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Enjoy the taste of Louisiana Cajun cookin’ any night of the week with a classic one pot meal! This Shrimp Creole is an easy and healthy dinner recipe that’s ready in about 30 minutes!
Table of Contents
- What is Shrimp Creole?
- What is the difference between Étouffée and Shrimp Creole?
- How to make Shrimp Creole:
- Is Shrimp Creole spicy?
- Is Shrimp Creole healthy?
- Is Shrimp Creole gluten-free?
- How long does Shrimp Creole last?
- Can Shrimp Creole be frozen?
- How to reheat Shrimp Creole:
- What should I serve with Shrimp Creole?
- What wine goes with Shrimp Creole?
- Cook’s Tips and Recipe Variations:
- Easy Shrimp Creole Recipe
If you love Cajun and Creole recipes as much as we do, be sure to try this easy one-pan chicken creole, these Cajun pork chops, a pan of dump-and-bake Cajun sausage pasta, a pot of chicken and sausage jambalaya, our favorite chicken and sausage gumbo, and this authentic New Orleans red beans and rice, too!
Friends, there is so much flavor in this one dish!
On those nights when you just don’t have much time to cook, this nutritious and satisfying meal is the perfect solution. You can adjust the heat to keep it kid-friendly, or splash it with hot sauce for some true Cajun heat! On a bed of fluffy white rice, this is an easy dinner that the whole family can enjoy.
What is Shrimp Creole?
This is a dish of Louisiana Creole origin, which includes cooked shrimp in a sauce of tomatoes, the “Holy Trinity” of bell pepper, celery and onion, and spiced with hot pepper sauce. It’s typically served over a bed of white rice (source).
What is the difference between Étouffée and Shrimp Creole?
Shrimp Étouffée has a roux base, which is a thicker sauce that’s more like a gravy. By contrast, Shrimp Creole has a thinner, tomato-based sauce. Étouffée is usually spicier than Creole, too.
How to make Shrimp Creole:
You only need a few basic ingredients for this healthy and easy Shrimp Creole recipe:
First, fry chopped bacon in a large skillet or Dutch oven.
Remove the crispy bacon from the skillet and set it aside (you’ll use it later for a garnish). Leave the bacon drippings in the pan and add the “Holy Trinity” of Cajun cooking: bell pepper, celery and onion — plus some minced garlic.
Cook the vegetables just until they’re soft, and then add the sauce ingredients:
- a can of diced tomatoes
- chili sauce
- Worcestershire sauce
- hot sauce, to taste, plus salt and pepper
Simmer the sauce until it thickens. This will take about 7 minutes.
Finally, stir in the shrimp!
The shrimp will cook quickly, so they should turn pink in about 5 minutes. That’s when you know that the dish is done!
Serve the shrimp and sauce over rice and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and the crispy bacon!
Is Shrimp Creole spicy?
Yes, but not overpowering. This particular recipe can be made spicy or mild, depending on your taste preferences. When serving my children, I omit the hot sauce entirely, and then allow each individual to garnish his bowl with the desired amount of hot sauce after serving. This keeps everyone happy!
Is Shrimp Creole healthy?
Yes! It’s flavored with a small amount of bacon, but the rest of the dish is made with lean protein (shrimp) and plenty of healthy vegetables. It’s a light dinner with just 236 calories per serving.
Is Shrimp Creole gluten-free?
This recipe can be made gluten-free, but it’s important to make sure that you find a gluten-free Worcestershire sauce and a gluten-free chili sauce.
How long does Shrimp Creole last?
Properly stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container, the cooked shrimp is good for 3-4 days.
Can Shrimp Creole be frozen?
Yes! Wrapped tightly, any leftover shrimp will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months.
How to reheat Shrimp Creole:
If frozen, allow the shrimp to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Place the shrimp and sauce in a skillet or pot. Cover and heat over low heat just until warmed through. You want to make sure that you don’t cook it too long and make the shrimp tough.
You can also place individual servings in a bowl, cover, and warm in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
What should I serve with Shrimp Creole?
You’ll definitely want to serve this dish with white rice (or for a lighter, grain-free option, try riced cauliflower). If you’d like an extra side dish to pair with this meal, try one of these easy options:
- Garlic Roasted Broccoli
- Southern Collard Greens
- Aunt Bee’s 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits
- Slow Cooker Southern Green Beans
What wine goes with Shrimp Creole?
When pairing wine with spicy Cajun food, it’s usually best to look for dry, sweet or bubbly white wines, which help balance the flavors in the food. Rosé and blush wines are great because they’re typically lower in alcohol content, which means that they don’t create a spicy burn in your mouth when paired with a spicy meal. Dry white wines like Sauvignon blanc and chardonnay are also good options to cut down on the spicy palate.
