Shrimp Etouffee is a juicy shrimp dish smothered in rich and flavorful roux boasting authentic southern flavors. Its bold spices are incredibly mouthwatering, and it’s super easy to make!
I totally appreciate easy, quick, and tasty meals. But if you want to put something exciting on your dining table, this Shrimp Etouffee recipe is a good place to start. The French know how to make delicious food but throw in a kick of African and Creole seasonings, and you have an unforgettable combination.
Once you taste it, you’ll want it on a weekly rotation. So, while planning your weekly menu, you might as well add homemade Creole Seasoning to your spice list. It’s the mother of all Southern spices for depth and richness, quick to put together, and easily customizable to your preference.
Content…What Is It? |
What Is Shrimp Etouffee?
You are probably thinking, what on earth is shrimp étouffée? I love French. The verb etouffée is much prettier than smother. But you’re not here for French 101, right?
Shrimp etouffee is different than shrimp creole. Shrimp etouffée is juicy, decadent shrimp smothered in a thick spicy sauce, then served over steaming white rice. On the other hand, Shrimp Creole is a thinner, more stew-like sauce and isn’t quite as spicy. However, both are equally delicious because the tomatoes, onions, celery, bell pepper, and garlic add a rich flavor.
Recipe Ingredients
- Roux – Oil, butter, and flour make the perfect roux. Toasted flour and fat, when done right, are what make this shrimp etouffee recipe so awesome. If you need a gluten-free version, try an all-purpose gluten-free flour or cornstarch for the roux.
- Holy Trinity – Green bell pepper, onion, and celery are staples in Southern Creole cooking because they add substance and flavor.
- Seasonings – Garlic, thyme, bay leaves, Creole Seasoning, and smoked paprika are staples in Cajun and Creole cooking. Tomatoes are slightly acidic and make a good base with the herbs’ intense flavors. Then, add Worcestershire sauce and seafood broth (you can make it from the shrimp shells), and you have a flavor explosion.
- Shrimp – I love seafood, and this is the cheapest way to satisfy my seafood craving. Get it on sale and store it in the freezer for those nights you need something you can throw together quickly. Lobster and crab are both delicious for a total seafood experience! Even chicken and pork would make a good etouffee.
- Garnishes – Parsley and green onions are beautiful and delicious on stews and soups. A little green on top of the plate always looks gorgeous.
How to Make Shrimp Etouffee
Shrimp Stock
- Saute – Add a teaspoon or two of butter or oil to a saucepan or skillet. Then, throw in the shrimp shells, the remaining onion, garlic, and celery scraps, and aromatics like bay leaf and thyme. (Photo 1)
- Add Water – Sauté for 5-7 minutes, constantly stirring to prevent burning. Add about 5 cups of water to it. (Photo 2)
- Simmer – Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
- Strain – Remove from heat and strain using a sieve. Set stock aside. (Photo 3)
Etouffee
- Roux – Whisk melted butter, oil, and flour until smooth in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan. (Photo 4)
- Patience – Cook on medium heat, stirring continuously, for 10-12 minutes or until you achieve the desired color. Please don’t walk away from the stove because it might burn. (Photo 5)
- Sauce – Add the onion, green pepper, and celery, and cook for 8-10 minutes – stirring frequently. (Photo 6)
- Herbs – Then add garlic, thyme, and bay leaf – continue stirring about 2 minutes longer. (Photo 7)
- Season – Next, throw in about 1 cup chopped tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, and Creole seasoning, and let it cook for 5 minutes. (Photo 8)
- Add Stock and Shrimp – Gradually pour in about 2 cups of shrimp stock, bring to a boil, and simmer. Add the shrimp and simmer for five more minutes. Or you may season the shrimp with Creole seasoning, sauté for about 5 minutes, and then throw it in at the last minute. You’ve got two options here – both work. (Photos 9-10)
- Adjust the soup’s thickness and flavor with more shrimp broth or water, hot sauce, and salt. (Photo 11)
- Serve – Stir in the green onions and chopped parsley. Serve over hot cooked rice. (Photo 12)
Recipe Variations
- Seafood etouffee. Crawfish Etouffee is incredible if you can get some fresh crawfish when it’s in season. But, hey, clams, oysters, mussels, lobster, and crab sound terrific.
- Vegetarian etouffee. Vegetable broth instead of seafood broth and baby portabellos, oyster mushrooms, tempeh, and eggplant instead of seafood all make good yum.
- Paleo version. Use ghee instead of butter, arrowroot powder instead of flour (skip making the roux and add it as a slurry), and yuca fries instead of rice.
Tips and Tricks
- The key to a great shrimp etouffee is the roux. Some people like the brown roux for deep, bold flavors, but I prefer the blonde roux for two reasons: First, it takes less time, 5-7 minutes. And second, it has a slightly nutty taste, not as strong as gumbo but equally tasty.
- Cook the roux over medium to low heat with constant whisking. Don’t stop even for a second to avoid burnt roux.
