The Cajun stew typically made with crawfish and served over rice is étouffée.
The name comes from the French word étouffer, meaning “to smother” or “to suffocate,” describing the gentle cooking method traditionally used for the dish. Crawfish étouffée is associated especially with Louisiana’s Cajun and Creole communities, where crawfish were plentiful in bayous and wetlands.
The dish usually combines crawfish tails with onions, celery, bell pepper, seasonings, and a rich sauce. Depending on the cook and regional tradition, that sauce may begin with a light or dark roux; tomatoes are more common in some Creole versions than in classic Cajun preparations. Étouffée is generally spooned over steamed white rice.
A common mix-up is confusing étouffée with gumbo or jambalaya. Gumbo is usually a soup or stew containing multiple ingredients and may be served with rice, while jambalaya cooks rice together with its meat or seafood. Étouffée centers on a smothered shellfish sauce served over rice. Although crawfish is the best-known filling, shrimp and crab versions are also common.