Shrimp Étouffée
Shrimp Étouffée is an impressive looking meal that is easier to make than you might think! This family favorite is layered with flavor and comes together in just under an hour.
A CLASSIC AND FLAVORFUL SOUTHERN DISH
Have you ever had Shrimp Étouffée? It’s so easy to make and is full of so much flavor. This classic Louisiana seafood dish is sure to be an instant favorite with its delicious blend of shrimp, vegetables, and just the right amount of spices. Like many other Southern dishes, the roux is what is the flavor star of the show. It is a comforting homemade meal that is easy to customize to your tastes!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Shrimp Étouffée is like a gumbo recipe. It’s very common in the deep South and most especially Louisiana. It has quite a few ingredients, but unlike some gumbo recipes, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are extremely easy to find and you may already have them in your kitchen!
Absolutely! In fact, I have a recipe for Chicken Étouffée if you’d like to try that one out!
Sure thing. I used medium shrimp, they are more affordable and I think easier to eat in a dish like this. However, use whatever sized shrimp you would like, just make sure they are fully peeled and deveined.
Shrimp Étouffée is traditionally served with rice; however, it is good on its own or with something that will soak up all that sauce like mashed potatoes, bread, polenta, grits, quinoa, etc.
You can if you want, but it’s totally not necessary and raises the chance of overcooking the shrimp. I did not sear off the shrimp first because I didn’t want them to become overcooked.
Yes, you can make Shrimp Étouffée with precooked shrimp. All you need to do is add it to your at the end of the cooking process. You will want to make sure that you don’t overcook the shrimp when reheating them with the rest of the dish. It’s important to note that precooked shrimp will not be as tender and juicy as raw shrimp, but if you add it towards the end of your cooking time, you should still have a delicious Étouffée.
Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days or in a safe freezer container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
I recommend heating this on the stovetop until warmed through. It’s normal for this to get thick as it sits, so you can thin it out with some chicken stock if needed.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- salted butter – this can be swapped for oil or shortening but butter is going to give you better flavor.
- all-purpose flour – this is used to help thicken the roux. A roux (pronounced roo) is just a fancy word for a mixture that is qual parts fat (butter in this cake) and flour. It is used to thicken gravies and sauces. By cooking these two together first, it takes the flour taste out of the flour but also helps to keep lumps from forming when you go to make your sauce or gravy.
- celery, green pepper, onion – you can purchase the frozen veggies that are already chopped up if you prefer. Also, if you don’t like one or more of these vegetables, then just leave it out. These are traditional étouffée vegetables.
- garlic – please, please use freshly minced garlic. The jarred stuff is just not gonna give you the best flavor you can possibly get. Save the jarred garlic for those busy weeknight and crock pot meals.
- chicken stock – you could use chicken broth but the stock adds a deeper flavor. If you are cutting back on sodium, just use a low or no sodium chicken stock.
- petite diced tomatoes – be careful when purchasing these as they sometimes have seasoning already added (like Italian seasonings) and they usually sit right next to each other on the shelf. You just want the plain petite diced tomatoes.
- Worcestershire sauce – this does not provide a strong taste. It meshes with the other ingredients to add depth of flavor.
- bay leaf
- creole seasoning – I prefer Tony Chachere’s (see ingredient image below) but you use whatever creole or cajun seasoning you prefer.
- smoked paprika – you can use regular paprika if you prefer. The smoked paprika just adds an additional layer of flavor.
- medium shrimp – you want to look for the raw shrimp. Sometimes they already come shelled and deveined. If not you’ll need to do that first.
- lemon and hot sauce – these are optional. The lemon juice might sound weird but it really brightens the flavor of the whole dish. Don’t use the bottled lemon juice though, that will just not go well here as it has a much stronger acidic taste than a fresh lemon.
HOW TO MAKE SHRIMP ÉTOUFFÉE
In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and continue to cook, whisking often until it forms a peanut butter color, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, bell pepper, and onion, and stir to combine. Cook until softened, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add in the garlic and stir in until fragrant, 30 seconds. Slowly stream in the chicken stock while stirring constantly so no lumps are formed.
Add the tomatoes, Worcestershire, bay leaf, creole seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, once at a boil, stir in the shrimp, cover, place heat on low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
Stir in the green onions, lemon juice, and hot sauce to taste. Serve immediately.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Shrimp Étouffée
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (1/2 stick) salted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 ribs celery, small diced
- 1 green bell pepper, small diced
- 1 small sweet onion, small diced
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes (undrained
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons creole seasoning
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 pounds medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
For serving:
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- ½ fresh lemon, juiced
- hot sauce, to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Whisk in the flour and continue to cook, whisking often until it forms a peanut butter color, about 10 minutes.
- Add the celery, bell pepper, and onion, and stir to combine. Cook until softened, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add in the garlic and stir in until fragrant, 30 seconds.
- Slowly stream in the chicken stock while stirring constantly so no lumps are formed.
- Add the tomatoes, Worcestershire, bay leaf, creole seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil, once at a boil, stir in the shrimp, cover, place heat on low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in the green onions, lemon juice, and hot sauce to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Can I use cornstarch for the roux so it can be gluten free?
A great recipe!