Food and Recipes Seafood Crawfish 10 Crawfish Recipes To Make The Most Of Mudbug Season By Marissa Wu Marissa Wu Marissa Wu is a writer with a love for home, food, travel, and art stories. She holds a journalism degree from Boston University. When not editing and producing articles or updating the homepage, she's trying new recipes, jolting along in her manual transmission car, Fitz; hammering out a manuscript on her 1930s Royal Aristocrat typewriter, Georgie; and making film photographs with her Rolleiflex, Cecil. She's currently an Associate SEO Editor for PureWow. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on February 21, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Does anything say springtime more than a crawfish boil? We think not. While mudbug season runs from November to July, we all know that spring and early summer is the best time for gathering with our family and friends around a newspaper-topped picnic table for a few pounds of crawfish fun. Crawfish boils are a quintessential way to enjoy the crustacean, but we've also rounded up a few other crawfish recipes that are sure to delight a hungry crowd—and are a little less messy. Crawfish cakes and rolls double as appetizers and main dishes, while Crawfish Etouffée is exactly what we want on a rainy night. Plus, we have variations on the boil, from the Texas twist to Viet-Cajun with oranges and lemongrass. What are you waiting for? Run out and buy some (or, should we say, a lot of) crawfish—alive, of course—invite the neighbors, and fire up the stockpot. We'll be right over. 01 of 10 Crawfish Fried Rice Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn Prop Stylist: Christine Keely This one-skillet dinner that's ready in just 20 minutes takes a fan-favorite dish and adds a crawfish twist. Best of all, this is one of the few recipes where leftover ingredients enhance the dish. Using leftover rice gives you a crispier finished product. 02 of 10 Crawfish Boil Southern Living Nothing says springtime quite like a crawfish boil. Load up on pounds of these mudbugs and invite all your friends for some finger-licking fun. Do not, we repeat, do not skimp on seasoning. 03 of 10 Crawfish Rolls Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely These mini sandwiches are a quick-fix that will satisfy your po'boy or lobster roll cravings. With a smoky, creamy dressing and crunch from celery, these rolls are the ideal appetizer for spring gatherings or make a delicious dinner on their own. 04 of 10 Crawfish Étouffée Southern Living You'll need a big pot of rice for this creamy crawfish dish. Succulent crawfish are seasoned with onions, celery, bell peppers, and hot sauce; heavy cream ties it all together in a decadent gravy. 05 of 10 Dao Family Crawfish Boil Cedric Angeles If you love a good crawfish cookout, you'll want to try the Dao Family Crawfish Boil recipe. After boiling the crawfish in your preferred seasoning, you'll dump them in an ice chest with the Dao Family Crawfish Sauce (the orange peels are the zingy twist you didn't know you needed), let them sit, and then dig in. 06 of 10 Crawfish Dip We guarantee you need this dip at your next party. Cream cheese, heavy cream, and extra-sharp cheddar ensure that this is the dreamiest dip of them all, and we don't skimp on the seasoning, either. Cayenne, Creole mustard, and hot sauce all find their way into the mix. Serve with a crusty baguette. 07 of 10 Crawfish Cakes Southern Living Succulent crawfish, crispy breadcrumbs, and plenty of flavoring (read: Cajun seasoning, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce) make these crawfish cakes a delectable appetizer. You could even repurpose them as a main dish in the form of sliders. 08 of 10 Viet-Cajun Crawfish Boil Cedric Angeles It's the crawfish seasoning you know and love with the addition of fish sauce, lemongrass, and cilantro. Get the pot going; we're on our way. 09 of 10 Creamy Crawfish Soup Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely For those still-brisk spring evenings, bring the flavors of crawfish to your table with this rich bisque. This Cajun-Creole dish gets its depth of flavor from seafood stock, crawfish tails, and an unexpected fennel bulb. 10 of 10 Hot Crawfish Dip Will Dickey While you'll find this creamy crawfish dip on many tables during Mardi Gras celebrations, because the recipe calls for frozen crawfish, it's easy to make year-round as well. Serve with toasted baguette slices or crunchy veggies. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit