5 from 1 vote

Make the easiest, most flavorful Crawfish Monica with just one pot! This rotini pasta is loaded with flavor, with a creamy sauce and cajun spice.

pot of crawfish monica next to a kitchen towel and plates.

Since we looked at Jazz Fest Crawfish Bread on Tuesday, let's do another Jazz Fest favorite today! We're making it much easier than the traditional one, though - you only need one dish to make this cheesy, creamy, spicy pasta.

Why You'll Love This Crawfish Pasta

If you need a really flavorful pasta when you're short on time and energy, this is a great go-to meal.

This recipe is kind of like Kevin and Amanda's Spicy Sausage Pasta and traditional Crawfish Monica had a baby. It's easy (you don't even have to boil pasta), super flavorful, and versatile.

You're going to get a really delicious, slightly spicy pasta with a creamy sauce that's to die for. And no one will ever know that you made all of it in one pot!

Ingredients

ingredients for crawfish monica.

(See recipe card at the bottom of the post for full ingredient measurements.)

  • butter
  • garlic
  • yellow onion
  • cajun seasoning - I prefer Tony Chachere's for this, but any cajun seasoning works.
  • cajun or andouille sausage - This is one of my additions that's not in the original Crawfish Monica. It adds great flavor!
  • cooked crawfish tails - These can be hard to find, especially if they're out of season. It's totally fine to use frozen crawfish tails. If you do use frozen, make sure to thaw it before adding to the pasta sauce.
  • rotini pasta - Tri-color rotini makes this dish really pretty!
  • heavy cream
  • lemon juice
  • chicken broth - Use homemade chicken stock if you have it, you'll get so much more flavor.
  • parmesan cheese
  • green onions
  • fresh parsley

Variations & Additions

As I mentioned above, this recipe is incredibly versatile. You can change it to make just about any variation you'd like!

  • Use shrimp or crab meat instead of crawfish.
  • Use any cheese you'd like. Cheddar cheese, Colby jack, pepper jack, or gruyere would all be great.
  • You can also use any pasta you'd like. I'd recommend linguine, fettuccine, or penne.
  • If you'd like a slightly lighter sauce, use half and half instead of heavy cream.

How to Make Crawfish Monica

Step 1: Saute veggies and sausage.

sausage and onions cooking in a pot.

In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt butter. Once hot and melted, add onion, cajun seasoning, and garlic; cook until tender.

Add sausage and cook for 3-5 minutes, until browned.

Step 2: Make sauce and cook pasta (at the same time!).

pasta, cream, chicken broth added to the pot.

Add half and half, chicken broth, and pasta. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook for about 6-8 minutes, until pasta is al dente.

Step 3: Finish sauce, Broil, and garnish.

parsley, cheese, crawfish tails added to the pot of pasta.

Stir in crawfish tails, lemon juice, half of the parsley, half of the green onions, and half a cup of shredded parmesan cheese until blended and melted. Cover the dish with the rest of the cheese and put it under a broiler for 4-6 minutes, until the cheese on top is melted, browning, and bubbly.

Garnish with remaining green onions and parsley.

Make this a full Mardi Gras meal by serving it with my King Cake Earthquake Cake!

Leftovers & Storage

This one definitely needs to be stored in the refrigerator. Make sure it's in an airtight container - those flavors are strong and will seep into other foods! Enjoy this one within 2-3 days of cooking it.

Can I freeze crawfish pasta?

I don't love the consistency of pasta after it's been frozen, so I wouldn't recommend freezing this one.

pot of crawfish monica.

More Expert Tips & Tricks

  • Make sure your cooking dish is oven-safe - this will take you from stove to oven without having to use another dish!
  • If you finish cooking and find that the sauce is too thick, add another ½ cup of milk or heavy cream. Alternatively, if it's too soupy, cook the pasta/sauce combo for another minute or two. (It might be a little soupier than preferred when it goes into the oven - that's ok! It will thicken some more.)
  • This dish makes a ton of food - feel free to halve the recipe if needed. The ingredient portions just work out better with a full recipe.

Crawfish Monica FAQs

This dish was made famous by chef Pierre Hilzim. He named it after his wife, Monica Davidson.

It's almost identical; there are just a few minor revisions. I don't use white wine in my sauce and I add andouille sausage.

This pasta is great with garlic bread, breadsticks, or a simple salad.

I can't wait to see what you think of this Crawfish Monica recipe! Share your food pics 📸 on Instagram - just tag me @lambertslately. I would also love for you to rate and review ⭐️ the recipe below.

pot of crawfish monica next to a kitchen towel and plates.

One-Pot Crawfish Monica

Make the easiest, most flavorful Crawfish Monica with just one pot! This rotini pasta is loaded with flavor, with a creamy sauce and cajun spice.
5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Cajun
Servings 12
Calories 497 kcal

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt butter. Once hot, add onion, cajun seasoning, and garlic; cook until tender.
  • Add sausage and cook for 3-5 minutes, until browned.
  • Add half and half, chicken broth, and pasta. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook for about 6-8 minutes, until pasta is al dente.
  • Stir in crawfish tails, lemon juice, half of the parsley, half of the green onions, and half a cup of shredded parmesan cheese until blended and melted. Cover the dish with the rest of the cheese and put it under a broiler for 4-6 minutes, until the cheese on top is melted, browning, and bubbly.
  • Garnish with remaining green onions and parsley.

Notes

    • Make sure your cooking dish is oven-safe - this will take you from stove to oven without having to use another dish!
    • If you finish cooking and find that the sauce is too thick, add another ½ cup of half and half. Alternatively, if it's too soupy, cook the pasta/sauce combo for another minute or two. (It might be a little soupier than preferred when it goes into the oven - that's ok! It will thicken some more.)
    • This one definitely needs to be stored in the refrigerator. Make sure it's in an airtight container - those flavors are strong and will seep into other foods! Enjoy this one within 2-3 days of cooking it.
    • This dish makes a ton of food - feel free to halve the recipe if needed! The ingredient portions just work out better with a full recipe.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 497kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 19gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 703mgPotassium: 345mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1357IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 203mgIron: 2mg
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