Skip to main content

Cajun Crawfish Pasta Recipe

Spice it up with this Cajun-inspired pasta recipe featuring freshwater crawfish

Cajun Crawfish Pasta Recipe

Fried sausage, sundried tomatoes and tricolor pasta lend color and zip. Don't like "mud bugs?" Try shrimp or spiny lobster! 

Print Recipe

In Cajun country, Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, is a celebration to mark the end of holiday high-living and the beginning of Lent and 40 days of fasting before Easter. This year, Mardi Gras falls on February 21 and there’s no better way to celebrate than with a meal of pasta, laden with Cajun delights like Andouille sausage, crawfish tails and sun-dried tomatoes.


Where you live may impact the availability of crawfish. In Louisiana, crawfish season begins in late February and live “bugs” can be found as far east as the Florida Panhandle. However, don’t despair and don’t worry about shucking your own crawfish. Frozen crawfish tails can be found at any time of year, almost statewide, at specialty seafood shops or at major supermarkets. Publix is a good source for frozen crawfish, as well as Savoie’s Andouille sausage from Opelousas, Louisiana. Sun-dried tomatoes come in many versions, but avoid the ones packed in oil, as they will discolor the dish. Pasta choice is up to you, but tricolor spaghetti, colored with tomato and spinach, will make for a festive presentation. I found mine at Trader Joe’s, but it’s also available online.

Mardi Gras Cajun Crawfish Pasta Recipe

Prep and Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Serves 4 

Ingredients

Cajun Crawfish Pasta Recipe
There’s no better way to celebrate Mardi Gras than with a meal of pasta, laden with Cajun delights like Andouille sausage, crawfish tails and sun-dried tomatoes.
  • 1 pound tricolor spaghetti
  • 1⁄3 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound crawfish tails
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1⁄3 pound Andouille sausage
  • ½ cup sundried tomatoes, julienned
  • 2 or 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Tony Chachere’s Seasoning


Directions

Cajun Crawfish Pasta Recipe
Where you live may impact the availability of fresh crawfish. Frozen crawfish tails can be found at any time of year, almost statewide, at specialty seafood shops or at major supermarkets.

Slice the sausage into very thin rounds, chop the garlic, and julienne (thinly slice) the tomatoes. In a frying pan, with two tablespoons of the olive oil, lightly fry the garlic and sausage, taking care not to burn the garlic. Reserve the garlic and sausage, and in the same pan, sauté the crawfish tails and tomatoes in the butter. Finally, combine garlic, sausage, crawfish and tomatoes. Cover and keep warm over low heat.




In a pot with 4 quarts of boiling salted water, cook the spaghetti for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until “al dente.” Drain and return to the pot, add the remaining olive oil, crawfish, sausage, garlic and tomatoes. Stir all together, adding salt and pepper to taste. Cook, covered, over very low heat for a few minutes to finish pasta.

Transfer to a serving dish, plate up individual portions, dust with some Tony’s seasoning—and enjoy! FS

Published Florida Sportsman Magazine February 2022

Recommended


GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

The fiberglass masters at Wildfire Marine demonstrate how to properly repair damaged gelcoat from start to finish. Repai...
Videos

The Most Underrated Fishing Kayak Build: Hobie Mirage Revolution 13

The fiberglass masters at Wildfire Marine demonstrate how to properly repair damaged gelcoat from start to finish. Repai...
Gear

How to Transport Kayaks, the Easy Way: Yakima EasyRider Trailer Review

The fiberglass masters at Wildfire Marine demonstrate how to properly repair damaged gelcoat from start to finish. Repai...
Gear

Are Inflatable Kayaks Any Good? NRS Pike Walkthrough and Features

The fiberglass masters at Wildfire Marine demonstrate how to properly repair damaged gelcoat from start to finish. Repai...
Gear

Slayer Propel Max 12.5 Walkthrough: Innovative Design at its Finest

The fiberglass masters at Wildfire Marine demonstrate how to properly repair damaged gelcoat from start to finish. Repai...
Gear

Jackson Coosa FD Walkthrough: Feature Rich, Big-Boy Approved Pedal Kayak

The fiberglass masters at Wildfire Marine demonstrate how to properly repair damaged gelcoat from start to finish. Repai...
Gear

Best Lightweight Kayak On The Market? Hobie Lynx Review & Features

The fiberglass masters at Wildfire Marine demonstrate how to properly repair damaged gelcoat from start to finish. Repai...
Gear

11 New Kayak Accessories for the Ultimate Kayak Fishing Rig

The fiberglass masters at Wildfire Marine demonstrate how to properly repair damaged gelcoat from start to finish. Repai...
Gear

How to Repair Damaged Gelcoat the Right Way

Florida Sportsman Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

Preview This Month's Issue

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Buy Single Digital Issue on the Florida Sportsman App

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All Florida Sportsman subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now