This quick and easy Sausage and Shrimp Jambalaya all cooks in one pot in about 35 minutes. It’s the perfect way to get a little New Orleans flavor on a busy weeknight!
This post is sponsored by my friends at Red Gold Tomatoes, but all opinions expressed are my own – just as always. Thanks for supporting the brands that support me and my family.
When Mardi Gras season rolls around, my tastebuds start craving the bold, spicy flavors of New Orleans. From gumbo and étouffée to beignets and jambalaya, my mouth just sets to watering thinking about the Cajun and Creole flavors from one of my favorite places.
While some other Louisiana cuisine can take a little time and effort, jambalaya is actually one of those things that’s relatively easy. In fact, this quick and easy version can go from prep to table in about 35 minutes – and it all cooks in one-pot!
The version I’m sharing today is often referred to as red jambalaya or Creole jambalaya. It’s actually my favorite version. So what makes it Creole? Well, I certainly don’t claim to be an expert in the food-ways of Louisiana, but I’m told by a few natives that the best way to distinguish Creole food from Cajun food is by the use of tomatoes. Creole food frequently calls for tomatoes whereas Cajun food doesn’t.
Now, I’m sure this is an overgeneralization of sorts, but being that the food and culture of that region is so rich and diverse, I suppose we have to start somewhere… and this is as good of a place as any.
For me, I really love using Red Gold Tomatoes in my dishes. Red Gold Tomatoes are steam packed fresh to preserve the true tomato flavors, so there’s no “canned” taste you can find with some other brands.
Their tomatoes are picked when they are absolutely vine-ripe-red, eliminating the need to add artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. And I feel good when I buy Red Gold because they’re sustainably grown on over 40 Midwest family farms.
When it comes to the sausage, I like to use a cajun or andouille sausage for a more authentic flavor. That being said, it’s not always super easy to find. In addition, cajun sausage can be a bit spicy. So if heat isn’t your thing, or if you just can’t find any, another smoked sausage will do.
The other thing of note in this recipe is my use of parboiled or converted rice. This is rice that is par-cooked with the husk on. Cooking it with the husk on forces some of the nutrients from the husk into the grain that would ordinarily be lost when the husk is removed. More importantly, when rice is parboiled, it removes a lot of the starch from the outside of the rice.
As a result, when it’s added to recipes and cooked through, you’ll end up with less starch in the dish. That means the end product will be more like individual grains of rice rather than a sticky mush that sometimes results from using regular rice in a dish like this.
Looking for Red Gold Tomatoes products near you? Use this super easy product finder to find their tomatoey goodness close by!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
- 1 pound cajun or andouille sausage sliced into ¼-inch rounds
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 large bell pepper seeded and diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 (15-ounce) can Red Gold Crushed Tomatoes
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can Red Gold Diced Tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning or more
- 2 cups parboiled or converted rice
- 1 pound large peeled and deveined shrimp
- sliced green onions for garnish optional
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a stock pot or large dutch oven of medium-high heat. Add the sliced sausage and cook, stirring frequently, until the sausage has browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage to a plate. Set aside.
- Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook until the vegetables are tender – about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
- Add the broth, Red Gold Crushed Tomatoes, and Red Gold Diced Tomatoes. Add the Creole seasoning. Bring to a boil. Stir in the rice and browned sausage. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender to your liking. Taste and add additional Creole seasoning or salt and pepper to your taste. Add the shrimp and cover. Cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until the shrimp are pink and cooked through. Allow to rest for about 5 minutes, then stir and serve topped with sliced green onions, if desired.
Nutrition
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
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I bought frozen cooked peeled and deveined shrimp by accident, can I use it for the jambalaya recipe
Hmmm. I do worry about them getting overcooked. Perhaps you can add them at the very end and just use the residual heat from the dish to warm them through?
I’m really excited to try this! But I only have Jasmine rice. I’m worried about it coming out mushy. Would it be better to just cook the rice separately and pour everything else over it? Or maybe cut the chicken broth in half? What would you recommend?
The jasmine rice will work; the other just holds its shape a little better. If you cook the other rice separately, you’ll have to make other adjustments to liquid amounts, etc. in the main dish. It might be best/easiest to just go with the jasmine rice and use the recipe as it.
Could I add corn ? Or would that make it taste nasty?
It would certainly give it a little sweetness and crunch. I’ve not tried it, so I can’t say for sure, but I think it could certainly work.
This was delicious! I hate to cook, but this was so easy to put together and everyone loved it! This will be a regular meal.
Love hearing that, Dana!
When you add the shrimp, do you stir them in or let them sit on top?
I typically stir them in a bit. Enjoy!
Thank you. I will update this later with a rating.
It was amazing. I just did a bit more Cajun seasoning because the frau and I like spicy.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Made this tonight for my family and they were in love. Will be making again!
Love hearing that!
Very easy. Very good. This recipe sounds foolproof so keep it on file. Follow it precisely and I don’t see how you could go wrong anywhere.
Appreciate it, Jason!
Made this tonight and it came out great.
