Shrimp Creole
Shrimp Creole is a classic New Orleans dish made with shrimp and the cajun holy trinity in a slow simmered tomato sauce, traditionally served over white rice. This Creole dish has its roots in African, French, and Spanish cooking and has been enjoyed in South Louisiana for hundreds of years. It’s bold, saucy, a little spicy, and full of flavor. Ready in about an hour.
Shrimp Creole is a classic Louisiana dish right up there with gumbo and red beans and rice. Fresh gulf shrimp are plentiful in south Louisiana, so dishes like shrimp creole, shrimp and grits, and shrimp remoulade can always be found on the menu.
Quick Summary
- Ready in 1 hour and 10 minutes.
- Main ingredients: The cajun holy trinity (onions, bell peppers, celery), shrimp, tomatoes, and seasonings.
- Flavor: Tomato forward, rich, savory, with just a hint of heat.
- Best served: Over rice, but it would be great over grits too!
- Make it your own: Add in andouille sausage or okra for a twist.
Lagniappe
Lagniappe: LAN-yap – a little something extra
Shrimp Creole is a great example of New Orleans’ layered food culture. It’s a dish that is right at home for a fancy Sunday dinner, or a casual weekday meal paired with an ice cold beer. It’s Creole, not cajun, although you might find it on both sides of the table. What makes it Creole is the tomato base, a nod to Spanish and Caribbean influence, as well as the use of butter, herbs, and a little French finesse.
Unlike Cajun food, which was developed in rural Acadiana, Creole food was born in the port city of New Orleans. The city had access to imported spices, fresh Gulf seafood, and a melting pot of culinary traditions from West African, to French, to Sicilian.
Like many of these beloved Louisiana dishes, there’s no “right” way to make it, (although everyone has their own way, and thinks it’s the right one). Some make it thick like a stew, and others more saucy. Some use a roux, and some skip it altogether. If it’s rich, tomatoey, and flavored with the holy trinity, creole spices and herbs, and plump and juicy shrimp – then it’s shrimp creole.
Lauren’s Tips
- Know when to add the shrimp. Shrimp are the star of this dish, and they should be plump, tender, and gently poached in the simmering tomato sauce. It should only take about 5 minutes at the very end of cooking. Add them any sooner, and you’ll wind up with rubbery overcooked shrimp.
- Seriously, make your own shrimp stock. I’ve made this dish with vegetable broth, chicken broth, and shrimp stock. Shrimp stock is the winner every time. Since the shrimp are only simmered for a few minutes, shrimp stock is the best way to infuse the sauce with all that rich shrimpy flavor. It’s super easy to make, and if you purchased shrimp with the shells on, you already have the ingredients! See my easy homemade shrimp stock tutorial.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Produce: yellow onion, green bell pepper, celery, garlic, green onions, fresh parsley, ripe and juicy tomatoes. Substitute fresh tomatoes for a can of diced tomatoes if not in season.
- Protein: Large shrimp. Use fresh or frozen, shell on or pre-peeled. If you peel your own shrimp, save the shells for shrimp stock! Use fresh Louisiana gulf shrimp for the best flavor if possible. Learn How to Peel and Devein Shrimp and all about Shrimp Sizes Explained.
- Dairy: Butter for extra richness.
- Pantry: Tomato paste, dry white wine (like sauvignon blanc), canned tomatoes if using, worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, shrimp stock, and rice for serving. Homemade shrimp stock takes this dish to the next level, but chicken stock works when needed. Check out how to cook perfect white rice to serve with the shrimp creole.
- Spices: Bay leaves, dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme, paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and creole seasoning. My creole seasoning recipe is the perfect accompaniment for this dish.
See the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make Shrimp Creole
- Sauté the onion, pepper, celery, and green onions in butter with a pinch of salt until softened, about 15 minutes. Then add in garlic.
- Sprinkle in flour and mix into the vegetables, then add in tomato paste. Stir and cook for a few minutes to caramelize. Then deglaze with white wine, scraping up the fond, and simmer another few minutes.
