This proper Jambalaya recipe is for one of New Orleans’ most iconic and beloved dishes! Here, a rubble of juicy plump shrimp/prawns, seared smoky sausage and tender chicken are dotted through fragrant, Creole-spiced tomato rice and tender vegetables. This easy Jambalaya is packed with big punchy Louisiana flavours and is arguably the world’s best one-pot meal!
Jambalaya
Around the world there are many chicken and rice dishes, all delicious in their own right. But then there’s Jambalaya.
It’s chicken and rice, yes. PLUS smoked sausages. PLUS prawns (shrimp). PLUS bacon. All mixed up with rice perfectly-cooked in a Creole spiced tomato broth along with tender vegetables. It’s damned hard to argue Jambalaya isn’t one of THE most epic rice dishes in the world*.
I scoffed down many a delicious bowl of the stuff during my travels some years ago in New Orleans, spiritual home of Jambalaya in the South. These unforgettable experiences allowed me to get a proper feel for what truly makes a Jambalaya tick, and I was determined replicate the dish back at home. And finally, here is is!!
* Along with Biryani, Bibimbap, Paella and Tachin, she says in a small voice, knowing full well that she probably declared those to the “epic” too.
About this Jambalaya recipe
It’s generally understood that there are two types of jambalaya – Creole and Cajun. Creole Jambalaya has its roots in the New Orleans area and is cooked in a tomato-y sauce, while Cajun Jambalaya is the rustic country version that omits the tomatoes and goes for a simpler approach.
This recipe is the Creole-style Jambalaya that I am more familiar with, the kind I ate too much of during my travels in New Orleans!
Jambalaya is however yo’ mama cooked it
Like many great dishes from the South, improvising and making use of what is at hand is at the heart of this dish. So there are broad guidelines but no hard rules around what goes into a Jambalaya – for many, it’s however your mama cooked it!
The “holy trinity” of bell pepper, celery and onion is fairly standard. Meat-wise, seafood, chicken, pork, sausages, cured meat, rabbit and game can all find their way into the pot.
The one ingredient that seems to be fairly constant in all Jambalaya preparations though is some kind of sausage, and preferably a smoked one. Andouille, a spicy smoked sausage native to Louisiana, is the traditional choice. Don’t worry if you can’t get andouille, I’ve figured out some excellent subs that anyone can get, read more below!
Along with the sausage, chicken and shrimp (prawns) seems to be a classic combination with Creole Jambalaya. So we’re going to stick with the tried-and-true and go for this combo!
What goes in Jambalaya
A whole lot of good stuff! When you look at the ingredients, you know you’re in for a good thing, right?? 🙂
Just a note about a few of the items:
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Sausages – Andouille sausages are the traditional type used but are hard to find outside of the US. But don’t fret! There are near perfect subs – read below the photo for more information.
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Bacon – while not found in most traditional recipes, some call for cooking in bacon fat which, as you might imagine, is a very tasty thing. 🙂 So I figure, why not?
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Homemade Creole Spice Mix – because I’ve never been 100% happy with store bought (even the ones I’ve brought back from the States). There’s not that many spices in it anyway!
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Rice – long grain white rice is best, medium and short grain are ok. Risotto, paella, brown rice, and wild rice won’t work. Jasmine and basmati rice will absolutely work but might add a non-New-Orleansy bent to the dish 😂
Andouille: The traditional Jambalaya sausage
Traditionally, the sausages used in Jambalaya are andouille sausages which are spicy, heavily smoked pork sausages. The andouille imparts smoky flavour as it cooks with the rice; this is one of the characteristics of traditional Jambalaya.
But for all those who, like me, do not live in the States and literally cannot find andouille sausages anywhere (and I have hunted wide and far), do not fret, there is still a path to a GREAT Jambalaya…..
Best substitutes for andouille sausage
The taste of your Jambalaya will still make any Southern Mama proud if you use either of these substitution options:
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Smoked sausages –Kielbasa or other smoked European sausage from a Polish, German or European deli. This is the best substitute for andouille, I’d go as far as to say they’re a very close match. I get mine from Brot and Wurst (Warriewood, Sydney) and Tatra Delicatessen (Parramatta, Sydney). I always ask for the smokiest sausage they have; or
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Kransky* or even chorizo, which are not very smokey, combined with SMOKED bacon and SMOKED paprika (instead of unsmoked, which the recipe calls for). Not quite as good a match, but will get you get much of the way there.
To be honest though, even if you make this with ordinary sausages, unsmoked bacon and normal paprika, you’re still going to end up with a mighty tasty dish loaded with plenty of Cajun flavours!
* These are sold at Woolworths in Australia ($8-12/kg). Though labelled as smoked, it’s not enough to add much smokey flavour into the dish.
How to make Jambalaya
Here’s how this Jambalaya recipe goes down. I always start by browning the bacon and sausage because they release flavoured fat in which everything else is seared.
