Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya Recipe (2024)

Home > Recipes > Main Dishes > Sausage Recipes > Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya

by Michelle
March 2, 2011 (updated Mar 18, 2020)

Jump to Recipe

[donotprint]

Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya Recipe (1)

Back at the beginning of January I shared some of my food goals that I had for myself this year. One of those goals is to be more adventurous when it comes to trying different regional cuisines that I’m not familiar with; whether that be international cuisine or regional American cuisine and whether out to eat or cooking at home. Well, a week before Fat Tuesday, cue the jambalaya!

Cajun and Creole cuisines are one of the regional American varieties that I am admittedly very, very unfamiliar with. I’ve never visited the region and I can’t say that I’ve really tried any classic dishes in restaurants either. With Mardi Gras in full swing this weekend, I thought it was a great excuse to whip up a traditional Creole recipe – jambalaya.

Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya Recipe (2)

I was watching one of my DVR’ed Barefoot Contessa episodes when I saw her make this dish. While I had never tasted jambalaya before, I thought her version looked and sounded fabulous! I have seen variations with both sausage and chicken or just chicken and shrimp, but I liked the combo of sausage and shrimp in this one. And with all of the other fresh vegetables, herbs and spices that get melded and simmered together, I couldn’t resist whipping up a big pot. And I totally fell in love! All of the flavors were superb and it has a great kick to it (which you can adjust based on your preferences).

Important Note: The dish really isn’t as brothy as it looks in the photos. There was some extra liquid towards the bottom of the pot that I fished out because, well, I’m Italian and I like soaking up sauce with bread. I can’t help it. Scooped out normally, it’s lots of rice, sausage, shrimp and veggies with just a bit of liquid.

One year ago: Rich Coffeecake with Sweet Cheese Filling
Two years ago: Bananas Foster Bread Pudding[/donotprint]

Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya Recipe (3)

Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

A delicious and classic southern dish

No ratings yet

Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound (453.59 g) sausage, kielbasa or andouille, sliced
  • 1 pound (453.59 g) smoked ham, cubed
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 cup (101 g) diced celery
  • 1 green bell pepper, cored and diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
  • 1 cup (149 g) seeded and diced tomato
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced OR ½ teaspoon cayenne
  • 2 teaspoons diced fresh oregano
  • 1 teaspoon diced fresh thyme
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 6 cups (1440 ml) chicken stock
  • 3 cups (555 g) long-grain rice, rinsed
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2 teaspoons coarse salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 to 8 dashes hot sauce, optional
  • ½ cup (50 g) chopped scallions, divided
  • ¾ cup (45 g) chopped fresh parsley, divided
  • ¼ cup (61 g) freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 pound (453.59 g) medium shrimp, deveined (20 to 24 count)

Instructions

  • 1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add the kielbasa and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned. Remove the kielbasa to a bowl, and set aside.

  • 2. Add the ham to the same pot and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to the bowl with the kielbasa, and set aside.

  • 3. Add the butter, onion, celery and peppers to the same pot and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent.

  • 4. Add the tomato, garlic, jalapeno or cayenne, oregano, thyme, and tomato paste and cook until all the vegetables and herbs are blended well.

  • 5. Add the stock and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in the rice, and add the sausage, ham, bay leaves, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

  • 6. Add ¼ cup of the scallions, ¼ cup of the parsley, the lemon juice and the shrimp, and stir well. Cover the pot, remove it from the heat and allow the jambalaya steam, for 15 minutes, before serving.

  • 7. Garnish with the remaining ¼ cup scallions and ½ cup parsley, and a dash of hot sauce, if desired.

Calories: 884kcal, Carbohydrates: 92g, Protein: 53g, Fat: 31g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 293mg, Sodium: 3193mg, Potassium: 1158mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 1940IU, Vitamin C: 71.1mg, Calcium: 204mg, Iron: 6mg

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!

