Jambalaya is a quintessential one pot recipe with chicken, sausage, shrimp and rice! Coming to you from New Orleans!
An easy Jambalaya recipe is pure comfort food filled to the brim with flavour. The aromatic trinity of Cajun/Creole cooking: onion, celery, and bell peppers (capsicums), sautéed in andouille drippings with garlic, herbs and Cajun spices! Adding chicken and shrimp to this pot of tomato rice makes this one amazing meal in the comfort of your own homes!
Authentic Jambalaya Recipe
What is in a Jambalaya
Louisiana’s favourite one-pot dish varies from kitchen to kitchen, depending on the cook and the recipes passed down from older generations. Jambalaya traditionally contains any of the following meats:
- Chicken or pork
- Sausage — andouille, chorizo or smoked sausage.
- Seafoods — crawfish or shrimp are the favourite choices.
A soffritto-like trinity of onion, bell peppers and celery are also included, along with rice, chili’s, seasonings and broth. Everything usually cooks together in the one pot until the rice is done.
There are two kinds of Jambalaya: Creole and Cajun. This recipe is the tomato-based Creole version.
What is a good substitute for andouille sausage?
- Mexican chorizo sausage (comes close to andouille in flavour, but not in texture)
- Kielbasa
- Any Polish smoked sausage
Cajun vs Creole Jambalaya
Creole cooks make a ‘red jambalaya’ including tomatoes in their recipe, whereas Cajun cooks do not. Another difference is the order in which the ingredients are prepared. Trying both while testing, I combined a little of both in this final recipe, choosing to sauté the sausage first to release drippings into the pot for the ‘soffritto’. We found doing this created the best flavour!
What is the difference between paella and jambalaya?
Even though Jambalaya is very similar to a Paella and includes pretty much the same list of main ingredients, the spices and seasonings change. Saffron is the main spice component in Paella, and Paella is milder than Jambalaya in the heat department.
What is the difference between a gumbo and jambalaya?
Gumbo is a stew or soup usually made with a roux to thicken it, whereas Jambalaya is a rice based dish. Okra is normally used in Gumbo to help thicken the stew and add a wonderful flavour to it. I use it in this Jambalaya recipe for the same reason! If you don’t like okra, you can use File Powder.
Best rice for Jambalaya
I use both long grain and short grain white rice. You could also use brown rice, but you will need to add more liquid and cook it longer than white.
Best wines with Jambalaya
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Vouvray
- Riesling
- Pinot Gris
- Pinot Noir
Sides that go with Jambalaya
Jambalaya is THE perfect one-pot meal full of ingredients, you really don’t need to serve it with anything other than cornbread, or fresh baguettes, plus a salad with a simple dressing to not over-power all of the spices in this Jambalaya.
Love one pot meals? Try these!
One Pan Tomato Basil Chicken & Rice
One Pot Ravioli in a Creamy Tomato Beef Sauce
Jambalaya Recipe (Creole)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons Slap Ya Mama/Cajun seasoning, (adjust to suit your tastes/heat preference)
- 10 ounces (300 g) andouille sausage, sliced into rounds
- 1 pound (500 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 onion diced
- 1 small green bell pepper (capsicum), seeded and diced
- 1 small red bell pepper (capsicum), seeded and diced
- 2 stalks/ribs celery, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 14 ounces (400 g) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon each dried thyme and dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne powder)
- 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup thinly sliced okra (or 1 teaspoon file powder)
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice (short grain or long grain)
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound (500 g) raw shrimp/prawns tails on or off, peeled and deveined
- Sliced green onions and chopped parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season the sausage and chicken pieces with half of the Cajun seasoning.
- Brown sausage in the hot oil; remove with slotted spoon and set aside. Add remaining oil to the pot and sauté chicken until lightly browned. Remove with slotted spoon; set aside.
- Sauté the onion, bell pepper and celery until onion is soft and transparent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (30 seconds).
- Stir in the tomatoes; season with salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes (or Cayenne powder), hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and the remaining Cajun seasoning. Stir in the okra slices (or file powder), chicken and sausage. Cook for 5 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
- Add in the rice and chicken broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low-medium. Cover and let simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked, while stirring occasionally.
- Place the shrimp on top of the Jambalaya mixture, stir through gently and cover with lid. Allow to simmer while stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked through and pink (about 5-6 minutes, depending on the size/thickness of the shrimp being used).
- Season with a little extra salt and pepper if needed and remove from heat. Adjust heat with extra hot sauce, Cayenne pepper or Cajun seasoning. Serve immediately with sliced green onions and parsley.
