Experience the bold flavors of the Gulf Coast with this decadent Crawfish Stuffed Manicotti. Tender pasta shells are generously filled with a savory mixture of boiled crawfish tails, finely chopped mirepoix, fresh herbs, and toasted breadcrumbs. The filling is bound together with egg and seasoned with a hint of Tabasco for a gentle kick. Once baked, the manicotti are bathed in a luxurious, velvety sauce made from butter, flour, cream, milk, and a touch of tomato paste and wine. This dish offers a perfect balance of creamy richness and briny seafood flavor. It is an impressive yet comforting meal that transforms traditional Italian-American comfort food into a seafood lover’s dream, perfect for special dinner parties or festive family gatherings.
Crawfish Stuffed Manicotti
Description
Experience the bold flavors of the Gulf Coast with this decadent Crawfish Stuffed Manicotti. Tender pasta shells are generously filled with a savory mixture of boiled crawfish tails, finely chopped mirepoix, fresh herbs, and toasted breadcrumbs. The filling is bound together with egg and seasoned with a hint of Tabasco for a gentle kick. Once baked, the manicotti are bathed in a luxurious, velvety sauce made from butter, flour, cream, milk, and a touch of tomato paste and wine. This dish offers a perfect balance of creamy richness and briny seafood flavor. It is an impressive yet comforting meal that transforms traditional Italian-American comfort food into a seafood lover&# 226;ÂÂs dream, perfect for special dinner parties or festive family gatherings.Ingredients
Directions
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Preheat your oven to 350ðF (175ðC).
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Cook the manicotti shells according to package directions until al dente, then drain and set aside.
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For the stuffing, melt 1 stick of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
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Add finely chopped onions, green onions, celery, green pepper, garlic, and parsley to the skillet.
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Sauté the vegetables until they are wilted and tender, about 5-7 minutes.
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Add the boiled crawfish tails, lemon juice, bay leaves, and thyme leaves to the skillet.
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Cook for 10-15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and vegetables to soften further.
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Stir in the fine bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and Tabasco sauce to taste.
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Cook for another 10 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture thickens slightly.
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If the stuffing is too moist, add more bread crumbs as needed to achieve a scoopable consistency.
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Remove the stuffing from heat and let it cool slightly.
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Beat the egg and mix it thoroughly into the crawfish stuffing mixture.
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For the sauce, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a separate pot over medium heat.
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Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, to form a roux.
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Gradually whisk in the cream, milk, tomato ketchup, and tomato paste.
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Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring constantly, until it thickens.
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Remove from heat and stir in the white wine, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and Tabasco.
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If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a little additional milk.
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Fill each cooked manicotti tube generously with the crawfish stuffing mixture.
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Arrange the stuffed manicotti in a single layer in a lightly greased baking dish.
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Pour most of the prepared sauce over the manicotti, reserving some for serving.
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Cover the dish with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until heated through.
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Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
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Spoon the reserved sauce over the manicotti when serving.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 6
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 102.0kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 9.8g16%
- Saturated Fat 6.1g31%
- Cholesterol 25.8mg9%
- Sodium 78.8mg4%
- Total Carbohydrate 3.7g2%
- Dietary Fiber 0.7g3%
- Sugars 1.7g
- Protein 0.5g1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