Author: Michelle

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Originally published March 2, 2011 — (last updated March 18, 2020)

42 Comments on “Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya”

  1. BestDiscussionForum Reply

    I really found your recipe helpful and well detailed.
    Kudos for the writeup

  2. Donna Amis Davis Reply

    Oh, you really need to visit New Orleans! Nothing better than a morning beignet with chickory coffee, powdered sugar drifting onto your lap, listening to a trumpeter outside the patio playing Amazing Grace.

  3. Beth Reply

    I made this for our Mardi Gras themed BBQ and everyone LOVED it! Mine looked different from the picture, though. The rice absorbed all the liquid and was very sticky. People loved it, but I wonder if it would have been better with a little more liquid and the rice separated. Do you think that I didn’t rinse the rice for long enough to get rid of the starch?

  4. Cati Reply

    Made this recipe last night, and it turned out really good! :) Thanks for sharing :D

    Cati

  5. lola Reply

    we made this yesterday. we must have done something wrong. no gravy :( and enough to serve, i don’t know, 20 people. we added chicken, and much more shrimp. it was like cajun paella but not made in the round pot. it was fabulous. thanks.

    • lmno Reply

      Jambalaya is a rice dish, the picture with this thread is very misleading. There shouldn’t actually be any broth left. You could try gumbo next time, pretty much the same type of ingredients, but more like a soup served over rice.

  6. Fran Pyeatt Reply

    This dish is way too soupy to be jambalaya. It looks more like a gumbo. Jambalaya is a much simpler dish. I would check out some recipes from authentic Cajun/Creole cooks. I mean, I love the Barefoot Contessa, but she IS from the Northeast! As a native Louisiana gal, I am happy to share my recipe that I have made for years for my family:
    Louisiana Jambalaya

    1 pkg. smoked sausage, sliced
    1 onion, chopped
    1 green bell pepper, chopped
    2 ribs celery, chopped
    2 cups rice
    1 tsp. salt
    1 tsp. pepper
    1 tsp. Cajun seasoning (such as Tony’s)

    In large pot, sauté sausage, onion, bell pepper, and celery until vegetables are soft. Add 3 cups water, salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning. Stir in rice and bring to a boil. Cover pot, reduce heat to low and cook for about 25 minutes, until rice is done.

    Can substitute or add chicken, ham or shrimp for sausage.

  7. Priscilla - She's Cookin' Reply

    Congrats on being featured today on FB – your jambalaya looks fantastic! I’m making mine today since tomorrow is Fat Tuesday. Have a great week!

  8. Feast on the Cheap Reply

    This looks absolutely fabulous! I’m sure it tastes even better than it looks

  9. Sherry Reply

    I would call this a gumbo instead of a jambalaya, but it still looks delicious. Thank you for sharing!

  10. Fuji Mama Reply

    I love a good jambalaya and yours looks beautiful and delish!!!

  11. Sharlene Reply

    I don’t know that I’ve ever even tasted jambalaya before but it looks and sounds unbelievable. And you can never go wrong with Ina!

  12. Rodzilla Reply

    Please rethink opening a bakeshop/cafe :)

  13. Lindsey Reply

    Looked so good I made it last night. It was awesome, but made WAY more than I expected for just 2 of us. Looks like we will be enjoying leftovers for a few days. lol

  14. Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction Reply

    This looks great! I haven’t made jambalaya in a while, but it’s one of my favorites. Your version looks really tasty.

  15. Sandra Reply

    Jambalaya, gumbos, etouffe’s; those are the foods I grew up eating. My Creole relatives would appreciate your recipe. Great job!

  16. Kathleen @ KatsHealthCorner Reply

    Do you think I could make this with Brown Rice?

    xoxo
    Kathleen

    • Michelle Reply

      Hi Kathleen, I actually made mine with brown rice! I usually never cook with white rice at home; it was delish!

  17. Tracy Reply

    Going on my to-make list! My hubby loves cajun/creole food, but I don’t think I’ve ever cooked it before!

  18. Marilyn Reply

    So, I’m always looking for good uses of frozen shrimp. And this jambalaya definitely looks good. How would you use them here? Would you just throw them in for the last 5 – 10 minutes? Thanks.