😝 says
“Well, who’s hungry? Im starving for some jambalaya!” -Alastor, Hazbin Hotel
Luis luciano says
I’ve made this recipe several times…slap ya mama offers a hot and regular heat level seasoning . I also cut back on the pepper sauce and flakes. Others preferred it that way….I still liked the heat 🙂
Shaheen says
This is really a delicious dinner meal.
Thanks!
Karina says
Hi Shaheen, thank you for the feedback! I am glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe!
Asher Aguirre says
Made this jambalaya for my whole fire crew today.. every bit was gone, they loved it.
Kels says
Delicious! Bonus points for easy!
Julia says
I had to adjust the spice level, but it was delicious!!! Definitely making this again!!
James C White says
Second time making this wonderful dish. SO good. Made a double batch an it was awesome!
Linda Noack says
Outstanding recipe.
I used Mountain Rose Herbs brand of creole seasoning instead of the brand in the recipe.
I used red, green and orange bell peppers and one dried habanero pepper.
I used calamari steaks sliced very thinly instead of shrimp.
I didn’t have okra but would have loved it.
My tomato sauce was slightly acidic which kept the rice from cooking correctly so it was kind of crunchy. Next time I’ll stir the tomato sauce later in the cooking stage to correct the texture.
Flavor was OUTSTANDING! Great recipe. All the herbs and spices blended wonderfully.
Cal D says
Made it today for Fat Tuesday. First time on new dishes I usually stick to the recipe, which is what I did tonight. It was absolutely fantastic! My wife is iffy on Creole/Cajun and she LOVED it. Spice level was great for us, just enough but not overpowering. Definitely a keeper!
Sharon says
I should have left a rating long ago as I’ve made this many times and each time it’s AMAZING! My family doesn’t like hot spicy food so I left out the Cajun seasoning but added smoked sausage to give it a little more flavor. I also didn’t add the okra because I didn’t have any. Everything else in the recipe I followed exactly and time and again, this has not disappointed! Because it requires quite a bit of chopping, I’ve started making two batches and freezing one. If you decide to freeze this, do not add the chicken broth or the rice before freezing. When you’re ready to eat it, defrost in the refrigerator, bring the mixture to a boil and then add the broth and rice. I’ve also brought this frozen to a family with a new baby and they were able to eat it when they wanted. A win for both of us!
Karina, I’ve made many of your recipes and every one is AMAZING! Your photos are wonderful and your instructions are always easy to follow. Thank you for making my life so much easier!
Monet Dufala says
This was AMAZING. I used tony chacheres instead of slap ya mama seasoning to make it less spicy. I also did not have okra and I used a bit of flour to thicken it. Thank you so much for the recipe !!
Shawn says
This recipe was amazing. I did leave out the red pepper flakes and kicked up the seasoning just a touch. But followed everything else and it was delicious. I do think if I would have added the red pepper flakes it would have made it a little too spicy for me. I like hot but not fire hot! I will be making this again in the near future! Thank you for the recipe.
Janet says
Going to store for okra (frozen) today as I ran out of fresh. I cook the rice separate as Im serving small portions. Put the shrimp in separately, too. Any way ya do it, it’s yummy!
Tressa says
Terrific recipe and very flavorful. My husband and kids absolutely loved this dish. Thank you so much
Chelsea says
This recipe was delicious! A few notes though:
Many folks in the reviews says it’s too spicy if made according to the recipe… if you like spicy food, it definitely isn’t! If your sensitive to heat, start slow and add seasoning at the end.
Frozen okra works just fine and you can add it at the same time it says to add raw okra.
The ratio of rice to other ingredients is just a liiittle heavy in my opinion. If I made it again, I would do a cup of rice and 2 cups broth instead.
I don’t know how anyone could finish this recipe in 45 minutes! I started at 4 and it wasn’t ready until 5:45.
Lindsay says
Wow! This recipe is amazing! So for some context I found this recipe and my husband prepared it- he followed the recipe and directions as they were written. We have never made jambalaya and I was extremely suspicious that things would not all be cooked properly. WOW WAS I WRONG! The chicken was cooked so perfectly and the shrimp was perfect too nothing was over done or underdone. The vegetables had firmness while still being soft. And the rice was perfect too! Mind blown – absolutely awesome recipe! Thank you thank you! This one is a keeper😁
Tom L says
This was a really good recipe, everybody liked it. My wife, who thinks everything is too spicy, thought it was too spicy but enjoyed it anyway.
