I am married to a man from Lousiana, and dishes like this Creole Shrimp and Sausage are ones he loves. This is such a great Cajun dish! If you aren't familiar with cajun dishes, get ready for a flavor party! They are much easier to make than you might think!
What Exactly Is This Dish and What Makes It So Good?
Think of it as a spicy, hearty stew. This is made with a roux, which I will explain below, the holy trinity of cajun cooking (bell peppers, onions, and celery), shrimp, and andouille sausage.
All this is served with white rice, another Lousiana standard. With all those ingredients, it has got to be good, right?
Ingredients
- Shrimp- I prefer a large size of shrimp, but use whatever size you like.
- Andouille Sausage- More on this below. If you prefer a sausage that is a little less spicy, go for it.
- Onions, Celerty, and Bell Peppers- This is the holy trinity of cajun cuisine.
- Tony Chacheres- This is a classic Louisiana seasoning. If you cannot find this, you can use any other cajun seasoning you like.
- Chicken Stock
- Crushed Tomatoes
- Paprika, Salt, Pepper, and Thyme
- Rice- Traditional is a white rice, but you can use brown rice if you prefer.
- Green Onions
How To Make The Creole Shrimp
- Start by prepping all your ingredients. Cut up your veggies and sausage, then peel your shrimp.
- Start cooking your rice. I like to have this going when I start, then it is ready when the shrimp and sausage are done.
- Next, heat your pan. Add in the oil. Once the oil is heated, add in the sausage and cook them, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the sausage and with the oil in the pan, add your flour. Mix this and cook until it is a deep golden brown color. This your roux and will add so much flavor to the dish.
- Add in your veggies and cook, stirring consistently for about 5 minutes.
- Now add back in your sausage, the tomatoes, your stock, and seasonings.
- Let this cook for at least 10 minutes.
- I like to cook my shrimp separately and will explain the 2 cooking options below.
- Once they are cooked, you can either stir them into your sauce, or add them on top as I did. We have tried it both ways, and like it both ways.
- Now, add this to some light fluffy rice and you are good to go!
Why Andouille Sausage In Cajun Cooking?
Andouille sausage is a favorite sausage down south. It is a little spicy and a whole lot delicious! It is easy to find in most grocery stores, if not ordering from Amazon is an option as well.
It is a standard for dishes like this, but certainly not the only option. If you can handle spice, I highly recommend a spicier sausage. If not, go for a milder beef or pork sausage.
What Type Of Shrimp To Use?
Let's get on this shrimp. I used a large shrimp, peeled, and deveined to simplify the process. I left the tails on, but you can also pull those off if you prefer.
You can always use a smaller shrimp, but this is the size the hubs prefer. You can also get them whole, then peel and devein them yourself. I am too lazy for that though. 🙂
What Is A Roux?
Have you heard of a roux? If not, let me introduce you. It is a mixture of fat and flour. Not only will this help to thicken your dish, but will also add flavor.
It is a staple in most cajun cooking.
There are different levels to cook your roux to, this particular is considered a blonde roux. Meaning, cooking the flour and oil together for about 5 minutes, it will come to a blonde color.
Make sure and mix the roux constantly, it will try and burn on you! As a tip, you can always make your roux in advance. It stores well at room temp or even in the fridge.
So, if you know you are going to have a busy day, do this step in advance!
Methods For Cooking The Shrimp
You can cook them 2 ways for this dish. I decided to fry them in a skillet separately. I love to cook shrimp this way as it is always perfect! Remember shrimp cooks fast, so keep an eye on it.
If your pan is good and hot, I like to cook them for about 1-2 minutes per side. Honestly, there is nothing worse than overcooked seafood! And of course, it is generously seasoned with Tony Chachere's Seasoning.
The second way to do this is by adding them to your simmering broth and letting them cook that way. It is so good that way. Again, it will only take a few minutes to cook them, so add them at the end.
The Finished Creole Shrimp and Sausage
It is a tradition to eat dishes like this with fluffy white rice. You can serve it with whatever you want, but this is how we like it!
I scooped in a generous amount of the sausage gravy, topped it with the shrimp, then added the rice on the side. I also love to add a few sliced green onions on top too.
Dessert Ideas
If you are like me and need to end your meal with something sweet, let me give you a few options:
- How about a cherry slab pie? This is one you don't want to pass up!
- Not in the mood for pie? These lemon cookies with lemon drizzle are a favorite here!
- These caramel pecan bars would go with the whole cajun theme for sure!
- Or maybe this Layered Apple and Cinnamon Loaf?
Creole Shrimp and Sausage
Equipment
- cutting board, large saute pan
Ingredients
- 2-3 sausage links Andouille is really great, but use another type if you prefer.
- 2 tablespoons oil I used canola oil, but use any fat your prefer
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup Small diced onions
- ¾ cup small dice celery
- ½ cup small diced bell pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons Tony Chacheres seasoning If you have another favorite cajun seasoning you can sub it in. Also, if you like a milder spicy dish, start with 1 tablespoon of the Tony's.
- 1 ½ cup chicken stock
- ½ cup diced or crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½-1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2-4 cups cooked white or brown rice
- ½ cup chopped green onions optional
- 4 cups cooked rice
Instructions
- Read instructions all the way through before beginning. Heat your large saucepan over medium heat. While it is heating, slice the sausage links into ½-3/4 inch slices. Add your oil to the pan, then add in the sausages. Cook, stirring occasionally until the sausages are browned. Remove sausages from the pan and set aside.Now, you want about ⅓ cup of oil in the pan. Some of this will be from the oil you added, and some fromthe sausage rendering. If you need to add more, do it at this point.Sprinkle you flour over the top. Mix and cook for about 3-5 minutes. Add in your onions, celery, and bell peppers. Continue to mix another 3 minutes. Pour in your stock, tomatoes, cajun seasoning, thyme, black pepper, cooked sausage, and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix, stirring occasionally, until it has cooked for about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference. You may need more cajun seasoning, salt or pepper. Only add these after it has cooked for the 10 minutes. For the shrimp you have 2 options for cooking. The one I used was cooking them separately in a nonstick skillet. Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in the skillet over medium heat until it is good and hot. Add your shrimp to the skillet. Sprinkle generously with cajun seasoning. Seafood cooks fast, so I only do them for about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove from pan. The second method is to throw them directly in the simmering gravy. Let them cook about 3-4 minutes at the end of the cooking time. You choose the method you prefer! You can't go wrong. Spoon your creole shrimp sausage over your rice. If you have cooked the shrimp separately add it on the top now. Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it!
Yes!! Chicken is really good in this dish as well. Want to simplify? Buy a rotisserie chicken. Add it in the last 5 minutes of cooking time.
You can absolutely use another sausage. I don't recommend Italian sausages though, the flavors don't play well together.
Well, I would say yes. The flavors in this dish aren't the same without it. If you are really opposed to sausage, or can't eat it, the dish is still really good without it. Simply go right into the step by cooking the roux.
Fairly. We do like things spicy in our house, so it isn't a big deal for us. If you are sensitive to spice, you may want to cut it back to 1 teaspoon. Then add as you feel you are able.
You can. I prefer to cook them with the seasoning and sauce, but precooked is okay too! I would add them in the last 3 minutes of cooking time just as you would raw.