Crawfish Bread Recipe
Follow this recipe for cheesy, warm crawfish bread. We've even included a video showing you how to make it.
Crawfish bread has been a Louisiana specialty for decades. Created by Marksville baker John Ed Laborde, it became an instant classic at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival back in 1987.
If you haven’t made it to Jazz Fest to try it for yourself yet, just imagine gooey melted cheese and perfectly seasoned crawfish baked into warm French bread. Or use this recipe to make it at home!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 cup chopped green onions (tops and bottoms)
- ½ cup finely chopped celery
- ¼ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
- ¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- 4 cloves finely chopped garlic
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1 pound peeled Louisiana crawfish tails, with fat
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cut into small squares
- Cajun seasoning, to taste
- 1 (11-ounce) roll refrigerated French-bread dough
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, sauté chopped vegetables in olive oil and butter until wilted, about 5 minutes.
- Add crawfish tails and wine. Stir ingredients well.
- Add cream cheese and stir until melted.
- Add Cajun seasoning and cook until mixture thickens, just a few minutes. Remove from heat, cool and let flavors blend.
- Carefully roll out French-bread dough on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with half of the shredded cheese.
- Spoon crawfish mixture onto center of dough. Sprinkle on remaining shredded cheese, reserving 1 tablespoon.
- Fold dough over mixture and tuck ends under to make a loaf. Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of cheese on top.
- Cut five or six small slits in dough across the top of the loaf.
- Bake about 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until bread is golden-brown.
- Remove from the oven. Allow bread to set for a few minutes. Slice into serving-size pieces.
Serves 5-6.
Video Tutorial
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen crawfish tails?
Yes! Frozen Louisiana crawfish tails are commonly used and work well in crawfish bread. Thaw them completely and drain excess liquid before cooking to avoid watering down the sauce, and be sure to include the fat — that's where much of the flavor comes from.
What kind of dough should I use?
New Orleans-style French-bread dough is preferable. It should be sturdy enough to hold the filling in without getting soggy.
What kind of cheese works best?
Popular choices include mozzarella for its mildness, Monterey Jack or cheddar (if you like a sharper flavor). A blend of cheeses also works great.
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