It took longer than she says to prepare – probably closer to an hour and a half total – but I do a lot of Spanish, French, and Italian cooking so I probably spent more time in the early stages of the cooking process to develop the flavors.
I used chicken thighs, and I think their higher fat helped everything vs. chicken breast so I’d suggest it. I mixed my own cajun spice seasoning using a recipe on “Gimme Some Oven”, as I hate using random premixed spice mixes, which tend to have a lot of fillers, msg, etc.
My only minor process change is that the recipe says to add the rice and the broth at the same time, after all the other ingredients, but that seems like a wasted opportunity to develop more flavor. Taking a cue from Spanish paella recipes and French and Italian rice recipes, I added the rice right after the tomatoes and let it cook for several minutes in the (quite dry) other ingredients and start to change color before adding the broth. This does add a few minutes cooking time and you have to pay attention not to burn the rice, but it develops more flavor.
Anyway, it was a definite success, we’ll use this recipe again.
Ron says
Was looking for a new jambalaya recipe (mine was just too boring) found many recipes online, but this one just seemed to make me hungry after reading the ingredients. I used wild turkey instead of chicken and it turned out fantastic. The best I have made and one of the best I have eaten. This one is saved in my document file now.
Mrs. Stuart says
Delicious recipe. Easy to make. My husband is already ready for me to make it again. Adjust seasnojg to your preference. As recommended. I cut the Slap yo Mama in half.
Thanks for sharing your delicious recipe!
Alyssa D says
WOW! My husband requested something different than we normally do for dinner and wanted jambalaya. I have never had it before and he used to order it a long time ago on our date nights. I found this recipe and I’m so glad I did. It’s by far the best thing I’ve ever made. This will be in our monthly rotation from now on. Absolutely DELICIOUS!
I couldn’t find okra or file seasoning so I omitted that but followed everything else to a T.
I added some extra crystal Louisiana hot sauce to my bowl and made corn bread on the side.
Thank you! Okay, now time to go back for seconds.
Tiann Stewart says
This was actually SO good. I was hankering for some jambalaya but no one around me has good authentic jambalaya. This hit the spot! I didn’t put okra in it though, as I’m not a huge fan. It didn’t disappoint!!
Andrew says
I don’t comment on recipes I find online often, but oh my word, this recipe has the perfect balance of flavors and heat I cannot express how phenomenal this turned out. I’ve made jambalaya several times in the past, but it’s not quite a staple. I’ve never used okra in making it before but I think it really brings an earthiness to the dish and also Worcestershire is something I’ve never considered before but the flavor profile was on point! The whole house smells amazing and we have leftovers! Perfect in every way. Disclaimer: we used kielbasa opposed to a traditional andouille and Frank’s red hot for the hot sauce and just a pinch of cayenne on top of the red pepper flakes. I will definitely be adding this to my go to list of recipes anytime I have shrimp and sausage!
Gary P says
My family loved this. It’s spicy for sure, but not three-alarm-fire spicy. I used okra and Nunu’s Cajun Seasoning. Couldn’t be happier.
Mallory says
Oooh it was spicy, but so good! Husband had 3 bowls… occasionally he will have seconds, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him get 3rds! Great recipe!
Jason Ascher says
This recipe is absolutely amazing! I want to eat this everyday! Squeeze one lemon to finish, but it’s a perfect recipe. The you!
Brian V says
This recipe had an excellent amount of spice and an explosion of flavor. I do recommend staging the recipe first. It would have been easier if I had everything chopped and measured out before trying to keep up with the next steps while my wife was stirring. I followed the recipe except I made my own cajun spice mix following a simple recipe I found online. It had all the ingredients of slap yo mama. I used frozen okra and let it thaw before putting it in the pot…I couldn’t find fresh okra. The resulting dish is definitely worth the effort. It’s not very hard to do. I think it would be an excellent dish to entertain guests as long as your guests don’t mind food spicy side.
Kimberly says
Just want to say I have made this atleast a dozen times and it never disappoints, even when I have to substitute something. I may have commented before but thank you!! My husband just got so excited when he smelled it cooking.
Laura McCabe says
My family and I made it for Mardi Gras and it was fabulous! Highly recommend. It was spicy but not overwhelmingly spicy that it unenjoyable. Just the right kick! My family got a kick out of using “Slap Ya Mama” Cajun Seasoning. All around fun time and great meal served with honey cornbread and the recommend white wine in the article.
Jean says
This Jambalaya was delicious. I did half the amount of Slap Your Muma spice. When I make it next time, I will half the recipe as there is only 2 of us!
