Sausage Shrimp Jambalaya
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A one-pot jambalaya riff with browned sausage and tender shrimp merged with bell pepper, celery, and onion. Rice absorbed broth, tomatoes, Creole spice for that punch. Simmered slow enough for flavors to marry but fast enough when you’re hungry. Shrimp added late, pinked through but not rubbery. A little twist swapping chorizo for sausage ramps smoky notes. Green onions finish. Timing judged by aroma and rice texture, not watch staring.
Prep:
15 min
Cook:
33 min
Total:
48 min
Servings:
6 servings
#Cajun
#One-pot meal
#Seafood
#Comfort food
#Rice dish
#Spicy
#Chorizo
Jambalaya sitting on the stove. The hiss when sausage hits the hot pan. That sharp snap of celery under your knife. Always juggling textures — firm rice, tender shrimp, lip-smacked smoky meat bits. Learned over time to dump shrimp late — nothing worse than gummy shrimp. Vegetables softened, not mush. The aromas rise: garlic mingling with bell pepper and that spicy ghost of smoked meat. Nothing fluffed up perfectly without that slow simmer, careful stirring, poking, tasting. Tried chorizo last time; unlocked new smoky. Digging seasonings with balance, not just heat. Resting the pot off heat, letting flavors marry is that secret handshake for depth. This? A plate full of love, not fuss.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil like canola
- 12 ounces sliced chorizo (swap for smoked andouille if you want more heat)
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 can (14 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning (add extra for spice later)
- 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice rinsed
- 1 pound raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- Sliced green onions for garnish
About the ingredients
Oil choice can shift flavor, but neutral oils prevent smoking at high temps. Andouille traditional but chorizo gives smoky heat, try both if curious. Onion, bell pepper, celery — holy trinity — fresh diced counts; no frozen mush. Garlic added late avoids bitterness. Tomatoes provide acidity plus body; crushed for sauce base, diced for chunks. Creole seasoning versatile but homemade blend works too. Rinsed rice prevents gummy clumps; long grain holds shape. Shrimp peeled saves hassle, tail off unless you want it pretty. Green onions optional but brighten. Adjust meat or shrimp quantities if feeding more or less. Broth richness molds final texture; vegetable broth works for a lighter take. Salt and heat flexible depending on taste buds and brands used.
Method
- Heat oil in heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. You want that sizzle the second sausage hits the pan. Brown sausage pieces, flip often, get deep color but don’t burn. You’ll smell the fat render out and hear the faint pop. Use slotted spoon, fish sausage out, let it rest on a paper-lined plate.
- Dump diced onion, bell pepper, and celery into the sausage fat. Hear the gentle crackle as they hit the pan. Stir often until softened, translucent but not mushy — five minutes or so. Tail off heat just before garlic addition so it doesn’t burn. Add garlic, swirl 30 seconds till fragrant, not brown — that burnt punch kills dishes.
- Pour in broth and both tomatoes, with juices. The pot's gonna go quiet now, simmer coming on. Sprinkle Creole seasoning evenly around; breathing room for spices. Stir, bring whole thing to a brisk boil. Then stir in rice and browned sausage. Lower to a gentle simmer; cover loosely. Peek after 18 minutes — rice should swell, tender but still has bite. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Taste broth; salt or Creole adjustment probably needed — seasoning is personal; err on less now, add later.
- Add shrimp on top, close lid fully. Watch color — shrimp pinks up in about 4 minutes — no rubbery shrimp! Careful on overcooking; last thing you want is tough rubber chew. Rest pot off heat 5 minutes so flavors settle. Stir everything gently, fluffy texture with little resistance to spoon. Sprinkle green onions, fresh sharpness to cut richness. Serve steaming.
- Tip: Ran out of Creole? Mix paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, thyme in equal parts. No andouille? Chorizo or smoked kielbasa carry that smoky heat. Too watery? Skip some broth, rely more on tomato juice. Rice sticking? Stir midway but gently. Patience beats rushing.
Cooking tips
Searing sausage renders fat giving base flavor; brown bits stick slightly, scraping after veggies out adds layers. Veggies cooked until just tender — test by squeezing a pepper piece; soft without collapsing. Garlic time critical; smell is cue. Boil before adding rice to unstick grains. Rice stirred early to coat, then left mostly to simmer for fluff. Stirring mid-cook prevents burning; use wooden spoon scraping bottom gently. Adding shrimp at the end prevents toughness; cover ensures steam cooks evenly. Resting cools grain slightly, thickens sauce, marries flavors. Salt adjustments late because moisture concentrates or dilutes. Learn your pot — thin bottoms scorch easier. If broth absorption lags, add small water increments. Final green onions add crunch and color. Thoughtful layering; impatience ruins textures.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Brown sausage on medium-high heat till fat renders; pop and sizzle signals right color. Fish out bits with slotted spoon to avoid burning; rest on paper towel. Sausage fat is base flavor like liquid gold - don’t wash it away.
- 💡 Add diced onion, bell pepper, celery to sausage fat; gentle crackle means good heat. Cook ‘til translucent but firm not mushy, five minutes max. Tail off heat before garlic to stop it going bitter; swirl garlic 30 seconds till fragrant but no brown spots.
- 💡 Use canned crushed and diced tomatoes for layered texture. Pour broth cold for controlled simmer; watch pot silence then bubbles rise. Rice added after broth boils, no rinsing now or sticky mush. Stir occasionally but keep lid loose to prevent steam buildup.
- 💡 Shrimp goes in last; watch color shift pink within four minutes max. Overcooking means rubber chew - don’t rush. After cooking, rest pot off heat five minutes for flavors to meld, grain to plump. Stir gently with wooden spoon, not metal scraping bottom.
- 💡 Sub Creole seasoning with paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, thyme mixed equal. No andouille, swap chorizo or kielbasa. If broth too watery, cut back or rely more on tomato juice. Rice clumping? Mid-cook gentle stir fixes sticking, patience beats rush.
Common questions
When to add shrimp?
Last step always. Pink shows doneness quick, four minute max. Overcook=chewy rubber. Rest pot off heat helps settle. No tip-forcing shrimp early or mushy texture.
Can I use different sausage?
Yeah, smoked andouille swaps fine, chorizo smoky enough. Kielbasa works too. Fat content changes cooking times, watch color and sizzle. Adjust seasonings since some sausages saltier.
Rice sticking, help?
Stir midway slow and gentle. Use wooden spoon scraping bottom slightly to loosen. Broth level affects absorption too. Can add small water increments if pasta too dry or sticking persists.
Storing leftovers?
Fridge safe 3-4 days in sealed container. Reheat covered on stove or microwave, add splash broth/water if dry. Freeze in portions okay but texture softens; rewarm slow to preserve shrimp bounce.
