These crawfish balls are a new way to enjoy the classic flavor of the Bayou. A creamy filling loaded with coarsely chopped seasoned crawfish, bell peppers, onions, and cream cheese is coated with a Cajun-seasoned panko breading and then deep-fried until golden and crispy. It’s a delicious seafood appetizer that will have everyone coming back for just one more poppable bite.
If you love the earthy, slightly sweet flavor of crawfish and all things Cajun, then my crawfish balls are going to be your new favorite. I know they are for us! Like my spicy cheesy ground beef balls and mashed potato stuffing bites, these poppable seafood balls are rich and creamy on the inside and crispy and golden on the outside. I actually made these because my boyfriend is a HUGE fan of crawfish. I don’t really like them very much, but even I love these little balls. So, I’m fairly certain that everyone reading this will, as well. They made me a believer, and if they can do that, then everyone is going to love them.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: You’ll only need a few basic ingredients and seasonings to make this recipe, and you’ll find them all at your local grocery store.
- Easy: This recipe is a simple matter of mixing, coating, and frying. Even beginners can make it easily.
- Fantastic Texture: The rich, creamy filling combined with the crunchy breading creates a great combination of textures in every bite.
- Big Flavor: The crawfish are cooked in Cajun seasoning before being mixed with the filling, and the coating is seasoned with a blend of bold spices to create appetizers that explode with flavor.
- Versatile: These delicious bites are perfect for all kinds of parties, from game day bashes to fish fries.
Ingredients
Crawfish Filling
- Crawfish Tails: Crawfish tails give the balls a meaty, earthy, seafood flavor.
- Bell Peppers and Green Onions: A combination of bell peppers and green onions adds an aromatic, vegetal flavor you’ll always find in Cajun dishes.
- Jalapeno: Jalapenos add a nice kick of flavor to the balls.
- Cream Cheese: Cream cheese makes the filling so rich and creamy when you bite into the balls.
- Cajun Seasoning: Cajun seasoning adds an earthy, complex flavor with a bit of heat.
Coating
- Flour and Cornstarch: A blend of flour and cornstarch ensures the other coating ingredients stick to the balls and make the coating extra crispy.
- Buttermilk and Eggs: Whisked buttermilk and eggs ensure the breadcrumbs stick to the crawfish balls and add a tangy flavor.
- Crushed Panko and Seasonings: A blend of crushed panko breadcrumbs and seasonings like Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, and paprika creates a crispy, golden coating with an extra kick of flavor.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact measurements.
Flavor Variations
- Shellfish: Shrimp, crab, or even lobster will work for these balls. They all add their own unique flavor.
- Extra Spicy: Sauté diced jalapenos with the bell peppers for a spicy kick.
- Celery and Carrots: Add finely diced celery and carrots for the classic “trinity” found in almost all Cajun dishes.
Instructions
Crawfish Balls
1. Sauté the bell pepper and jalapeno in oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Then, add the crawfish and cook until done.
2: Coarsely chop the crawfish into small pieces and set them aside.
3: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Then, add the remaining ball ingredients and mix until combined.
4: Roll the mixture into small balls and place them on a baking sheet. Flash-freeze until solid.
Coating
1: Set up a dredging station with the flour and cornstarch in one container, the eggs and buttermilk in a second, and the seasoned crushed panko in a third.
2: Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan or skillet.
3: Roll each ball into the flour, egg, and breadcrumb mixtures in that order, repeating until they’re all coated. Then, deep fry them in small batches until golden and crispy.
4: Transfer the balls to a plate lined with paper towels as you finish them. Enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce.
Hint
Your crawfish are done when they’re opaque, pink, and C-shaped. Don’t overcook them, or they’ll get tough.
Storage
Refrigerate these crawfish balls in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze them for up to a month in an airtight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag.
To reheat the balls, defrost them overnight in the refrigerator if frozen. Then, microwave them at 30-second intervals until heated through. You can also air fry them at 390 for a minute or two.
Pairing Suggestions
Serve these delicious balls with your favorite dipping sauces like Remoulade sauce, BBQ sauce, cocktail sauce, jalapeno ranch, guacamole, or any others you love. I also highly recommend dipping them in my raspberry topping for an unexpected, delicious flavor combination.
Tips
- Stop cooking your crawfish as soon as they’re a vibrant red color and become firm, plump, and tender. Overcooking them can make them mushy.
- Be sure to freeze your crawfish balls for at least 45 minutes to an hour to ensure they’re fully solid. This is SO IMPORTANT before you fry them.
- Give your balls a gentle shake between each dredging bowl to ensure the perfect coating.
- The easiest way to crush your panko is to add it to a resealable baggie and give it a few gentle whacks with a rolling pin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Crawfish taste like a combination of shrimp and crab with a slight sweetness and a bit of a mineral or earthy flavor.
Crawfish tails are done when they become a vibrant red color and they’re firm, plump, and tender. They’ll have a hard texture and grainy texture if they’re overcooked.
The best way to defrost any shellfish is overnight in the refrigerator. For faster defrosting, submerge the bag in cold water. Never thaw your crawfish at room temperature or in hot water.
Try These Crawfish Balls for Yourself
If you have a party coming up, or you just think these crawfish balls sound good, then you need to give them a try. With so much delicious flavor and texture packed into such an easy recipe, this is a must-make! Give these a try, and I know you’ll fall in love with them.
More Delicious Appetizer Bites You’ll Enjoy
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Crawfish Balls
Ingredients
Crawfish Balls
- 1 pound frozen crawfish tails, thawed, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 jalapeno, seeds removed, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, seeds removed, diced
- (2) 8 ounce cream cheese, softened
- ⅓ cup green onions, sliced and diced
- 2 teaspoons Slap Ya Mama seasoning
Crispy Coating
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 large egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1½ cups Panko breadcrumbs, crushed (*see note)
- 2 teaspoons slap ya mama seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1-2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
Crawfish Balls
- Add olive oil to a large frying pan and heat over medium heat.
- Add diced jalapeno and bell pepper. Sauté over medium heat until soft. Remove and set aside.
- Add crawfish to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- After crawfish is cooked, coarsely chop into small pieces. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add cream cheese. Beat until fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
- Add crawfish, jalapenos, bell pepper, green onions, and seasoning to cream cheese. Stir until combined.
- Roll into small balls and place on a small baking sheet.
- Flash freeze for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Crispy Coating
- Set up a dredging station with 3 shallow containers.
- In the first container whisk flour and cornstarch together.
- Then whisk buttermilk and eggs together in the second container.
- In the third container, add the breadcrumbs and all the seasonings.
- In a large frying pan, or skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.
- Roll each ball into flour mixture, then egg mixture, and finally in breadcrumb mixture.
- Place about 6-8 bites at a time into the hot oil. Cook until golden on all sides.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towels.
- Work in batches.
- Serve with Remoulade sauce or your favorite dipping sauce.
- *Place breadcrumbs in a sealable baggie and slightly crushed into smaller crumbs.
Notes
- Stop cooking your crawfish as soon as they’re a vibrant red color and become firm, plump, and tender. Overcooking them can make them mushy.
- Be sure to freeze your crawfish balls for at least 45 minutes to an hour to ensure they’re fully solid. This is SO IMPORTANT before you fry them.
- Give your balls a gentle shake between each dredging bowl to ensure the perfect coating.
- The easiest way to crush your panko is to add it to a resealable baggie and give it a few gentle whacks with a rolling pin.
Nutrition