Will be making again soon. Thanks
Sandy says
Super yummy and the shrimp came out sooo perfectly the way this recipe tells you to do it! Will definitely make this recipe again.
R. Mercer says
The best jambalaya recipe on the web. Okra is hard to find in the winter so I’ve omitted it many times with no substitute- and it was fine. I also added the entire bottle of Passata and the entire carton of chicken stock ( I’m talking to Canadians here) – always perfect! I also just used generic Cajun spice as I couldn’t find the one you recommend- always fine as well. I added corn to this once and everyone loved it. I add shrimp or prawns depending on what is on sale- no big difference. Thank you
Travis says
This recipe was amazing! I doubled it for a large family and it still came out great. It was pretty easy to do. Im kind of beginner in the kitchen and even as disorganized as I am while cooking I still pulled this off. I kicked up the heat a bit but it came out considerably spicy. I imagine the recipe will have plenty of heat to it as is. Nevertheless this was an amazing dinner and as an added bonus my wife can’t tease me for not being a good cook anymore… Thanks for the recipe!
scott says
Easy and turned out great. I substituted scallops for chicken–sausage, scallops and shrimp. Awesome
Melissa says
We skipped the okra. The rice took well over 40 minutes to cook but otherwise the recipe was wonderful. I highly recommend.
Stephanie Caruthers says
I’ve had so many different jambalayas and have Louisiana family and friends so I like to think I know a good jambalaya. This one is GOOD! It’s a really good base recipe to start with if you’re not familiar with the dish. Any jambalaya is pretty forgiving with ingredients. Don’t be afraid to substitute different kinds of tomatoes or the amount of the other vegetables. I didn’t have a green pepper so I just threw in a couple of big red & yellow peppers. I only had sausages–I used nearly 2 lbs total–andouille & smoked sausage. I only had Tony Chachere’s so that’s what I threw in. It’s definitely not as hot as Slap Yo Mama, but the dish had good heat. I tried not to veer too far from the recipe measurements so I’d know a good starting point. I don’t think I’d change anything except adjusting the heat for folks that like more or less. I usually only put okra & file in a gumbo, and I didn’t have either of those so I didn’t miss them–it’s definitely thick enough without any type of thickening. I would just skip it & not add cornflour or any other thickening. And, as it sits, it will certainly not be soupy. Oh…I did throw in a can of red beans because I had them, and we love beans & rice… didn’t do much to change the flavor, just added a little bulk, fiber & BEANS! Sort of like a marriage of jambalaya & red beans & rice. Next time I’ll skip the beans & add the okra…I do love okra, and I’ll definitely be making it again! My family & I thank you for the great recipe!!
Kevin Russell says
This recipe is incredible. My wife and I ate multiple bowls of this and loved every minute of it. The greatest thing is my wife normally doesn’t care for spicy food but she loved this.
Elzabeth I says
Thought this was great. I am allergic to shellfish so left out the shrimp at the end at it was still very filling and tasty but I might through in some kidney beans next time for some extra protein and color. I couldn’t find the Slap Your Mama Cajun seasoning so used McCormick and Schmick’s version and I don’t feel like it was too spicy, but my husband and I like heat (my kids added some sour cream to temper the spice) I used basmati rice b/c that’s what I had on hand but I think next time I’ll try a short grain, or a different long grain–this particular brand was very thin and it didn’t have much ‘tooth’ to it. I didn’t have okra or file powder, subbed in some cornstarch but I’m not sure it was necessary.
Brianne Markin says
My first time making Jumbalaya and my first time cooking shrimp (I know, I know). It was so easy to follow and absolutely delicious. I used about 1/4 of the seasoning to start, to appease my children’s more tender pallets, then we added our own hot sauce. I will totally be making this again!
Alex G. says
I’m originally from MS and moved to Portland and wanted to try making some creole food that’s hard to find here and this is the best recipe. I’ve made it several times and it feeds several people. Best recipe out there and easy to make
Q’s Cake Bakery says
My family enjoyed this recipe! 5 stars!
Ronan says
Hi-never cooked Jambalaya before (Not exactly on every menu in Ireland but really looking forward to cooking it over the holidays. I’ve never heard of okra or file powder-so is cornflour ok to thicken it a bit?
Cheers
Karina says
Hi Ronan, yes you can use cornflour.
Susan Rasmussen says
Hi Romsn. File is ground powder from sassfrass tree.
Used to thicken and flavor. Okra is a vegetable pod with seeds inside. commonly used it the southern US. It is native of Africa..you can slice across and fry it. it’s delicious.
