Jambalaya Skillet with Shrimp (Printable)

A colorful skillet dish with sausage, shrimp, bell peppers, and rice slow-cooked in Creole spices.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 8 oz andouille or smoked sausage, sliced
02 - 8 oz large shrimp, peeled and deveined

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
06 - 2 celery stalks, diced
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Rice & Liquids

08 - 1 cup long-grain white rice
09 - 1 2/3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

→ Spices & Seasonings

11 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
13 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
14 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, adjust to taste
15 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
16 - 1 tsp salt, or to taste
17 - 2 tbsp olive oil
18 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage slices and cook until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove sausage and set aside.
02 - Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Sauté onion, red and green bell peppers, and celery for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
03 - Stir in rice, smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, cayenne, black pepper, and salt. Cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat rice and vegetables evenly with spices.
04 - Return browned sausage to the skillet. Pour in diced tomatoes with their juice and chicken broth. Stir thoroughly and bring mixture to a simmer.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover skillet, and cook for 20 minutes or until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
06 - Nestle shrimp evenly over the rice mixture. Cover and cook for an additional 5 to 7 minutes until shrimp turn pink and are fully cooked.
07 - Fluff the rice gently with a fork. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything happens in one skillet, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying what you made.
  • The combination of smoky sausage and tender shrimp creates this perfect tension of flavors that keeps you coming back for seconds.
  • It's the kind of dish that tastes like you spent hours cooking when you actually pulled it off in under an hour.
02 -
  • Don't skip browning the sausage first—that caramelization is where half the flavor lives, and rushing it changes everything.
  • If your rice is still crunchy after 20 minutes, it means your heat was too high or your liquid wasn't quite enough, so add a splash more broth and give it a few more minutes rather than panicking.
03 -
  • If you don't have smoked paprika on hand, regular paprika works in a pinch, but the smokiness you get is worth seeking out—it's transformative.
  • Leftover jambalaya actually tastes better the next day once all the flavors have had time to get to know each other, so make extra without guilt.
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