Shrimp Creole

When I’m in the mood for New Orleans inspired cuisine, I turn to recipes such as hearty red beans and rice, flavor packed jambalaya, or this delicious Shrimp Creole. For a real seafood feast, serve your shrimp with a side of crab mac and cheese! I happen to love Shrimp Creole. It’s a great way to enjoy seafood, and the sauce is so bold and flavorful! I’ve since learned how to make this dish in the comfort of my own home, and the results are terrific each and every time.

Shrimp Creole Ingredients

This dish features shrimp in a tomato based sauce. The sauce is flavored with vegetables, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Cajun seasoning, broth and garlic. Other ingredients include flour, bay, butter and fresh herbs.

How do you make Shrimp Creole?

Start by cooking the holy trinity of onions, celery and bell peppers in butter. Once the vegetables are soft, add garlic, then stir in a little flour to help thicken the sauce. Next, stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce an assortment of seasonings and hot sauce. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until it has started to thicken. Add the shrimp, then cook them in the sauce until they’re pink and opaque. Stir in some green onions and parsley, then spoon the shrimp over white rice. Garnish with additional herbs if desired, then serve and enjoy.

How to peel and devein shrimp

This dish works best with peeled shrimp. You can leave the tails on the shrimp for a nicer presentation, or remove the tails too. Remove the shrimp shells by peeling them off with your fingers starting on the side with the legs. The shell may come off in sections which is fine. If you don’t see a cut down the back of your shrimp, you will also need to devein them. Use a paring knife to cut a shallow slit along the back of the shrimp on the opposite side from the legs. Use a knife or a wooden skewer to remove the vein which looks like a dark tube running down the shrimp.

Tips for the perfect dish

I prefer to use a larger sized shrimp for this recipe, such as 26-30 or 31-40 count. Small shrimp will also work, just be careful not to overcook them! Fresh or frozen shrimp will both work fine, just make sure the shrimp are thawed. Leftover Shrimp Creole will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. I recommend reheating this dish on the stove over low heat. This recipe is written for a medium heat level. If you prefer spicier food, feel free to add more hot sauce to taste. The sauce portion of this dish can be prepared up to 3 days in advance. Simply reheat the sauce and add the shrimp when you’re ready to eat. I love to serve my shrimp with a side of dirty rice for a memorable meal.

Shrimp Creole flavor variations

You can add other ingredients to this dish to customize the flavors to your tastes. Some of these suggestions are not traditional additions, but they sure taste delicious!

Protein: I sometimes like to add another protein component such as diced smoked sausage, chunks of white fish, or cooked crumbled bacon. Vegetables: Feel free to add more veggies to the mix such as okra, mushrooms, zucchini or spinach. Rice: You can swap out the white rice for other options such as brown rice, cauliflower rice or quinoa.

This recipe is a unique and unexpected way to liven up your dinner table, and is perfect for all the seafood lovers in your life!