Essentially, once each of the proteins are seared (which I like to do separately to ensure they get good colour on them because as I always say, colour = flavour!), Jambalaya is really just a one pot rice recipe. Everything gets tossed in and cooked in the one pot.
TOP TIP: BAKE IT!
You’ll make your Jambalaya life a whole lot less stressful by baking the rice rather than cooking it on the stove (and I’ve recently discovered Serious Eats agrees!).
Jambalaya cooked on the stove requires experience. You need to master the skill of knowing how many times you can stir the rice so it cooks evenly and stop the base from burning, but ensuring you don’t stir too often which turns the rice into a gluey mushy mess (because this activates the starch).
The ONLY rice made for stirring is risotto rice. It distresses me to see so many Jambalaya recipes “out there” that say to stir lots. Distresses me!!😂
So – skip the mushy rice and head straight for stress free Jambalaya-Nirvana by simply popping it in the oven instead. 100% hands free, Jambalaya perfection Every. Single. Time! ~ Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Jambalaya Recipe Source: This Jambalaya recipe is a RecipeTin Family effort that evolved based on our taste. Not too tomatoey, spiced but not too spicy, and rich with smoky flavours from the sausage as well as smoked bacon (our little touch).
We sought inspiration from recipes by the chefs from two of our favourite restaurants we visited on our last trip to New Orleans: The incredible Mother’s Restaurant (recipe) and a recipe from renowned Louisiana chef Donald Link (of Herbsaint and Cochon restaurants) for Cajun style jambalaya.
We also arrived at the same conclusion as Serious Eats’ recipe that the oven method is the most foolproof way to ensure your rice is evenly cooked without scorching the bottom of the pot, or over-stirring and ending up with gluey mushy rice!
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Jambalaya Recipe (easy)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 180g (6oz) bacon , preferably SMOKED, chopped
- 200g (7oz) andouille or smoked sausage , sliced 0.5cm / 1/5" thick (Note 1)
- 300g (10oz) chicken thigh , skinless boneless, cut into 2.5cm /1" pieces
- 12 prawns/shrimp , raw, large, (peeled, with or without tails)
- 4 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 tbsp (15g) butter
- 1 onion , large, cut into 1.5 cm / 0.5" pieces
- 2 celery ribs , cut into 1.5 cm / 0.5" pieces
- 2 green capsicum / bell pepper , medium, cut into 1.5 cm / 0.5" pieces
- 1.25 cups long grain rice , uncooked (Note 2)
- 2.5 cups (625ml) chicken broth / stock (Note 3)
- 200g (6.5oz) crushed canned tomato
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup green onions , sliced, plus more for serving
Cajun Spice Mix:
- 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
- 4 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne powder (adjust spice to taste)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F (all types).
- Heat oil in a very large skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat. (Note 4)
- Add bacon, cook for 30 seconds (to start fat melting), then add sausages. Cook until sausages are golden - about 3 minutes - then remove into bowl.
- Add chicken into the pan and cook until golden (doesn't need to cook inside), then add to bowl with bacon.
- Sear prawns in the pan for 1.5 minutes on each side, then transfer to a separate bowl (reserve until later).
- Add butter, then garlic, onion, celery and capsicum. Cook for 5 minutes or until soft.
- Add rice, stir to coat grains in oil.
- Add chicken broth, tomato paste, canned tomato, thyme and Spices.
- Stir well, then add chicken, sausages and bacon (including all liquid).
- When you see bubbles across most of the surface, stir well once more. Ensure all rice is submerged, cover with lid, then transfer to oven. (See video)
- Bake 30 minutes, then remove - rice should be practically cooked (Note 5).
- Add prawns/shrimp and green onions, QUICKLY (but gently!) stir through, cover with lid, and return to oven for just 3 minutes (just to heat prawns).
- Remove from oven (see video for finished consistency), stir gently then serve, garnished with more green onions if desired.
Recipe Notes:
* Found in supermarkets in Australia like Woolies, Coles. Note: Kransky in supermarkets is labelled as smoked, but they are not very smokey. But honestly, even if you make this with normal sausages, normal bacon and normal paprika, you're still going to end up with a mighty tasty dish! 🙂 2. Rice - long grain is best here for the rice texture in the finished dish. Medium and short grain rice will work ok too but the rice is a bit stickier. Recipe not suitable for: risotto, paella, brown, wild rice. Will work with jasmine and basmati but they will add a fragrance not typically associated with Jambalaya! 3. Chicken broth - FULL SALT broth used here, if you only have low sodium chicken broth then add an extra 3/4 tsp salt. Or, use homemade chicken stock! 4. Pot size - I use a 30 cm / 12" Chasseur cast iron pot which is 2.5 L/2.5 quart. A large dutch oven works a treat here too, or any very large skillet with a lid. 5. Consistency - the rice should be juicy and wet, not dry and stodgy nor swimming in liquid. The rice itself should be soft but not mushy and gluey on the outside (notorious problem with overstirring when Jambalaya is cooked on the stove). 6. Nutrition per serving (this is a decent size bowl!)