    • Michelle Reply

      Hi Marilyn, I love frozen shrimp too – so convenient! I would do what you suggested – throw them in during that last “steaming” bit – it should definitely thaw them well.

      • Marilyn

        Thanks. I’ll let you know how it goes.

  19. The Farmers Wife Reply

    OK I’m so totally drooling over here… That looks so good. Love Jambalaya!!

  20. Sunny @ http://pantrychef.wordpress.com Reply

    You had never tasted jambalaya before? Oh, girl! Do you feel robbed of the first part of your life now? Jambalaya is AMAZING! We put tons of extra hot sauce on it once we pour it over our rice. Yum!!!!!
    http://pantrychef.wordpress.com

  21. something_good Reply

    Trying out new dishes from different cuisines is so much fun! this one sounds exquisite and I love the combination of shrimps and sausages. Maybe in the future you could try some Romanian dishes :)

  22. Amanda Reply

    Gorgeous photos! This is my kinda meal :)

  23. Lori @ RecipeGirl Reply

    You always think of the best stuff to make. I absolutely adore Jambalaya, but have I made it myself yet… no!

  24. Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking Reply

    What a lovely dish! I have been searching for jambalaya recipes for a while now with no success, until I found this! Thanks so much for sharing this… I’ll have to try it soon!

  25. Angela@RecipesFromMyMom Reply

    Perfect dish for Mardi Gras and I’m with you, a little extra juice is good for the bread.

  26. Delishhh Reply

    Nice photo and dish! I love jambalaya and this is not soupy at all i am all with you on dipping bread and cleaning the dish that way :) Love New Orleans and the French District, but if you ever go in the summer time be prepared. With all the partying going on there there is a lot of stuff that get’s poured on the ground and when the sun comes out, yeah the smells are not too pleasant. But the foods and the reastaurants are awesome.

  27. jen @ the baked life Reply

    looks delicious! I love Jambalaya and Barefoot contessa. Way to broaden your tastes!

  28. Maria Reply

    I’ve never had jambalaya! I better give it a try!

  29. crustabakes Reply

    Wow, talk about being more adventurous, u definitely nailed it with this one. With all that ingredients in the list, this is definitely a party for the tastebuds!

  30. RavieNomNoms Reply

    That looks really delicious, I just had something very similar to this when I was in Baton Rouge, LA. Very tasty!

  31. Jenny Flake Reply

    Double YUM!! I need this today!

  32. Emily (The Culinary Couple) Reply

    My husband LOVES jambalaya. Bookmarking this recipe for him now!

  33. Dawn Reply

    Looks delicious, I use chicken, sausage, and shrimp in mine. I know there is a lot of ingredients, to save time, cut everything up ahead of time. This is one of my all time favorites. Tastes even better the next day.

  34. Katrina Reply

    I’ve never heard of mixing sausage and shrimp. I don’t see why not, but I’ve never thought of it before. Cool recipe!

  35. Blog is the New Black Reply

    I just made my first shrimp dish for my bf a few weeks ago and it was a success. He would LOVE this one!

  36. Happy When Not Hungry Reply

    This looks fantastic! This jambalaya looks and sounds delicious! Love soaking up sauce with bread too. Yum!

  37. linda Reply

    i too am going to try this dish…but i think i will use spicy turkey sausage & turkey bacon (instead of ham)…thanks michelle for motivating me! :)

  38. Lisa (Dishes of Mrs. Fish) Reply

    This looks fantastic! I love jambalaya!

Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya Recipe (2024)

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Virgilio Hermann JD

Last Updated:

Views: 6438

Rating: 4 / 5 (61 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Virgilio Hermann JD

Birthday: 1997-12-21

Address: 6946 Schoen Cove, Sipesshire, MO 55944

Phone: +3763365785260

Job: Accounting Engineer

Hobby: Web surfing, Rafting, Dowsing, Stand-up comedy, Ghost hunting, Swimming, Amateur radio

Introduction: My name is Virgilio Hermann JD, I am a fine, gifted, beautiful, encouraging, kind, talented, zealous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.