This shrimp creole recipe is pure New Orleans, an icon of Louisiana, with succulent shrimp simmered in a perfectly seasoned tomato sauce made with the Cajun holy trinity. You may need to make an extra large batch. I'll take mine extra spicy.
Shrimp Creole coming your way, my friends. I love this recipe. It's an easy shrimp recipe for one. Everyone needs those quick and easy recipe ideas for when you're just too busy to spend time in the kitchen.
Creole shrimp is one of those recipes you can have done and on the table in 30 minutes or so, maybe a little longer if you're a slow cook like me. The only real work is a bit of chopping and prepping. Then it's just simmering.
It's super satisfying, too, a perfect dish for the spicy food lover, loaded with big flavor. Shrimp Creole, my friends!
It's a recipe that's been around forever, and it's open to certain interpretations, so feel free to customize here and there to your personal tastes. I hope you enjoy it.
Let's talk about how to make shrimp creole, shall we?
Shrimp Creole Ingredients
- Olive Oil. For cooking.
- Cajun Holy Trinity. You'll need green bell pepper, or use jalapeno peppers for a spicier version, onion, celery, and garlic. Bell peppers are traditional.
- Tomatoes. Use both tomato paste and chopped tomatoes.
- Stock. Use shrimp stock for a more pronounced seafood flavor, or use chicken stock or chicken broth.
- Creole Seasonings. Try my homemade creole seasoning recipe, or use your favorite.
- Additional Flavors. Worcestershire sauce, Louisiana style hot sauce, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
- Shrimp. Peeled and deveined. Gulf shrimp are great, though any shrimp will work here.
- For Serving. Cooked white rice, chopped parsley or use green onions, sliced peppers, extra hot sauce, spicy red pepper flakes.
How to Make Classic Shrimp Creole - the Recipe Method
Peppers and Onions. Making Shrimp Creole is easy enough. Add the onions, peppers, celery and garlic to a pan over medium heat with some oil and cook until they soften up.
Tomato Paste. Next, stir in some tomato paste and cook it down about a minute.
Liquids and Seasonings. Then, add canned tomatoes, stock, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, Creole seasonings and bay leaves. Adjust for salt and pepper to your preferred levels.
Simmer the Creole Sauce. Stir it all together, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes to thicken and let the flavors develop. You can simmer longer if you’d like.
Cook the Shrimp. Remove the bay leaves, then add the shrimp and tuck them under the sauce. Cook another couple minutes, or until the shrimp is nicely pink and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serving the Shrimp Creole. Finally, serve it over rice, if desired, sprinkled with parsley, extra hot sauce and extra peppers! Or just eat it out of the pan. It's OK. Really.
I served mine over this new, awesome Cajun Cauliflower Rice Recipe. SO good. Works great as an appetizer, too.
That's it! Easy enough! It's definitely a favorite recipe here, my friends. Love it! Pretty low calorie. I could eat this all day. Let me know how it turns out for you. Super curious! Send pics!
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Heat Factor. I like to use the classic Cajun Holy Trinity to start - onion, pepper and celery - though I'll either substitute jalapeno peppers for the bell, or I'll toss a jalapeno into the mix, or sometimes something spicier, like a serrano pepper, or maybe a habanero pepper. Ghost pepper, anyone? Yeah, you can go REALLY spicy on this if you'd like. Just don't surprise your dinner guests, OK?
- Variations. The creole sauce is an excellent base for including other ingredients. Try it with different meats or seafood, like crawfish or white fish. It's also great with pasta noodles.
Storage & Leftovers
Storing your Shrimp Creole in an airtight container in the fridge may allow you to store the leftovers for up to 3-4 days. To maximize the storage life, make sure to refrigerate it promptly.
Check Out Some of Our Other Popular Cajun Dishes
If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #ChiliPepperMadness on Instagram so we can take a look. I always love to see all of your spicy inspirations. Thanks! -- Mike H.
