The classic flavors of a Cajun Shrimp Etouffee are hard to beat when you’re looking for some down home Southern Comfort. Not only is this recipe simple to pull together, it’s an absolutely delicious blend of favors. Juicy shrimp and tender vegetables simmered to perfection with the southern flare of a creole broth over a bed of rice… The rich colors, aromas, and flavor of this dish are going to bring some smiles to the table!
What Ingredients do I Need For Cajun Shrimp Etouffee?
Etouffee differs from a Jambalaya in that an Etouffee is a stew style dish. The French word etouffee translates to “smother,” so where will need the classic creole vegetable trio of bell peppers, onions, and celery, you also get to create a nice, rich broth that is full of flavor and gorgeous color.
To create the base of your broth you’ll make a Roux, which is essentially a blend of equal parts flour and fat, so for this Roux, make sure you have some flour and butter. Next you’ll need to have a broth. We prefer a vegetable broth for this but you can use a chicken or beef broth as well. You will also need some canned diced tomato.
Another difference between Etouffee and Jambalaya? Etouffee uses a single shellfish protein. For this dish you’ll need some jumbo shrimp.
From the spice aisle make sure you’ve got some cajun spice, salt, and olive oil. The final ingredients are white rice for your base, and then a touch of green onion for your garnish.
All right, you’ve got your ingredients, let’s get cooking!
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Putting Together Shrimp Etouffee
Here we go!
First off, let’s get those shrimp flavored! Peel and devein the shrimp. Place in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, then flavor with the Cajun spice. Mix together so shrimp are thoroughly coated by the spice and olive oil. Set aside. You’ll want the shrimp at room temperature when you put them in the broth, so if they have been frozen make sure they are completely thawed.
Dice your onions, green peppers, and celery into about 1/8 inch pieces.
All right! it’s time for our Roux! Warm a deep skillet or dutch oven to medium and melt your butter in it. Once the butter is melted, shake in the flour and whisk until you have a thick paste. Continue to whisk until the mixture turns a light brown, this will be about 4-5 minutes.
Our favorite pan for dishes like this is the Ninja Foodie Neverstick 5 Quart Saute pan. The surface cooks all ingredients with a nice, even temp, and the pan has a great depth for simmering the stew. If you are interested in their smaller pan, you can also look at the 3 Quart Saute Pan.
Add the vegetables to the Roux and stir in until they are fully incorporated into the mixture. Cook for another 4-5 minutes, stirring often. The vegetables will start to soften and glisten.
You are now ready for the diced tomatoes and broth. Stir each of those in separately, then add a teaspoon of Cajun Spice and Salt. Increase the heat in the pan to bring to a low boil, then lower back down to medium/medium high and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Cover the pot while simmering. Stir a couple of times, but don’t uncover too often while it’s simmering!
While this is simmering get your rice going. Get some water to a low boil in a sauce pan and put the rice in, cooking according to the directions for the rice you are using. If you are using a rice cooker, follow the directions for that.
After the Etouffee broth has simmered for ten minutes, add the shrimp to the mixture. Stir in completely. Cover and allow the Cajun Shrimp Etouffee to simmer for another ten minutes.
Once your rice has finished cooking, pile a mound into a bowl to get it ready for smothering.
Your Cajun Shrimp Etouffee should be done! Cooked shrimp will be firm and a solid white all the way through the middle. They will temp at 145 degrees.
Ladle the stew over the rice, hence your smothering, sprinkle with some diced parsley if you like, and you are ready to eat!
Looking for more Southern Flare? Check out our Southern Style Jambalaya Here!
What We Love About Shrimp For an MS Diet
The health benefits of shrimp are not always things we think about when cooking these fun little crustaceans, but there are definitely plenty of them! High in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, shrimp have a lot of benefits when eating for MS. We won’t go into all of the specifics, because there are a lot, but along with the antioxidants and omega-3’s, it’s also high in B12 and Iron and has a low calorie content. There’s also research indicating that a diet high in seafood may prevent the onset of MS and possibly support a slower progression. The research is still out, but with there are plenty of reasons we love finding tasty and healthy ways to get shrimp into the diet.
Please visit our Resources page if you are interested in finding some of the tools and gadgets Dre uses to make cooking accessible while combatting MS.
Classic Cajun Shrimp Etouffee
Description
Not only is this Classic Cajun Shrimp Etouffee recipe simple to pull together, it's an absolutely delicious blend of favors. Juicy shrimp and tender vegetables simmered to perfection with the southern flare of a creole broth over a bed of rice make not just for great flavor, but will fill your kitchen with spectacular aroma and cover your plate with color.
Ingredients
Preparation
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In a bowl, drizzle 1 tbsp olive over shrimp. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with 1 tsp cajun spice and toss to coat. Set aside.
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In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add ½ tsp salt and the rice. Turn to low (slow simmer), cover and cook for approximately 20 minutes.
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In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp olive oil/butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until fully incorporated. Cook, stirring often until mixture begins to darken. Approx 4-6 minutes.
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Add the Diced Celery, Onion, and Bell Pepper. Stir until flour is incorporated. Cook an additional 4 to 6 minutes, or until the vegetables soften.
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Stir in the tomatoes, broth and 1 tsp of the cajun spice and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to low heat and cook covered for 10 minutes.
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Stir in the Shrimp and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
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Scoop rice into bowl. Smother Cajun Shrimp Etouffee over sauce. Top with diced green onions or parsley if desired. Enjoy!
Equipment
Note
- Add more cajun spice for more heat.
- You can use red or yellow bell peppers.
- To enhance flavor, you can make stock by boiling leftover shells/tails from the shrimp instead of vegetable stock.
- For a deeper color and richer flavor you can make the roux first…Add 2 tbsp butter to 2 tbsp flour and whisk over medium low heat until it starts to brown, then add the veggies.
