I know many of you will agree that nothing goes better with a thick, juicy steak than a baked potato. I’ve been to the fanciest steakhouses in all the land and when it comes to the perfect side dish, I’ll order a baked potato–loaded, for sure–every time. Oh, I’ve tried the creamed spinach, the frou-frou hollandaise-drenched asparagus, and even the wine-infused mushroom mélange, but you can have ‘em all. Give me a perfectly baked jacket potato and I’m set. Or better yet, the ultimate Crawfish Baked Potato.
Crawfish stuffed and twice baked, this Cajun recipe for Crawfish Baked Potato will change the way you look at baked potatoes. (All photos credit: George Graham)
But c’mon, let’s face it, the plain and simple baked potato isn’t exactly a gourmet dish. In most homes, it’s usually a microwaved afterthought for a cheap meal in a hurry. Even on most restaurant menus, the baked potato is almost always relegated to the bottom of the back page just below steamed broccoli. But I challenge the premise that a baked potato can’t stand on its own and take center stage. All it needs is a bit of creativity–Cajun creativity.
So, here’s the thing–baked potato artistry is not as simple as it appears. Do it right and it is sublime. Skip a few steps and you fall short. Just find the perfect russet potato, scrub it, oil it, poke it, wrap it, and bake it in a hot oven. Pretty straightforward, huh? Well, my Cajun recipe version takes this basic recipe and twice-bakes it for fluffier interior and crisper skin. Oh, and one more thing–crawfish.
Now, you know this Louisiana boy is gonna up the flavor on a simple baked potato. Oh yeah. Down on the bayou, we have a take on the term “loaded” that sends this simple spud soaring into the high heavens. Crawfish is that singular Cajun recipe ingredient that defines good Cajun cooking and when baked inside a creamy, cheesy potato it’s time to lock and load. With this Crawfish Baked Potato recipe, I combine the interior of the potato with butter, cheese and the rich fat of plump Louisiana crawfish tails, and it’s all stuffed and twice baked inside a hulled out potato. A crawfish baked potato is one savory, saucy side dish.
No half-baked idea here. Give this twice-baked Cajun recipe for Crawfish Baked Potato a try and you’ll never look at a baked potato the same way again.
- 2 large russet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- ½ cup diced yellow onions
- ½ cup diced celery
- 2 tablespoons diced green onion tops
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon Acadiana Table Cajun Seasoning Blend, see recipe here
- Dash of hot sauce
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound Louisiana crawfish tails
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Wash and dry the potatoes. Using a fork, poke a few holes in each side to allow moisture to escape during cooking. Coat the potatoes with olive oil and slice in half vertically. Keep the two halves together and wrap the pre-sliced potato in aluminum foil. Bake in the oven until completely tender, about 1 hour. Unwrap and scoop out the inside flesh of the potato without breaking through the outer skin. Chop the scooped-out flesh of the potato into small pieces. Keep warm.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. In a skillet over medium-high heat, add the butter. Add the onions, celery, and green onion tops and cook until the onions turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, seasoning, and hot sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and add the crawfish tails along with the potato flesh that was scooped out earlier. Mix thoroughly to combine and add the cheese and sour cream. Mix together. Stuff the crawfish mixture back into the potato shells and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the tops begin to brown, about 30 to 40 minutes. Serve with a salad as an entrée or as a side dish with a perfectly grilled steak.
Creamy and cheesy with spicy crawfish flavor, this Crawfish Baked Potato is a baked potato like never before.
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Thanks, George.
A definite 4 star recipe!
I grew up in Bogalusa on the river and we ate crawfish when it was in season. I am going to try your recipe this weekend. I think it will be delicious. Add me to ur email list please.
Thank you,
Hey Laura- Thanks for the comment and let us know how it turns out. You are now subscribed and will receive an email notice of weekly recipes and stories. Best, George
I can’t wait to try this recipe! I may try it with shrimp or maybe even both ! Please add me to your mailing list..
Hey Pam-
I like the way you think …. crawfish AND shrimp…now that’s baked potato bliss. And you are now added to our subscriber list. Best, George
This looks amazing… I’m always looking for new and exciting things to cook! I’ll try this tonight!!
Hey Jalon-
Let us know how it turns out and thanks for the comment. Best, George
I am made this for my family tonight. The only addition was shrimp, this was delicious. I am from Baton Rouge, and love Cajun cooking. Of course I added my own twist with spicing it up :-).
I like reading your site. Appreciate it!
I’ve made these several times. I’ve used shrimp and crawfish. I’ve also made these up to the stuffing point and frozen them. Took them to a friend that had had surgery and she heated them up when she got hungry. To say the least, I received a text message raving about how wonderful they were! They really are the bomb. Making again for out of town guests for the New Year’s weekend! Bring on 2017! Thanks for the recipe!
