There’s something wonderfully communal about sharing food from one big tray, and this Crawfish and Corn recipe is the absolute epitome of that spirit. It brings the vibrant, soulful flavours of a classic American seafood boil right to your kitchen table, but with a straightforward method that we can all manage on a busy weeknight or for a relaxed weekend feast. I stumbled upon this combination by accident during a holiday where fresh seafood was abundant, and it’s been a hit ever since. It’s not just a meal; it’s an experience – digging in with your hands, savouring the spicy butter that drips from the sweet corn, and chasing every last tender piece of crawfish.

What makes this dish so special is the layering of flavours. We start with a rich, aromatic garlic butter sauce, generously seasoned with a classic Cajun spice blend that provides a gentle, warming heat rather than a fiery burn. This glorious sauce coats everything – the sweet, juicy corn on the cob, the fluffy new potatoes, and the savoury smoked sausage. The crawfish, with their unique, slightly sweet taste, tie everything together. It’s a messy, joyful, and utterly delicious affair.

This recipe works beautifully for a casual get-together with friends in the garden or as a special family dinner when you want to put something truly memorable on the table. It’s hearty, satisfying, and everyone seems to love the hands-on nature of it. It looks spectacular when you bring the tray to the table, and it smells even better.

Recipe Overview

This recipe transforms the idea of a complex seafood boil into an accessible tray bake. The method involves briefly boiling the potatoes and corn before smothering everything in a deeply flavourful garlic butter and Cajun sauce and finishing it on a single tray. I’ve found that this final step in the oven helps all the flavours to meld together more intensely than just simmering on the hob. Expect tender crawfish, potatoes that have soaked up the sauce, and corn that bursts with sweetness.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Servings: 4 people
• Difficulty: Medium

Why You’ll Love This Crawfish And Corn

• Rich and Savoury Flavour: The heart of this dish is the sauce. We’re not just melting butter; we’re infusing it with heaps of fresh garlic, smoked paprika, cayenne, and herbs, creating a luscious coating for the sweet crawfish and corn.
• Comes Together in Under an Hour: From chopping the veg to pulling the bubbling tray from the oven, this entire meal is ready in about 50 minutes, making it achievable for a spectacular weeknight dinner.
• Wonderfully Flexible: Don’t have crawfish? King prawns work brilliantly. You can swap the new potatoes for sweet potatoes or add other vegetables like bell peppers or broccoli florets for the last 10 minutes of baking.
• Great for Social Dining: This is ideal for a relaxed dinner party or a family gathering. Place the tray in the centre of the table with a stack of napkins and let everyone serve themselves. It’s a fantastic ice-breaker.
• Family Tested: My whole family adores this dish. The little ones especially enjoy picking up the corn cobs, and my husband always makes sure there’s enough crusty bread to mop up every last drop of the sauce.

Crawfish And Corn

⏱️ 15 min prep  •  🍳 30 min cook  •  👥 4 servings

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For this recipe, the quality of your seafood and seasoning is key. I often use Schwartz Cajun Seasoning for its reliable and balanced heat, but feel free to use your favourite brand or even make your own. The goal is a warm, smoky spice blend. You can find pre-cooked, frozen crawfish tails in most large supermarkets or at a local fishmonger.

• 500g new potatoes, halved
• 2 large corn on the cob, each cut into 4 rounds
• 200g smoked sausage (chorizo or andouille style), sliced 1cm thick
• 450g cooked crawfish tails, thawed if frozen
• 150g unsalted butter
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 6-8 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for extra heat)
• 1 bay leaf
• 250ml vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 lemon, halved
• A small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Sara’s Tip: Using unsalted butter is a must for me in this recipe. Cajun spice blends can vary a lot in salt content, so using unsalted butter allows you to control the final seasoning perfectly by adding salt to taste at the end.

How to Make Crawfish And Corn

The process is straightforward. We par-boil the vegetables that take longer to cook, create our flavour-packed sauce, and then combine everything on a tray to finish in the oven, which really intensifies the flavours.

