Jambalaya Soup Recipe

Let's Make Jambalaya Soup

Looking for your next favorite comfort food dish? You've found it, my friends. We're making Jambalaya Soup tonight.

This is everything you love about a classic Jambalaya Recipe, but made into a soup. Juicy chicken thighs, plump andouille sausage in all its smoky glory, the Cajun holy trinity, and plenty of rice, all simmered in a spiced tomato broth.

I make jambalaya constantly. It's one of the dishes that made me fall in love with Louisiana cooking. This soup version is just as good, but in a different way, and it's become a go-to in my kitchen. It feeds a crowd, reheats beautifully, and takes as much heat as you want to throw at it.

Everything cooks in one pot, rice included. You control how thick you want it, and you can make it with chicken, sausage, shrimp, or all three at once.

Let's talk about how to make jambalaya soup, shall we?

Is Jambalaya a Soup or a Stew?

Neither. Classic jambalaya is a rice dish. The rice cooks in the pot and absorbs nearly all the liquid, so the dish has more in common with paella or jollof rice.

It gets called a stew sometimes because it cooks like one, and because the tomato-based version looks soupy right up until the rice finishes soaks up all that liquid.

With jambalaya soup, you use more broth than the rice can absorb, so you keep a real broth and end up with an actual soup. Same trinity, same andouille, same Cajun seasoning, more liquid.

And yes, it thickens overnight. The rice keeps taking in the liquid in the fridge. Day one you have jambalaya soup, day two you have jambalaya. That's more like two dinners, which sounds good to me.

Jambalaya Soup Ingredients & Tips

The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Vegetable Oil. Olive oil is good, or a neutral oil.
• Andouille Sausage. Smoked sausage gives classic jambalaya flavor. Sub with kielbasa or other smoked sausage if needed.
• Boneless Chicken. I love chicken thighs for this, but chicken breast is great.
• Cajun Holy Trinity. Onion, bell pepper, celery, plus garlic.
• Cajun Seasonings. Try my homemade Cajun seasoning recipe for bold flavor. Consider my Creole seasoning recipe for a more herb-forward profile. Also, dried thyme and oregano, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
• Rice. Use long grain or medium grain rice. Long grain works best to avoid mushiness. Rinse thoroughly!
• Chicken Broth. Or chicken stock.
• Fire Roasted Tomatoes. Canned - adds flavor depth. You can also use crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, or tomato sauce.
• Hot Sauce. As desired. Spice it up, my friends!
• Garnish. Chopped green onion chopped parsley, red chili flakes.

Cajun or Creole? A Quick Note

The defining factor is tomatoes. Creole jambalaya, New Orleans city style, uses them, which is why people call it red jambalaya. Cajun jambalaya out of the bayou parishes usually does not include them. It gets its color from the fond you get on the bottom of the pot from seared meat, so it goes by brown jambalaya.

I use fire roasted tomatoes in this soup, which puts it on the Creole side of the fence, seasoned with a Cajun-style blend. If you prefer a Cajun style, skip the tomatoes, add another cup of broth, and give your meat some extra sear in the first step. I do this with my Cajun Jambalaya Recipe if you'd rather start from the other direction.

How to Make Jambalaya Soup - Step by Step

• Brown the chicken and andouille sausage a few minutes in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, then add the onions, peppers and celery. Cook them a few minutes to soften them up.
• Next, bloom the garlic in the pot, then the spices.
• Stir in the rice, chicken broth, and fire roasted tomatoes (and a little hot sauce, if desired). Top with bay leaves. Cover and simmer the pot for 20 minutes to 30 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and tender, to your preference.

Boom! Done! Your jambalaya soup is ready to serve. Looks so good, doesn't it? The perfect one pot meal. Add a splash of hot sauce for me! Enjoy.

How Hot Is This Soup?

Medium as written, my friends. The heat comes from the Cajun seasoning and perhaps a touch from the andouille, though some seasoning blends are spicier than others.

Here's how to adjust to preference:

• Milder. Swap the andouille for kielbasa or a plain smoked sausage and use a milder spice blend.
• Hotter. Cook a chopped jalapeño or serrano along with the trinity. Bump the cayenne in your seasoning, or stir in an extra teaspoon of my homemade Cajun seasoning closer to the end.
• A lot hotter. Add a chopped habanero with the garlic, or swirl a spoonful of habanero hot sauce into each bowl. Louisiana hot sauce at the table is traditional and I always a bottle.

Note: rice mutes heat. If you go with the full 2 cups, season a bit more than feels right, as the dish will turn town tamer than you might expect.

Making It with Shrimp

Chicken, sausage and shrimp together is classic New Orleans, and we love it this way.

To make it, peel and devein a pound of medium shrimp. Tuck them into the pot 5 to 6 minutes before serving, right as the rice turns tender. They'll poach through in the hot broth. Don't leave them in too long or they can turn rubbery.

Crawfish tails go in the same way and need about 2 minutes. Same with bay scallops. If adding all three proteins, cut the chicken back to half a pound so the pot doesn't get too crowded.

BOOM. Perfect for Mardi Gras.

That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my easy jambalaya soup recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!

More Rice Dishes to Try

• Cajun Jambalaya Recipe. Cajun style with chicken and sausage, no tomatoes, rustic greatness.
• Crockpot Jambalaya. All your favorite jambalaya flavors made in the slow cooker. Set it and forget it!
• Charleston Red Rice. A Lowcountry dish of rice cooked in a mix of tomatoes, onions, peppers, bacon or sausage and spices.
• Dirty Rice. Classic southern cuisine with Cajun style white rice made "dirty" from bits of chicken, beef or pork.
• Paella. Loaded with lots of Spanish rice, chicken, chorizo, shrimp and more, huge on flavor.

Recipe FAQs

What's in jambalaya soup? Andouille sausage, chicken, the Cajun holy trinity of onion, bell pepper and celery, long grain rice, chicken broth, fire roasted tomatoes, and Cajun seasoning. Shrimp is a common addition. Everything simmers in one pot.

Is jambalaya supposed to be soupy? Traditional jambalaya is not. The rice absorbs nearly all the liquid, so it finishes closer to a rice dish. This recipe uses extra broth on purpose so it serves as a brothier soup.

What's the difference between jambalaya and jambalaya soup? The liquid ratio is different. Jambalaya is a thicker rice dish. Jambalaya soup uses more broth than the rice can absorb, so you keep a real broth.

Why did my jambalaya soup turn out mushy? Either the rice wasn't rinsed, or you used a short or medium grain. Long grain white rice holds its shape best. Stir gently and pull it the moment the rice is tender.

Can I make jambalaya soup in a slow cooker or Instant Pot? You can, though the rice timing can be tricky. Check out my Crockpot Jambalaya instead, which is made for it.

Can I make this ahead of time? Yes, and it reheats well. The rice keeps absorbing, so add extra broth when you warm it back up.

Can I freeze jambalaya soup? Yes, though the rice softens after thawing. If you're freezing on purpose, cook the rice separately and stir it in when you serve.