The Best Shrimp Creole Recipe

Why This Recipe is a Keeper!

Shrimp Creole is a vibrant and flavorful dish with roots deeply embedded in the rich culinary tapestry of Louisiana Creole cuisine, which stems from French, Spanish, and African people. It has a tomato base, so it’s different from another famous New Orleans dish, shrimp etouffee, with a roux (fat plus flour) base. Both are usually served over rice.

Because of that deep and rich history, it’s always a little scary when you proclaim something to be…. The best! However, I’ve made this New Orleans creole shrimp recipe a few hundred times over a 22-year personal chef career, and it’s always a hit. I first had Shrimp Creole in New Orleans, and this comes mighty close!

This Creole classic starts with onions, celery, and green bell pepper (called the “Holy Trinity”), which are sauteed until melty soft. Then, Creole seasoning is added with more herbs and spices to take it up yet another notch. The savory tomato sauce simmers with all this goodness, ready for the shrimp to be added, which is then cooked to perfection!

This Shrimp Creole recipe is:

• Easy!
• Quick! This classic shrimp creole recipe can be ready and on your table in about 45 minutes.
• Authentic! Be sure to check out the reviews from folks who know a thing or two about Shrimp Creole!

How to Make The Best Shrimp Creole!

Recipe Ingredients:

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this New Orleans Shrimp Creole recipe. See the recipe card below for the exact quantities.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:

• Oil and Butter: A little butter in this Shrimp Creole recipe adds a touch of richness. Because butter tends to burn, you want to combine it with oil. You could also use all ghee (clarified butter) because the milk solids (which is what burns) have been removed from it.
• Onion/Celery/Green Bell Pepper: This combination is called the “holy trinity” in Cajun and Creole cuisine, and it’s the backbone of many New Orleans-style recipes. It’s similar to a French mirepoix, which is onions, celery, and carrots; however, this combination is green bell pepper instead of carrots.  With the “holy trinity,” you want to keep the ratio approximately the same as a mirepoix:  2 parts onion, 1 part celery, and 1 part green bell pepper.
• Cajun/Creole Seasoning: Though closely related, Cajun and Creole seasonings do differ. Cajun seasoning is a blend of ground peppers, such as cayenne, black pepper, and white pepper, while Creole seasoning leans towards herbs like paprika, oregano, and thyme. Some blends may mix elements, including pepper in Creole seasonings or herbs in Cajun seasonings. The famous Tony Chachere’s brand refers to it as Creole seasoning.
• Tomato Sauce: Canned tomato sauce starts with fresh tomatoes or tomato puree and is then cooked and strained before additional seasonings are added. Because of the added seasonings, I prefer canned tomato sauce to crushed tomatoes or puree in my Shrimp Creole recipe.
• Shrimp: You can use any size, but I like to use large shrimp, 16-20 count (approximate number per pound). I also always use wild-caught shrimp. Farmed shrimp tends to be rubbery; if overcooked even a bit, it also gets tough. Wild-caught shrimp is much more resilient and if you want to reheat this Shrimp Creole recipe, you’ll have a much better result.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

• Gather and prep all the ingredients.
• Heat oil and butter over medium-high heat in a skillet or saute pan. Add the onion, pepper and celery.
• Reduce heat to medium and cook for approximately 10 to 12 minutes or until vegetables are very soft, adjusting heat as necessary so vegetables don’t burn.

• Add the garlic, Cajun seasoning, thyme, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf. Stir briefly.

• Add the tomato sauce, water, and Worcestershire.
• Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes or until sauce thickens.

• Stir in the shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until firm and pink, flipping halfway through so they cook evenly.
• Add hot sauce, salt and black pepper to taste.

• Remove bay leaf, sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately with hot, cooked rice and lemon wedges.
• Enjoy! New Orleans Shrimp Creole! Laissez le bon temps rouler!

Chef Tips and Tricks:

• The “holy trinity” of onions, celery, and bell peppers must be super melty soft, so the flavor comes through!
• Adding the dry spices (Creole seasoning, cayenne, thyme, and bay leaf) directly to the hot fat in the pan rather than just adding them to the sauce helps them to “bloom.”