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
2. Place the halved new potatoes in a large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 8-10 minutes until they are just starting to become tender. Add the corn rounds for the last 4 minutes of cooking. Drain well and set aside.
3. While the vegetables are boiling, melt the butter in a large, deep frying pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes until softened and translucent.
4. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it brown. What works best for me is keeping the heat moderate to gently sweat the aromatics.
5. Stir in the Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper (if using). Cook for 30 seconds to toast the spices and release their aroma.
6. Pour in the vegetable stock, add the bay leaf, and bring to a gentle simmer. Let it bubble away for 3-4 minutes to allow the sauce to reduce and thicken slightly.
7. Add the sliced sausage to the sauce, followed by the drained potatoes and corn. Stir gently to coat everything thoroughly in that gorgeous, spicy butter sauce.
8. Carefully transfer the entire mixture from the pan to a large roasting tray, spreading it out in an even layer.
9. Add the cooked crawfish tails to the tray, nestling them amongst the vegetables and sausage. Give it all one last gentle toss.
10. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the crawfish are heated through and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
11. Remove the tray from the oven. Squeeze the juice of one half of the lemon all over the dish, and sprinkle generously with fresh parsley. Serve immediately with the other lemon half cut into wedges.

Tips From My Kitchen

• Sauce Consistency: Don’t let the butter sauce boil too vigorously. A gentle simmer is all you need to meld the flavours without the butter splitting. If it looks too thick, you can add an extra splash of stock.
• The Secret Step: I learned that adding the fresh lemon juice right at the end, after it comes out of the oven, is crucial. The acidity cuts through the richness of the butter and brightens up all the spicy notes, making the seafood taste even fresher.
• Make-Ahead: You can prepare the components ahead of time to make assembly faster. Boil the potatoes and corn, chop the onion and sausage, and even make the sauce a day in advance. Store everything separately in the fridge, then just combine on the tray and bake when you’re ready.
• Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water or in the microwave until piping hot. I wouldn’t recommend freezing this dish as the texture of the potatoes can change.

Equipment You’ll Need

• Large pot (for boiling)
• Large deep frying pan or skillet
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Large roasting tray or baking sheet
• Wooden spoon or spatula

What to Serve With Crawfish And Corn

This is a complete meal on a tray, but a few accompaniments will take it to the next level. The sauce is so good you won’t want to waste a single drop!

• Crusty Bread: A fresh baguette or sourdough is non-negotiable for mopping up every last bit of the spicy garlic butter sauce from the tray.
• A Simple Green Salad: A crisp salad with a light vinaigrette provides a fresh, acidic contrast that cuts through the richness of the boil. Think lettuce, cucumber, and a simple lemon dressing.
• Drink Pairing: A cold, crisp lager or a zesty white wine like a Sauvignon Blanc works wonderfully here. For a non-alcoholic option, a sparkling elderflower pressé is delightful.

Frequently Asked Questions

Crawfish And Corn

A spicy and savory Southern-style bake featuring tender crawfish, sweet corn, potatoes, and smoked sausage, all tossed in a rich and flavorful Cajun butter sauce.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Calories: 690

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 500 g new potatoes halved
• 2 large corn on the cob each cut into 4 rounds
• 200 g smoked sausage chorizo or andouille style, sliced 1cm thick
• 450 g cooked crawfish tails thawed if frozen
• 150 g unsalted butter
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 6-8 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper optional, for extra heat
• 1 bay leaf
• 250 ml vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 lemon halved
• A small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
2. Place the halved new potatoes in a large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 8-10 minutes until they are just starting to become tender. Add the corn rounds for the last 4 minutes of cooking. Drain well and set aside.
3. While the vegetables are boiling, melt the butter in a large, deep frying pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes until softened and translucent.
4. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it brown. What works best for me is keeping the heat moderate to gently sweat the aromatics.
5. Stir in the Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper (if using). Cook for 30 seconds to toast the spices and release their aroma.
6. Pour in the vegetable stock, add the bay leaf, and bring to a gentle simmer. Let it bubble away for 3-4 minutes to allow the sauce to reduce and thicken slightly.
7. Add the sliced sausage to the sauce, followed by the drained potatoes and corn. Stir gently to coat everything thoroughly in that gorgeous, spicy butter sauce.
8. Carefully transfer the entire mixture from the pan to a large roasting tray, spreading it out in an even layer.
9. Add the cooked crawfish tails to the tray, nestling them amongst the vegetables and sausage. Give it all one last gentle toss.
10. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the crawfish are heated through and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
11. Remove the tray from the oven. Squeeze the juice of one half of the lemon all over the dish, and sprinkle generously with fresh parsley. Serve immediately with the other lemon half cut into wedges.

Notes

Serve immediately with crusty bread to soak up the delicious butter sauce. The extra lemon wedges provide a fresh, zesty finish.

I really hope you give this Crawfish and Corn tray bake a go. It has become such a staple in my kitchen for bringing everyone together around the table for a fun, flavourful meal. I make this at least once a month in the summer – it’s become a family favourite. Let me know how you get on in the comments below; I’d love to hear about it!

Happy cooking,
Sara Gomez