Shrimp Jambalaya

Juicy shrimp and sausage, Creole seasonings, sauteed veggies, perfectly cooked rice, and (spoiler alert, here comes the secret ingredient) homemade shrimp broth make for a dish that will have you coming back for seconds or even thirds. This dish is way easier than most folks think and packs a real flavor punch!

Course dinner, Main

Cuisine Cajun, Creole

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Servings

Calories 795kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

Shrimp

1 pound (500g) raw shrimp or prawns, tails on or off (peeled and shells reserved)
Salt and pepper to taste
1-2 teaspoons Creole seasoning, salt-free

Jambalaya

¼ cup oil
12 ounces (340g) Andouille sausage, sliced into rounds
1 medium onion, diced
1 large green bell pepper, seeded
2 stalks celery, diced
4-5 cloves garlic, minced (about 1½ tablespoons garlic)
2 teaspoons thyme, minced
2-3 bay leaves
1½ cups uncooked white rice (short or long grain)
1 14-ounce can (400g) crushed tomatoes
1-2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (adjust to tastes)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 cups shrimp stock (or chicken broth)
Sliced green onions and chopped parsley, to garnish
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Shrimp Stock

Add 1-2 teaspoons of butter or oil to a saucepan or skillet. Then throw in the shrimp shells, the remaining scraps of onion, garlic, celery, and aromatics like bay leaf and thyme.
Sauté for about 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
When the seasonings soften, add 4-5 cups of water to the pan.
Bring everything to a boil, lower the heat, and let it simmer for 10- 20 minutes.
Strain and reserve the stock.

Jambalaya

Place the shrimp in a plate or bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning. Toss to coat evenly and set aside.
Heat a heavy pot (skillet, Dutch oven, or another oven-safe pot) over medium heat. Add about 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet.
Add the sausage and brown for a few minutes when the oil is hot. Then remove the sausage and set it on a plate.
Add the shrimp to the same pan and brown for 2-3 minutes. Then remove them and place them on the plate with the sausage.
Add more oil to the pan, then add the onions, celery, and bell pepper. Sauté for about 2-3 minutes, and then add garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Continue cooking for 4-5 minutes.
Next, stir in the rice, crushed tomatoes, hot pepper sauce, and Worcestershire, followed by shrimp stock. Add Creole seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste.
Return the sausage to the pot. Bring it all to a boil before reducing the heat to barely a simmer. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes.
Next, add the shrimp on top of the jambalaya and gently stir it in.
Cover the jambalaya with a lid and continue cooking while occasionally stirring until the shrimp is pink and cooked through. It will take 4-5 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the shrimp you use.
Finally, remove the dish from the heat, sprinkle it with green onions and parsley, and serve warm.

Notes

Rinse your rice under running water until the water runs clear. Rinsing will eliminate some of the starch and help the rice become more fluffy and less sticky as it cooks, which is better for this dish.
Keep your eye on the shrimp as it cooks because you don’t want them to overcook and get tough and chewy. Keep the stove burner on the bare minimum heat for those last five minutes, or turn it off completely if your stove runs hot. Keep the lid on and let them slow cook until they are perfectly pink and tender.
For your cooking oil, stick with a neutral flavor that won’t mess with the jambalaya flavor. Butter, olive oil, or vegetable oil work great. But avoid coconut and other flavorful oils.
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition