Paula Deen Crawfish Bread

Paula Deen crawfish bread is an easy cheesy appetizer made with crawfish tail meat, Monterey Jack and French bread, ready in 20 minutes. Save this Southern comfort food starter for game day, your next potluck or the holiday table, because it bakes on one pan and easily feeds a crowd.

Watch the bread closely once it goes under the broiler, because the mayo and cheese topping goes from golden to burnt in seconds. Walk away for even a minute and you'll scrape black bits off the top.

Paula drains the chopped tomatoes before they go in the skillet, which keeps the French bread crisp instead of soggy under the topping. She also cooks the crawfish for only 1 minute, since the meat is already cooked and turns rubbery fast.

Paula Deen Crawfish Bread

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Course: AppetizerCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

260

kcal

Spicy crawfish and tomatoes sit in a creamy two-cheese spread on split French bread. It bakes until bubbly, then the broiler gives the top a golden, lightly crisp finish.

Ingredients

• 1 lb peeled, cleaned and deveined crawfish tail meat
  

• 1/2 stick Butter
  

• 1 clove minced garlic
  

• 3/4 cup ripe, chopped and drained tomatoes
  

• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
  

• 3/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese
  

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  

• 1 loaf French bread
  

Directions

• Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F. That way it's ready when the bread is topped.
• Cook the crawfish: Rinse the crawfish, then melt 1/2 stick butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook 1 minced garlic clove for a few minutes. Then add 3/4 cup chopped, drained tomatoes, 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning and the crawfish, and sauté for 1 minute before taking the pan off the heat.
• Mix the topping: Stir together 3/4 cup Monterey Jack, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, 1/2 cup mayonnaise and 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley in a bowl. Then fold the warm tomato and crawfish mixture into the cheese mixture.
• Prep the bread: Cut the loaf of French bread in half, then split each half lengthwise. Spoon the crawfish mixture evenly over the cut sides.
• Bake and broil: Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, then switch to the broiler for another 3 to 5 minutes. Stay by the oven, since the top can burn quickly.
• Slice and serve: Cut the bread into individual portions. Then serve it warm while the cheese is still bubbling.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware half sheet pan, Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife, Lodge 10.25-inch cast iron skillet, Parmigiano Reggiano wedges, aged 24 months. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use shrimp instead of crawfish?

Yes, chopped peeled shrimp works well if you can't find crawfish tails. Cook them a little longer in the skillet, until they turn pink and opaque, since raw shrimp needs more time than precooked crawfish.

Can I make crawfish bread ahead of time?

You can mix the crawfish and cheese topping a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Spoon it onto the bread right before baking so the bread stays crisp.

How do I store leftover crawfish bread?

Wrap leftovers tightly and refrigerate them, and eat them within a day or two. Reheat in a 350°F oven, because the microwave makes the bread chewy.

Can I use frozen crawfish tail meat?

Yes, just thaw it fully in the fridge and pat it dry before cooking. Extra water in the skillet will make the topping runny and the bread soggy.

What's the most common mistake with this recipe?

Using wet tomatoes is the biggest one, since the extra juice soaks into the bread. Drain the chopped tomatoes well and keep an eye on the broiler so the cheese browns without burning.