How to Make Creole Sauce

Creole sauce has been a staple in Cajun cooking for more than 200 years. It's a spicy tomato-based sauce that is traditionally used with sausage, fish, shrimp or chicken, and can be canned or frozen.

Here's an easy recipe that will rival any Cajun restaurant's:

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1/4 C. vegetable oil
• 1/4 C. flour
• 2 C. chopped onion
• 1 chopped green bell pepper
• 1 C. chopped celery
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 C. fish or chicken stock
• 1 lg. can diced tomatoes (28 oz)
• 1 sm. can tomato sauce
• 1 T. fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 T. creole seasoning
• 2 T. chopped green onion
• 1 T. Italian parsley
• OPTIONAL:
• Filé powder
• 1 t. liquid crab boil

1. Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet. Reduce to medium heat and add flour with a whisk, stirring constantly until the roux becomes a deep red-brown.
   
   *A cast iron skillet is traditional, but can be substituted with any large skillet.

2. Add in chopped onions, celery and green pepper. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes (until onions are soft).

3. Add stock and continue stirring to completely dissolve the roux.

4. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce, lemon, bay leaves, garlic, thyme, black pepper, creole seasoning, and liquid crab boil (optional). Simmer for 40 minutes.
   
   ** You can add in meat (2 cups of browned chicken, peeled shrimp, cooked sausage or fish) during the last 20 minutes of the simmer time.

5. Serve over steamed rice. Garnish with green onions and parsley.
   Filé powder, Tabasco or other hot sauce can be added for a spicier sauce once served.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want to freeze or can the sauce, omit the meat. It can be added after the sauce is reheated.
• 1 tsp. dried thyme can be substituted for fresh.
• Filé powder is ground dried sassafras and is said to have been first used by Choctaw Indians in Louisiana Bayou Country

Resources

• LouisianaCookin.com
• CajunCrawfish.com - liquid crab boil resource

[rickmac]

on 6/6/2009 You'e speaking my language here. I grew up on this kind of sauce. This is similar to the sauce for our crawfish or shrimp etouffe. Yum. Don't forget the garlic toast or french bread.

[LilacGirl]

on 6/3/2009 Good article, well-written. Great recipe for creole sauce. I'm going to try making it soon.

[gahazeleyes]

on 5/31/2009 Thank u, thank u, thank u!

[e-Rambler]

on 5/29/2009 This sounds great! Thanks for the recipe.

[geekmommy4]

on 5/26/2009 Sounds delicious! Thanks!