Jambalaya Skillet Meal (Printable)

Hearty Creole dish with smoky sausage, shrimp, peppers, and rice simmered in a flavorful tomato sauce.

# 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 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

→ Spices & Seasonings

11 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, adjust to taste
15 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
16 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
17 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
18 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 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, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Remove sausage from skillet and set aside.
02 - Add remaining olive oil to skillet. Sauté diced onion, red and green bell peppers, and celery for 4 to 5 minutes until tender. Add minced garlic and cook an additional minute.
03 - Stir in white rice, smoked paprika, dried thyme, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt. Cook for 1 minute, stirring to evenly coat the rice and vegetables with the spices.
04 - Return browned sausage to skillet. Pour in diced tomatoes with their juice and chicken broth. Stir to combine, then bring mixture to a simmer.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover skillet, and cook for 20 minutes until rice is tender and most liquid is absorbed.
06 - Place shrimp evenly atop the rice mixture. Cover and continue cooking for 5 to 7 minutes until shrimp turn pink and are fully cooked.
07 - Gently fluff rice with a fork. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one skillet, so cleanup is almost as quick as dinner itself.
  • The smoked sausage does half the flavoring work, so you don't need a long ingredient list to taste authentic.
  • It's flexible enough to feed four hungry people or stretch for leftovers the next day.
02 -
  • Don't stir the rice once you've covered the skillet—stirring releases starch and turns it gluey instead of fluffy.
  • If your liquid evaporates too fast, your heat is too high; if it's not absorbing at all, lower the heat even more, because a true jambalaya simmers gently, not boils.
  • The shrimp must go in at the very end, or they'll overcook and turn rubbery while you're waiting for the rice to finish.
03 -
  • Smoked paprika is non-negotiable—it's what gives jambalaya its distinctive flavor, so don't substitute regular paprika.
  • If you can't find andouille, any quality smoked sausage works, but slice it thick enough that it won't disappear into the rice.
  • A cast iron skillet holds heat beautifully and helps the rice on the bottom get slightly crispy, which some people love—just watch the heat so nothing burns.
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