Easy Keto-Friendly Crawfish Boil Recipe
Crawfish are perfectly compatible with a keto diet unless you are also a vegan or vegetarian. One of the criteria of a ketogenic diet is to take very little carbohydrates and the amount of carbohydrates in crawfish is next to nothing.
You can prepare crawfish in several ways, most of them being keto-friendly. And that is what we are going to be discussing today. Plus, we will explore some of the benefits of eating crawfish as well as look at some other seafood options that are keto-compilable.
Crawfish & keto diet
Crawfish, similar to most seafood, have very little to no carbohydrates whatsoever. Instead, it is primarily composed of protein and a little bit of fat. Most of its weight is simply water. So, eating crawfish will not compromise your keto diet. You will be receiving next to no amount of carbs from eating an entire bowl of crawfish.
Not only are crawfish keto-friendly, but they are also very delicious. They look like lobsters but taste even sweeter. Plus, they pack plenty of nutrients such as protein and vitamin B12. And you can prepare crawfish in multiple ways to keep your dining experience fresh. All of this makes crawfish one of the best shellfish to eat when you are on keto.
Here’s how to prepare Crawfish in a keto-friendly way
Now, crawfish themselves are totally carbohydrate-free, which makes them an ideal protein source in a keto diet. But the other ingredients that you cook with the crawfish may not be as keto-friendly.
So, to prepare crawfish in a keto-friendly manner, you need to cook it with ingredients that are also low in carbs. That means you have to avoid ingredients such as potatoes, rice and similar grains, any sort of sugar, etc. All of these ingredients are loaded with some form of carbohydrates.
Keto-friendly crawfish boil
One of the easiest ways of enjoying crawfish is simply boiling them in hot water with various seasonings and vegetables. And here is how you can make crawfish boil that is completely keto-friendly and healthy:
- Take a large bowl and fill its ⅓ with water. Add in garlic, bay leaves, crab boil seasoning, asparagus, mushrooms, tomatoes, zucchini, oranges (halved), salt, pepper, and any other vegetables of your choice. Bring the water to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Put inside a few sausages. Cook this for about 20 minutes.
- Add in the crawfish and return the mixture to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer again and cook for about 5 minutes or until the shells turn a bright red. Take one crawfish out and see if it is cooked all the way through.
- Remove the pot from the heat and drain all the liquid with a colander.
- Serve the crawfish hot and with a bit of garnish of your choice.
And there you have it, delicious and healthy crawfish that is perfectly keto-friendly.
What are some benefits of eating crawfish?
Crawfish are not just delicious and easy-to-make seafood; they are also rich in valuable nutrients. [1] First, let’s look at the nutritional composition of crawfish per 100 grams of serving:
| Nutrients | Value |
|---|---|
| Calories | 74 |
| Total Fat | 1 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.2 g |
| Unsaturated fat | 0.8 g |
| Total Carbohydrate | 0 |
| Protein | 16 g |
| Iron | 1% |
| Vitamin B12 | 33% |
| Vitamin B6 | 5% |
| Copper | 21% |
| Phosphorus | 26% |
| sodium | 58 mg |
| Potassium | 302 mg |
| Cholesterol | 114 mg |
Looking at the table, a couple of values stand out immediately. Crawfish are a terrific source of protein and vitamin B12. They also contain a significant amount of copper and phosphorus, two minerals that are hard to get through common food. Crawfish are also a good source of sodium, potassium, iron, and niacin.
In addition to having practically zero carbs, crawfish are also low in calories. This is ideal for people looking to cut down on their weight. Regularly eating crawfish will get you a healthy dose of protein without loading too many calories. [2]
In terms of negatives, crawfish do pack a noticeable amount of cholesterol. This is undesirable for people with heart problems. Plus, the salt content in most crawfish boils can be excessive. In addition, crawfish may contain bacteria that causes nausea. So, keep these things in mind when you want to try crawfish or when buying one.
So, to summarize, here are the benefits of eating crawfish:
- Great source of protein
- Low in carbs and calories
- Good source of vitamin B12 and niacin.
- Very rich source of minerals such as iron, copper, and phosphorus.
Keto-friendly crawfish boil recipe
Keto-Friendly Crawfish Boil
Ingredients
- 1/3 pot Water
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1/2 tbsp Crab Boil Seasoning
- 10 pieces Asparaguses Cut in half.
- 1 cup Mushrooms Cut in half.
- 3 pieces Tomatoes Cut in half.
- 2 pieces Zucchini Sliced in a few pieces.
- 2 pieces Oranges Cut in half.
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
- 4 Sausages
- 12 lbs Crawfish
- More water if needed.
Instructions
- Take a large bowl and fill its ⅓ with water.
- Add in garlic, bay leaves, crab boil seasoning, asparagus, mushrooms, tomatoes, zucchini, oranges (halved), salt, pepper, and any other vegetables of your choice.
- Add in sausages. You can slice them in halves if wanted.
- Bring the water to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook this for about 20 minutes.
- Add in the crawfish and return the mixture to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer again and cook for about 5 minutes or until the shells turn a bright red. Take one crawfish out and see if it is cooked all the way through.
- Remove the pot from the heat and drain all the liquid with a colander.
- Serve the crawfish hot and with a bit of garnish of your choice.
Notes
Nutrition
To conclude, crawfish is an ideal choice of seafood for people following a keto diet. They are tasty, easy to prepare, and very nutritious to boot. And with the right ingredients, you can keep them low in carbs and high in taste.
