One of my favorite things to do is take a favorite recipe from a local restaurant and try to recreate something similar at home. Since I order the spicy crawfish dip at one of my local eateries every single time I go, I figured it was high time to tinker around and perfect my own crawfish queso recipe!
I’m not saying my crawfish tails recipe is an exact copycat of the other, but it is pretty close. And boy is it good!
Where to Buy Crawfish Tails?
For my crawfish tails recipes, I used frozen crawfish tails which I thaw in advance.
I usually buy frozen crawfish tails at Walmart or Kroger. We tend to stick with Riceland crawfish tails at Kroger, Walmart and most other grocery retailers. They are typically in the frozen area with the other frozen seafood options.
What Do Crawfish Tails Taste Like?
I grew up close to the Louisiana/Arkansas border so crawfish and crawfish tails are something I grew up eating. I also lived in south Louisiana for a while after college and enjoyed all the Creole foods!
To me crawfish tails have a texture similar to shrimp. And crawfish tails taste like shrimp but have a slightly sweeter flavor. Therefore, they also kind of taste like crab meat. And kind of looks like it too.
What Type of Cheese for Crawfish Queso?
I use two different cheeses in my crawfish queso recipe. One is basic shredded sharp or medium cheddar.
If you’ve seen my latest recipes, you might have noticed I’ve taken a fondess to Oaxaca cheese. It is just the best melting cheese. Many authentic Mexican restaurant cooks use Oaxaca cheese in their recipes to achieve the gooey consistency of their dishes.
So the two cheeses for this crawfish tails recipe are cheddar and Oaxaca.
What are Some Substitutes for Oaxaca Cheese?
That being said, if you don’t have Oaxaca cheese, you can substitute asadero cheese or Monterey Jack cheese in its place. I usually find Oaxaca cheese pretty easily in the deli area of Walmart or at my local Hispanic market.
Mozzarella is another substitute for Oaxaca cheese since it has a similar melting quality. However, for this particular crawfish queso recipe, I would probably choose Monterey Jack instead.
What To Serve with this Spicy Crawfish Queso Recipe
I most often serve this crawfish dip with dippers and use it has an appetizer.
- Pita Wedges
- Tortilla Chips
- Fritos
- Bagel Chips
- Grilled French Baguettes (my favorite way!)
What to Do with Leftover Queso with Crawfish?
Oh, what can’t you do with leftover queso?! Maybe the bigger question is WHY do you have queso leftovers??
You can warm this dip up the next day (adding a bit of milk to thin it just a touch) and serve it over rice, salmon, or chicken.
Read on for my favorite thing to do with leftover queso. Just remember crawfish is seafood so you should use the leftovers the very next day or two and not leave it lingering in the fridge for a week!
Turning Leftover Queso Into Mac and Cheese
My favorite way is to turn the crawfish queso leftovers into another local favorite – crawfish mac and cheese! In fact, both of the recipes – the crawfish mac and cheese and this crawfish cheese dip are inspired by the same restaurant!
Check out my blog post dedicated to the mac and cheese with crawfish. Basically, if you already have a batch of this crawfish queso, you are going to take leftover warmed queso and add it to cooked pasta of your choice.
I usually add three cups of leftover queso with one cup of milk (and a bit more Slap Ya Mama seasoning for an extra dusting of spice – but that is just my preference) into a large stock pot. I put the queso on medium low heat until warmed.
Separately, I cook 8 ounces of shell macaroni or elbow macaroni and drain it when done. I add the drained pasta into the heated queso. This usually gives us about four to five good sized servings of crawfish mac and cheese. So good!
Spicy Crawfish Queso
Ingredients
Crawfish Tails
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 16 oz Crawfish tails frozen and thawed
- 3 Garlic Cloves or 3/4 tsp garlic powder
Queso Ingredients
- 10 oz Can Rotel with green chiles undrained
- ⅙ cup Pickled jalapenos chopped, with juice
- 2 cups Cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup Oaxaca cheese shredded (can substitute Monterrey Jack)
- 1 tbsp Slap Ya Mama seasoning or any other preferred Cajun seasoning
- 1 cup Milk
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
Instructions
To Cook Crawfish
- In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
- Add garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often.
- Add crawfish tails and sautee for 2-3 minutes before removing from heat, stirring several times.
To Prepare Queso
- In a medium pot, add Rotel, jalapenos, cheese, and seasoning to pot.
- Whisk cornstarch into milk.*
- Add milk to pot.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring often for 5-10 minutes until queso is melted and gooey.
- Add cooked crawfish and stir into the cheese dip until well blended.
- Top queso with green onions and serve warm with dippers (chips, Pita wedges, toasted mini toasts, etc.)
Notes
Nutrition
Check Out Our Other Favorite Appetizers
If you liked this crawfish dip, check out our other favorite appetizers at Planted in Arkansas!
Sausage Cocktail Bread Appetizers
Cranberry Cream Cheese Pinwheels
Best Tropical Foods for a Luau
Sausage Balls Without Bisquick
Jalapeno Artichoke Dip Appetizer on Rye Bread
Spinach Toast Appetizer with Spinach Dip
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