What To Do With Leftover Crawfish – 30 Easy Recipes

Leftover crawfish can be used in a variety of dishes, including gumbo, jambalaya and Cajun cooking. You can also use it to make a crawfish boil for your next party.

It’s the end of a long day, and you come home after a late day at work. You decide to relax with a cold beer and some dinner. You start looking for the perfect entrée.

And you realize you’ve got leftover crawfish.

Now, you may be thinking that crawfish is just a bit too spicy to be eaten as leftovers.

But if you take the time to cook it right, then you can use the remaining crawfish in a multitude of ways.

Here, we have a list of creative leftover crawfish ideas.

See Also: 15 Tasty Sauces for Crawfish I Can’t Resist

So what are you waiting for?

Take the plunge and try one of these great leftover crawfish recipes. You won’t regret it!

30 Easy Leftover Crawfish Recipes

If you’re looking to use up leftover crawfish, you’ll want to start with the classic dish, gumbo. You can make this soup as spicy or mild as you’d like. It’s a great way to add some flavor to your leftover seafood.

1. Leftover Crawfish Gumbo

This was my first experience with a gumbo and I was immediately hooked! It’s one of those dishes where the flavors are so rich and complex and it’s a perfect meal for company.

See Also: What Vegetables Go in Gumbo? 18 Best Vegetables

This is also one of the most forgiving meals because there’s so much flexibility with the amount of protein and vegetables you add. Just keep in mind that if you don’t have all the vegetables, your gumbo will turn out a little thin.

2. Leftover Crawfish Boil

This is a super easy way to use up leftover crawfish. I love having it with rice and avocado, but you can use any kind of starch you want. In fact, I prefer adding leftover rice to my boiled crawfish to give it a more substantial feel, but you can also use bread or pasta, potatoes, or even pasta!

3. Leftover Crawfish Etouffee

This is a Louisiana-specific recipe, but the concept is great! I like this one because it’s so quick and easy, but still has all the flavors of an etouffee. You can make it even faster by using store-bought stock instead of making your own.

4. leftover crawfish boil with potatoes recipe

This is the most straightforward of the recipes, but it’s also one of the tastiest! If you don’t have leftover crawfish, I’d recommend making an extra pot of this, keeping some for later in the week and freezing the rest. It’s so versatile, you’ll be surprised how fast you’ll eat it all.

5. Louisiana Crawfish Pasta

When you have leftover shrimp and crab (or crawfish) and you want to enjoy them immediately, there are a couple of easy options. If you’re a fan of Louisiana Crawfish Pasta, you can use any combination of leftovers. I think crawfish pasta is one of the most delicious dishes I’ve ever had. It’s light, delicious, and has just the right amount of spice.

6. Crawfish Mac and Cheese

This is my favorite version of crawfish mac and cheese! The creamy cheesy sauce, crunchy croutons, and crawfish flavor are all perfect together. The key to this dish is to add the hot crawfish to the cheese sauce at the end, as they will cook off quickly if you add them in with the pasta.

7. Leftover Crawfish, Corn & Potato Soup

This is one of the most versatile recipes you can have in your repertoire because it’s so easy and quick.

See Also: What Goes with Potato Soup? 30 Best Side Dishes

All you need to do is boil your leftover crawfish, cook your potatoes, and throw in your corn. That’s it! You could easily make this recipe vegetarian by using green beans or even just omitting the crawfish.

8. Crawfish Cakes

You can add this to tacos, burritos, or simply mix it into scrambled eggs. It’s a perfect quick and easy appetizer or side dish.

9. Crawfish Bisque

Another great thing about leftover crawfish is that it can be used in a lot of different ways, and not just soups! This is another classic recipe, but it’s the kind of classic recipe that is so flexible, there are infinite variations. I love this recipe because it combines my two favorite things: Bisque and Crawfish! The combination of the rich bisque with the spicy crawfish is the perfect match.

10. Crawfish Boil Casserole

The first time I made this casserole was the day after I went crawfish fishing on Lake Pontchartrain. My friend and I were so exhausted from the day’s activity that we decided to have a simple supper. While he was frying the shrimp and I was making a simple salad, I asked if he had any crawfish left.

