Looking for a winning Shrimp Creole recipe? This New Orleans Shrimp Creole is the only one you’ll ever need. It received an instant stamp of approval from my New Orleanian husband. It’s a quick and easy one-pot meal featuring succulent shrimp cooked in a deliciously-seasoned tomato sauce.
Being a historically significant port city, New Orleans has always reflected its diverse cultural influences in its cuisine. Its rich blend of European, Caribbean, African, Latin American, and Cajun flavors often overlap in the popular dishes we’ve come to know and love. Foods like Gumbo, Jambalaya, Etouffée, and Shrimp Creole are each delicious testaments of what happens when food cultures fuse.
What exactly is Creole food? In Louisiana, Creole is a term used when referring to dishes that have roots in this melting pot of cultures. Combining those with locally sourced ingredients, such as fresh gulf shrimp (for dishes like this Shrimp Creole), makes for unique and exotic flavors. Let’s hear it for food diversity. It makes our world more interesting and delicious.
My husband, who was born and raised in New Orleans, loves anything with flavors from his childhood. While eating this meal, he said it tasted very similar to a shrimp stew his mom used to make. It was tomato-based like this one, but had potatoes in it…a nice hearty meal to feed three growing boys. He had forgotten about it until last week when we ate this Shrimp Creole for dinner. It’s funny how food has the power to instantly conjure up old memories.
Versions of this dish can also be found in many Caribbean, Latin American, and Spanish menus. While some of the ingredients can vary, their underlying tomato base is the same and they’re all usually served over rice. It’s easy to adjust seasonings based on personal preferences. I’ve made this one with very mild spice, but if you like spicy food, just add more cayenne.
This ingredient list seems long, don’t be put off by it. Many of the ingredients are just spices or have easy prep (like canned items). The vegetables you’ll need – onion, green bell pepper, and celery (the Holy trinity in New Orleans cooking), garlic, parsley, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes. Spices and other flavorings include Italian seasoning, paprika, cayenne pepper, Worcestershire sauce, white wine, chicken stock, butter, and salt & pepper. A little cornstarch is used for thickening (which makes this recipe naturally gluten-free). I used 3 pounds of shrimp, which feeds about 8 people, but you can halve that if you prefer.
This recipe is inspired by the Shrimp Creole recipe in one of my favorite New Orleans cookbooks, Breakfast at Brennan’s and Dinner, Too. I’ve simplified some of the measurements and also changed it to my liking by adding a few more ingredients. It’s straight-forward, quick, and simple. It also cooks in just one pot, so clean-up is easy. Since it cooks quickly, I suggest getting the rice going before starting it. Here’s how it goes…
First, the onion, green pepper, celery, and garlic are sautéed in a little butter until softened (you can use olive or vegetable oil if you prefer). Then, the tomatoes, spices, wine, and broth are gradually added in and cooked for a few minutes. It is then thickened a little with cornstarch and water. The shrimp and parsley go in last and that’s it. Easy!
Active cooking time is less than half an hour, making this doable any night of the week, as long as you plan your grocery shopping ahead. Another helpful tip is to chop up the vegetables a day or two ahead. Just keep them in the fridge until you need them. It will make the cooking process so easy and is a great time-saver.
If you like shrimp and the flavors of the Big Easy, try out this amazing New Orleans Shrimp Creole. It’s flavorful, satisfying, and tastes like a special restaurant meal.
You might also like:
Slow Cooker Chicken & Sausage Gumbo
Slow Cooker New Orleans Red Beans & Rice
New Orleans Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya
New Orleans Shrimp Creole
New Orleans Shrimp Creole is a flavorful tomato-based shrimp dish that is easy to make and cooks in under one hour.
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, chopped small
- 1 large green bell pepper, chopped small
- 3 stalks celery, chopped small
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 Tablespoons paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 (14.5 oz) can reduced sodium chicken broth/stock
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (you may double this amount for spicier version)
- salt
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 3 pounds fresh or frozen shrimp, peeled, deveined & rinsed
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
-
In a large saucepan or dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, green bell pepper, celery, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until softened, about 6-8 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one minute more.
-
Add tomato paste, paprika, and Italian seasoning. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes, until heated and blended.
-
Add chicken broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, wine, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 6-8 minutes.
-
In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in 2 Tablespoons water. Add to sauce, stir, and bring to a boil again. Once boiling and sauce begins to thicken, add shrimp and parsley. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 6-8 minutes until shrimp are cooked. Be careful not to overcook. Serve over rice.
Store leftovers tightly covered in refrigerator for up to 3 days.
I can attest that this is truly delicious! Love this dinner, one of my favorites. Thank you.
So happy you liked it xo 😊
Looks delicious! Can’t go wrong with spicy and shrimp together. Trying this one out next.
It’s really good. You’ll love it! Don’t double the spice if the kids are eating it. In that case, just add some hot sauce to your own plate
Your posts stand out from other sites I’ve read stuff from. Keep doing what you’re doing! Here, take a look at mine QH7 for content about about Car Purchase.