No Rice Jambalaya

An easy recipe for Jambalaya without rice comes together quickly for a flavorful and flexible meal. You can serve the shrimp, sausage, and sauce over rice for a traditional combination, or leave it off for a carb conscious meal.

Before the nay-sayers brandish their knives, let me say up front that I know this is not a traditional jambalaya—and I debated even sharing the recipe for that exact reason! But it is a delicious and flexible way to enjoy the classic Cajun dish, even if you or some of those you are feeding prefer to avoid rice.

This shrimp and sausage jambalaya comes together very quickly in a cast iron skillet with a savory tomato-based sauce with no rice mixed in. This means that the jambalaya cooks more quickly, and as an additional bonus, keeps very well without changing in texture as the rice continues to absorb the sauce.

This recipe is adapted from an old favorite Cooking Light recipe we’ve enjoyed many times. But it’s a nice option to be able to make the rice separately for any reason, whether you follow a low-carb diet, are feeding someone who does, or simply prefer to mix lots of shrimp and sausage with a smaller amount of rice.

Ingredient Notes

How To Make Jambalaya Without Rice

Begin by browning the sausage on all sides. For the best texture and flavor, don’t stir it around too often: it needs to stay in one spot for a little while to get the best caramel-colored crispy edges. Once browned, remove sausage to a plate and set aside. Keep the skillet over the heat.

Next, cook the onion, celery, and bell peppers for about 4 minutes, just until they begin to soften. For best results, try to have the veggies chopped into relatively even, small pieces.

You’ll then stir in the tomato paste and garlic and let those ingredients cook for just about 1 minute more, to release their flavor and aroma.

Next, pour broth, tomatoes, and all of the seasonings over the increasingly tender vegetables. Bring this mixture to a simmer and let it bubble to thicken and develop flavor for at least 5 minutes – longer if you can spare the time.

Finally, you’ll cook the shrimp briefly right in this pan. They truly only take 2-3 minutes to fully cook in a simmering sauce. Return the sausage to the pan afterwards.

Give it all a good stir, and garnish with fresh herbs as desired. Parsley and thyme are my favorites!

Serving Suggestions

You can of course serve this jambalaya spooned in bowls on top of regular white or brown rice. You can also serve it alongside cauliflower rice, with veggies, or with bread. Jambalaya pairs especially well with cornbread, biscuits, and corn on the cob.

Storage Tips

Leftovers are one of the best thing about this jambalaya recipe, because they don’t get soggy as the rice absorbs extra liquid!

• To Store: Tuck any extra into airtight containers and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• To Reheat: Warm individual portions in the microwave, ideally on 50% power to avoid overheating and making the shrimp rubbery. Larger portions may be easier to warm on the stove in a small pot over medium heat.
• To Freeze: Remove as much extra air as possible and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight if possible, then reheat as directed above.

Squint a little and perhaps this will help you envision yourself in a New Orleans sidewalk cafe! At the very least I hope it makes an exciting dinner to spice up your mid-week.

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5 from 9 votes

No Rice Jambalaya

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

Total Time: 35 minutes mins

Servings: 6

An easy recipe for Jambalaya without rice comes together quickly for a flavorful and flexible meal. Add rice – or don’t! – as desired!

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Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 pound andouille sausage sliced
• 1 small yellow onion chopped
• 1-2 bell peppers any color, chopped
• 3 celery ribs chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1 and 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 (15 ounce) can crushed or petite diced tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons paprika divided
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional or adjust to taste
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 pound raw shrimp peeled and deveined
• fresh thyme or parsley optional garnish
• 3-4 cups rice optional, for serving

Instructions

• Warm olive oil in a Dutch oven or large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring just once or twice, until browned and crispy on the edges. Remove sausage to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
  2 teaspoons olive oil, 1 pound andouille sausage
• Add onion, peppers, and celery to the skillet. Cook for 4 minutes, just until the veggies begin to soften. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook 30-60 seconds more.
  1 small yellow onion, 1-2 bell peppers, 3 celery ribs, 3 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• Stir in the chicken broth, tomatoes, 1 teaspoon paprika, thyme, oregano, and cayenne, if using. Reduce heat to medium and let the mixture simmer gently for 5-10 minutes. Reduce heat further if the liquid is boiling rapidly. Sample and add salt and black pepper to taste.
  1 and 1/2 cups chicken broth, 1 (15 ounce) can crushed or petite diced tomatoes, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• While the liquid cooks, sprinkle shrimp with salt, pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon paprika. Add shrimp to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, just until opaque. Return the cooked sausage to the pan and stir well.
  kosher salt and black pepper, 1 pound raw shrimp
• Garnish with sprigs of fresh thyme or parsley. Serve as desired — over regular rice, cauliflower rice, on its own, with veggies, or with bread.
  fresh thyme or parsley, 3-4 cups rice

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Notes

1. Prefer using chicken? It’s easy to do! Either add in some shredded rotisserie chicken at the end or sauté chicken breasts in the pan after browning the sausage and prior to cooking the vegetables. Remove the cooked chicken, slice or shred, and return at the end with the sausage.
2. Storage: Tuck any extra into airtight containers and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
3. Reheating: Warm individual portions in the microwave, ideally on 50% power to avoid overheating and making the shrimp rubbery. Larger portions may be easier to warm on the stove in a small pot over medium heat.
4. Freezing: Remove as much extra air as possible and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight if possible, then reheat as directed above.

Nutrition Estimate

Calories: 625 kcal, Carbohydrates: 80 g, Protein: 23 g, Fat: 23 g, Saturated Fat: 7 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10 g, Trans Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 65 mg, Sodium: 658 mg, Potassium: 540 mg, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 3 g, Vitamin A: 1102 IU, Vitamin C: 28 mg, Calcium: 55 mg, Iron: 2 mg

Author: Monica

Course: Main

Cuisine: American

Keyword: jambalaya without rice, no rice jambalaya