So glad to hear it turned out perfect for you, Shawn!
10/10!! I followed the recipe exactly. The rice and veggies had the perfect texture!! We loved it, and the recipe makes enough for an army!! Lots of delicious leftovers:)
It looks perfect, Raven! So glad y’all enjoyed it!
Delicious! Love to add another one-pot recipe to my list.
I used regular rice which works great with one change to the directions: Stirring rice while it’s cooking disrupts something in the starch formation leading to both mush and crunchy bits so it should never be stirred. After adding the rice and broth make sure it reaches a boil, then cover it and pop it in a 350F oven for about 30 minutes. Ensures even cooking without stirring. No need for special rice! So yummy!
Thanks so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it and love that you’re adding it to your one-pot lineup.
And that’s a really helpful tip, too. Stirring can definitely make rice act a little… dramatic. I haven’t tested the oven method with this exact recipe yet, but baking rice covered in the oven is a solid, old-school way to get nice, even cooking without babysitting the pot. I really appreciate you sharing what worked for you!
Stacey, I will be making this soon, it sounds Yummy . But your letter to us is as Good as the recipe !! You do have a way with words that gets my attention. You have a Great way of expression. Thank you for sharing your Wonderful thoughts.
Sincerely,
Joyce
Thank you so much, Joyce!
It was so good. Thee instructions were clear and it turned out great. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Thank you! So glad to hear it turned out great for you!
Great representation of traditional jambalaya! Flavorful and easy recipe!
An aside Stacey’ Pecan Chewies are a crowd pleaser!
Thanks, Tom! Those chewies are delicious, right!?
Made this on Christmas Eve for a twist on our traditional Italian 7 fishes! I added lobster, scallops and mussels. Was very delicious and super easy!
Love that! So glad you enjoyed it!
Followed recipe. Great flavor and was a hit! Makes a lot. Will make again. Didn’t have creole or cajun seasoning so I made my own following a recipe I found online. Worked well.
Awesome! So glad it turned out great for you, Jill!
Par boiled rice. Such a good recommendation. Made Jambalaya before with regular long grain r8ce and yeah, like you said, Mushy.. This recipe was really good. Easy recipe to follow. I added 2 cubed up chicken breasts just because. But this recipe is dynamite.
Thanks, Will! I’ve got a chicken version, too: Weeknight Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
Can this be frozen?
You can absolutely freeze the jambalaya! Here’s the quick scoop:
Let it cool completely, then portion it into airtight containers or freezer bags—remove excess air. It freezes well for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat gently on the stove or microwave—add a splash of broth if it seems dry. Easy weeknight win!
When I add the rice, do you think I can put it all in the rice cooker? And add the shrimp after the rice cooker switches from “cook” to “warm”?
Thanks for the question! I haven’t tested this method in a rice cooker, so I can’t say for sure if it will work perfectly. It might be worth a try, but I worry that the liquid to rice ratio will work. Let me know how it turns out if you give it a shot!
First time trying this loved it so did my son.Both will cook this again.
I’m so glad to hear you and your son loved it! It’s always great to have a dish that brings the family together.
Very easy, very good, and it made a lot per serving– happily looking forward to having it for another (even easier) dinner!
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it! It’s always nice to have an easy go-to for dinner. Hope you love it just as much next time!
Hi Stacey! I’m sure this is a no-no but all I have is frozen already cooked shrimp. Will that work when thawed? Thanks in advance.
That will work. Just toss them in right at the very end right before serving – just long enough to allow them to warm through.
I realize the sturdiness of the shrimp, however, shellfish allergy do not allow those folks to eat them. Is there another fish that would be suitable? Thank-you!
Because of the delicate texture of most fish, I’m just not sure there is another seafood option here. I think fish would just fall apart. I do have a sausage and chicken version: Weeknight Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
Oh, yeah! This recipe sounds very good. I have to get some andouille sausage and shrimp on my next shopping trip. This recipe is a keeper!
Thanks for the enthusiasm! I’m glad you found the recipe useful—hope you enjoy making it!
I don’t add all the rice just half so it’s more soupy than pour over rice. This way you have broth for dipping bread! So good
Love that idea!
I live in New Orleans and have had different versions of jambalaya. This is by far the best! It’s easy to prepare and so flavorful!
Thanks so much, Linda! Happy to hear this got a New Orleanian’s approval!
Hi! Question – is this 2 cups of parboiled precooked rice? So around ~8 total cups prepared? want to make sure I don’t have it flipped, thanks😊
I’m not 100% sure I understand your question. You’ll need to cups of uncooked parboiled (sometimes also called converted) rice for the recipe. Typically with parboiled rice it triples in size when cooked. So, 2 cups of uncooked should yield 6 cups of cooked.
Question… Hubby don’t eat seafood… Substitution?
You can leave it out or opt for my sausage and chicken version: Weeknight Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
Would you think this is a recipe that could be doubled to serve more people? Thanks!
You’ll need a really big pot or will need to just make two batches, but yes.
