Mardi Gras Shrimp Creole (Printable)
Spicy shrimp in tomato sauce paired with fluffy rice, inspired by Louisiana's rich flavors.
# What You Need:
→ Seafood
01 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
07 - 1/4 cup tomato paste
08 - 2 green onions, sliced for garnish
09 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
→ Pantry & Spices
10 - 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
11 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
12 - 1 1/2 cups chicken or seafood stock
13 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
14 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
15 - 1 tsp dried thyme
16 - 1 bay leaf
17 - 1 tsp sugar
18 - 1 tsp salt
19 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
20 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
21 - Hot sauce, to taste
# How To Cook:
01 - Cook the long-grain white rice according to package directions. Keep warm until serving.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onion, green bell pepper, and celery; sauté for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn.
04 - Add tomato paste, diced tomatoes with juices, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, bay leaf, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly to combine and cook for 5 minutes to develop flavors.
05 - Pour in chicken or seafood stock and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly.
06 - Add peeled and deveined shrimp to the simmering sauce. Cook gently for 4–6 minutes, just until shrimp turn pink and opaque throughout.
07 - Remove and discard bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, black pepper, or hot sauce as desired.
08 - Spoon shrimp creole over hot cooked rice. Garnish with sliced green onions and chopped fresh parsley.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce develops layers of flavor in under an hour, making it perfect for weeknight dinners that still feel special
- Its one of those dishes that actually tastes better the next day, so youll want to make extra
- The combination of smoky, sweet, and spicy hits every single craving at once
02 -
- The key is adding your shrimp at the very end. Overcooked shrimp are tragic and completely avoidable if you watch them closely.
- That sugar in the ingredient list is not for sweetness. It balances the acidity from the tomatoes and rounds out the sauce.
03 -
- Pat your shrimp completely dry before adding them to the sauce. Wet shrimp make the sauce watery instead of velvety.
- Let the sauce rest for 5 minutes off the heat before serving. This allows the flavors to marry and the sauce to reach perfect consistency.