It's no surprise we love our rice dishes... and jambalaya is no exception. We especially enjoy the combination of shrimp, sausage and chicken mixed in with a tomato based sauce to make it a true one pot meal. For this version of jambalaya, I added a bit more hot sauce plus more for serving on the side.
I also used Kayem andouille sausage, which had a great Cajun spice flavor all on its own that added to the dish. The key is to really use quality ingredients. For the shrimp, I used 21-30 sized shrimp (which is 21-30 shrimp makes up about 1 pound of shrimp). I wouldn't recommend anything smaller since they would cook too fast and end up rubbery. Ideally, the shrimp and sausage should be roughly similar in size so it results in a more cohesive dish. This jambalaya freezes well too, if you wanted to make this into a make ahead meal. I also found that the flavors really meld well if enjoyed the next day or as leftovers!
Spicy Jambalaya
recipe from Cooking Light
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 6 ounces Kayem andouille sausage, sliced
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (or more to taste)
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1/2 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- In a large Dutch oven set over medium high heat, heat the olive oil and add chopped onion, chopped bell pepper, minced garlic, and sausage. Sauté the vegetables and sausage for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- Add rice and toast briefly with the vegetables, for about 3-5 minutes. Next, add the spices - paprika, black pepper, oregano, onion powder, thyme, garlic salt and bay leaf. Stir to incorporate the spices into the rice and vegetables.
- Add broth, water, tomato paste, hot pepper sauce, and diced tomatoes to the pot, stir and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, cover the pot, reduce the heat, and simmer 20 minutes.
- Add shrimp on top of the rice - do not stir. Cover and continue cooking for 3 minutes. Turn off heat and let the pot stand for 5 minutes covered.
- Remove the bay leaf, stir in parsley and serve with additional hot sauce on the side if desired.