Cook’s Tips and Recipe Variations:
- This recipe yields 4 relatively small servings. If you’re feeding a larger family, I suggest doubling the recipe. By contrast, if you’re feeding just 1 or 2 people, you can cut the ingredients in half and follow the same cooking instructions.
- What size shrimp for Shrimp Creole? I used “extra large” shrimp (16-20 count per pound), which were previously frozen. I just thawed them in the refrigerator overnight before using them in the recipe. If you prefer larger or smaller shrimp, that’s fine — just adjust the cooking time during the final few minutes.
- Be careful to keep a close eye on your shrimp as they’re cooking. It only takes a few minutes, and you want to remove them from the heat as soon as they turn pink. Overcooked shrimp are tough and not very appetizing!
- Garnish the dish with fresh parsley and the cooked, chopped bacon. The parsley adds the perfect bright, fresh finish to the dish.
- Make a Shrimp Creole with Okra by adding chopped fresh or frozen okra to the dish when you add the rest of the vegetables.
- Create a Spicy Shrimp Creole by using more hot sauce. To keep the dish mild and kid-friendly, omit the hot sauce or only use a little bit.
- Serve a Shrimp Creole Pasta by spooning the shrimp and sauce mixture over cooked pasta instead of rice.
Other easy shrimp recipes that you might enjoy:
- Easy Shrimp Scampi Recipe
- Lightened Up One Skillet Shrimp Alfredo
- Dump-and-Bake Shrimp and Rice Casserole
- One Pot Jambalaya with Shrimp
- Healthy Slow Cooker Gumbo
Easy Shrimp Creole
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- ½ cup chopped green bell pepper
- ½ cup chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped celery
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, NOT drained
- ½ cup chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- Hot sauce to taste
- 1 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp (I used “extra large” 16-20 count per pound shrimp)
- For serving: cooked rice; chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Fry bacon in a large skillet or Dutch oven (about 5 minutes). Use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked bacon, but leave the drippings in the pan.
- Add bell pepper, onion, celery and garlic to the skillet with the reserved drippings. Cook over medium-high heat, just until soft (about 3-4 minutes). Add tomatoes, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Reduce heat to low; simmer until thick, stirring occasionally (about 7-10 minutes). Add shrimp and cook just until pink (about 5 minutes). Serve over rice and garnish with cooked bacon and fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
- This recipe yields 4 relatively small servings. If you’re feeding a larger family, I suggest doubling the recipe. By contrast, if you’re feeding just 1 or 2 people, you can cut the ingredients in half and follow the same cooking instructions.
- What size shrimp for Shrimp Creole? I used “extra large” shrimp (16-20 count per pound), which were previously frozen. I just thawed them in the refrigerator overnight before using them in the recipe. If you prefer larger or smaller shrimp, that’s fine — just adjust the cooking time during the final few minutes.
- Be careful to keep a close eye on your shrimp as they’re cooking. It only takes a few minutes, and you want to remove them from the heat as soon as they turn pink. Overcooked shrimp are tough and not very appetizing!
- Garnish the dish with fresh parsley and the cooked, chopped bacon. The parsley adds the perfect bright, fresh finish to the dish.
- Make a Shrimp Creole with Okra by adding chopped fresh or frozen okra to the dish when you add the rest of the vegetables.
- Create a Spicy Shrimp Creole by using more hot sauce. To keep the dish mild and kid-friendly, omit the hot sauce or only use a little bit.
- Serve a Shrimp Creole Pasta by spooning the shrimp and sauce mixture over cooked pasta instead of rice.
I really liked the flavor but it was too spicy for my husband. What type of chili sauce do you use?
Hi, Tricia! Hmmm…I’ve never noticed that it’s very spicy at all, which is why I suggest adding hot sauce (to taste) if someone prefers a little bit of kick. The chili sauce that I show in the photos is Food Lion brand, but it’s the same as Heinz Chili Sauce, which isn’t spicy at all. It tastes more like ketchup. Here’s a link: https://www.heinz.com/product/00013000001120#:~:text=Products%20Specialty%20Sauces-,Heinz%20Chili%20Sauce%2C%2012%20oz%20Bottle,flavor%20to%20brger%20and%20fries.
Is that what you used, or did you use a hot chili sauce similar to what’s used in Asian cooking?
Really enjoyed it, thanks for your great recipes! I couldn’t find shrimps in the shop so I used prawns instead (not sure of the difference in taste to be honest) but both me & my fussy husband loved it as we quite enjoy spicy food.
Thanks, Myriam! I’m glad that it worked! I’ve never had prawns…that’s definitely not something that I have access to here in Virginia. Thanks for letting other readers know that it works with the prawns as well. 🙂
I’ve been making this recipe for over 14 years I reckon! Still love it and cook it frequently. I tend to use mange tout instead of sugar snaps, but that’s just personal preference and please visit us: https://www.beckandbulow.com