Savory crawfish pie filled with tender crawfish tails, vegetables, and spices, baked in a flaky crust until golden brown.
I didn’t attend my first crawfish boil until college. The table was piled high with steaming crustaceans and everyone around me was happily tearing them apart. I had no idea how to eat one. My then-boyfriend—now husband—showed me how to pinch the tail to separate it from the head and expose the meat. He also taught me that folks often suck the head for extra flavor. That part took some getting used to, but I quickly discovered how delicious crawfish meat really is.
Crawfish tastes wonderful in many dishes. I enjoy it in gumbo, pasta, and hearty stews, but one of my favorites is this crawfish pot pie. It’s a comforting, savory pie that highlights the sweet, briny flavor of cooked crawfish tails combined with tender vegetables and a rich, seasoned gravy. The pie freezes and reheats well, and you can make it as a full 9-inch pie or as individual servings in ramekins or mini dishes.
Where to Buy Crawfish
If you live near Louisiana, fresh crawfish are abundant from winter into early summer. Outside of crawfish season, many grocery stores sell frozen crawfish tails in the seafood aisle. If fresh local tails aren’t available, reputable online suppliers ship frozen crawfish meat nationwide.
Make the Filling
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter. Add 1 medium diced bell pepper, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 cup chopped onion, and ½ cup chopped green onion. Sauté until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle in ¼ cup all-purpose flour a little at a time, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Cook for 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste. Slowly add 3 cups seafood stock (or chicken stock if preferred), whisking until smooth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly.
Stir in 2 teaspoons dried oregano, ½ teaspoon hot sauce (add more to taste), and 1 pound cooked crawfish tail meat. Season with salt and black pepper to your preference. Simmer briefly to meld the flavors, then remove from heat and let the filling cool slightly before assembling the pie.
Assemble the Pie
You can assemble this recipe in a standard 9-inch pie plate, in individual ramekins, or in 5-inch mini pie dishes. Use store-bought refrigerated pie crusts or prepare homemade crust if you prefer.
9-inch pie plate
For a single 9-inch pie, line the pie plate with one crust, leaving about a ¼-inch overhang. Trim excess dough. Pour the crawfish filling into the crust, leaving a small gap at the top so the filling won’t bubble over. Place the second crust on top, trim to match, and crimp the edges using a fork or your fingers. Cut a few vents in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
Ramekins
For individual ramekins (3.5-inch shown in photos), you may only need crust for the tops. Roll out a crust and trace the rim of the ramekin to cut circles about ⅛ inch larger than the rim. Fill each ramekin with filling, leaving a little space below the lip, then press a crust circle over the top and seal the edges.
Mini Pie Dishes
For 5-inch mini pie plates, cut bottoms and tops from your rolled dough leaving about ½ inch of overhang for the bottom crust and ¼ inch for the top crust. Press bottoms into the dishes, add filling leaving ¼ inch from the rim, then top with the second crust and seal.
Bake the Pie
Make three or four slits in the top crust to vent steam. Brush the crust with milk or a lightly beaten egg mixed with 2 tablespoons water to encourage browning and shine. Place pies on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake at 350°F for 35–40 minutes until the crusts are golden and flaky. Let the pie rest 10 minutes before serving so the filling sets.
How to Reheat Crawfish Pie
Store leftover pies covered in the refrigerator within two hours of baking. Crawfish has higher fat content and can spoil more quickly than some other seafood, so plan to eat leftovers within two days. To reheat, preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the pie for about 10 minutes, or until heated through.
Freezing Instructions
If you start with frozen crawfish tails that were thawed, avoid refreezing them to prevent a rubbery texture. If using freshly cooked meat, you can freeze assembled, unbaked pies. Place the pies on a flat tray and freeze until firm, then wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. For best flavor, use within three months.
You can bake pies from frozen: preheat the oven to 350°F and bake 50–60 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is hot.
Related Recipes:
- Hot Baked Crawfish Dip
- Shrimp and Crawfish Étouffée
- Crawfish Bisque
- Crawfish Fettuccine Alfredo
- Crawfish Beignets with Cajun Dipping Sauce
Crawfish Pie
Ingredients
- ½ stick unsalted butter
- 1 medium bell pepper, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped green onion
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups seafood or chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce, plus more to taste
- 1 pound cooked crawfish tail meat
- 2–3 pie crusts, thawed
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add bell pepper, garlic, onion, and green onion. Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Gradually add flour, whisking to prevent lumps. Cook 2 minutes to remove raw flour taste.
- Add stock and whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
- Stir in oregano, hot sauce, and crawfish meat. Season with salt and pepper.
- Fit one pie crust into the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate and trim edges.
- Spoon filling into the shell and fit the second crust over the top. Trim and crimp edges; cut slits in the top.
- Alternatively, fill individual ramekins and top with crust rounds, sealing the edges.
- Combine egg and water; gently brush the tops with the egg wash.
- Place pies on a foil-lined sheet and bake 35–40 minutes until golden and flaky. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Reheating: Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and consume within two days. Reheat at 350°F for about 10 minutes or until heated through.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 216 kcal | Carbohydrates: 4 g | Protein: 3.7 g | Fat: 3.9 g | Saturated Fat: 1.3 g | Cholesterol: 44.4 mg | Sodium: 279 mg | Potassium: 525 mg | Fiber: 0.8 g | Sugar: 0.5 g