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This easy Shrimp Etouffee gives you all the cozy Louisiana-inspired flavor of the classic without spending hours in the kitchen. Tender shrimp are smothered with the Holy Trinity of onions, celery and bell pepper in a buttery, lightly browned roux with Creole seasoning and just enough heat. Best of all, it’s ready in about 30 minutes and there’s no need to make homemade shrimp stock.
Table of Contents
- Kellie’s Note Big Easy Flavor
- Why You’ll Love My Shrimp Etouffee
- Ingredients for Shrimp Étouffée
- How To Make Étouffée
- Kellie’s Tips for the Best Shrimp Etouffee
- What is Étouffée
- The Difference Between Étouffée and Gumbo
- How to Make a Roux
- How to Store and Reheat Shrimp Etouffee
- What to Serve With Etouffee
- Shrimp Etouffee Recipe
- More Easy Shrimp Recipes
Kellie’s Note
Big Easy Flavor
I just love the New Orleans food scene but haven’t been back in years so I like to bring all the southern flavors to my kitchen with things like a classic Muffuletta and this easy Shrimp Etouffee recipe!
We are big lovers of any traditional Etouffee recipe, whether it be with shrimp and scallops or a traditional Crawfish Etouffee, the flavor can’t be beat. It’s super savory with a hint of heat and all the cajun deliciousness that’s classic in this dish.
It’s so good, you might even eat it off the ground, like my husband did when he dropped his takeout container in the parking lot of our favorite restaurant. True story. But it’s one that we won’t ever forget and now we make it at home so that doesn’t happen again. It’s my favorite creole food to make in my own kitchen.
Why You’ll Love My Shrimp Etouffee
- Ready in 30 minutes. Big, slow-cooked flavor without spending the afternoon at the stove.
- Easy roux. We’re only cooking it to a golden peanut-butter color, so it’s much less intimidating than a dark gumbo roux.
- No homemade stock required. Seafood or chicken stock is optional depending on how saucy you like your Etouffee.
- Full of flavor. Creole seasoning, cayenne, garlic and the Holy Trinity give every bite plenty of Louisiana-inspired flavor.
- Easy to customize. Turn the heat up or down and adjust the sauce consistency to your liking.
Ingredients for Shrimp Étouffée
- Shrimp: I use medium peeled and deveined shrimp. Fresh or frozen both work; thaw frozen shrimp completely first.
- Holy Trinity: Onion, celery and bell pepper create the classic flavor base. Green bell pepper is traditional, but I love the subtle sweetness of red.
- Butter and Flour: Equal amounts create the roux that thickens the Etouffee and gives it its rich, savory flavor.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic adds another layer of flavor to the vegetables.
- Creole Seasoning and Cayenne: Creole seasoning brings the savory spices while cayenne adds heat. Feel free to dial the cayenne up or down.
- Green Onion and Parsley: Fresh herbs brighten up the rich sauce.
- Seafood or Chicken Stock: Optional, but seafood stock or chicken stock are perfect for loosening the Etouffee if you prefer a saucier consistency. Seafood stock adds more briny flavor; chicken stock works just as well in a pinch.
For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.
How To Make Étouffée
There are many disputes on how to make a shrimp étouffée recipe, whether or not to use a roux, should you add stock, can you use more than one type of seafood. Where I land on the rule is, you do what makes you happy. Sometimes it can be time consuming with all the peeling and making a homemade shrimp stock with shrimp shells and whatnot, but I made this one super easy for you.
- Start by cooking your Holy Trinity which is a mixture of onions, celery and bell peppers with garlic and olive oil over medium heat until softened. You can use any color bell peppers you like here. Tradition says to use green pepper but I went with red bell peppers because they’re sweeter.
- Make the roux with equal amounts of butter and flour. Whisk them together until smooth over low heat and then continue cooking and whisking until the roux begins to turn a golden brown, like a peanut butter color. Remove it from the heat.
- Add the brown roux to your vegetables and stir it to coat.
- Add the shrimp to the pan with the creole seasoning and cayenne pepper over medium-high heat tossing everything to combine. (Now, here’s where you can deviate, I did not use stock for this recipe because I like my Etouffee on the chunkier side BUT if you’re looking for more of a gravy-like consistency, simply add 1/4 cup seafood stock or chicken stock 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency.)
- Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes or until your shrimp are cooked through. You can really have the whole thing on the table in about 20 minutes!
- Serve over white rice with chopped green onions, fresh parsley and your favorite hot sauce.
Kellie’s Tips for the Best Shrimp Etouffee
- Cook the roux low and slow. Higher heat may seem faster, but it’s much easier to scorch.
