Jambalaya with Sausage and Shrimp
This one pot jambalaya with sausage and shrimp is a flavorful creole dish. It is perfect for busy weeknights and will be a dish your entire family will love. It’s a hearty southern comfort meal packed full of protein and vegetables.
Quick Look: Jambalaya with Sausage and Shrimp
⏱ Prep Time: 15 min
🔥 Cook Time: 25 min
🕒 Total Time: 40 min
🧄 Equipment Needed: Large pot or Dutch oven, cutting board, measuring utensils
💡 Top Tip: Add the shrimp in the last 5 minutes so they stay juicy and perfectly cooked!
🥄 Why You’ll Love It: Packed with protein, vegetables and full of Southern flavor – all in one pot!
It starts with a sautéing a trio of vegetables – celery, onion, and green pepper. Then simmering with rice, broth, tomatoes, sausage, and shrimp, I had never eaten jambalaya until I met my husband. He loved the dish and frequently would make this for the two of us. You can find a very wide variety of recipes for this meal. Several call for this trio of vegetables (celery, onion, green pepper). While others omit some of these or swap them out for scallions or red pepper.
Some recipes do not call for tomatoes and others have a heavier ratio of broth to rice ending with more liquid. All of this to say, the possibilities are endless! After several different versions, this is my preferred recipe. This version is simplified making it all in one pot and using healthier ingredients. This is the rice to broth consistency we enjoy as it is still moist and the rice doesn’t stick together, but not a soup consistency.
Why you’ll love this recipe!
One Pot: It is all cooked in one pot for ease and simplicity. This allows for easy clean up as well.
Healthy: Everyone has a different definition of healthy. This dish as is full of vegetables, protein, and a grain. There are plenty of boxed jambalaya recipes that are higher in sodium and preservatives. This recipe is homemade with simple ingredients.
Protein Packed: This dish will keep you full. The shrimp and sausage double dose of great protein.
Kid Friendly: Yes! My kids LOVE this meal. If your kids don’t like spice, I would recommend using a more mild sausage such as turkey sausage or a polska kielbasa smoked sausage.
-Lexi with Our Slice of Home
Learn more about my food blog and the inspiration behind my dishes!
Ingredients and substitutions
How to make jambalaya with sausage and shrimp
Step 1: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp of cooking oil. Sautee celery, green pepper, and onion until soft.
Step 2: Add in diced tomatoes, beef broth, spices, rice, and chopped sausage. Bring to boil and then reduce to low to simmer uncovered. Simmer for the time indicated on the rice packaging (mine was about 20 minutes).
Step 3: In the last 5 minutes of cooking, place uncooked shrimp into the pot. Tuck the shrimp into the mixture to cook the shrimp.
Andouille Sausage
Andouille sausage is a pork sausage that originated in France. I am not going to get into some of the logistics of where in the pig the sausage is made from. You are welcome! I don’t want to made you squirm and also if you are in America the store bought versions are likely different. In general andouille sausage has a chunky texture and a sharper and smoky flavor. At a larger grocery store you will likely see several different options of andouille sausage to choose from. The spice level of the meat will depend upon the brand you choose.
Shrimp
Personally, I think the shrimp is one of the best parts of the dish! It adds great texture and a bit of a twist adding some delicious shellfish to the mix. If you are looking in the freezer section at the grocery store, you will see a lot of different options. I prefer to buy uncooked, jumbo shrimp with tail on/undeveined. Uncooked because it absorbs the flavor of the dish better. I choose tail on and undeveined because they are cheaper this way and only takes about 1 minute to remove those parts. If this grosses you out, then it might be worth the money to pay for it already being removed.
What to serve this dish with
This recipe is truly a one pot recipe. It is hearty and will fill you up. If you’d like, it can be served all on its own. Some great side dishes to go with it are:
- Salad: Any type of green salad will do. I love a bed of romaine lettuce topped with tomatoes, cucumbers and feta cheese.
- Sauteed Green Beans with Bacon and Onion: This is a flavorful and delicious side dish. The green beans and bacon pairs perfectly with this southern comfort meal.
- Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salsa: This side dish is full of fresh flavors. It is super quick to whip up and can be an easy side to add.
- Rosemary Garlic Dinner Rolls: These soft and fluffy rosemary garlic dinner rolls are something out of freshly baked bread heaven.
- Einkorn Skillet Cornbread with Cinnamon Honey Butter: This recipe is made in one bowl and baked in a cast iron skillet for the perfect side dish.
- Biscuits: Serve them up with butter or honey
- Garlic bread
FAQ
Do not overcook the rice! As soon as the rice is cooked, pull it off the heat. The rice will continue to absorb the broth and soften a bit.
This is dependent on two things:
1. How much cayenne pepper you utilize. If you chose to do the smaller amount (1/8 tsp.) this is a very small amount. I would describe it as adding more of a smoky flavor. My 2 young children eat it and do mention it being spicy.
2. The type of andouille sausage: Check the ingredient list to see if they are adding any peppers to the sausage to increase the spiciness. Some of the andouille sausages I have used have a smoky flavor, not spicy. I would recommend a turkey sausage or a polska kielbasa smoked sausage if you are wanting no spiciness.
Check the cook time on the packaging of the rice you have. It may require a longer time to cook. If your liquid runs low, add another 1/2 cup of beef broth or water. I do recommend getting a rice that is around 20 minutes cook time.
Absolutely. You can use bone broth in place of beef broth. Bone broth is a nutrient-rich type of broth. Here is an easy way to make bone broth in the instant pot: Beef Bone Broth with Soup Bone
Storage and reheating
You can store this recipe in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Microwave or on the stovetop. Add a splash of water or broth if needed to keep it from drying out.
More hearty comfort meals
- Easy Crock Pot Mississippi Pot Roast
- Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken
- Shrimp and Sausage Boil
- Cheesy Meatball Sub (Eggless)
If you made this recipe, I’d be so grateful if you left a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a quick comment sharing how it turned out. And if you haven’t already, follow along here:
– Lexi with Our Slice of Home
Jambalaya with Sausage and Shrimp
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb. raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 lb. smoked andouille sausage*
- 1 ½ cups long grain rice see note
- 2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 green pepper diced into small pieces
- 2 ribs celery diced into small pieces
- 1 cup white onion diced into small pieces
- ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon cayenne Pepper depending on level of spice you want
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 2 teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon cooking oil olive oil, avocado oil, etc.
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Sautee celery, green pepper, and onion until soft (about 4 minutes).
- Add in diced tomatoes, beef broth, rice, cayenne pepper, parsley, thyme, salt, and chopped sausage.
- Bring to boil and then reduce to low to simmer uncovered.
- Simmer for about 20 minutes (see the time indicated on your rice package). Stir every couple of minutes to prevent sticking.**
- In the last 5 minutes of cooking, place uncooked shrimp into the pot. Tuck the shrimp into the mixture to cook the shrimp.
- Enjoy!
Love Cajun food!
I love that this recipe is prepared all in one pot. Makes for an easy weeknight dinner