Description
This easy shrimp creole features a vibrant fire-red sauce, perfect for a comforting and flavor-packed weeknight dinner. It is a quick, satisfying family meal.
Ingredients
- 1 lb shrimp, peeled, devained, tail-on or off
- 28 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 large (about 1.5 cups diced) bell peppers (green, red, or yellow)
- 2 stalks (about 1 cup diced) celery
- 1 large (about 1.5 cups diced) onion
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 1–2 tsp (5–10 ml) hot sauce, optional
- 1 bay leaf
- 0.5 tsp dried thyme
- 0.25–0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 cups uncooked rice, for serving
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
Instructions
- Prep Veggies: Dice onions, celery, and bell peppers until uniformly sized. Mince the garlic finely.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and bell peppers; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Build the Fire-Red Sauce: Add diced tomatoes, broth, Worcestershire, hot sauce (if using), bay leaf, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Stir well. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer & Thicken: Reduce heat to low, cover, and let the sauce simmer for 15-20 minutes. If sauce looks too thin, uncover and cook for an extra 5-10 minutes.
- Add Shrimp: Stir in the prepared shrimp. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the shrimp turn opaque and pink and are cooked through.
- Serve: Remove and discard the bay leaf. Ladle your shrimp creole hot over fluffy rice.
Notes
Avoid overcooking shrimp; they become rubbery quickly. Do not skip the simmering time for the fire-red sauce; it is essential for achieving a rich, deep flavor. Consider adding fresh spinach at the end for nutrition or using brown rice for extra fiber.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Creole
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups (350 g) with rice
- Calories: 520 calories
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 78 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 175 mg