Crawfish and Eggplant w/Angel Hair Pasta

10 servings Prep: 20 m Cook: 1 h 10 m Total: 1 h 30 m Intermediate
5.0/5 (1)
Crawfish and Eggplant w/Angel Hair Pasta
Angel hair pasta compliments this light, delicate sauce with crawfish, eggplant, sun-dried tomatoes, and white wine. No crawfish? Use shrimp instead. Great Lenten dish. Don’t like eggplant? No problem—leave it off and you’ve still got a wonderful seafood pasta that’ll make your family ask for seconds.

Ingredients

10 servings
  • 2 - 3 pounds crawfish (the more the better)
  • 1 large onion
  • 1 large bell pepper
  • 1 stick butter
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 can shredded Parmesan cheese (16oz)
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • Angel Hair Pasta
  • Sun-dried Tomatoes
  • Lemon pepper seasoning
  • Fried eggplant rounds

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Sauté the chopped onion and bell pepper in melted butter and olive oil over medium heat until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the cream of mushroom soup and cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add crawfish.
  2. Cook another 10 minutes to let the crawfish flavors meld with the sauce, then add white wine. Let that cook down for a few minutes (to reduce the liquid and mix the flavors).
  3. Add 1/2 cup of cheese, seasonings, and sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon of the lemon pepper seasoning. Stir in sliced sun-dried tomatoes. Let it simmer about 10 more minutes and turn off heat.
  4. Layer a 9x11 baking dish with cooked angel hair pasta, about 1" thick. Top the pasta with 1/2 of the crawfish mixture. You may want to take a fork and lightly toss the pasta so that the sauce coats all the pasta.
  5. Layer the fried eggplant rounds on top of the pasta, then pour the remaining crawfish sauce on top of the eggplant. Top with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
  6. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and let it brown a little, about 5 more minutes.
  7. For the fried eggplant rounds, see our Fried Eggplant - A Cajun Classic recipe.

Common Problems and Solutions

Q: Can I make this ahead of time?

A: Yes! Assemble the entire dish up to the baking step, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Add 10-15 minutes to the baking time if baking straight from the fridge.

Q: My sauce seems too thick or too thin. What do I do?

A: If too thick, add a splash of white wine, chicken stock, or pasta water to thin it out. If too thin, let it simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes to reduce, or add a bit more cheese to thicken.

Q: The eggplant gets soggy when I bake it. How do I prevent this?

A: Make sure your fried eggplant is well-drained on paper towels and completely cooled before layering. You can also skip the eggplant entirely if you prefer a simpler dish.

Tips and Techniques

Cook your pasta just until al dente since it will continue cooking in the oven. This prevents mushy pasta in the final dish. Also, don’t skip the step of reducing the wine—it concentrates the flavors and prevents a watery sauce.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • crawfish: medium or large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • white wine: chicken stock or seafood stock
  • cream of mushroom soup: make a quick béchamel with 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp flour, and 1 cup milk or cream
  • fried eggplant rounds: skip entirely or use grilled zucchini rounds

Equipment Needed

  • 9x11 inch baking dish
  • Large skillet or sauté pan
  • Large pot for boiling pasta
  • Aluminum foil

Historical Context

While crawfish étouffée and bisque are traditional, pairing crawfish with pasta became popular in Louisiana in the 1980s and 90s as Italian-American cuisine influenced Cajun cooking, creating a delicious fusion that’s now a staple at family gatherings.