- Shell-on shrimp is best because the shells make a quick, easy, and flavorful stock.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
This incredible dish is the perfect make-ahead because the flavor is even better the next day. Make it the day before, let it cool, then store it in the fridge. Make your rice and reheat your shrimp etouffee on the stove when ready to serve. You keep your leftovers the same way.
If freezing etouffee for later, try not to cook the shrimp first. Then let the sauce thaw overnight in the fridge, heat it in a pot on the stovetop, and throw the shrimp and simmer until it’s done.
What Goes With Shrimp Etouffee
Homemade garlic bread, fried okra, spicy green beans, skillet cornbread, and basmati rice all love to be with shrimp etouffee. King cake is a superb finish with a cup of coffee. And if you want to serve wine, Chardonnay is a good pick.
More Awesome Seafood Recipes to Try
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”8ucJfXsH” upload-date=”Mon Aug 06 2018 19:57:54 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)” name=”Shrimp Etouffee” description=”Shrimp Etouffee — Juicy shrimp dish smothered in rich and flavorful roux sauce made with rich authentic southern flavors and an incredibly delicious taste. Easy recipe with big bold flavors!!!”]
This blog post was originally published in June 2017 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Shrimp Etouffee
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon (28 ml) canola oil
- 2 tablespoon (28 g ) butter
- ¼ cup (31 g) flour
- ½ medium onion, diced
- ½ cup green bell pepper, diced
- ⅓ cup celery, chopped (about 1-2 stalks)
- 2 teaspoon (10 g) garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon (1 g) thyme, fresh or dried
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup tomato, chopped
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon (1 g) smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoon (8 g) Creole seasoning
- 2 cup (500 ml) seafood broth (can sub with water)
- 1 pound (453 g) shrimp, (peeled and deveined) reserve shrimp shells
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) hot sauce, optional
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 2-3 tablespoon (8-12 g) parsley, chopped
Instructions
Shrimp Stock
- Add a teaspoon or two of butter or oil to a saucepan or skillet. Then throw in shrimp shells, the remaining scraps of onion, garlic, celery together with aromatics like bay leaf and thyme.
- Sauté for about 5-7 minutes, constantly stirring to prevent burning. Add about 5 cups of water to it.
- Remove from heat and strain using a sieve. Set stock aside.
Etouffee
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine melted butter, oil, and flour until smooth.
- Cook on medium heat, stirring continuously, for about 10-12 minutes, or until you have achieved the desired color. During this process, don't walk away from the stove because it might burn.
- Add the onion, green pepper, and celery, and cook for 8-10 minutes – stirring frequently.
- Then add garlic, thyme, and bay leaf – continue stirring about 2 minutes longer.
- Next, throw in about 1 cup chopped tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, and Creole seasoning, and let it cook for 5 minutes.
- Gradually pour in about 2 cups of shrimp stock, bring to a boil, and let it simmer. Add the shrimp and simmer for 5 more minutes. Or you may season the shrimp with Creole seasoning, sauté for about 5 minutes, and then throw it in at the last minute. You've got two options here – both work.
- Adjust the soup's thickness and flavor with more shrimp broth or water, hot sauce, and salt.
- Stir in the green onions and chopped parsley.
- Serve over hot cooked rice.
Tips & Notes:
- Comparable to gumbo and jambalaya, it’s made with Southern holy trinity. The roux is not as dark as the gumbo.
- Feel free to switch out the shrimp with crawfish. I suppose you could even use chicken if you’re allergic to seafood. Just make sure to cook the chicken through.
- If you want to add crabs to this recipe, cut down on shrimp or double everything else, minus the shrimp.
- The key to success for this dish is the roux (or sauce). Some people like the brown roux for deep, bold flavors, but I prefer the blonde roux for two reasons: First, it takes up less time, approximately 5-7 minutes, to get rid of the flour’s raw flavor. And second, it has a slightly nutty taste, not as strong as gumbo, but equally tasty in its own right.
- If you have the patience and persistence and want that brown roux flavor, go for it. Don’t let me stop you.
- Be sure to cook it over medium to low heat with constant stirring and whisking. Don’t stop even for a second, or you might end up having a burned roux.
- This is one recipe that is best to get shell-on shrimp, if possible. Do not let the shelling and deveining of the shrimp scare you! They make for a quick and easy stock, and it’s flavorful too!
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used.
Lorenza says
…oh, and I also added a teaspoon of anchovy paste.
Lorenza says
I love to cook, and made your great recipe using Old Bay (I didn’t have Creole). I cook a lot of Mediterranean dishes but like to experiment, so this was fun to try. WE LOVED IT–so tasty! I have a freezer, so I keep quantities of concentrated dark roux and rendered bacon fat on hand. I added 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat to the roux for more flavor. I like to cook with wine, so could you, or someone out there, recommend a booze that can be incorporated to heighten flavor–or is that a no-no? Thank you for sharing this recipe–it’s now a staple!