Shrimp Creole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large green bell pepper chopped (Or use jalapenos peppers for a spicier version)
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 14.5 ounce can chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup shrimp stock or use chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning or more to taste
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons Louisiana style hot sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
- Rice, chopped parsley, sliced peppers and extra hot sauce for serving
Instructions
- Heat a large pan to medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the peppers, onion and celery and cook them down about 5 minutes to soften.
- Add the garlic and cook another minute, stirring.
- Swirl in the tomato paste and cook another minute.
- Add the canned tomatoes, stock, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, Creole seasonings and bay leaves. Adjust for salt and pepper.
- Stir and simmer the sauce for 20 minutes to thicken and let the flavors develop. You can simmer longer if you’d like.
- Remove the bay leaves.
- Add the shrimp and tuck them under the sauce. Cook another couple minutes, or until the shrimp is nicely pink and cooked through.
- Serve over rice, if desired, sprinkled with parsley, extra hot sauce and extra peppers!
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 5/7/21 to include new information, photos and video. It was originally published on 4/26/18.
Craig Russell says
Excellent recipe.
Quick and tasty.
Added fresh picked habanero and okra.
Mike Hultquist says
Great!! Thanks, Craig!
Phaedra says
I just made the Shrimp Creole, very good. Substituted a homemade hot sauce instead Louisiana and multi colored pepper. Hubby loves hot sauces and not a fan of green peppers. We enjoyed this dish.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks for sharing this, Phaedra. I love to hear it! Glad you both enjoyed it. =)
Doug F says
Thanks for sharing! Great recipe. I was missing this dish from my 5 years living in Louisiana and I enjoyed it very much. My family had never had it, but they loved it, too. It is a winner and a go-to recipe for me.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks so much, Doug. Very happy you all enjoyed it.
Patti Seaney says
Excellent recipe. So flavorful and my husband loved it. The spices were spot on! I made no modifications to the recipe!
This one is another keeper. Thanks Mike!
Mike H. says
Thank you, Patti - I am glad that you guys like it!
Isabel H says
I tried this last night. The flavors were amazing. I also made your Creole seasoning blend and used that. For my taste, I would reduce the Cayenne a bit but thats just me - my family said it was perfect. Used fire roasted tomatoes. Delicious recipe and definitely a keeper!
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Isabel! Thanks for sharing!
Jerry Palmer says
Excellent recipe! I added andouille sausage and used some Ro-Tel in addition to the regular tomatos as well. Definitely a do again!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Jerry!!
David Newton says
Deb & I made shrimp creole last night, using this reciepe, and it was wonderful!
We used frozen Bell Peppers from last year, as it is too early for fresh, but did have the Onions, just harvested, and parsley from "out back"
Thanks for being here Mike, with all the great stuff!
David
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks so much, David! Super happy you and Deb enjoyed it! Take care.
Nancy says
Can I use cooked frozen shrimp
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Nancy, you surely can. Just thaw them first, then tuck them into the sauce just long enough to warm them through, about a minute or so. Let me know how it goes. I hope you enjoy it.
GERALD says
you use olive oil/ what kind and,regular \ ex virgin, brand?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Gerald, I use a Mediterranean blend for general cooking.
debra t. says
recipe for shrimp creole was wonderful. I used both green bell and jalapeno.
I also used fire roasted tomatoes instead of reg. and of course the Louisiana
hot sauce.. hubby who likes hot and spicey said too spicey.
so next day I toned it down with reg tomatoes and lime juice and of course more shrimp which he had eaten ( lol ) it was wonderful thx
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Debra! Super happy you both enjoyed it.
MPaula Whelan says
When I saw this recipe I realized that I hadn't made it for years. I will check the recipe I used but expect I will use yours. Really, if mine was that good, I wouldn't have forgot about it! Thanks. I am putting it on the menu for tomorrow.
Mike Hultquist | Chili Pepper Madness says
Let me know how it turns out for you. I hope you like it! It's definitely a tasty dish.
Jean Griffin says
It is great, just perfect, thanks