Fresh shrimp cooked with tomatoes, green peppers, onion, and garlic – Easy Shrimp Creole can be whipped up in no time for a weeknight meal that gives you the taste of the bayou.
Classic New Orleans Recipe
Shrimp Creole is a classic Louisiana dish, one of the easiest to make. I like to add a little bacon to my Shrimp Creole for some smokiness. I start by cooking the bacon and then using the bacon fat to saute the veggies.
Use Fresh Shrimp
The fresher the shrimp, the better. Shrimp Creole is only as good as the shrimp you use. I would stay away from the farm-raised shrimp and either use east coast shrimp or Gulf shrimp. Since I was raised on East Coast shrimp, I prefer their taste. If you don’t live near the coast, just buy quality frozen shrimp. Most times, the shrimp in the seafood case at the store are just frozen shrimp that have been defrosted. If you buy frozen shrimp and defrost them right before cooking, they will have a fresher taste than the previously frozen ones that have been sitting in the seafood case for a day or two.
Add Some Spice
To spice up Easy Shrimp Creole, I like to use Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning
which not only adds spice, but really accentuates the flavor of your food. I was introduced to Tony Chachere’s by my college roommates who were from New Iberia, Louisiana. They put it on just about everything. Many Louisianans will tell you it is the best seasoning ever made and I tend to agree.
Recipe Tips
Shrimp only need a few minutes to cook. Be sure not to overcook them. They should be tender and juicy, not hard and rubbery.
I sometimes like to partially make Shrimp Creole a day in advance. The flavors only get better with time. Usually I will make the sauce, refrigerate it overnight and then reheat it in a pan. Once the sauce starts to simmer, I add the shrimp in.
Serve Easy Shrimp Creole over a bed of steaming hot rice for southern comfort food at its best.
For more delicious recipes follow Spicy Southern Kitchen on Pinterest and Instagram.
More Louisiana Favorites
- Shrimp Etouffee
- Seafood Gumbo
- Grillades and Grits
- Muffaletta Sandwich
- Slow Cooker Jambalaya
- Homemade Beignets
Watch the video below to see how to make Shrimp Creole.
Easy Shrimp Creole
Ingredients
- 2 slices bacon,, diced
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 green bell pepper,, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion,, diced
- 1 celery stalk,, diced
- 4 cloves garlic,, minced
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Tony Chacheres or other Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon tabasco sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/2 pounds peeled medium shrimp
- rice for serving
- green onions and chopped parsley for serving
Instructions
- In a large pan coated with a little oil, cook bacon until brown and crispy. Remove bacon to a paper-towel lined plate.
- Add 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil to bacon drippings. Heat over medium heat and add green pepper, onion, and celery.
- Cook veggies, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
- Add all remaining ingredients EXCEPT shrimp, rice, green onions, and parsley. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
- Add shrimp and cook until shrimp is cooked, about 2 minutes. Stir in cooked bacon.
- Remove bay leaf and serve over rice. Top with green onion and parsley.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
You have a beautiful site with beautiful (and tasty) recipes. I really appreciate the tips and care you include for the home chef to get the recipe right.
As for comments from some of your readers that seem to be a bit rude about the difference between Creole and Cajun cuisine and using Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, there’s many more similarities than differences between the two and that’s coming from a family with native Louisiana roots. There’s plenty of articles on the internet and in reference books explaining the similarities and differences between Creole and Cajun but there aren’t a tremendous amount of differences. Tony’s seasoning is a really flavorful seasoning and can be used in Creole or Cajun dishes depending on your taste. It’s like pronouncing tomato in two different ways, the true meaning is still the same and you can add your touch to make it even more special. For the purpose of this recipe Tony’s seasoning is fine. As the world shows us more and more every day, we are more alike than we are different and we all become better people the more we embrace and appreciate our differences, however slight or major they might be.
Keep up the great work, Christin!
The recipe is called Shrimp Creole, NOT, Shrimp Cajun!
Tony Chachere’s is not a “Cajun” seasoning. It is Creole seasoning. Cajun and Creole cuisine are NOT at all the same thing.
I am from Opelousas La. home of Tony Chacheres and so many other great cajun Food products. To say that Tony Chachere’s is not cajun it’s like saying Doug Kershaw can’t play the fiddle .
Oh man I have to pick up some of that seasoning next time! I absolutely love the flavors of this gorgeous shrimp dish!
We love shrimp creole, especially on the colder weekends. I’ll have to try this seasoning
Lovely shrimp dish! And I am glad that I can get a decent shrimp here 🙂
I always have trouble cooking shrimp because I end up overcooking them – I can’t wait to try your recipe!! Seems super easy!
Oh this is calling my name!
Oh what a pretty dish, Christin! I love your pictures! Makes me want to dive right into this shrimp dish. I love shrimp creole but never thought to make it on my own!
This looks just awesome! I have been craving comfort food as of late and this looks like perfection 🙂
This shrimp creole is blowing my mind. That flavor is incredible!!