Hey Janet – Thanks for sharing your Crawfish Baked Potato success story with us. It is one of the most popular recipes on Acadiana Table, and I included a potato skin appetizer/party version in my new Acadiana Table cookbook. All the best to you.
George,
Could you please provide some information as to size of a “large” potato? 8oz? 12oz? larger?
Thanks from a loyal follower and fan of your great recipes.
Hey Don – The quick (and technical) answer is 8 to 12 ounces. That said, I think the term “large” is relative to how hungry you are and how you intend to serve it (entree or side dish). The ingredients are easily scalable so experiment with different sizes. In my new cookbook Acadiana Table: Cajun and Creole Home Cooking from the Heart of Louisiana, I even have a party-size appetizer portion recipe.
Are you a professional Chef ? I would love to visit your restaurant! I am a native of Kenner, LA, but I’m a military spouse so I’ve lived around the world! I no longer have an accent, but I bleed crawfish fat and wouldn’t dare not suck the head after pinching the tales of crawfish I’ve had delivered.
I Absolutely loved your picture…reminded me of home:)
I used a sweet potato and changed a few other ingredients like substituting cream cheese instead of cheddar. It was scrumptious!
I can’t wait to order your cookbook!
Hey Veleka – Not a chef; I am a home cook like you. And thanks for buying the book; I know you’ll love it. All the best.
Man dat looks good! Thinking about cooking this tonight.
Can these be frozen? Maybe after stuffing the potato but before putting in the oven to bake? Anyone tried that?
Debbie-
Yes, I freeze them all the time. Simply put them in the refrigerator the day before and let them thaw out overnight before baking. All the best.
Looks Good !! Gonna make it today…thanks
I’m going to try this tonight; looks great.
Hey Cynthia-
Make sure to buy a few more potatoes than you need, so that you can use up the entire 1-pound package of crawfish tail meat. These Crawfish Stuffed Potatoes freeze well and are perfect when thawed and warmed through. Good eating to you.
Looking for good crawfish recipes.
Hey Ken – You came to the right place; we’ve got a bunch of crawfish recipes. Here’s how you find them: Go to the right sidebar on the homepage, find the search bar and enter “crawfish” in the box. Hit search and all of the recipes on Acadiana Table that have crawfish as an ingredient or mentioned in the story will pop. Lots of good ideas for you. All the best.
I live in Shreveport and will most definitely try this and anything else Louisiana that you have.
Hey Kenny- You’re in luck; we’re all about the Cajun and Creole food culture that makes Louisiana cooking so special. Enjoy!
Looks good; can’t wait to try it out.
Beignets afterwards??
I made this dish for my family and let’s just say I will be making it again. I grew up in New Orleans eating crawfish but never had this dish until I made it. I LOVE it and so did my 8 years old granddaughter. Can’t wait to make it again.
Hey Robin- Thanks for the great review of this tasty (and easy) Crawfish Baked Potato recipe. Keep the comments coming! All the best.
Omgosh! These were so good! Definitely a keeper recipe!!
This is a super recipe – love it. I Liked your idea of doing the small potatoes for a party and of freezing them. That led me to wonder how a party size potato might work stuffed with creole daube in red gravy? Maybe serve both – daube and crawfish potaotes. What do you think?
Adele – I love your adventurous culinary spirit. Go for it! And let us know how it turns out.
Well designed recipe.
Your dishes are delicious and simple to follow.
Thanks Cathie!
I am a Baton Rouge boy now living in Texas… .Sign me up for your mailing list… I NEED good cajun food!
I’m a Louisiana girl born and raised. Still live here. Going to try this recipe tomorrow. Add me to your mailing list please. Thank you.
Made this tonight and it was YUMMY! Husband said next time we have company over, we gotta have this! I’m in NELA.
I did toss the skins after cooking the potatoes and put it all in a casserole dish till brown on top.
Hey Deanne- I like the idea of a casserole version as a more elegant side dish. Either way, this is a very tasty recipe using crawfish. All the best.
Can’t wait to try.
I would love to be on your mailing list I can’t wait to try the stuffed potatoes thank you
If you use crawfish from a crawfish boil, will it be as good?
Hey Dorothy- Better! Using fresh peeled tails from a well-seasoned boil enhances the flavor of this dish. Don’t get me wrong: Packaged tail meat is both quality and convenient, but fresh-peeled is the way to go when you can. All the best.
Hands down, this is my favorite recipe! I’ve had all kinds of “twice baked potatoes”, but this one is that confidence builder having been born and raised in New Orleans, crawfish is my first love. Is there really any other way to bake it?
Thanks Jonte, I could not have said it better. All the best.
This RIGHT here, OMG!!! This is a spud “to die for”!!!
Cecelia- LOL…Gotta love your enthusiasm for great Cajun food. Thanks for the delightful comment. All the best.