We are a Cajun family living in the very south of Louisiana and boy do we love our fresh seafood. A lot of the Cajun seafood recipes that are to follow have been handed down through generations of bayou-living and some are more recent additions to family recipe books.
Try my homemade Creole Seasoning if you need to jazz up your spice rack to try these recipes.
Cajun Seafood Recipes
Someone hand me the hot sauce! From a Cajun Seafood Boil to a Fried Oyster Po'Boy - and everything in-between, following is a list of THE BEST Cajun Seafood Recipes out there. (There's more, but if it made it on this list, it's one of the best).
Everyone assumes that all food that is called 'Cajun' is spicy food (as in hot), but they couldn't be more wrong.
Typically Cajun folk use a lot of seasoning which gives it such great flavor, but not necessarily heat.
A lot of the ingredients in these recipes you can find in your local grocery stores, otherwise at a local fresh fish market if you have one.
This list is a seafood lovers dream.
Crawfish Mac and Cheese
Creamy, cheesy and full of flavors of a crawfish boil, crawfish mac and cheese is our favorite go-to recipe for using up those leftover crawfish tails.
Crawfish Monica
Crawfish Monica is a dish we see a lot at Jazz Fest in New Orleans. It's a traditional street food that is always super delicious no matter where you get it.
Crawfish Stew
An authentic Cajun Crawfish Stew made with basic ingredients but full of southern flavor!
Garlicky Shrimp Alfredo Bake
A lot like what we call a Shrimp Fettucine, because of the fact we bake it for the last 10 minutes with the cheese on top it is given the "bake" title. We use gulf shrimp but any type of shrimp can be used.
Crawfish Casserole
A crawfish casserole recipe that's easy to make and full of cheese, crawfish tails, rice and southern spices.
Redfish Tacos
Tasty flour tortillas, filled with blackened redfish and a lime cilantro coleslaw makes for the tastiest redfish taco you ever ate.
Blackened Redfish
Making blackened redfish at home is easier than you think. A beautiful piece of redfish, butter, some blackening seasoning and a hot skillet is all you need.
Catfish Courtbouillon
A tasty Cajun masterpiece, a tomato based seafood stew full of catfish fillets and trinity. Catfish courtbouillon is a southern favorite.
Crawfish Sauce
A delicious creamy Crawfish Sauce that is full of Cajun spice. Perfect spooned over any seafood or baked potato.
Fried Catfish Nuggets
Although the Blue Cats that folks in Louisiana eat are traditionally found in fresh water, it is still considered a seafood and so had to make this list. Delicious, soft and flaky, fried catfish nuggets are such a treat! Just add a small bowl of your favorite dip and some lemon wedges.
Fried Crawfish Poboy
A delicious fried crawfish poboy is a treat from south Louisiana - you'll find it on the streets of New Orleans for Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest.
Crawfish Enchiladas
Delicious enchiladas stuffed with crawfish, rice, corn, beans, cheese, cajun seasoning and then topped with a yummy enchilada sauce and cheese.
Fried Oyster Po'Boy
Another classic on the streets of New Orleans. The fried oyster po'boy is traditionally po'boy bread (like a hot dog bun but bigger) dressed with all the usual salad items and topped with a delicious Remoulade Sauce.
Crawfish Etouffee
Pronounced 'ay-too-fay' this is a classic 'down the bayou' dish that is a state treasure. Delicious crawfish (normally peeled after a crawfish boil) and put together in a beautifully seasoned, buttery sauce served over rice.
Boiled Crawfish
Where would this list be without your traditional Louisiana Crawfish Boil. A classic get together food, normally this is prepared for a group of people and everyone sits down at a table lined with newspaper and just dig in right there with your fingers. So much fun. I go over the whole cooking process in this recipe.
Crawfish Au Gratin
A tasty, creamy, cheesy crawfish au gratin recipe that can be served with garlic bread, salad or even as a stuffing for something else.
Alligator Gumbo
I know I know, Alligator is not seafood. However, due to the shrimp in this dish I'm calling it seafood. This Alligator and Shrimp Gumbo is a rare delight.
