Crawfish Salad II

8 servings Prep: 15 m Cook: 10 m Total: 25 m Beginner
5.0/5 (2)
Crawfish Salad II
Cold or warm, full flavored mixture of pasta, veggies and spicy crawfish with Louisiana crawfish tails, bell pepper, celery, and cucumber. Great for Sunday dinner or family gatherings and spring picnics, this salad gets even better when chilled overnight.

Ingredients

8 servings
  • 1 lb Louisiana Crawfish tails
  • 1 (8 oz) package elbow pasta or choice of pasta
  • 1/2 cup chopped red onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
  • Red pepper (cayenne) to taste
  • Cajun Land Seasoning or any Cajun Spice to taste
  • 1 medium cucumber chopped
  • 6 eggs
  • 2 ounces Cajun Land liquid seafood boil or 1 tbsp Zatarain's Crab Boil
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Boil pasta in salted water according to package directions and rinse. Cool. In a separate pot, place the crawfish and liquid boil in salt water and bring to boil until crawfish is cooked, about 5 minutes. Cool.
  2. Hard boil the eggs and chop. Peel and cube cucumbers. Mix pasta, crawfish and other ingredients in large bowl; season to taste. Add 1/2 cup more or less mayonnaise and mix well. Goes really well with saltine crackers or your cracker of choice. You may chill this salad.

Common Problems and Solutions

Q: Should I use fresh or frozen crawfish tails?

A: Either works well for this salad. If using frozen, thaw completely and drain before boiling with the seasoning. Fresh Louisiana crawfish tails will give you the best flavor and texture.

Q: How far ahead can I make this salad?

A: You can make it a day ahead - it actually gets better as the flavors meld. Store covered in the refrigerator and give it a good stir before serving. You may need to add a bit more mayo if it seems dry.

Q: Can I serve this warm instead of cold?

A: Absolutely! While most people chill it for picnics and potlucks, serving it warm or at room temperature right after mixing is delicious too.

Tips and Techniques

Don’t skip the liquid crab boil when cooking the crawfish - it’s what gives this salad authentic Louisiana flavor. If the salad seems dry after chilling, stir in an extra tablespoon or two of mayo before serving.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • crawfish tails: cooked shrimp, chopped
  • elbow pasta: rotini, shells, or bowtie pasta
  • liquid seafood boil: Old Bay seasoning or Tony Chachere's
  • mayonnaise: half mayo, half Greek yogurt

Equipment Needed

  • Large pot for boiling pasta
  • Medium pot for cooking crawfish
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Colander

Historical Context

Crawfish salads became popular in Louisiana as a way to stretch precious crawfish tails into a dish that feeds a crowd. This style of pasta salad combines classic American picnic food with Cajun ingredients and seasoning.