Shrimp Étouffée

This Shrimp étouffée recipe is a delicious Louisiana dish simmered in a rich gravy-based sauce with onions, celery, garlic, bell pepper, fresh thyme, and creole seasoning. It’s served with white rice and fresh green chives. It’s the perfect restaurant-quality 30-minute meal made in the comfort of your own home! 

If you are wondering what in the world shrimp étouffée is or have never tried it, allow me to introduce you to this bold, flavorful dish. Shrimp étouffée is made from a thickened, rich buttery roux, that has been sauteed with aromatics and seasoned with spicy creole or cajun seasoning. The succulent shrimp are then smothered in this tasty sauce, which is where it gets its fancy French name!  Étouffée is a little different than gumbo and shrimp creole because those dishes are made with a thinner, stew-like sauce. All of these dishes are delicious and are definitely worth a try.

I have always enjoyed étouffée. There is something about the smell of étouffée cooking that makes me feel warm and cozy. These smells always take me back to my childhood when I was too young to appreciate the art of cooking. Mama or granny always cooked, and there was nothing I wouldn’t eat. Well…Maybe liver and onions lol. Pretty much every dish my family made started with a “holy trinity” which consists of onion, celery, and bell pepper. Étouffée takes this “holy trinity” and combines it with a little garlic which also smells and tastes so divine!

Nothing beats a delicious, 30-minute meal, and the shrimp étouffée recipe fits the bill! If you are looking for more recipes try my Lasagna Soup, Skillet Shrimp Pasta, and Chili Mac recipes.

SHRIMP ETOUFFEE INGREDIENTS

Jump to the bottom of the recipe card below this post for full ingredient measurements and instructions.

• Shrimp  – 1 pound of peeled, deveined shrimp, reserve the shells and/or heads if you want to make a shrimp stock, which I recommend!
• Onion  – one medium onion, diced
• Bell pepper  – 1 medium bell pepper of any color (red green, yellow, orange). I like using half green and half red or orange.
• Celery  – about 3 ribs of celery, chopped
• Garlic – 3 cloves or more if you want!
• Shrimp stock – can be substituted with chicken or vegetable stock
• Spices & Seasoning – Creole seasoning, fresh thyme, salt, pepper and bay leaf

HOW TO MAKE SHRIMP ÉTOUFFEE

Follow these steps to make this recipe:

Make the stock: To make the stock, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot. Add half an onion and 2 stalks of celery roughly chopped. Sautee for 5 minutes, then add the reserved shrimp shells, a little fresh thyme, and garlic. Mix to combine then add enough water to fill the pot halfway. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce and simmer for 30 minutes to one hour. Strain the stock and reserve until ready to use. Please note that this step can be skipped if you are using your own premade or store-bought stock. 

Make The roux: In a large skillet, melt the butter, then whisk in the flour to make the roux. Continue to whisk and brown the roux until it resembles the color of peanut butter.

Saute the vegetables: Add the onions, bell pepper, and celery. Season with salt and pepper, then saute for 5 minutes or until soft and translucent.

Add garlic and stock: Add the garlic, tomato paste, and the creole seasoning, cooking for another 30 seconds, then add the thyme, bay leaf, and the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium-low and simmer the sauce for 20 minutes.

Add the stock, along with the fresh thyme, and bay leaves. Whisk vigorously and bring the mixture to a boil for about 5 minutes. Then, reduce to simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the shrimp and cook until shrimp are fully cooked, an additional 5 to 7 minutes.

PRO TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE

1. Homemade stock. A homemade shrimp stock is a great way to add tons of flavor and body to the etouffee. Homemade stocks also freeze well, so you can make these ahead of time.
2. Add sausage. A little smoked sausage is an excellent way to add extra protein to this dish. If you are not a fan of pork, try tossing in chicken or turkey sausage.
3. The roux. When making the roux you want to take your time and whisk it continuously over medium to medium-low heat, so that it browns evenly. Brown the roux until it closely resembles the color of peanut butter, and watch it carefully to ensure that it doesn’t burn! 
4. Mise en place. An important tip for any recipe is to have all of the ingredients prepared and ready before you begin to cook. This will ensure success and confidence when making this dish, so be sure you have your list of ingredients chopped, peeled, and ready!

Did you make this recipe?

Great! Now let me know how you liked it. Follow me on YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram. You can also sign up for my newsletter for the latest updates. Tag @sheaddsflavor on Instagram and hashtag it #sheaddsflavor to share your creations with me. I can’t wait to see your photos!

While I have you here… may I suggest a few for you to try next:

• The Best Roasted Pepper & Corn Chowder | How To Make Poblano Corn Chowder
• How To Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• Chicken Tortilla Soup

Until next time. Keep following and commenting. Join me on Youtube next week where I will cook up another recipe and maybe telling a few of my terrible jokes! Yes, that’s right.

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