- Keep whisking. Scrape the bottom and edges of the pan frequently so the flour browns evenly.
- Look for peanut-butter color. That’s your cue that the roux is ready.
- Burned roux can’t be rescued. If it smells scorched or develops black flecks, it’s best to start again.
- Don’t overcook the shrimp. They’re done when they’re pink, opaque and gently curled.
- Adjust the sauce at the end. If your Etouffee is thicker than you’d like, stir in seafood or chicken stock a tablespoon at a time.
What is Étouffée
Etouffeé is a dish found in both cajun cooking and creole cuisine most commonly made with shellfish then served over rice with a pile of hush puppies on the side. It’s classically prepared with the Holy Trinity of chopped onions, celery and peppers with lots of garlic and blended with a classic roux-based sauce.
Shrimp or crawfish are then added to the mix with some cajun seasoning for a super flavor packed dinner you’ll crave all year long. The recipe is prepared using a technique known as smothering which is common in the Cajun areas of Louisiana and served over hot rice.
The French word, Etouffee, (pronounced AY-too-FAY) literally means to “smothered” in French.
The Difference Between Étouffée and Gumbo
Etouffee is much thicker than Gumbo, which is commonly served as a soup, and only uses one type of protein like shrimp or crawfish. Whereas, Gumbo uses a variety of different meat like chicken, sausage and seafood.
How to Make a Roux
Since you may not be familiar with that term, and I’ve been throwing it around pretty heavily, a Roux is a mixture of equal parts flour and butter (or other fat like oil, bacon fat or lard.)
Flour is whisked into the melted butter in a saucepan over low heat until smooth and then cooked until the desired degree of brownness. It’s then used as a thickening agent for a variety of sauces or gravy. I even use a white roux for my easy Mac and Cheese.
That’s it! Now how easy was that?
How to Store and Reheat Shrimp Etouffee
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat until warmed through. If the sauce has thickened in the refrigerator, stir in a splash of seafood or chicken stock.
- For the most tender shrimp, avoid boiling the Etouffee while reheating—the shrimp only need to get hot.
What to Serve With Etouffee
The classic move is spooning Shrimp Etouffee over hot white rice, but jasmine rice is delicious too. Add hush puppies or cornbread for soaking up the extra sauce.
For something fresh on the side, try a crisp wedge salad, sautéed green beans or a simple green salad. Cauliflower rice is also an easy option if you want to keep the meal a little lighter.
Shrimp Etouffee Recipe
Equipment
- skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 cups diced onion
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 2 lbs medium shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp creole seasoning
- 1/4 cup seafood stock, or chicken stock, optional as needed for a thinner sauce
- white rice, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the onion, pepper and celery. Cook the vegetables over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally.
- While the vegetables are cooking, make the roux by melting the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook over low to medium low heat until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes. (Be sure to whisk frequently to prevent burning on the bottom.)
- Add the roux, green onions and parsley to the vegetables and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the shrimp, cayenne pepper and creole seasoning tossing to combine. Cover and cook over medium heat for 4–5 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink, opaque and just cooked through.
- Uncover and garnish with additional parsley or chopped green onions. Serve immediately over rice.
Video
Notes
- Frozen shrimp: Frozen shrimp work well. Thaw completely and pat dry before using.
- Bell pepper: Green bell pepper is more traditional, but red bell pepper adds a slightly sweeter flavor.
- Adjust the heat: Reduce or omit the cayenne for a milder Etouffee, or add more to taste.
- Roux: Cook the roux over low heat, whisking frequently, until golden brown and about the color of peanut butter. If it develops black flecks or smells scorched, start over.
- Sauce consistency: For a saucier Etouffee, stir in 1/4–1/2 cup seafood stock or chicken stock, a tablespoon at a time, until it reaches your preferred consistency.
- Don’t overcook the shrimp: Cook just until the shrimp are pink, opaque and gently curled.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add a splash of stock if the sauce has thickened.
- Make ahead: For the best shrimp texture, prepare the sauce base ahead of time and add the shrimp when reheating just before serving.
- Freezing: The sauce base freezes better than the finished dish. Freeze without the shrimp when possible, then thaw, reheat and add fresh shrimp before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Easy Shrimp Recipes
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You should consider adding seafood or chicken broth to this recipe as just the roux makes this too thick.
That’s a good suggestion for others who may want a saucier étouffée. I would just add about 1/4 cup to a 1/2 cup stock.
This was so easy and extremely delicious! It was just the right amount of spicy and the texture was perfect. I made no changes, though I did do the 1/4 cup of broth to thin out the roux, according to a suggestion within the recipe. That was just great, too. I will definitely make this again!
I’m so happy you liked it! Thank you so much for your comment!