Steve Brady says
file powder is made from dried Sassafras leaves. Very common in the U.S.. I would suggest if you don’t like really hot back off some of the Slap yo Mama. and or cayenne. I made it exactly like the recipe, and I like spicy and it was pretty warm. My sausage was homemade and was hot also. Which may have contributed to the heat.
Lulu Kenway says
Excited to make this, just wondering, does putting the Okra in that early overcook it? I’ve seen other recipes where it’s only added in the last 10 minutes or so cos it can go slimey. Is that the case? I’ve never cooked with Okra before!
Lh says
Okra is a vegetable… dont know what file powder is either but this doesnt need thickening… i just left it out because okra is not in season
Neil says
file powder is from the leaves of the sassafras tree. A species of this tree was found throughout Eastern N. America, but was almost driven to extinction by overharvesting by European settlers. Sassafras albidum is now listed as a species of least concern by IUCN.
It was commonly used medicinally by First Nations people and was incorporated in Creole cuisine and used extensively to make root beer in the 19th C.
Elton Cassels says
Okra is best cooked to death.
Sam Payne says
Filé powder, also known as gumbo filé, is an herbal powder made from the dried and ground leaves of the sassafras tree. It is usually in the spice aisle if they have it.
Tracy says
Oh, this is delicious! Made the recipe as written, using frozen okra. My husband and I love spicy and our girls don’t, so I went easy with the Creole seasoning and omitted red pepper flakes and hot sauce when cooking. Hubby and I added hot sauce at the table. Really great recipe, and definitely company-worthy!
MoFitz says
Oh hun okra has the same gelatinous quality no mater when you add it 😉 The advantage of adding it early is that it acts as a thickener. So the end result is, instead of being brothy/liquid, the jambalaya with some body, more like a stew.
Tiffany says
Made this for Thanksgiving and it was a hit!
Darren K. says
Flavor of the seasonings are on point.
I agree with a few other people that the heat, I used Slap Yo Mama, and I’d cut the measurement in half. It’s too spicy 🔥
I added crawfish at the very end and it was great.
Angela says
Really good, but I add all the cooked meat the last minute.
Normajean says
Absolutely delicious!! Love the heat my family loved it!! This recipe is a saver 💯 ❤️❤️Thank you so much🌶❤️🔥♥️
Desiree says
Good afternoon,
I tried this recipe yesterday on Sun for dinner, it was a hit with my family. Ieen made cornbread from scratch to go with it, LOL. Overall the dish was somewhat time consuming, in a good way and the finished products comments from family sealed the deal. Will make again in Jan 2021!
Matt Young says
Wow, this turned out phenomenal. I used a can of seasoned beans in place of the canned tomatoes. It’s what I had but hands down what a flavor explosion.
Alaina Evans says
Made this for dinner tonight! My husband ate two 1/2 bowls if that tells you anything:). Delicious. I used chicken, sausage and shrimp and followed recipe word for word..
Kristin says
Adjusted by using 14 oz cooked andouille spicy sausage, no chicken, no okra (or file) or hot pepper sauce . Everything else use to a T and it turned out amazing! My husband adds hot sauce to almost everything I cook…….NOT this one!
Jim says
I made it as written with okra, chicken thighs, andouille sausage and shrimp. I have never had Jambalaya before so cannot compare it. I will say it was wonderful, and decided I will make it again to show it off to the wife and my friends. Thanks for sharing
Deb says
My daughter inspired me to make jambalaya as she was making it, so, I did! And I had all of the ingredients except the okra or file and didn’t need it. This was AMAZING! Added Arborio rice because that’s what I had and it was very forgiving, just added more liquid as it cooked. I added more cajun spice and used chicken breasts. This is definitely a repeat.
Thanks for the fantastic recipe.
Cheers!
Ashley Morán says
Great recipe, but oh my was it spicy! I wasn’t expecting the 2T to be that hot when it said adjust heat to your liking, I thought it would start more mild. Otherwise it was great! Any suggestions on how to make it less spicy? I still have some leftovers in the fridge.
Tricia says
Add in some cheese — goat cheese would be great. That will calm the spiciness.
Allana Hall says
You could add some more water and maybe get some instant rice to add to it?
