A Classic Creole Sauce

Crawfish etouffee
Use this sauce in a classic etouffee. Sf_foodphoto / Getty Images
  • 25 mins
  • Prep: 5 mins,
  • Cook: 20 mins
  • Yield: 12 servings
Ratings (5)

By Danilo Alfaro

Updated 07/15/18

The Creole sauce is a spicy tomato sauce made with sauteed onions, green peppers, and garlic, and seasoned with cayenne pepper.

Note: This recipe calls for 1 quart of the classic tomato sauce, which is one of the five so-called mother sauces of the culinary arts. You could instead use 1 quart of basic tomato pasta sauce, which is easier to make.

What You'll Need

  • 1 quart tomato sauce
  • 3/4 cup onions (chopped)
  • 3/4 cup celery (chopped)
  • 1/2 cup green pepper (diced)
  • 1 clove garlic (minced)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano (dried)
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Salt (kosher to taste)
  • Black pepper (freshly ground, to taste)Cayenne pepper (to taste)

How to Make It

  1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, sauté the onions, green pepper, celery and garlic until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the tomato sauce, bay leaf, oregano, and lemon zest. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes.
  3. Remove bay leaf, season with the salt, pepper, and cayenne and serve right away.
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
Calories 31
Total Fat 0 g
Saturated Fat 0 g
Unsaturated Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 35 mg
Carbohydrates 7 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Protein 1 g
(The nutrition information on our recipes is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. Individual results may vary.)