He had a few crawfish tails and two ears of corn on the cob. So, I took those, added a can of drained white beans, a can of coconut milk, a can of diced tomatoes with green chilies, and topped it with parmesan cheese. It was delicious! But that wasn’t all: The crawfish boil casserole I made the next day is even better!

11. Crawfish Boil Chowder

I actually have a post about this recipe coming soon (in fact, it will be published by Monday!) but this is the basic version. It’s a great option for those times when you don’t want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen making a homemade chowder, but also don’t want to settle for store-bought.

See Also: What to Serve with Clam Chowder? 25 Best Side Dishes

And if you have more than enough vegetables to make the soup and you have some leftover meat, then you’re going to love this one!

12. Cajun-Style Crawfish Stew

This is a recipe that’s perfect for those that don’t care for the Cajun flavor of crawfish boil casseroles. This version is spicy and a little sweet and it’s made with chicken broth, not water. It’s got a lot of the same flavors as a crawfish boil casserole but a lot less spice.

13. Crawfish Soup

Crawfish soup is one of my favorite meals, and I know I’m not alone in that opinion. It’s a simple recipe, but it’s a bit time-consuming. Start by getting your ingredients ready and cooking the crawfish tails and shrimp.

Then, once your shrimp and crawfish are cooked, throw them all into the pot together along with your liquid ingredients, and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. While that’s going on, you can make some roux.

A roux is basically a cooked flour and butter mixture that you can add to any type of stew or soup to thicken it. You can either make a roux by hand or you can use a food processor to do it for you. Either way will work fine, but if you don’t want to go through the extra effort, you can skip making the roux and just use 2 tablespoons of butter instead.

14. Fried Crawfish Tails

I’ve made fried shrimp, I’ve made fried catfish, I’ve even made fried squirrel. Crawfish tails are the perfect exception to that rule. They’re not nearly as fragile as most other fried foods, and they have a great flavor and texture.

See Also: 22 Sauces for Catfish We Can’t Resist

The key to this recipe is the breading process. Start by giving your crawfish tails a thorough coating in a mixture of cornmeal, flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Then, toss them in a frying pan with vegetable oil.

If you don’t have a deep fryer, you can use an oven-safe skillet for this, but I think they’re easier to handle in the frying pan. You want the oil to be about 1/4″ deep, so take some time before you begin and keep an eye on it so that it doesn’t bubble over.

15. Leftover Crawfish Boil with Grits

The best part about crawfish boil parties is how much everyone is always left with. So, of course I always have a few dishes leftover. This is my favorite. I like to use grits in this, but I’ve also tried this with polenta, cornbread, or even French bread. Just add whatever type of bread you want and top it with leftover potatoes, corn, and other veggies.

16. Air Fryer Crawfish Cakes

Crawfish cakes are one of those meals that are really easy to throw together and are perfect for impromptu company or when you want something fast. You can easily change the flavor of the cake by using your favorite spice, or even using a different kind of seafood, like shrimp or scallops (See Also: 20 Best Sauces for Scallops)! If you don’t have an air fryer, just use your oven instead!

17. Crawfish Bread

Crawfish bread is one of my favorite things to make with leftover crawfish. I love the combination of buttery crust with the lightness of the filling. It’s also very flexible so you can make it with whatever kind of bread you have on hand. If you’re short on time, you can just bake it as is and serve it warm.

Otherwise, you’ll need to pre-heat the oven and bake the bread at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes before adding the filling.

18. Crawfish Pie

Crawfish pie is a classic Louisiana dish that is so versatile that it can be made with pretty much anything you have on hand. If you’re looking for something quick, but still special, this is the one for you.

19. Crawfish Roll

I love to add a few of these rolls to a bagged lunch because they are easy to eat on the go and take up very little space in your lunchbox. Just don’t overstuff them or you won’t be able to enjoy all the flavor!

20. Crawfish Boil Frittata

If your crawfish boil wasn’t quite enough, this is the perfect way to use leftovers. It takes about 15 minutes to make and can easily feed a crowd. The best part? This is the easiest way to use up leftover veggies or cheese.

