Shrimp Jambalaya
How To Make Jambalaya – Our Easy Homemade Jambalaya Recipe is packed with low country comfort and healthy ingredients like shrimp, chicken sausage, and tons of veggies!
Why We Love Shrimp Jambalaya Rice
Today’s recipe is very similar to the easy Jambalaya recipe Lt. Dan and I learned to make early on in our marriage. This southern rice recipe is ultra comforting and simple to make.
We like our Jambalaya rice with shrimp and sausage… It’s a bold and zesty one-pot meal with ample bits of vegetables and protein in each and every bite! The sausage provides spice and rustic essence, while the shrimp brings in the flavor of the sea, without having to hunt down fresh crawfish or southern crabs.
To lighten the dish a little, we use chicken andouille sausage in this recipe, because you don’t actually need full-fat pork sausage to achieve the best flavor. I also like to incorporate Tastefully Simple’s Garlic Garlic Seasoning and Roasted Garlic Infused Oil to give this easy Jambalaya recipe a brilliant “garlic shrimp” flavor!
This easy and flavorful Southern dish can be prepared in less than an hour! I can guarantee it will become a family favorite.
Ingredients You Need
- Tastefully Simple® Roasted Garlic Infused Oil – used to saute the sausage and vegetables, while adding amazing garlic flavor
- Andouille-style chicken sausages – brings in low country flavor and spice, we use chicken “andouille” sausages to cut out unnecessary fat and calories
- Sweet onion – vidalias if you can find them or green onions, if you prefer
- Tastefully Simple® Garlic Garlic Seasoning – zesty seasoing that removes the need for extra chopping
- Green bell pepper – green is traditional, but any color will work
- Celery – adds texture
- Plum tomatoes – buy them canned and do not throw out the juice; you can use it in the Jambalaya
- Spices – thyme, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper
- Long-grain rice – the base of the recipe
- Chicken broth – or seafood stock
- Raw shrimp – well cleaned, leave the tails on or take them off
- Fresh chopped parsley – for color and a pop of frehness
- Lemon zest – to balance the heavy flavors
How To Make Low Country Jambalaya
- Set a large Dutch oven on the stovetop. Add the Tastefully Simple® Garlic Infused Oil and the sliced sausages. Caramelize the sausages on all sides.
- Once the sausages are brown, add the chopped onion and Tastefully Simple® Garlic Garlic Seasoning. Soften for a few minutes, then stir in the chopped bell pepper and celery.
- Pour the tomatoes and juices into the pot. Stir in the thyme, cayenne pepper, long-grain rice, chicken broth, and seasoning.
- Cover the pot with a heavy lid. Bring to a boil. Then lower the heat to simmer until the rice is cooked through.
- Once the rice is cooked, stir in the shrimp.
- Cook for another few minutes, and mix in the fresh parsley and lemon zest. Garnish with extra parsley if you so desire.
Get the Full (Printable) Homemade Jambalaya Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
Want to put your own spin on this recipe? Awesome! Here are some ideas…
- Spice level – This shrimp jambalaya is spicy, primarily because andouille sausages are spicy. I did add a little bit of cayenne pepper. However, if you have a sensitive palate you can remove the cayenne pepper, or substitute the andouille sausage for a milder sausage variety. You could also use ham instead of sausage.
- Different protein – Not a fan of pork? No problem! We used chicken sausages in this recipe. If you do not eat seafood, you can add bite-size chicken pieces to the recipe (in place of the shrimp) when you add the rice and broth.
- Vegetarian – Yes, but… guys, it’s just not my favorite. So much of the rich flavor comes from the sausage and shrimp, the taste seems off if you leave them out completely. My suggestion is to substitute some sort of tofu sausage in the recipe.
- Peppers – The N’awlins Holy Trinity of onions, peppers, and celery is a must in this recipe. However, you can use any color of bell pepper you like. You can also add extra spice by mixing in a jalapeno or serrano chile!
