Savory crawfish pie filled with tender crawfish tails, vegetables and seasonings, baked in a flaky crust until golden brown.
I was in college before I attended my first crawfish boil. A steaming plate of tiny boiled crustaceans was set before me and everyone around me was digging in. I had no idea what to do. The man I was dating showed me how to pinch the tail to pull it off the head and expose the meat. He also told me to suck the juices from the head before eating the tail meat. That idea sounded awful to me at the time.
Thankfully he didn’t write me off. Since then I’ve discovered that crawfish meat is delicious. I love it in gumbo or fettuccine, and this recipe makes a comforting crawfish pot pie that highlights the sweet, briny meat in a creamy filling under a flaky crust.
Where to Buy Crawfish
If you live near Louisiana or other Gulf Coast areas, fresh crawfish are plentiful from January through June. Many grocery stores also carry frozen crawfish tails year-round in the frozen seafood section. If crawfish aren’t available locally, reputable online retailers sell frozen tails (search for specialty seafood vendors in your region).
Make the Filling
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter. Add one medium diced bell pepper, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 cup chopped onion and ½ cup chopped green onion. Sauté until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
Whisk in ¼ cup all-purpose flour gradually to avoid lumps—add a tablespoon at a time and whisk thoroughly. Cook the mixture for about 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste, stirring so it doesn’t stick.
Slowly add 3 cups seafood stock or chicken stock while stirring to prevent lumps. I prefer homemade shrimp stock for a more concentrated seafood flavor, but either works. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
Stir in 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 pound cooked crawfish tail meat, and ½ teaspoon hot sauce (add more to taste). Season with salt and pepper to your preference. Adjust spice and seasoning until the filling has balanced flavor and the crawfish is well coated.
Assemble the Pie
You can assemble this pie in a standard 9-inch pie plate, in individual ramekins, or in 5-inch mini pie dishes. Use store-bought refrigerated pie crusts or a homemade crust.
9-inch pie plate
For a 9-inch pie you’ll need two crusts. Fit one crust into the bottom of the plate, leaving about ¼-inch overhang. Trim any excess. Pour the crawfish filling into the shell, leaving ¼-inch of space at the top so the filling doesn’t bubble over. Cover with the second crust, trim to match and crimp the edges to seal.
Ramekins
For ramekins (the photos show 3.5-inch ramekins), you may only need a single crust cut to fit as a top. Lay the crust on a cutting board, invert a clean ramekin and trace its perimeter, leaving an 1/8-inch edge for sealing. Cut enough tops for each ramekin. Spoon the filling into the ramekins, leaving space between the filling and the rim. Top each with a crust and press to seal.
Mini Pie Dishes
For 5-inch mini pie dishes you’ll typically need three crusts so each mini has a bottom and top. Place a clean mini dish face down on the crust and trace, leaving about ½-inch for bottom crust overhang. For the top crusts, leave about ¼-inch. Press the bottom crusts into the dishes, fill with the crawfish mixture leaving ¼-inch from the rim, then seal with the top crusts.
Bake the Pie
Cut three or four slits in the top crust to vent steam. Lightly brush the crust with milk or a beaten egg (egg wash creates a shiny, golden finish). Place pies on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake for 35–40 minutes until the crust is flaky and golden. Let the pie rest for 10 minutes before serving so the filling sets.
How to Reheat Crawfish Pie
Store leftover crawfish pie covered in the refrigerator within two hours of baking and eat within two days; crab and crawfish meats can develop off flavors if stored too long. To reheat, preheat the oven to 350°F and bake until warmed through, about 10 minutes.
Freezing Instructions
If you use previously frozen crawfish tails that were thawed, avoid refreezing the meat because repeated freezing and thawing can make the texture rubbery. If you start with freshly cooked meat, you can freeze assembled unbaked pies once without noticeable issues. Freeze them on a flat surface until solid, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil. For best quality, use within three months.
You can bake pies from frozen: preheat the oven to 350°F and bake for 50–60 minutes until the crust is golden and the filling is heated through.
Related Recipes:
- Hot Baked Crawfish Dip
- Shrimp and Crawfish Étouffée
- Crawfish Bisque
- Crawfish Fettuccine Alfredo
- Crawfish Beignets with Cajun Dipping Sauce
Crawfish Pie
Ingredients
- ½ stick unsalted butter
- 1 medium bell pepper, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped green onion
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups seafood or chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce, plus more to taste
- 1 pound cooked crawfish tail meat
- 2–3 pie crusts, thawed
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons water
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add bell pepper, garlic, onion and green onion; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Gradually add the flour, whisking to prevent lumps. Cook 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
- Add the stock, whisking to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
- Add oregano, hot sauce and crawfish meat. Season with salt and pepper.
- Fit one pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate and trim the edges.
- Spoon the crawfish mixture into the pie shell, cover with the second crust, trim and crimp edges. Cut slits in the top to vent steam.
- Alternatively, spoon the mixture into individual ramekins and top with cut crusts, sealing the edges. Cut slits in each top.
- Combine the egg and water and gently brush the tops with the egg wash.
- Place pies on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake 35–40 minutes until crusts are golden. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Reheating: Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and eat within two days. Reheat at 350°F until warmed through, about 10 minutes.