BartD says
Excellent five star recipe. We subbed a less hot Cajun seasoning-Tony Chacheres, sweet peppers from our garden, and turkey sausage. We didn’t have okra but did have file powder. The most important choice was short grain Arborio rice which made the dish more like paella. This may be too hot for most, but we thought it just right,
Jennufer S. says
This was a really great recipe!! I will definitely be making this again!! The only thing I would do differently next time, is cut the heat a bit – only 1 tablespoon of cajun seasoning instead of 2. You can always adjust the seasoning later (add more heat if it’s not enough). My husband loved it though!! Also if you wanted to make it even more tomatoey you could add about 1/2 a can of tomato paste with a little extra liquid when you add the rice. I am going to try that next time, but the first time I make a recipe, I always follow it to a T!!
Emma says
I was missing celery and okra but this was still delicious 🙂 will definitely make again with all the ingredients handy
Sarah says
This was so great!
Caico babeseee says
This was the best recipe ever made loved it 👍
https://www.instagram.com/cafedelites/
Turin Atol says
My first time ever making Jambalaya and this is now my favorite comfort dish!!!!
Amy says
So good!!!! It did take a bit longer for the rice to fully cook & ended up adding maybe another 1/2 cup of liquid.
Sydney Barrios says
This recipe was so good!!! I made it last night and I want to make it again today, it’s that good. I substituted the olive oil for bacon fat, with some thick cut bacon I snuck in there at the same time as the andouille sausage. Then I sautéed all those veggies in that delicious bacon fat, after taking out the meat. And I substituted the chicken for scallops that I threw in at the very end. It was a hit, there was not one grain of rice left for a birthday party of about 9 people. Everyone was stuffed but wanted more. The recipe is pretty spicy on its own, so keep as is if you can handle a punch, or scale down by half if your not into a lot of spice. We added corn bread and green pepper tabasco which both were the cherry on top. Again I cannot express this enough, I am already dreaming of the next time I get to eat this.
Shelby says
Amazing? definitely the best jambalaya I’ve ever had
Happy Gazoo says
Help? Hi! I’m making this for tonight and can’t wait! Quick stupid question – what do you think about using a 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes instead of 14 oz can? That’s all I have and don’t feel like saving half of a can :/ I don’t mind saucy, but do you think it would ruin the Jambalaya? Thanks in advance and my mouth is already watering…
Jon Lindman says
It won’t affect it negatively. As any real Southerner will tell you most Southern dishes don’t require any real measurement. The flavor combination and the holy trinity matter far more. You could use paste and chicken broth instead even. Just mix it up and adjust flavor profile to your liking.
Barry says
I made this dish yesterday and it was great! I just used sausage and shrimp, but otherwise went by the recipe.
Rick Massey says
Making this for friends tonight,,can’t wait!!
Victoria says
We have a very well-regarded cajun/creole restaurant locally, and the owner/chef is a friend. This recipe makes jambalaya just as delicious as his. I will never tell him, though. It will be our secret. 😉
Tracy says
Oh My God! This was amazing. I followed the recipe to the letter (using file rather than okra) and it was the best I have ever eaten.
Tony says
Almost identical to my jambalaya recipe. Only difference is I’ll use a can of Ro-Tel in place of the crushed tomatoes. A winner every time!
Matt says
Solid! Just made it and used some homemade turkey bone broth cut with water in equal parts. I really like a bit of chipotle powder to give it a smokey dimension to complement the sausage! I also throw some bay leaves when I put the broth in, and fresh cilantro right before I serve it – it really brightens it up!
Janet says
Katrina,
Will make this for 16 people on Fat Tuesday and wonder how far in advance (hours) I can make this so that I am not cooking when people come in. Will double the recipe from what I have read it will be a big hit. Have all the spices and looking forward to trying this for the first time.
Matt says
I just cooked it and it took about 2 from starting to chop and cook the sausage to eating – you can let it rest to get even better too and it’ll say how as long as you keep the top on!
Mel says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I’ve been craving jambalaya for awhile now and this definitely did nOT disappoint! The fellas absolutely crushed it! Seconds… thirds… on both the jambalaya and cornbread! I did double up on seasoning and rice just because we’re natural born rice eaters! Everyone loved it and now they’re expecting it at least once a month! Again thank you and I am looking forward to trying other recipes in the near future!
Matthew says
Made 12 servings Thursday night for a social evening at our cricket club. Sourced the file powder and Slap Yo Mama dry spices from Amazon. Only deviations to recipe were an extra red and green bell pepper plus one Scotch Bonnet chilli. Guys at the club ate it all with most having seconds. Spice level was perfect in that it was spicy but not uncomfortable. Really happy with the outcome as it was a tasty meal.
Tammy Anderson says
It says file powder. But when I found the container at my local grocery store the directions say do not boil or it will turn stringy.
Victoria says
Mine didn’t mention that. I bought Zatarain’s pure ground Gumbo File at the grocery store. Worked perfectly.