Crawfish Pie
Another way to use up that leftover crawfish. Bake it in a delicious pastry lined pie. Similar to the flavors of an Etouffee, this pie is to die for.
Chargrilled Oysters
If you like oysters you probably have tried Chargrilled Oysters (or Oysters Rockefeller) - they're simply grilled on the half shell over a medium-high heat with some seasoning, hot sauce and parmesan cheese... ok there's a bit more to it - but they're a plate of perfection by the time they get to you.
Creole Shrimp and Grits
If you've had the pleasure of trying Shrimp and Grits you'll know what I mean when I say it's one of the best dishes (not just seafood) to come out of Louisiana. Delicious smoky tangy grilled shrimp in a tasty sauce over cheesy grits. It's comfort food heaven.
Crab Cakes
Crab Cakes when cooked correctly are wonderful. They're sweet, packed full of crab-meat and when added to a burger bun and dressed it's the best sandwich you'll ever eat.
Crawfish Pistolettes
The pistolette is the bread. It's stuffed with a delicious cheesy, tastefully seasoned filling full of crawfish. You have to try it to believe it.
Crawfish Baked Potato
A delicious crawfish baked potato, it's cheesy, slightly spicy and full of Cajun flavor. Topped with toasted breadcrumbs and cheese it's a great way to spice up a baked potato.
Fried Crab Claws
Typically served as an appetizer, crab claws are small but super delicious. Crab Claw Meat is the best part and if you've got some big claws, even better.
Raw Oysters
You'd think there wouldn't be much to preparing raw oysters right? Just crack them open and off you go? Surprisingly there's a lot of things to consider.... although some folks do just use black pepper.
Shrimp Boil Foil Packets
This Cajun recipe is perfect for those camping trips where you're at the camp ground but can't do a regular Cajun seafood boil. Cooked in a foil packet like this, over the medium heat of a BBQ with all the flavors of a boil, (e.g. seasonings, sweet corn, mushrooms, sausage, garlic cloves, lemon halves, red potatoes, etc) you'll have all the other campers jealous!
Crawfish Bread
Yes, there's a lot of recipes for using up those leftover crawfish tails. This is one of them. A cheesy, alfredo-like sauce on a crusty French bread, baked in the oven like a pizza. A great choice for kids.
Stuffed Crab
Stuffed crab is a classic Cajun Seafood Recipe, where shells are kept after boiling the crabs (a crab boil) and the meat scooped out. A delicious crab and breadcrumb mixture is made and it's stuffed back into the crab and baked. If you have any King Crab Legs (or snow crab legs) you could potentially use the meat from those too.
Seafood Gumbo
Last, but most definitely not least. Seafood Gumbo is a classic Louisiana dish that is actually classified a soup. It's a large stockpot packed full of crabs, shrimp and smoked sausage (and andouille sausage) with all the Cajun seasoning and extras that only the Cajuns seem to know how to do!
Crawfish Fettuccine Recipe
Deliciously creamy, cheesy and full of Cajun flavors this Crawfish Fettuccine Recipe is one of our favorite uses of leftover crawfish tails.
Cajun Crabs
Cajun Crabs are seriously the best kind of boiled crabs you can eat. The seasoning is on point and the vegetables and smoked sausage are perfection.
Crawfish Ravioli
Deliciously creamy with a hint of spice, crawfish ravioli is a tasty way to use up that leftover crawfish.
Mark Cecil says
Please stop using the word cajun to describe anything that is related to South Louisiana or New Orleans. It's clearly not well understood, and articles like this just obfuscate the term. 80 percent of what you have here is derived modern New Orleans, straight up Creole (which is DIFFERENT), or an adaptation of something vaguely Louisiana-ish. It's mixed with actual Cajun cuisine, which adds some apparent credence, but actually just further confuses things.
Melanie Cagle says
I love your use of the word Obfuscate - I had to look it up. It confused me. Lol
I agree, the terms Cajun and Creole are rather loosely used these days.