Jambalaya is a cajun dish packed full of creole flavors, a delicious combination of sausage and shrimp in zesty rice with tomatoes, celery, onion, and spices. Serve this Sausage and Shrimp Jambalaya with a simple salad and some crusty bread and you’ll have a meal your family will love…and it cooks all in one pot!
My family and I live close to the ocean for part of the year and we love to eat the shrimp, fish and crabs that are caught locally. I’m always looking for new ways to incorporate shrimp into a dish. This easy jambalaya cooks all in one pot and features many of our favorite flavors.
The dish starts with sautéing bacon in a large stock pot. Then add the onion, green pepper and celery. In creole cooking, this is known as mirepoix or the holy trinity. It is the base for many creole dishes. Mirepoix gives the dish flavor and balance.
I used mild sausage, but spicy or hot sausage is also good depending on your preference. Creole cooking is all about spicy flavors, so don’t be afraid to heat things up a bit. Chicken can also be added to the dish or can replace the sausage, if you prefer.
The rest of the ingredients, except for the shrimp, then get added to the pot. Allow it all to simmer until the rice is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Add the shrimp at the end and cook for an additional 3 minutes to finish the dish. I like to peel and devein the shrimp prior to adding them to the pot for an easy-to-eat meal.
Sausage and Shrimp Jambalaya
Ingredients:
- 1/4 pound bacon, cut into small pieces
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1/2 green pepper, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped with leaves
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage, cut into half inch pieces
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried or fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, crushed
- 4 cups of chopped tomatoes
- 4 cups of chicken stock
- 1 pound of peeled and deveined shrimp
- 2 tablespoons parsley
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
How to make Jambalaya?
- Add the chopped bacon to a 6-quart Dutch oven or large stock pot. Cook the bacon over medium heat until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
- Add the onion, green pepper and celery and saute for another 5 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
- Add the sausage and cook until browned.
- Add the uncooked rice, paprika, thyme, and red paper flakes. Stir to coat the rice with the bacon fat and mix the ingredients well. Add the chopped tomatoes and chicken stock to the pan. Turn the heat down to medium low and cover with a lid. Simmer for 30 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is reduced.
- Add the shrimp, pepper and parsley and cook for an additional 3 minutes until the shrimp are pink and cooked through. Do not overcook the shrimp. Serve immediately. Recipe makes 6 servings.
You can serve this with hot sauce to really make it spicy if you wish. We had it with a chopped green salad and crusty bread. It is a terrific one-pot meal for your family!
Check out more great seafood recipes like Beer Battered Fish, Tuscan Salmon with Pasta, and Corn Chip Crusted Catfish. See them all when you click on the ‘DINNER’ tab in the menu at the top of the page.
Sausage and Shrimp Jambalaya
Ingredients
- 1/4 pound bacon cut into small pieces
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1/2 green pepper chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped with leaves
- 1 pound mild sausage cut into half inch pieces
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried or fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes crushed
- 4 cups of chopped tomatoes
- 4 cups of chicken stock
- 1 pound of peeled and deveined shrimp
- 2 tablespoons parsley
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add the chopped bacon to a 6-quart Dutch oven or large stock pot. Cook the bacon over medium heat until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
- Add the onion, green pepper and celery and saute for another 5 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
- Add the sausage and cook until browned.
- Add the uncooked rice, paprika, thyme, and red paper flakes. Stir to coat the rice with the bacon fat and mix the ingredients well. Add the chopped tomatoes and chicken stock to the pan. Turn the heat down to medium low and cover with a lid. Simmer for 30 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is reduced.
- Add the shrimp, pepper and parsley and cook for an additional 3 minutes until the shrimp are pink and cooked through. Do not overcook the shrimp. Serve immediately. Recipe makes 6 servings.