I had a gumbo fail with the roux that I don’t want to get into and I switched to this on the fly since I had the ingredients. Dinner saved! This was awesome and I’m sure I will make again and again.
So glad to hear this one worked out for you!
I made this for supper last night and it is good! The only changes I made were to reduce the broth to 3 cups and a ½-cup less rice. Using the parboiled rice is key. I then shredded 5 other jambalaya recipes, leaving only this one from southernbite.com. Thank you.
Thanks, Mike! That’s quite the compliment!
This was superb! Best thing I’ve made hub said!!
I used more shrimp and only 1 cup of rice and then put white rice on plate and served over used regular kielbasa whati had.. you could dip your bread in the sauce too. Hub loved the creole spice, I like a Lil he put on more.
Great for pot lucks!!!
It looks great, Lisa! Glad y’all enjoyed it!
This was delicious❣️
It looks absolutely perfect! So glad you enjoyed it!
It’s been awhile since I’ve made jambalaya. I used to live in New Orleans. I looked at your recipe strictly for ratios.
I appreciate most of what you put in there, but I learn to make jambalaya from the Cajuns.
You might want to add a tablespoon or so of Worcestershire sauce, and some fresh parsley. It’ll elevate it just a little bit more. Of course, I’m going to be putting in crushed red pepper flakes or red pepper sauce like tabasco.
And they will tell you down there in Cajun land of Louisiana, absolutely never take the pot off a jambalaya to stir It! It needs to remain untouched until it’s ready to serve.
Thank you for the help with the ratios. Mine came out great with the two cans of tomatoes and the chicken broth.
It sure looks dee-lish!
Made it tonight and it was a hit! Made the rice separately and used shrimp stock. Will definitely keep this in the meal rotation.
So glad to hear y’all enjoyed it!
Made the jambalaya and it was delicious and so easy! No fuss, no mess. Truly one pot.
Those are my favorite kinds of recipes! Glad it turned out great for you!
Fantasy. And pretty easy to make. I love the flavors.
Glad to hear it turned out great for you!
DELICIOUS!
Can I freeze the left-overs?
I’ve not done that, but I can’t see why it wouldn’t work.
DELICIOUS! It’s a keeper! I added more creole seasoning.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Do you strain the liquid out of the diced and crushed tomatoes?
No, you’ll add the liquid as well. Enjoy!
Hey Stacy, love all your recipes! I was wondering if this recipe can be frozen in individual portions. I am making it for one person.
Oh definitely Jackie!
This was a hit! I made this today – easy and delicious! I have even asked to plan a meal for a large group in December and already know this will be part of the menu. Thank you for a great recipe!
Thanks so much Lynn!
If all I have is instant rice, so I cook it first or put it in Uncooked?
Putting it in uncooked should work just fine!
Not a fan of instant rice. Can you use par boiled rice? I’m sure I have some instant around here somewhere. Can use it if I have to. Thanks!
Yes, this recipe calls for parboiled rice. Enjoy!
Can you tell me what creole or Cajun seasonings consist of please
It really varies by brand. This might be helpful: https://www.food.com/recipe/tony-chacheres-creole-seasoning-copycat-500434
This is an easy and great tasting recipe my husband and I both love. Just decided to make it again for supper tonight. I don’t have andouille but I do have Conecuh so I’m going to use that. In case some readers don’t know, Conecuh is a brand of hickory smoked sausage made in LA (lower Alabama) and it is very delish. I may tweak the jambalaya a bit by adding more creole or perhaps a tad of Cajun seasoning to compensate if I think it needs it.
Sounds great! Conecuh would be a great substitution! Glad to hear you’ve enjoyed it!
Such a great recipe! First time making jambalaya and it was so easy and delicious 🥰
Awesome! Glad it turned out great for you!!
Could I use all crushed tomatoes? Can’t wait to get your response. Recipe sounds AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS!!!
Thanks, Janet
Hi Janet! I’ve not tried it that way, but it should work. The sauce will be a bit different but still delicious, I’m sure!
I’m making this for dinner tonight. Thanks for the recipe. I had a freezer mishap and now I have alot of shrimp I have to use up. I will be using double shrimp and no sauage due to the mishap.
I hate to hear that, but hope it turns out great for you!
This had great flavor, it was a little soupy because I used cooked rice instead of uncooked… I’m definitely trying again until next time!
This looks so good I have to try it.
Hope you’ll enjoy it!
This recipe is delicious!! Cheap and really easy to make. My hubby loved it
So glad to hear y’all enjoyed it!!
Just cooked this and it is really tasty. Had to use instant rice as it was all I had. Still came out good. Quick and easy.
Enjoyed the spaghetti sauce recipe wi th you on Sunday. I hope to see you more.
Thanks so much, Susie! Glad to hear you enjoyed it! There’s certainly more on the way!
When do you add the sausage back? Or does it not matter?
I add it back when I add the rice. Hope you’ll enjoy it!
cannot wait to try this.
PS was in shock to see you on TV this past SUNDAY Morning?
Ha! Sure hope you’ll enjoy it, Gerald!