Maui says
This looks so good! Will definitely try this. I have tried a number of your recipes with some tweaking (chicken tikka masala, lasagna, butter honey shrimp, slow cooker bbq ribs) and everyone loved them! Thank you for sharing your recipes.
Rebecca says
Good once I finally got the rice cooked. Took a lot longer than the recipe says, and I had to add more broth. Next time I’ll cook the rice separately. A bit spicy but good flavor.
Julie Baker says
I’m making this for a holiday dinner so I really want to be sure there is enough. I’m wondering how many adults this truly feeds with generous portions? Thanks!
Victoria says
Too late for your holiday dinner, but I can definitely say for anyone else who has the same question that the recipe makes 6 hearty servings.
William says
This looks wonderful, I’m a big fan of good flavorful jambalaya and not afraid to kick it up a notch! I’m not supposed to eat rice, so I’m wondering if you thought quinoa might be a potential substitute? I’ve also never used Slap Ya Mama seasoning, but am a huge fan of Tony Cacheres. I can’t wait to try this!!!
Sharon says
I’m planning on serving it over orzo. Looks at lot like rice but it’s a pasta.
Jean says
The reviews are so good, I’ll be making this for a friend this week. Would it be ok to use bay scallops instead of shrimp??
Thanks!
Sheema Harris says
Absolutely love this Jambalaya recipe! I typically use Tony’s Cajun seasoning, but the no or low sodium one as I find many Cajun seasonings are rather salty. I’ve tried many versions over the years and this is definitely a keeper! I absolutely love to cook and entertain, and as a new follower your recipes have not disappointed me yet…. looking forward to trying many more to try out with our friends!
Thank you!
Sheema
Courtney says
Oh my word! This was absolutely delicious! Since I was feeding my little one too, I cut the spice in half and it was perfect for our whole family. I have seriously not found a single recipe of yours that wasn’t incredible and packed with flavor and this one did not let me down either! Thank you for sharing your incredible food loving talent with us all!
Karina says
That’s so sweet! I’m glad you like my recipes. Have you joined my Facebook group? I share recipes there, but the members share what they’ve done with them. I think you’d enjoy it.
Renee G. says
Followed this recipe to the T. VERY tasty. A definite do again. Used long grain brown rice. Let it simmer on very low for an hour and it turned out perfect.
Karina says
Thanks for the feedback. I love hearing how the recipes work out for others!
Joe Weinroth says
I use hot Italian sausage and pork or beef hot links instead of the milder sausages—also add a can of Rotel (a Mexican product of diced tomatoes and chilis)—double-up on the recipe as you can eat it with friends for the rest of the week! I don’t use bell peppers as they “repeat” on me all day—no one seems to notice the difference…
Kimberly says
This came out perfect!!! Instead of shrimp, I added frozen (thawed) bay scallops (using the same directions as the shrimp). It was so delicious, I would definitely make again.
Gail Smith says
Just a note to say after viewing several recipes for Jambalaya, yours was my favorite. Post after post, everyone directed we saute the vegetables before the meats. I kept asking myself, why? Why would you not start with the sausage, chicken, then veggies to absorb all the scrumptious fats? And, there you were instructing us to use my favored method. Great recipe. Thanks.
Mark Watts says
Agreed, Gail! The oil from sauteeing the sausage and chicken was lovingly absorbed by the onions and peppers. Build that flavour!
Toni says
Best recipe ever! Thank you for the gumbo/jambalaya differences!
Alyssa says
This was SO good and flavorful! Everyone loved it and it was super easy to throw together. We had leftover chicken halves that we had smoked over the weekend and the smoky flavor of the chicken went absolutely perfectly with this dish. Thanks so much!
Adam says
Great recipe. I substituted the chicken stock for shrimp stock. With all the leftover shells, it’s almost a no-brainer. Next time I’ll probably half the thyme as my Cajun seasoning already has a bunch of thyme already, so it was a bit over powering.
Joy M Hammond says
When you listed calories, how do I know the size of the serving? Because this recipe says it can serve 6-8, so I’m unsure of how to count the calories. Thank you!!
Pascha says
I fulfilled a childhood desire today by making this Jambalaya. I used to find the Carpenters song so fascinating hehe. It was an interesting adventure and I got to try some cajun seasoning for the first time too. Thank you for sharing your amazing recipes with us, Karina. ♡ I have been happily making loads of things off your blog and my family is enjoying them.
Ashleigh McDonald says
This was amazing my husband loved it !!!
