Recipe by Josh Falcon of The Falcon Eats, an Austin Outdoor Kitchens affiliate partner who may earn a commission on purchases made through his links. Get the full ingredient list and steps on Josh's recipe page.
Savory, not sweet
This is not a dessert. Josh's crawfish cheesecake is a baked, savory appetizer with a Louisiana flavor profile, made a day ahead and served chilled with crackers. It feeds a crowd, about 12 appetizer servings from one 9-inch springform pan.
What goes in it
Cream cheese, eggs and whipping cream make the base. Grated smoked gouda brings the smoke, crisp bacon and onions softened in the bacon fat bring depth, and green onions and crawfish tail meat finish it. Frozen crawfish tails work if they are thawed and drained well.
How it comes together
- Crisp the bacon, then soften the onions in the rendered fat.
- Mix the onions, bacon and green onions with the softened cream cheese, eggs, cream and gouda.
- Fold in the crawfish and pour it into the springform pan.
- Bake at 375°F for about 30 to 40 minutes, until it is set and lightly golden. A slight jiggle in the center is normal.
- Cool it completely and refrigerate overnight before slicing.
Serving it
Josh serves it chilled with crackers. For a keto spread, pork rinds work as the dipper, and toasted baguette or sturdy chips are good for everyone else.
Cook the prep outside
A suggestion from our team, not part of Josh's recipe: the bacon and onions are the messiest part of the prep, and they are easy to do in a skillet on an outdoor side burner so the kitchen stays clean before a party. The Ruby Series Versa Single Burner (SUN13VSB) and the Versa Double Burner (SUN13VDB) are built into the island next to the grill. See all Versa side burners.
More from The Falcon Eats
Find more keto, low-carb and Cajun recipes at thefalconeats.com, or visit Josh's page on our site for his videos and the Sunstone gear he cooks on.