Easy Crawfish Pie

2 pies servings Prep: 20 m Cook: 50 m Total: 1 h 10 m Intermediate
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This is a family favorite, and usually requested as a Father’s Day meal which comes right after a Mother’s Day Crawfish Boil, where the leftover peeled crawfish tails (only if we cook a second batch) are set aside to be frozen and later made into pies. This easy version uses Rotel tomatoes and the holy trinity for a flavorful filling that thickens beautifully.

Ingredients

2 pies servings
  • 4 (9 inch) deep dish pie crusts
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 2 cups chopped onions
  • 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 3 TBsp of cajun seasoning (your choice)
  • 2 cans Rotel tomatoes
  • 24 ounces crawfish tails with fat
  • 4 TBsp all purpose flour
  • 1 3/4 cup water

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. This will make two 9 inch pies. You can choose to freeze one for later either baked and vacuum sealed or uncooked with a piece of wax paper over the top crust and vacuum sealed, or serve both pies if you have a large group for dinner.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  3. Melt butter in a large (6 quart) pot over medium heat. Add the onions, bell pepper, celery, and Cajun seasoning. Cook until onions are wilted and clear, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Stir in both cans of Rotel and the crawfish tails with fat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes to blend flavors, stirring occasionally.
  5. In a bowl, whisk together the flour and water until the mixture is smooth. Stir this into the crawfish and vegetable mixture.
  6. Bring the filling to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 5 to 10 minutes.
  7. Remove from heat and allow to stand for 20 to 30 minutes to finish thickening and cool slightly.
  8. Pour filling into the two bottom pie crusts, dividing it evenly between them. Cover each with a top crust, pinch the edges together to seal, and cut a few slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
  9. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes.
  10. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Common Problems and Solutions

Q: Why is my pie filling runny?

A: Make sure to let the filling cool for the full 20-30 minutes after cooking. The flour mixture needs this time to fully thicken. If it's still too thin, you can return it to the heat and simmer a bit longer while stirring.

Q: Can I make this ahead of time?

A: Absolutely! You can freeze the pie before or after baking. For unbaked: cover with wax paper and vacuum seal, then bake from frozen (add 15-20 minutes to baking time). For baked: let cool completely, vacuum seal, and reheat at 350°F for about 25-30 minutes.

Q: Should I use store-bought or homemade pie crusts?

A: Either works well. Store-bought deep dish crusts make this recipe truly easy, but homemade crusts will give you a more flaky, buttery result if you have the time.

Tips and Techniques

Don’t skip the resting time for the filling - it needs those 20-30 minutes to thicken properly and cool enough so it won’t make your bottom crust soggy. The crawfish fat is key to authentic flavor, so try to get tails that include it.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • crawfish tails: chopped shrimp
  • Rotel tomatoes: 1 can diced tomatoes plus 1 can diced green chiles
  • store-bought pie crusts: homemade pie dough

Equipment Needed

  • 6-quart pot or large Dutch oven
  • Whisk
  • Two 9-inch deep dish pie pans
  • Mixing bowl

Historical Context

Crawfish pie is a Louisiana classic that elevates humble crawfish into an elegant main dish. This easier version became popular as frozen pie crusts became widely available, making the dish accessible for weeknight dinners while keeping all the traditional flavors.