A duo of melty, creamy cheeses, soft, squishy bread, bright Cajun flavors, and a mountain of tender freshwater lobster tails combine forces in this delicious New Orleans Crawfish Bread recipe! If you’re new to eating Louisiana mudbugs, this is arguably the best place to start. 

Why We Love This Recipe

As proud Mississippi Coasties, it’s pretty hard to pin down what we’d dub “the best crawfish recipe.” That said, this delectable New Orleans crawfish bread would definitely make it to the top 3! It’s savory, creamy, rich, and carby, so, basically everything we could want from a plate of comfort food.

Aside from being utterly crave-worthy, this recipe for crawfish bread is:

• A Perfect Introduction To Crawfish – While crawfish boils are an essential and beautiful part of coast life, some Northerners find it a little jarring to have a big pot of peel-it-yourself crustaceans, potatoes, and corn dumped on a pile of newspapers in the center of the table. (I know, we don’t get it either.) Cheesy crawfish bread is a little easier to eat (since they’re already shelled) and has an irresistible flavor that even your most prim and proper Yank friends will love. 
• Quick & Easy – All you need is about 20 minutes of prep to get these beauties in the oven, making it the perfect appetizer for game days, potlucks, or just about any celebration you can think of. 
• Hearty & Comforting – Cheese. Bread. Shellfish. Trinity. This NOLA crawfish bread hits all the major food groups. 
• Made Without Mayonnaise – Popular crawfish bread recipes like the ones from Landry’s, Copeland’s, or the NOLA Jazz Fest use quite a bit of mayonnaise. If you have an egg allergy or just don’t keep mayo on hand, our delightfully cheesy recipe will see you through.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Despite having something of a lengthy ingredient list, none of the items is particularly difficult to source. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Unsalted Butter – For richness. We prefer using unsalted butter so we can control our added sodium. Feel free to swap in salted butter, but go easy on the seasoning at first if you do. Remember: you can always add more, but you can’t take it away once it’s in the pot!
• Olive Oil – Adding some olive oil helps to increase the smoke point so your trinity doesn’t burn. Feel free to swap in whatever cooking oil you typically use.
• White Onion – White onions are traditional in the Cajun trinity (onions, celery, & bell peppers), but you can easily use yellow onions if needed. Shallots or leeks will also work in a pinch!
• Celery – Cheap and widely available, celery is a staple in any southern kitchen. In a pinch, you can swap in chopped raw fennel bulbs.
• Green Bell Pepper & Red Bell Pepper – Green leans more earthy, while red leans more sweet. Rather than choose between them, we use both. As an added bonus, the end result will be more colorful and beautiful!
• Garlic – Fresh is best, but we won’t tell if you use the jarred kind. You can also use garlic powder if you must.
• Cajun Seasoning – We are ardent Tony Chachere’s fans, but feel free to swap in your personal favorite blend. 
• Crawfish Tails – Feel free to use leftovers from your last crawfish boil! We typically reach for deshelled, freshly boiled crawfish from our local grocery store to cut back on prep time. Alternatively, consider using frozen crawfish or gulf shrimp instead.
• Cream Cheese – This is our magic ingredient to replace mayo, making the crawfish mix undeniably luscious and creamy.
• Green Onions – For color and a bit of extra oniony bite. Make sure to use both the greens and whites to get the most out of your grocery haul.
• Jalapeños – This is optional, so use it according to your tastes. Feel free to omit if you aren’t a fan of spicy things.
• Pepperjack Cheese – Feel free to swap in another melty cheese like cheddar or mozzarella if you prefer!
• French Bread – We’re looking for a soft-crusted long loaf here, like a larger version of what you’d use for making Po’ Boys. We prefer Reising’s!
• Italian Parsley – Either curly or flat-leaf will work.

How To Make Crawfish Bread

Even if you’re new to cooking, this simple crawfish bread recipe should be easy enough to follow. Here’s how it’s done:

Step 1: Prep. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (for easy cleanup!) and preheat the oven.

