The Best Shrimp Creole Recipe
Sharing The Best Shrimp Creole recipe! I’ve been making this Shrimp Creole recipe for clients for as long as I’ve been a personal chef, and it’s always a hit! This beloved New Orleans dish is super easy to make, doesn’t require a roux, and can be on the table in about 45 minutes for a taste of the Big Easy any night!
“Sooooo good! Will be a go-to recipe for me. The flavor was outstanding and that squirt of lemon….chef’s kiss!”
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.
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, along with how to prep the ingredients. 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.”
Frequently Asked Questions:
Shrimp Creole is a dish of Louisiana Creole origin with a tomato base. Another famous New Orleans dish, shrimp etouffee, has a roux (fat plus flour) base. Both are usually served over rice.
Shrimp Creole originated from southern Louisiana. Creole cooking comes from French, Spanish, and African people.
Yes, but to a point. Get the Shrimp Creole sauce done to the point of adding the shrimp. Cool it down completely and refrigerate. When ready to serve, get the sauce simmering, then add the shrimp as directed and cook through.
Storage and How to Reheat Shrimp Creole:
- Store any leftovers in the refrigerator. To reheat, place leftovers in a small saucepan and add water or broth if the sauce has thickened up. Gently reheat over low heat until steaming, stirring frequently until hot, being careful not to overcook the shrimp.
Serve with:
- Cooked rice or cauliflower rice
- Sauteed Kale with Andouille Sausage
- Cream Cheese Corn Casserole
- Creamy Cucumber Salad with Yogurt
More great shrimp recipes you’ll love!
- Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
- Shrimp in Avocado Butter
- Shrimp Scampi with Artichokes
- Spicy Shrimp and Grits Casserole
Get all my fish and seafood recipes at Fish and Seafood Recipes – From A Chef’s Kitchen.
The Best Shrimp Creole Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion - finely chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper - seeds and membrane removed finely chopped
- 2-3 stalks (ribs) celery - chopped (you want about the same amount as green bell pepper)
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 tablespoon Cajun/Creole seasoning - or to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 can (15-ounce) tomato sauce
- 1 cup water - about half the can to rinse it out
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp - 16-20 count, peeled and deveined, tail removed
- Tabasco sauce - to taste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley plus sprigs for garnish
- Lemon wedges
- Cooked rice - for serving
Instructions
- 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 approximately 10-12 minutes or until vegetables are very soft, adjusting heat as necessary so vegetables don’t burn.
- Add the garlic, Cajun/Creole 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 8-10 minutes or until sauce thickens.
- Stir in the shrimp and cook 1-2 minutes or until just firm, 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.
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Recipe Notes
- Use ghee (clarified butter) in place of the oil and butter combination.
- Adding the dry spices directly to the hot fat in the pan rather than just adding them to the sauce helps them to “bloom.”
- Get the sauce prepared to the point of adding the shrimp. Cool and refrigerate.
- When ready to serve, get the sauce simmering on the stovetop then add the shrimp and cook through.
- Place leftovers in a small saucepan and add a little water if the sauce has thickened up. Gently reheat over low heat until steaming, stirring frequently until hot, being careful not to overcook the shrimp.
- Although any shrimp dish is best served immediately, you can freeze the leftovers. Thaw in the refrigerator, then gently reheat in a saucepan over low heat.
- You can also get the sauce prepared to the point of adding the shrimp. Cool completely, place in an airtight container, and freeze the sauce for 1-2 months. Then, get the sauce simmering on the stovetop and add the shrimp. (How great to have something like this in your back pocket for unexpected guests!)
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Made this last night and it was awesome. As a home cook I did make a few slight changes. For time savings I used a 10.5 oz. bag of pre diced seasoning mix in lieu of the dicing onions, celery and bell pepper myself. It’s a real time saver. Instead of water I used chicken broth. I make my own Cajun and Creole seasonings so I stuck to the 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning but added 1 teaspoon of Creole seasoning also. I find the store bought seasonings always have salt as the first ingredient and it should be paprika in both. I also use frozen peeled tail off shrimp, again to save time. Father-in-law said it was just as good if not better than any he has had in a restaurant. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Hi, John, Thanks so very much and happy you all enjoyed! I encourage my readers to use what they have on hand if possible. I believe recipes are a roadmap, but how you get to the final destination is up to you. Totally agree about store-bought seasoning mixes and all the salt. Thanks again and appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment and rate.
Amazing flavors! Great recipe. Thanks Carol!
Hi, Toni, Thanks so much and happy you enjoyed! Appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment and rate.
This was super simple and really delicious! Thanks for the great recipe. 😁
Hi, Jill, Thanks so much and so happy you love this recipe! Appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment and rate.
This is very tasty. I live on the Mississippi gulf coast where shrimp is plentiful. My suggestion is, if you can find it, use a cup of seafood stock instead of water, and if that isn’t available, use chicken broth. Also, pick a large bay leaf, since the simmer time is quick on this recipe. Reheating instructions were perfect and as many things do, it tasted better the second day.
Hi, Debbie, Thanks so much and happy you approve of this recipe living where you live! Great tips and appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment and rate.
Simply delicious, great weekday meal. We enjoyed it very much.
Hi, Barbara, Thanks so much and so happy you all enjoyed! Appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment and rate.
I made this tonight for my husband’s birthday and we all loved it–absolutely delicious!! The only things I added was homemade shrimp stock and down home sausage. I’m saving this one ❤️Thank you so much for the recipe.
Hi, Andrea, Thanks so very much and so happy everyone enjoyed! LOVE that you made shrimp stock! Thanks again and appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment and rate.
I’ve made Shrimp Creole a number of times and this is by far the best recipe I have found. New Orleans is one of my favorite places to travel so it’s so nice to enjoy a dish from there that is so authentic. Going to be making this one frequently. Thanks for a great recipe.
Hi, Drew, Thanks so very much and so happy to know you find this so authentic. Thanks again and appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment.
This recipe is awesome. Will definitely put this on our dinner rotation. Loved it. Simple ingredients, minimal prep, quick to prepare. ❤️
Hi, Gloria, Thanks so much and so happy you enjoyed! Appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment.
I’m a little confused on the creole and Cajun spices. Do you use a mix of both? If so, how much of each?
Hi, Billie, Thanks for your question. It IS confusing because they’re often used interchangeably. Tony Chachere’s refers to it as Creole seasoning. You could even make my Blackening Seasoning and use that. The one you use should be more on the red side with more spices than herbs. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
When I was growing up, my mom would cook our favorite meal for us on our birthdays. Shrimp Creole was my choice on my birthday. Now that I live on an island in the Gulf and can catch our own fresh shrimp, I wanted to make Shrimp Creole. I’ve tried several recipes–even the one my mom said she used–but it was never as good as I remembered. I found your recipe last year and it is my husband’s and my favorite! I can’t handle spicy, but this has just the right amount and kind of heat. We love it and I continue making it time and time again! Thank you!
Hi, Rachel, All I can say is wow! Thank you so much for letting me know how much you enjoy this recipe and that it means so much to you. Means a lot to me!! Thank you again!
I made this dish today. It is so good!
Hi, Jeanne, Thanks so very much and so happy you enjoyed!