Jambalaya Skillet with Sausage (Print)

One-skillet Creole-inspired dish with sausage, shrimp, rice, and a medley of peppers and onions.

# What You Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 8 oz andouille sausage 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 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
13 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
14 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, adjust to taste
15 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
16 - 1 tsp salt, or to taste
17 - 2 tbsp olive oil
18 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

# Steps:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced sausage and cook until browned, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Remove sausage from skillet and set aside.
02 - Add remaining olive oil to the skillet. Sauté diced onion, red and green bell peppers, and celery for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
03 - Stir in the rice along with 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 the browned sausage to the skillet. Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juice and the chicken broth. Stir thoroughly to combine and bring the mixture to a simmer.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet, and cook for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
06 - Arrange the shrimp over the rice mixture, cover again, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the shrimp turn pink and are fully cooked.
07 - Fluff the rice gently with a fork. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one skillet, so cleanup is barely a thought afterward.
  • The shrimp adds elegance without requiring you to manage separate cooking times—it all comes together in one pot.
  • That smoky, slightly spicy warmth fills your kitchen with the kind of aroma that makes people ask what you're cooking before they even walk in.
02 -
  • Don't skip browning the sausage first—those caramelized edges are where the real flavor lives, and they make the entire dish taste deeper and more intentional.
  • The rice needs to stay covered while it cooks; lifting the lid early lets steam escape and leaves you with undercooked grains, so resist the urge to peek.
  • Add the shrimp in the last few minutes only—they cook fast, and overcooked shrimp becomes rubbery and loses the tender sweetness that makes them special.
03 -
  • If your rice is still crunchy after 20 minutes, add a few tablespoons of broth and cook covered for another 3–5 minutes instead of removing the lid repeatedly.
  • Use a skillet that's at least 12 inches wide with high sides; crowding the pan prevents proper browning and creates unevenness in cooking.
  • Buy whole spices and toast them if you have time, but dried spices from a well-stocked grocery store work perfectly fine for weeknight cooking.
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