Recreate the flavor and spirit of New Orleans in your own kitchen in just 30 minutes. This Easy Louisiana Shrimp Creole will be your new favorite weeknight dinner!
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
Total Time 30 minutesminutes
Servings 4servings
Ingredients
1poundfresh shrimppeeled and deveined
2tablespoonsbutter
¾cupcoarsely chopped onion
3small celery ribscoarsely chopped
1green bell peppercored, seeded and coarsely chopped
3garlic clovesminced
3cupscanned tomatoes with their liquid
3sprigsfresh thymeor 1/2 teaspoon dried
1bay leaf
½teaspoongrated lemon rind
12dashesTabascoor to taste
Salt and pepperto taste
2tablespoonsfinely chopped parsley
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Instructions
Rinse the shrimp and set them aside in a colander to drain.
Chop the onion, celery, and bell pepper. Mince the garlic.
Place a large saucepan, Dutch oven, or deep skillet on medium heat. Add the butter.
When the butter has melted, add the onion. Cook, stirring until the onion is slightly softened. Be careful not to let the onion brown.
Add the celery, green pepper, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, or until vegetables are softened.
Add the tomatoes with their liquid. Next, add the thyme, bay leaf, Tabasco, lemon rind, salt, and pepper. Simmer 15 minutes uncovered until the liquid has reduced by about half.
Stir the well-drained shrimp into the Creole sauce. Cover and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, no longer.
When the shrimp are done, turn off the heat and add the chopped parsley, lemon juice, and, if desired, more Tabasco (or other hot sauce) to taste.
Serve over hot, steamed rice.
Notes
If using frozen shrimp, thaw overnight in the refrigerator or by placing in a bowl of very cold water for several hours. Be sure to drain well in a colander before adding to the sauce.
To make ahead, cook the recipe up to the point where you would add the shrimp. Let the cooked sauce cool and store in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, place the sauce over medium heat and bring it to temperature and then finish the recipe.
To freeze, make the sauce, cool it, and store it in a freezer safe container. When you're ready to use it, thaw and reheat the sauce. Then add the shrimp and finish the recipe from that point.