Shrimp Creole with Rice (Printer-friendly)
Tender shrimp in a rich tomato sauce paired with fluffy white rice for a classic southern dish.
# What You Need:
→ For the Shrimp Creole
01 - 1 ½ lbs large shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
08 - 1 cup tomato sauce
09 - ½ cup chicken or seafood stock
10 - 2 tsp Creole seasoning
11 - ½ tsp cayenne pepper
12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - 1 tsp dried thyme
14 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
15 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper
17 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
18 - 2 green onions, sliced
19 - Juice of ½ lemon
→ For the White Rice
20 - 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice
21 - 3 cups water
22 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter
23 - ½ tsp salt
# How to Make It:
01 - Rinse the shrimp under cold water and pat dry. Set aside.
02 - In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery; sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
03 - Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, stock, Creole seasoning, cayenne, bay leaf, thyme, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
05 - Bring the sauce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - In a medium saucepan, bring water, butter, and salt to a boil. Stir in rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until rice is tender and water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
07 - Add shrimp to the simmering sauce. Cook for 4–5 minutes, or just until shrimp turn pink and opaque.
08 - Remove bay leaf. Stir in lemon juice, fresh parsley, and half the green onions. Adjust seasoning as needed.
09 - Fluff rice with a fork and divide among plates. Spoon Shrimp Creole over the rice. Garnish with remaining green onions.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce simmers into this impossibly rich, velvety creation that makes even cheap Tuesday night shrimp feel like a special occasion
- Everything happens in one pan except the rice, meaning fewer dishes and more time to actually enjoy what you made
02 -
- Shrimp continue cooking after you remove them from heat, so pull them when they are just barely opaque all the way through
- The sauce tastes better the next day, so if you can make it ahead and reheat gently, do it
03 -
- Keep your frozen shrimp in the coldest part of your freezer, ice crystals ruin the texture faster than anything else
- A heavy enameled cast iron Dutch oven holds heat more evenly than thin stainless steel, making for a better sauce