Description
This savory Crawfish Cornbread is a delightful Southern-inspired dish combining tender crawfish tails with a cheesy, spicy cornbread batter enriched by sautéed vegetables and jalapeños. Perfectly baked to a golden brown crust, it makes a flavorful side or a delicious main dish that serves eight.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb crawfish tails
- 2 cups yellow cornmeal
- 3 eggs
- 1 (15 oz) can cream-style corn
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
- 3/4 cup onion tops or chives
- 2 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup bell peppers, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup oil
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup milk
- Butter (for sautéing)
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: In a small pan, melt a bit of butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and bell peppers, sautéing until the onions become translucent. Then add the finely chopped jalapeño peppers and cook for an additional minute to release their flavor. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Mix the Batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, eggs, cream-style corn, grated cheddar cheese, chives or onion tops, salt, baking powder, baking soda, oil, and milk. Stir gently until all ingredients are just combined to form a smooth batter.
- Add Vegetables & Crawfish: Fold the sautéed vegetables into the batter, then gently incorporate the crawfish tails, ensuring they are evenly distributed without overmixing.
- Bake: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease a 13×9-inch baking pan and pour the batter into it, spreading evenly. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool & Serve: Allow the cornbread to cool slightly before slicing. Serve warm on its own or with a drizzle of hot sauce or alongside a fresh side salad for a complete meal.
Notes
- For extra heat, leave some jalapeño seeds in the mixture.
- Use fresh crawfish tails for best flavor, but frozen and thawed tails work well too.
- If you prefer a spicier dish, add cayenne pepper or hot sauce to the batter.
- Leftover cornbread can be reheated in a toaster oven for a crispy crust.
- Adding corn kernels to the batter can add texture and sweetness.