Step 2: Sauté Trinity. Heat butter and olive oil over medium-high heat until bubbling. Add onions, celery, and bell peppers and sauté until slightly softened. 

Step 3: Add Garlic, cooking until fragrant and slightly softened.

Step 4: Add Cajun Seasoning, Crawfish, & Cream Cheese, stirring until well combined. Cook until the cheese is fully melted and most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Step 5: Add Green Onions, Jalapeños (If Using), & Pepperjack Cheese. Mix to combine.

Step 6: Spoon Crawfish Mix Over Bread, spreading it out evenly. Place loaves on prepared baking sheet. Top with more cheese.

Step 7: Bake until cheese has melted, about 12-15 minutes.

Step 8: Broil until the top has browned slightly, 2-3 minutes.

Step 9: Garnish with parsley, slice, and serve warm. Enjoy!

Optional Variations

While we love our no-mayo crawfish bread recipe just the way it is, we always encourage our friends and families to customize recipes to suit their personal needs. Here are a few variations to consider:

• Less Spicy – Omit the jalapeños and opt for a non-spicy melting cheese like cheddar, mozzarella, or gouda instead.
• Swap Your Seafood – Can’t find any crawfish in your neck of the woods? Try swapping in gulf shrimp instead.
• Stuffed Crawfish Bread – Rather than serving it open-faced, turn it into more of a sandwich by layering the two halves of your loaf together.
• Gluten-Free – Use your favorite gluten-free po’ boy rolls, or turn the mixture into a delicious dip by baking it without the bread!
• Lactose-Free/Dairy-Free – Make a batch of Cajun garlic bread that even your lactose intolerant friends can get behind. Substitute plant-based butter or margarine and either vegan or lactose-free cheeses for the dairy. If you can’t find vegan cream cheese, you can also use mayo instead.
• Crawfish Pasta – After making the delicious crawfish-cheese mix, toss it all up with your favorite short pasta (already boiled, obviously) to turn this crawfish appetizer into a full-blown meal.

Expert Tips

• Buy Fresh or Frozen Boiled Crawfish Tails – Unless you’re trying to use up leftover crawdads from your last backyard boil, opting for frozen will save you beaucoup prep time because they’re already peeled and ready to go.
• Stop Your Crying – Wanna know how to keep your eyes from leaking when you’re chopping onions? Pop ‘em in the freezer for about 20 minutes before you start prepping the veggies. The cold will help to limit the wafting of those noxious fumes that make you cry.

FAQs

How do you heat up crawfish bread? We suggest popping any leftovers in the toaster oven or oven for reheating. Microwaving isn’t recommended as it’ll make the bread too chewy and the crawfish taste rubbery.

Can I freeze crawfish bread? YES! In fact, we suggest that you freeze any leftovers (though we doubt you’ll have any) since bread doesn’t do well in the fridge. To reheat, simply defrost it overnight in the fridge then use your toaster oven or oven to warm it through.

Are crawfish and crawdads the same? Yep, they’re the same beast by different names. Other things you might hear these freshwater crustaceans called include yabbies, bay bugs, mudbugs, crawdaddies, mountain lobsters, and rock lobsters (like the B-52s song!).

Tools Needed

• Large Sauté Pan
• Kitchen Spoon
• Sheet Pan
• Parchment Paper
• Chef’s Knife
• Serrated Knife
• Cutting Board

More Cajun Recipes

• Creamy Shrimp & Grits
• Easy Keto Jambalaya
• Cajun Crab & Corn Bisque
• Shrimp Dip Without Cream Cheese (Dairy-Free Dip)

If y’all tried this sumptuous recipe for New Orleans Crawfish Bread, holler and let us know how it turned out for you by giving us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and commenting below. You can also always feel free to tag us (@creamcheeseandlemonsqueeze) in your social media posts so we can cheer you on.

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