Easy, Family Approved Shrimp Creole over Rice
If you love seafood and spicy food, then this shrimp Creole recipe is for you! It’s a traditional Cajun dish that’s both flavorful and easy to make.
This shrimp Creole is a typical Louisiana meal that combines the “Holy Trinity” of celery, onions, and bell peppers with a tomato-based Creole sauce. The tomato sauce, veggies that have been chopped, garlic, and spices are all combined to create the Creole sauce. If you like a hotter sauce, add more hot sauce or cayenne.
Due to the fact that this recipe originates from the Gulf Coast, fresh, wild-caught Gulf shrimp are typically used in it. While any shrimp will do, it’s preferable to stay away from farm-raised shrimp. Frequently, the shrimp you see in your grocery store’s refrigerator are defrosted, previously frozen shrimp. If you choose high-quality frozen shrimp and thaw them right before cooking, the outcome will be better.
What is Creole
Creole refers to a style of cooking that originated in Louisiana. Creole cuisine is a fusion of French, Spanish, African, and Native American cuisine. It’s also influenced by the ingredients available in Louisiana—namely seafood.
The difference between Cajun and Creole? Cajun food typically has simpler flavors than Creole dishes and tends to be spicier. In addition to this, Cajun cooking often uses more game meats than its sister cuisine does; whereas with Creole you’ll find more reliance on seafood (though there are certainly exceptions).
Ingredients
- 2 cups diced chicken
- 1 cup shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14-16 oz)
- 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
- you can use a dash of hot sauce if you don’t have cayenne on hand!
Methods
- Sauté the onions and garlic in a large pot until soft, about 5 minutes. Add bell pepper and celery, and continue sautéing until softened, about 3-5 more minutes.
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste, water and seasonings to taste (Tabasco sauce being an excellent choice). Bring mixture to a boil before lowering heat to medium-low and simmering for 20-30 minutes until flavors combine well together and vegetables are tender but not mushy (the shrimp will be done after they’ve cooked through).
- During this time you can make your rice according to package directions if you’d like; personally I prefer making rice on the stovetop instead because it’s faster than waiting for my rice cooker! When done add shrimp into the pot along with parsley basil thyme mixture; stir everything together well before serving over cooked white rice.
Special Note
You can use any kind of shrimp you like. You can also use chicken or any other meat or fish that you prefer. The only requirement is that whatever meat you choose be cut into bite-sized pieces. You can use any kind of rice, too! Or even pasta if that’s what you’d prefer.
The vegetables matter less than the type of meat and/or seafood, so feel free to experiment with your favorite veggies here—and don’t forget to add some ground pepper and salt at the end!
Pro Tip
- Add the shrimp to the pan when the sauce is almost done. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the shrimp and cook them through, but not so thick that you can’t stir it for a couple minutes with a spoon.
- Cook them for about 5 minutes until they’re cooked through, then remove from heat and serve over rice with biscuits on top!
Add-ins and Variations
- Chicken (chicken breast, thigh or leg)
- Goat meat
- Okra
- Spinach leaves or kale
To prepare delicious Cajun food, you must be able to make a nice roux.
Cajun cuisine is based on roux. It thickens while also enhancing taste. The ideal approach to prepare a roux is to gently simmer oil and flour in a saucepan over low heat for approximately 30 minutes, or until the mixture is golden brown. One tablespoon of oil can suffice in certain recipes, but two or three tablespoons of oil per tablespoon of flour may be required in others.
The key to a good roux is patience; you must cook it carefully over low heat to prevent burning or lumpy results. Flour and fat are combined in roux in an equal weight ratio. The fat might be butter, lard, oil, or bacon drippings. The taste of the roux will be more noticeable the darker and longer it is cooked. A white roux, which takes only 15 minutes to prepare, is used for delicate sauces like béchamel and has no color at all.
This is a tasty Cajun recipe
This is a tasty Cajun recipe that’s quick and easy. If you’re looking for a healthy dish, this shrimp creole over rice will be the perfect choice! You can serve this dish with warm garlic bread or some fresh French bread.
Creole is a delicious dish. It’s so easy to make with just a few ingredients, but it’s packed with flavor. If you’re looking for a new way to make shrimp creole, this recipe is perfect!
