between Étouffée, Gumbo, and Jambalaya?

In New Orleans, étouffée, gumbo, and jambalaya are all quintessential dishes with many local variations. While they have similar characteristics and flavors, all three are underpinned by the aromatic “holy trinity” of onion, bell pepper, and celery. Here are a few underlying differences:

  • Étouffée is closer to gravy than stew. While often categorized as a stew, étouffée is closer to a light, aromatic gravy built from a roux, the holy trinity, and shellfish stock. Étouffée traditionally features crawfish or shrimp simmered in the sauce, served with rice.
  • Gumbo features a variety of meat. Gumbo is a thick, flavorful stew from southern Louisiana. There are many different gumbo styles, from gumbo z'herbes to sausage gumbo, seafood gumbo, and chicken gumbo, but almost all of them feature okra. (The Bantu word for okra, ki ngombo, or gombo for short, is one of two possible origins of the Creole word “gumbo;” kombo, the Choctaw word for sassafras, another classic gumbo ingredient, is a second possibility.
  • Jambalaya incorporates rice. Jambalaya is a rice-based dish from southern Louisiana, featuring spicy sausages and shrimp. Like paella, a Spanish dish, rice is a component of jambalaya, rather than an accompaniment.

3 Tips for Making Étouffée

Étouffée builds on a few simple ingredients, but getting them to harmonize just right is all about finesse.

  1. 1. Experiment with the roux. The browning of the roux will determine much of the flavor of the finished étouffée. Browning roux is achieved by cooking the mixture of equal parts flour and fat (usually butter) past the initial “blond” phase, just as you might when browning butter. A medium-dark roux the color of peanut butter or a chocolate-colored roux will result in a deeper range of nutty flavor with a hint of bitterness. For a blond roux, cook for 3 to 5 minutes; for a brown roux, 6 to 7 minutes; for a rich, dark roux, continue to cook for a total cooking time of anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes.
  2. 2. Buy fresh shellfish. Plump shrimp or flavor-packed crawfish tails are the highlights of any étouffée. While it’s okay to use frozen, deveined shrimp, fresh seafood provides the best flavor and taste. If you can, buy whole, head-on shrimp; The juice found in the head and shells are a crucial part of the stock you’ll use to build the sauce.
  3. 3. Make your own stock. While you can use vegetable or chicken stock in a pinch, a true étouffée gets its depth of flavor from the stock. Save the shells as you prepare the shellfish to make your own seafood stock from scratch.

Shrimp Étouffée Recipe

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18 Ratings | Rate Now

makes

prep time

0 hr 30 min

total time

2 hr 45 min

cook time

2 hr 15 min

Ingredients

For the stock:
2–3 pounds head-on (or shell-on) shrimp
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large shallot, peeled and halved lengthwise
1 garlic clove, halved crosswise
2 celery ribs, halved
2 bay leaves
5 fresh parsley sprigs
5 fresh thyme sprigs
2 teaspoons black peppercorns

For the sauce:
½ cup (1 stick) butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup of chopped white onion
1 cup of diced green bell pepper
1 cup of diced celery
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups shrimp stock
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
2 dashes hot sauce, optional

For the étouffée:
½ bunch green onions, thinly sliced
Cooked white rice, for serving

  1. 1

    Clean and devein the shrimp, then set aside the shells and tails in a separate bowl. Toss the shrimp in a medium bowl with a pinch of salt, and place in the refrigerator while you work.

  2. 2

    To make the stock, heat the vegetable oil in a medium stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Place any heads, shells, and tails into the pot, and saute until lightly browned, 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, then sauté a few minutes more, until aromatic. Add the celery, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, and peppercorns, then fill with 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until flavors have melded and the stock has reduced by about half; about 1 hour. Strain well and set aside.

  3. 3

    To make the roux, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour, continually whisking to incorporate until browned, about 5 minutes (longer if making a dark roux).

  4. 4

    Lower the heat, and add the diced onion, green bell pepper, celery, and sauté, frequently stirring, until the ingredients begin to soften, about 10–15 minutes. Add the garlic, and continue to cook until fragrant, 1 minute more.

  5. 5

    Add the stock, cayenne, white pepper, paprika, thyme, salt, Worcestershire, and hot sauce, if using. Stir well to incorporate the roux and vegetables. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30–40 minutes, until sauce reaches the consistency of your preference. (If it’s too thick, add a ¼ cup of water as needed. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.)

  6. 6

    Remove the shrimp from the refrigerator. Stir in shrimp, and poach until they turn pink, just a few minutes. They should be firm with a slight give.

  7. 7

    Ladle the étouffée onto a deep plate or bowl and top with a ½ cup of rice. Garnish with sliced scallions.