21. Crawfish Fettuccine

I know this may seem a little “old school,” but crawfish fettuccine is one of my absolute favorite meals, so this was an easy one to add to this list. My recipe calls for crawfish tails because they’re easier to find, but shrimp and lobster will work as well.

I also like to add a little bit of tomato paste to mine because it gives it that perfect little tang that crawfish is known for!

22. Crawfish Omelette Egg Cups

I love the convenience of egg cups and these are a great way to make use of leftover crawfish. You don’t need much more than a spoonful of sauce to top them and they’re really easy to make and transport, making them a great option for parties or get-togethers.

23. Leftover Crawfish Boil Salad

When it comes to leftover crawfish, I often find myself using it in salads. I love the idea of keeping this dish light and fresh, so I prefer to use it as a salad topping instead of as a main ingredient. I usually start with boiled or poached eggs to serve over the top.

24. Crawfish Cornbread Muffins

Crawfish cornbread muffins are the perfect way to use leftover crawfish. If you’ve got a hankering for something sweet and moist, these muffins are the answer. They’re delicious on their own, but they’re also great with a scoop of your favorite ice cream.

25. Seafood Potato Salad

I’m going to tell you right now that this is one of my favorite “easy” meals to make. It’s simple, quick, and delicious. The potato salad is great on its own, but the cajun spices make it an ideal side for grilled meats.

26. Crawfish Gravy

This is my go-to gravy. The flavors really pop when made with leftover crawfish and it works with any kind of meat. I like to make it with chicken, but turkey, pork, and even beef are all great options.

27. Crawfish Jambalaya

I love jambalaya. It’s a one pot meal that’s packed with flavor and can be made in under an hour! This one’s perfect for a lazy Saturday night, but can also be served on any night of the week. You can serve it with rice, or over pasta or in a sandwich. Either way, it’s easy and filling.

28. Creole Crawfish Nachos

The crawfish nachos are a bit more involved than the jambalaya, but they’re also more of a specialty dish. It’s a bit like a seafood pizza. I think the dish would work best on a “chip and dip” style board, but you could also serve it as a side dish.

29. Original Crawfish or Shrimp Monica

For a truly decadent dinner party appetizer, make this creamy original crawfish or shrimp “Monica.” The shrimp are a good size and they’re already shelled so this dish is pretty easy. If you don’t have crawfish or shrimp handy, just use your favorite medium-sized fish like cod, haddock, or halibut.

30. Authentic Louisiana Crawfish Pie

If you’re a crawfish fan, this is a no-brainer. You can never have too many Crawfish Pie recipes. When you think of crawfish pie, the first thing that comes to mind are those giant steaming pies with their jumbo crust and delicious cheesy filling. While that is one of my favorite ways to eat crawfish, I also enjoy a homemade pie version.

FAQ

How long can you eat leftover crawfish?

Crawfish is very perishable and should be consumed immediately after cooking. If you have leftovers, they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days, or frozen for up to two months.

How do you cook already cooked crawfish?

You can either boil or steam the crawfish. Boiled crawfish is very easy to prepare. Simply place them in a pot with enough water to cover the crawfish and bring it to a boil. Once the water is boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for about 10 minutes. After that, you can drain the crawfish and serve it immediately.

For steaming, you will need to place the crawfish into a steamer basket, cover the top of the basket with a lid, and place the basket over boiling water. Steaming the crawfish will take approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Once the steaming process is complete, drain the crawfish and serve it immediately.

Can you freeze leftover crawfish?

If you are making crawfish in large quantities, you can freeze them. The best way to freeze crawfish is to pick through and discard the heads and shells. Next, pack the crawfish in freezer bags and freeze them for up to 2 months.

To thaw, place frozen crawfish in the refrigerator overnight. After that, remove the crawfish from the bags and place them in a colander to drain.

Conclusion

So, what can you do with leftover crawfish?

If you have leftover crawfish, you may want to try making a crawfish boil. You can use it as an appetizer or side dish at your next party. The best thing about crawfish is that they can be used in many different ways. They can be served on top of a salad, in a soup, or even as a main course.