Lindsey F says
This was an amazing dish! Great balance of spicy and hearty. This will be on our regular rotation in our household. Thanks for sharing this jambalaya recipe.
jenny says
This is so good! Just perfect. I made it with brown rice the second time I made it, just to make it a little healthier, and it was just delicious. Thanks for the awesome recipe.
Pam Romines says
I’ve made jambalaya for years, but this is by far the best and most delicious recipe I’ve ever tried! It will be my new go-to recipe! I followed it exactly except left out the chicken since I didn’t have any on hand. The unique instruction that turned out phenomenally different was steaming the jumbo shrimp on top of the rice the last few minutes of cooking. WOW! Wish I could attach a picture because the shrimp were utter perfection: plump, pink, and gorgeous!! Thank you for an incredible recipe!!
tim says
As a meat cutter with 30+ years experience, if you use the 90/110 cooked shrimp in Karina’s Jambalaya, there’s no need for tail removal & they’re bite-size
Scott says
This recipe is fantastic! Great flavors! The prep time took me about 45 minutes versus 15 but the cook time was spot on. As well, I used Kielbasa instead of Andouille. It’s just a personal preference. This recipe makes a lot of food so invite sound friends.
Pierre says
Hi Karina,
I was looking for Jambalya’s recipes and found your web page which looks really great ! I will try your version of the jambalaya tomorrow with my family and some friends. I’m sure it will be delicious.
PS : I just hope my english is readable…
Dan says
Great recipe! Perfect change of pace for dinner. My wife loved it. I made it nice and spicy and it wasn’t too hard given my lack of cooking abilities.
Miguel says
Karina, I just made it tonight for wife and daughters and they’re friends for they’re girls night out at home, not one piece of rice remained. After I made it I made myself a plate and went upstairs to watch football so they can talk lady talk. Came down hours later for another beer and drink and more jambalaya and there was none left! Will definitely double up on recipe next time, ever since I started using your recipes I am the star chef! Thank you so much,,I tell them it’s all because of you…
Misty says
Fantastic recipe! The only change I made was not adding salt which included making my own Cajun Seasoning. This is definitely a keeper!
Suzanne Reisel says
Absolutely delicious recipe. It makes a big pot of yumminess. It’s spicy and comforting. I added peas at the very end instead of okra.
Nathan says
Fantastic recipe! I made it exactly as written and I would not change a thing. However, my 10 year old son thought it was too spicy. For my taste it was exactly what I hoped it would be. A must try!
Karina says
That is great to hear! I am so glad that you loved it and enjoyed it all. Thank you so much for sharing and following along with me! XO
Anthony Seale says
This was the best pot of jambalaya that I’ve ever eaten. I had to tone down the amount of spice due to my wife having issues with heat, though. I only used 1 tablespoon of Cajun Spice and no cayenne and it was still almost too hot for her. It still turned out to be the greatest flavor.
Amanda says
This was excellent! I did pull off the tails of my raw shrimp first. But other than that, I cooked it as written. So yummy! Served along side a salad with the oak alley plantation dressing. Made cornbread with honey and butter. Best meal in a long time.
Jeremy C. says
I feel like I just made the greatest pot of Jambalaya in history?
Jim says
Excellent! I substituted quail (which I had on hand) for the chicken
Jane Barros says
I tried Jambalaya today! It was increadible!!!! I received lots of congratulations! Thank you for sharing these delicious recipies with us!!!
Ayana says
Oh Karina this is basically how my aunt makes it. I CAN ALREADY TASTE IT just by your pictures wow they are stunning. Sorry caps lock was on must be all the excitement. I’m going to try your way of seasoning the sausage as well as the chicken. She only ever seasoned the chicken but you have me all sorts of intrigued. We use okra also and I was happy to see you included it because not many people do. Woman of many talents you are. I know what I’m making come memorial day thanks to you. God bless you.
Karina says
Anaya you have made my day! I’m so glad you approve of this recipe. It certainly is delicious BUT I’d love to try your aunts version! Something about original recipes and cooks that can’t be beat or compared 🙂
Thank you for your comment!
Michael says
what is slap yo mama spice? can i substitute if i can’t find it?with what?
Karina says
Hi Michael. It’s a Cajun seasoning brand, but any Cajun seasoning is fine.
Jody says
Do you cover the pan in step 5? Add rice and broth…
Karina says
Yes, that is correct! Good luck and enjoy!!
ALICE HILL says
I found your article on jambalaya really interesting and super informative – Thank you so much for the post!
Karina says
Thank you for following along with me! Hope you enjoy your Jambalaya!!