- Garlic – We used two delicious products from Tastefully Simple to give this recipe a double-dose of garlic flavor! They are great items to keep on hand for quick pantry cooking and to reduce chopping and prep time. However, if you live out of the states and can’t get your hands on Tastefully Simple, you can certainly use fresh garlic cloves in this recipe.
- Rice – Why yes, you can swap brown long-grain rice for the white rice in this Jambalaya recipe! Just be aware, it does change the overall texture a bit, making it slightly denser.
Serving Suggestions
This shrimp jambalaya recipe is a one-pot sensation on its own! I’d serve it as-is with a glass of wine.
However, if you like to have multiple options on the table, consider serving it with:
- Apple Chopped Salad with Herb Vinaigrette
- Harvest Oven Roasted Vegetables
- Honey Cinnamon Cornbread
- Rosemary Old Fashioned
- Fresh Plum Cake
Frequently Asked Questions
First of all, think of Gumbo as a stew, while Jambalaya is most definitely a rice dish.
Gumbo is made by creating a dark roux from slowly cooked fat and flour. The roux is the thickening agent for the stew, yet also delivers the rich dark underlying flavor that all good gumbos possess.
Jambalaya, however, is the “American melting-pot” low-country version of Spanish Paella. It was introduced to the Americas by Spanish colonists and was adapted from the resources and flavors available to them at the time. Like Gumbo, Jambalaya always contains the “Holy Trinity” of veggies. However, it does not usually contain okra. It is traditionally made with chicken and sausage cooked with rice. However, seafood with sausage (or ham) is also a very popular classic combination.
Absolutely! Jambalaya tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld together. Just reheat it gently on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of broth to keep it moist.
Jambalaya can last up to 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Yes, it freezes well. Store it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheat it on the stovetop or microwave with a splash of chicken broth or water to restore moisture.
Looking for More Low Country Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
- Cajun Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Crispy Creole Roasted Zucchini
- Southern Squash Casserole
- Damn Good Corn Pudding
- Southern Shrimp and Grits
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
- Southern Orangeade
- Tomato Pie
- Southern Comeback Sauce
- Hummingbird Blondies
Get the Full (Printable) Homemade Jambalaya Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Shrimp Jambalaya Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Tastefully Simple® Roasted Garlic Infused Oil
- 1 pound andouille-style chicken sausages, sliced
- 1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 tablespoon Tastefully Simple® Garlic Garlic Seasoning
- 1 large bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 2-3 stalks celery, sliced
- 15 ounce plum tomatoes, canned in juices
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (1 tsp dried)
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 1 1/4 cups long-grain rice
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 pound medium raw shrimp, cleaned
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Set a large 6-8 quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the Tastefully Simple Garlic Infused Oil and the sliced sausages. Use a wooden spoon to move the sausage around the pot, browning on all sides.
- Once the sausages are caramelized, move the pieces to the sides of the pot. Add the chopped onion and Garlic Garlic Seasoning in the middle. Saute the onions for 5 minutes, stirring every minute, until the onions are soft. Then stir in the chopped bell pepper and celery. Saute another 1-2 minutes.
- Pour the tomato juices into the pot. Squash the tomatoes in your hands to break them into uneven pieces. Then place the pieces in the pot. Stir in the thyme, cayenne pepper, long-grain rice, chicken broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Cover the pot with a heavy lid. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to simmer. Stir well. Then cover and simmer for 18-20 minutes, undisturbed.
- Once the rice has cooked through, Stir in the shrimp. Cook another 2-3 minutes, until the shrimp are pink. Then stir in the fresh parsley and lemon zest. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Tastefully Simple. All opinions are my own.
Excellent recipe! My mom was from Louisiana and made jambalaya for us, as kids, regularly. Very authentic recipe with a little bit of fresh with the addition of lemon zest and parsley at the end. I’ll make this again and again. Thank you!
Excellent recipe – so much better than buying the box version! Thanks for sharing.
hello, I followed the recipe to the letter, but the rice stayed wet, could you help me, what mistake did I make?
Loved this recipe(as most that I make from here) used just a garlic sausage so I added a few sliced pickled jalapenos. Came out awesome. Thank you.