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
The golden glow of Dozer in the car as we do winter meal deliveries in the cover of darkness!
He loves coming for food delivery rides – all the attention and free treats at every stop! 🐶
It was my first time making this dish and my first time trying it in the first place, so I do not have anything else to compare it to, but it was incredibly delicious. So much that I am making it again today! Yum!
Really solid and delicious Jambalaya recipe! You are becoming my go-to for recipes, even for things I already know how to make.
So glad you enjoyed it Alan!! N x
Hi there! This recipe looks so good! Can this be done on the stove top? I dont have a dutch oven….yet!
Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe. This is the best jambalaya I’ve ever had! Easy to prepare and love the flavor and heat will make this one of my favorites.
I am making your Jambalaya recipe for a dinner party tonight to 20. I am going to put it into a large copper Mauviel open casserole with tight tin foil to bake. How long do you think it will take to bake with 5 cups of long grain rice?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Susan – that will depend on the size/depth of the pan as the larger the surface area, the faster the liquid evaporates. I haven’t tried scaling this up that much so would have to test it to determine timings. N x
This is my go to recipe from now on. I’ve even passed this recipe onto my 17 yo as they love it that much. Thank you
We like to keep the teenagers happy and fed! N x
Ugh, What did I do wrong? My rice was way under cooked. I thought I followed the recipe to the t. Despite it all, flavor is fantastic. I put the whole thing back on the stove and added more broth to get the rice tender.
What rice did you use, April?
Nagi can this be frozen
You can freeze it after cooking but the prawns won’t be as good when thawed and reheated. N x
Making for a tailgate. Can I make this the night before?
Hi Jennie…it should reheat ok but the rice might dry out a bit. How are you heating it up at the tailgate party? BBQ? N x
Crockpot. It did fine, but Indid do it that morning.
Why do people put shrimp with the tails on in recipes like this? I’ve seen it many times so I guess it’s accepted but I still don’t know why.
Hi Lynn! It’s mainly for visual reasons and also because a lot of people (like me!) enjoy grabbing the shrimp by the tail to eat it rather than being civilised and using a fork 😂 N x
Thanks, Nagi! I’ll let you know when I try this recipe. It sounds divine!
Hi Nagi I am a trible cook I hate cooking cauze I don’t know what to cook also I am working long hours as a nurse but if I make food I only follow your recepies I love your muffin pancake all food recepi if I found time I wish I could one day be a good cook love your food I am your big fan love looking at your recepies even I don’t cook God bless you take care
Do you think we could slow cook it in place of the oven? thanks
Not this one as written sorry Lea! N x
Hi Nagi, I’ve made this before and absolutely loved it.. I was wondering if I could make it with Chicken Marylands instead of little pieces. I guess I would brown them like I would the pieces and put them into the rice before I put it all into the oven but.. how would it effect the timing since they’ll take longer to cook through??
It won’t work as written here unfortunately as bone in pieces take much longer to cook sorry!! N x
OMG, made this for dinner & it’s a hit! I didn’t add the chicken and despite my error adding shrimp and meats too early it was still delicious. I’m sure I”ll try more of your recipes. Flavors spot on, great explanations & work arounds with a diverse selection of recipes. Thank-you!
Using up the leftover jambalaya. Shredded some lettuce sliced tomatoes stuffed a few tortilla. Added grated cheese was a super ad hoc lunch. Xx
Made this today, and it was fabulous. Another home-run for you, Nagi. Made a few changes, some for taste, some for convenience. Doubled the cayenne, and might use even more next time. Used a whole can of tomatoes because I’m not going to store a half can of them, and therefore reduced the chicken stock to 2 cups. Used yellow/red bell peppers instead of the green ones. Used smoked paprika because I didn’t want to buy a tin of sweet for just this recipe. Just amazingly good! Next time I might add juice of one lime just to add a little acid/brightness. Wonderful! Thank you!
Just wanted to say ty for all you do in these trying times. Your recipes are so easy to follow and for once mine actually look like the picture. I’ve just made the jambalaya it’s to die for everyone loved it so once again th Nagi xxxx
You are amazing Nagi. I am in the uk and we tried to do our bit here to for vulnerable folk. But you are an individual doing this! Well done. Xx ps I used to make “sweet treats” for my elderly neighbours whilst lock down was on …a small thing, but they did like the cakes!! Well done you .I just love Dozer and your recipes. Yum yum
Just wanted to say ty for all you do in these trying times. Your recipes are so easy to follow and for once mine actually look like the picture. I’ve just made the jambalaya it’s to die for everyone loved it so once again th Nagi xxxx
Made this last night and it was amazing. Yet again Nagi, you make me look like I know how to cook to my family and friends 🙂 Will be making this one on the regular. Even my southern-born husband said it was probably the best Jambalaya he’s had.
Nagi, I commend you for doing a great job in this awful,time. Glad Dozer is being spoiled too.😷
Thanks so much Val! N x