Dana says
I add sherry wine to the last 5 m8ns of cooking to heighten the bold flavors
ImmaculateBites says
Nice addition. Thanks for sharing !!!!
Barry W Ramer says
PINOT BLANC so as not to overwhelm the wonderful flavors
Nia says
My friend made this for a small gathering. Everyone loved it!!!! I look forward to trying this recipe for my family.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Mia,
Thanks for taking time out to share this with us .
George says
Recipe looks really nice .
A brown roux seems as if it may add a little more depth of flavor .
Baking your roux is pretty easy and reduces your chance of burning it .
I use a cast iron skillet and start on the stovetop with equal parts of fat to flour . Once incorporated put in a 325 oven and stir every 1/2 hour for about two hours . Boom
ImmaculateBites says
Sounds Sooo Easy! It’s a must try for me. Thank you for this great tip.
Natalia says
Wow!! I love this dish and so does my family!! I went to New Orleans in October and tried etouffee for the first time and loved it. Our first night back I made your recipe for the whole family and it became a favorite. Your recipe is 100 times better than any etouffee I tried at the local restuarants.
imma africanbites says
Awww. Thank you so much for adorable feedback, Natalia. Glad you guys love it.
Cheryll says
I’m planning on making this dish but have about 2-3 hrs to wait until I serve it. How do you suggest I keep it until serving it? Crockpot? Leave on warm? Or put in fridge and reheat?
ImmaculateBites says
I would leave it warm in the crockpot on warm. When ready to serve you might have to add some broth or water to it. It thickens up.
Yvonne says
Easy recipe. Tasty dish! i hope i get faster at making it. It took me at least an hour the first time. I’m not a fan of bell pepper or celery so next time i would just add a little more tomatoes, onion, and garlic (the things i do like). Thank you for sharing. I will definitely make it again.
imma africanbites says
Thanks for dropping by, Yvonne!
David Jones says
Imma! This is an awesome recipe! I’m from Shreveport, Louisiana and this was a taste of home! As a Chef, I’m always looking for new and exciting foods…this was awesome and fun to make. I preared your recipe live on Facebook last night and it was a hit! David Chef De’Jaes Jones is where you’ll find me on Facebook! Today I’ll try your remoulade recipe with my crabcakes…live!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi David, Am definitely going to check you out on facebook. Thanks for kind words.
Jessica says
Made this tonight. The only changes I made were adding a little bit of andouille and using store-bought seafood stock as a shortcut. It is delicious (especially considering I was a bit rushed making it it). I think it would be even better with a little extra time to simmer. Great recipe!
imma africanbites says
Thanks for sharing those tips, Jessica. I appreciate it. And glad you like it, too.
Mathew says
I don’t know much about etouffee, but this is a really good recipe. I would definitely use it again.
imma africanbites says
Wohoo!! Thank you, Matthew. 🙂
Carol Treichel says
The nutrition facts indicate 1456mg of salt. Not certain if this is correct and if so where does the salt come into play? I plan to use low sodium Worcestershire Sauce. Any other suggestions on cutting back on the salt?
ImmaculateBites says
It probably comes from the shrimp. Also recalculate the ingredients and it’s around 1000mg, if you are using the homemade stock which is less salty than than store-bought.
Patrick says
I finally made this last night..and it was AMAZING!!! My date loved it! I usually don’t like spicy food, so I skipped on the hot sauce, and although it still had a kick, it was delicious! I subbed the flour for rice flour to make it gluten-free, and added andouille sausage! Will definitely make it again!
Thank you!!!
imma africanbites says
Yaay! I’m doing a happy dance now. Glad you loved it, Patrick!
Betty says
Good evening, Imma. I made your wonderful Shrimp Etouffee for dinner. I made the shrimp stock as written, made a homemade creole seasoning and followed your recipe. It was delicious.
Thank you, once again, for sharing your delicious recipes. I can always count on you for culinary perfection!
Molly P says
I finally made this last night, and it is AWESOME!! The work involved in peeling the shrimp to make the stock is definitely worth it, and I had enough stock left over for another batch. That went in the freezer. I have had made several of your recipes, all of which were good, but this one is the best yet.
Thanks, Imma.
imma africanbites says
Thank you for taking the time out to share your thoughts, Molly. And homemade stock sounds great as always. 😉
Eddie Hernandez says
Made this last night for a pre valentines dinner because my wife loves shrimp. She demanded I save this recipe, lol. 5 stars. Her second love are scallops. Any suggestions? Thank you!
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! I have some will be posting them soon. Thanks for letting me know.
Marcie says
This was fantastic! I didn’t have celery (such a crime, I know) so I added a little more onion and green pepper I used rice flour (to make it gluten free) and added some red pepper flakes. It was really so delicious, thank you for the recipe, Imma!
ImmaculateBites says
My pleasure Marcie! So happy to hear it worked out well for you.