- Add in tomatoes, worcestershire, hot sauce, and bay leaves and mix. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until sauce has thickened.
- Add in shrimp and parsley and poach shrimp until they are just opaque, about 5 minutes. Do a final taste test and season with creole seasoning.
Shrimp Creole is traditionally served over white rice, but serving over creamy grits would be delicious too. Serve it with some French bread or corn bread to sop up all that delicious tomato gravy. Smothered green beans or smothered greens would be a perfect side dish pairing.
Storage & Make Ahead
- Storage: This dish keeps in the fridge for 3-4 days. Store the rice and sauce separately.
- Freeze: Freeze in a freezer safe container for 2-3 minutes. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat: Gently reheat on the stovetop over low heat. Microwaving will cause the shrimp to become rubbery.
- Make ahead: Make this dish a day in advance, but don’t add in the shrimp. Reheat on the stove and add in the shrimp for about 5 minutes to cook until just opaque, then serve immediately.
More Classic New Orleans Recipes
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Authentic New Orleans Shrimp Creole
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 large yellow onion
- 1 green bell pepper
- 2 stalks celery
- 3 green onions
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons flour
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 cups shrimp stock (or chicken stock)
- 1 ½ pound ripe tomatoes (or 28 ounce can diced tomatoes, see note)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 ½ pound large shrimp (31-35 size, see note)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves (loosely packed)
- Creole seasoning (to taste)
- Rice for serving
Seasoning Mix
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- PREP: Finely chop onion, bell peppers, celery, green onions, and parsley. Mince garlic. Chop tomatoes and reserve their juices. Combine seasoning mix and set aside. Peel and devein shrimp (optional, save shells to make shrimp stock*). Rinse shrimp, pat them dry, and season evenly with half of the seasoning mix. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- SAUTÉ: Heat a large dutch oven or deep skillet over medium heat. Add in butter to melt. Add in onions, peppers, celery and half the green onions with a pinch of salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes. Add in garlic and cook while stirring for another minute.
- CARAMELIZE: Sprinkle flour over vegetables and mix in. Add in tomato paste and the other half of the seasoning mix. Cook while stirring for 2-3 minutes, until tomato paste has darkened.
- DEGLAZE: Deglaze with wine, scraping up any fond on the pot. Simmer for a minute or two until the alcohol burns off.
- SIMMER: Slowly whisk in stock, getting out any lumps. Add in tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and bay leaves and stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer for about 20-30 minutes until sauce has thickened.
- POACH: Add in shrimp and parsley, turn heat up to medium, and poach shrimp in simmering sauce for about 5 minutes until shrimp are opaque pink and just cooked through. Remove the bay leaves. Do a final taste test and add creole seasoning to taste.
- SERVE: Serve hot over white rice with hot sauce and garnish with sliced green onions.
Notes
- Shrimp stock is easy to make and 100% worth the extra effort. Substitute for chicken broth if needed.
- The success of dish depends on ripe juicy tomatoes. If tomatoes are not in season, substitute for a 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes.
- Fresh or frozen shrimp are fine for this, but the best flavor will be Louisiana Gulf shrimp.
- Learn how to make perfectly fluffy rice to serve this dish over. 1.5 cups uncooked rice = 4.5 cups cooked rice = 6 servings.
- Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, and the freezer for 2-3.
- Nutrition information is an estimate. It does not include the rice.
Equipment
- large dutch oven or deep skillet
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
While both of these recipes are stew like shrimp dishes, shrimp creole is a tomato based sauce whereas shrimp étouffée has a roux based sauce.
Yes, I often use frozen shrimp for their convenience. Make sure to completely thaw shrimp in the refrigerator overnight.
Meet Lauren
I’m the blogger, recipe developer, food photographer, and otherwise food obsessed gal behind Lauren From Scratch. I was born and raised in New Orleans and lived in South Louisiana most of my life. Growing up around Cajun country has instilled a love of food that runs deep in my bones. I am passionate about food and teaching you how to make mouth-watering Louisiana inspired dishes in your own kitchen!
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