Keto Crawfish Recipes: Delicious and Low-Carb Cajun Cuisine

For those embracing a ketogenic lifestyle, enjoying the rich flavors of Cajun cuisine might seem challenging. However, with some creative ingredient substitutions, it's entirely possible to indulge in keto-friendly crawfish dishes that are both satisfying and compliant with your dietary goals. This article explores several delectable keto crawfish recipes, offering a taste of Louisiana without the carb overload.

Keto Shrimp Etouffee with Crawfish

This recipe provides a flavorful and spicy Cajun experience while remaining keto-friendly. Traditional etouffee relies on a roux (flour and fat) for thickening, but this version cleverly bypasses the carbs without sacrificing taste.

Developing Amazing Cajun Flavor Without Roux

The key to achieving a deep, rich flavor without flour lies in browning the butter before adding the vegetables. Cooking the celery, onion, and bell pepper in browned butter until they are translucent and begin to brown creates a caramelized base. This technique mimics the depth of flavor achieved with a traditional roux.

Spicing It Up

The seasoning blend is crucial for an authentic Cajun flavor. A combination of paprika, dried thyme, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper provides the backbone of the etouffee. Fresh spices are essential for the best results.

Thickening the Etouffee

Instead of flour, this recipe uses heavy cream and cream cheese to thicken the sauce. Simmering the heavy cream until reduced creates a rich and creamy base. The addition of cream cheese adds extra body and richness. Alternatively, a small amount of xanthan gum can be used for thickening, but it should be used sparingly.

Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers

Ingredients

• 1 pound raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 pound crawfish tails, thawed
• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced bell pepper
• ¾ cup diced onion
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp. pepper
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 cup shrimp or chicken stock
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup sliced green onions
• Garnish: Chopped Parsley
• Steamed Cauliflower Rice

Instructions

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 minutes or until lightly browned.
2. Add the diced celery, onion, and pepper to the butter and cook until the onion is translucent and the veggies start to brown, about 5-7 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, oregano, thyme, peppers, and salt and set aside.
4. Add the chopped garlic to the veggies and cook another minute.
5. Add the spice mixture into the veggies and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
6. Add the stock to the veggie and spice mixture and stir well to combine.
7. Simmer uncovered for 6-8 minutes.
8. Add the cream to the pan and continue to simmer for another 5-7 minutes or until the mixture has thickened and will coat the back of a spoon.
9. Once the sauce has thickened, add the crawfish and shrimp to the pan.
10. Cook 2-3 minutes until the shrimp is cooked through.
11. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream cheese until fully melted and incorporated.
12. Sprinkle the green onions over the top of the shrimp and crawfish and garnish with chopped parsley if desired.
13. Serve over steamed cauliflower rice.

Nutritional Information (Approximate)

• Calories: 427kcal
• Carbohydrates: 8g
• Protein: 24g
• Fat: 32g
• Sodium: 1318mg
• Potassium: 447mg
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 4g
• Calcium: 252mg
• Iron: 4mg

Keto Air Fryer Fried Crawfish

This recipe offers a low-carb alternative to traditional fried crawfish, using almond flour as a breading.

Ingredients

• 1 lb crawfish tails
• 1 tbsp egg whites
• 2 tsp Tony Chachere’s lite
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• Garlic powder (to taste)
• Grated parmesan cheese (to taste)
• Non-stick cooking spray

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, pour egg whites.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine almond flour, Tony Chachere’s lite, garlic powder, and grated parmesan cheese.
3. Using tongs, dip crawfish in egg white, then flour mixture.
4. Line Air Fryer basket with breaded crawfish.
5. Spray basket (containing breaded crawfish) with non-stick cooking spray.
6. Close basket.
7. Set temperature at 330 degrees.
8. Cook 4 minutes.
9. At end of 4 minutes, check level of doneness.

Nutritional Information (Approximate)

• Calories: 170
• Total fat: 8g

Keto Crawfish Pie

This recipe utilizes fathead dough as a base for a savory crawfish pie.

Ingredients

• Fathead dough (for the crust)
• 1 Tbsp butter
• Trinity (onion, celery, bell pepper), sauteed
• Garlic (to taste)
• Crawfish tails
• Pork rind crumbs
• Heavy whipping cream
• Egg
• Seasoning (Tony Chachere’s or your preferred Cajun blend)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Prepare fathead dough.
3. Spray pie dish with cooking spray.
4. Pat dough flat into bottom of pie dish.
5. Bake for 15 minutes.
6. While pie “crust” is baking, saute Trinity in 1 Tbsp of butter.
7. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
8. Combine cooked Trinity/garlic, crawfish tails, butter, pork rind crumbs, heavy whipping cream, and egg in a mixing bowl. Add seasoning as desired.
9. Place crawfish pie filling atop fathead dough crust.
10. Bake until golden brown and set.

Low Carb Crawfish Etouffee

This section focuses on a low-carb crawfish etouffee recipe, emphasizing its suitability for both low-carb and diabetic diets.

Key Points

• Crawfish is naturally low in carbohydrates, making it ideal for keto and low-carb diets.
• This recipe avoids traditional high-carb thickeners like flour.

Keto Crawfish Spinach Dip

This recipe combines the creamy richness of spinach dip with the savory flavor of crawfish.

Low Carb Crawfish Remoulade

This recipe features a remoulade sauce served with crawfish and fresh vegetables.

Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide

Cajun Crawfish Étouffée (Gluten Free, Paleo, Whole30, and Low Carb)

This recipe makes a classic dish suitable for various dietary restrictions.

Ingredients

• Butter
• Arrowroot powder (for the roux)
• Holy Trinity (onions, celery, bell pepper)
• Garlic
• Green onions
• Chicken or crawfish stock
• Creole seasoning
• Bay leaves
• Sea salt
• Crawfish tails
• Parsley
• Lemon juice

Instructions

1. Soak crawfish tails in chicken stock.
2. Make the roux with butter and arrowroot powder.
3. Cook the Holy Trinity in the roux.
4. Add garlic and green onions.
5. Add stock and seasonings.
6. Simmer covered for 20 minutes.
7. Add crawfish tails and simmer for 5 minutes.
8. Stir in parsley and lemon juice.
9. Season to taste.
10. Serve over cauliflower rice.

Kit's Salt-Free Creole Seasoning

This recipe provides a salt-free Creole seasoning blend.

Ingredients

• Paprika
• Dried thyme
• Oregano
• Cayenne pepper
• Black pepper
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.

The Benefits of Crawfish on a Low-Carb Diet

Crawfish is an excellent choice for individuals following a low-carb or ketogenic diet. A 3-ounce serving of cooked crawfish contains 0 grams of carbohydrates or sugar, 15 grams of protein, and very little fat. This makes it a nutritious and satisfying option for those limiting their carbohydrate intake.

Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto

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