Smashed Yukon Gold potatoes infused with fresh herbs, Cajun spice, and creamy Greek yogurt reaches new culinary heights with the addition of rich Louisiana crawfish tail meat. And the crunch of Zapp’s Crawtator kettle-fried potato chips is the pièce de résistance. It’s pure comfort in a casserole dish.
Spicy potato chips and crawfish–a Cajun recipe pairing in my Cajun Crawtator casserole. . (All photos credit: George Graham)
I first crossed paths with the late Ron Zappe in the 1980s when he was a struggling local business owner trying to gain entry into the competitive snack foods market. He was the epitome of the Cajun entrepreneur–full of spicy ideas and a taste for adventure. He succeeded in turning that small chip-making outfit in Gonzales, Louisiana into Zapp’s Potato Chips, a national brand.
As the story goes, his wife came home from the grocery store with a bag of kettle-fried chips and sparked the idea for a new career. True to his Louisiana roots, it was the spicy Cajun recipe that created a differentiation for his products and it was a creative branding approach that separated him from the national competition. Crawtator potato chips were born and were an instant success.
With a couple of bags of chips in my pantry, I set out to create a dish that would celebrate the fun and joie de vivre of Ron Zappe. My goal was to combine ingredients that could be either a main dish or a casserole suitable for any occasion. After much trial and error and according to reviews from my friends, I have a winner – Cajun Crawtator Casserole.
This recipe is inspired by the flavor of those chips that mimic the spiciness of a Cajun crawfish boil. With the contrast of the crunch of Crawtators and the creamy richness of the potato and crawfish, this Cajun Crawtator Casserole has a depth of flavor and texture that elevates it to the high heavens.
Ron Zappe is smiling down on us.
- 3 (5.5-ounce) bags Zapp’s Spicy Cajun Crawtator potato chips
- 10 medium-sized Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
- Water, for boiling
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 2 cups diced onion
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced green bell pepper
- ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 pounds Louisiana crawfish tails
- 1 teaspoon Acadiana Table Cajun Seasoning Blend, see recipe here
- Dash of hot sauce
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Non-stick spray
- 1 cup diced green onion tops
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Take the bags of Crawtator potato chips in your hands and squeeze together until the contents are crumbled and the pieces broken down. Open the bags and pour into a container and reserve.
- In a medium pot over high heat, add the potatoes and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and continue cooking until the potatoes are tender. Remove and drain.
- In a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter and add the onions, celery, and bell pepper. Cook until the onions turn translucent and add the parsley, garlic, and rosemary. Add the wine and continue cooking until the alcohol evaporates, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add the heavy cream and continue cooking until reduced by half.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the yogurt, cream cheese, Jack cheese, and eggs. Stir together and combine. Add the potatoes and with a spoon break up the potatoes into smaller chunks.
- Combine the two mixtures and stir to incorporate. Add the crawfish tails and stir to combine. Season with Cajun seasoning, hot sauce, salt, and pepper to taste.
- (Note: You have options — this dish can be baked in a large oven-proof casserole dish or in individual ramekins.)
- Pour the mixture into a baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray. Smooth out and sprinkle with green onion tops and top with the crumbled Crawtator potato chips.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and serve with crusty French bread.
Crunchy and creamy, Cajun Crawtator Casserole is a new Cajun recipe classic.
YOUR SEAT AT THE TABLE: If you like this Cajun cooking story and Cajun recipe then accept my personal invitation to subscribe by entering your email at the bottom or top right of this page. It’s quick and painless. You will receive an email alert and be the first to see when new Cajun cooking stories and Cajun recipes are added.
Thanks, George.
This looks so wonderful but in my neck of the woods, crawfish and Zapp’s are non-existent. Shrimp is good but it’s not crawfish. The local Winn-Dixie has a sale once per year and we devour every bag of Zapp’s we buy. Next time I will hoard 3 bags and make this recipe!
Hey Helene – Stock up on crawfish tails and Zapp’s Crawtators at CajunGrocer.com.
Wow, this looks so good! Well worth the hunt for the ingredients here in the UK!
FoodNerd x
http://www.foodnerd4life.com
Four years ago today, my father passed on to his great reward. Today my family is gathering, as we always do, to honor his memory with good times and great food. It brings a smile to my face to see that his memory lives on and inspires such flavorful creations. In the immortal words of Ron Zappe: “Eat more chips!”.
Eric –
Thanks for sharing your heartfelt comments. Your father was a once-in-a-generation, original Louisiana man. He shared his passion for our colorful state with the world and we are all blessed for it. All our thoughts go out to you and your family today as you remember your dad.
George
Whenever I travel home to Louisiana, I try to get a bag or two of Zapps to bring back with me to the Netherlands. I guard them carefully throughout the journey and store them gingerly in the overhead compartment on the plane. Sadly, there remains not even a crumb of the last bag from my most recent trip, or I’d be making this recipe now (though with a some other seafood, perhaps crab, since crawfish are not that common here). Saving this recipe with hopes of making it someday…and signing up to follow this blog. 🙂
Will have to try
I think this would be a great recipe to easily adapt for crawfish boil leftovers….
Hey Kevin – Yes! I like your thinking. All the best.
Looks yummy as all your dishes. Is there any way to “lighten” it? Husband has heart issues.
Hey Deanne- Eggs, and cream, and cheese…oh my! Not sure how to lighten it up without sacrificing the richness of this dish. But here’s another one of my dishes that should fit the bill: my Crawfish Stuffed Potatoes are much lighter and have the same great flavors. All the best and stay safe.
Great recipe…any suggestion on food pairings, i.e., meat, with this?
Tom…from Lafayette, but retired in Colorado Springs.
Hey Tom- That is a good question. While this casserole can stand on its own as an entree, I like your thinking as a side dish. I could see this accompanying a grilled prime filet or a bone-in cowboy ribeye as a hearty steakhouse side dish. Or for a lighter option, try a fillet of Gulf fish (snapper or grouper would be excellent) sauced with just a bit of sizzling garlic butter. The options are endless; I urge you to get creative. All the best.