BEST JAMBALAYA RECIPE

Craving the flavors in jambalaya, but not its carbs? This low carb version uses cauliflower rice in place of white rice, cooked together with sausage, shrimp, tomato sauce, and Cajun seasoning. It’s a one-pot meal — all ingredients are conveniently cooked together in a single pot on the stovetop.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cauliflower rice
• 12 ounces andouille sausage (4 links), thinly sliced
• 12 ounces shrimp
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon butter

Cajun Seasoning Mix:

• 1 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne

Instructions

1-Prepare: This recipe moves quickly — all ingredients should be measured and prepared before cooking. Spices can be collected into one bowl.

2-Brown Sausage: Add butter and sausage slices to pot over medium-high heat. Stirring occasionally, cook until sausage is slightly browned and a bit shrunken, about 5 minutes.

3-Cook Cauliflower & Shrimp: Add cauliflower rice, shrimp, tomato sauce, and seasoning mix to pot. Stir until well-mixed, about 1 minute. Cook until sauce is thickened and shrimp is cooked through, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4-Finish & Serve: Turn off heat. Stir in diced bell pepper until well-mixed. Let stand for 10 minutes or until jambalaya is cool enough to eat. Serve.

NOTES & TIPS

(1) Cauliflower Rice. About 9 ounces weight. You can use fresh or frozen. I recommend picking up a bag of pre-riced cauliflower in the produce section or freezer aisle of U.S. grocery stores — easier than grating cauliflower florets with a box grater or food processor. If you choose to grate your own cauliflower rice, you’ll need about half of a large head of cauliflower.

(2) Shrimp. I use fresh raw shrimp that have been peeled and deveined. Frozen shrimp is fine; defrost them in the refrigerator until fully thawed, drain excess liquid, and pat dry with paper towels before using them in this recipe. Pre-cooked shrimp is also fine to use; it will cut down on the cooking time in Step 3.

(3) Cajun Seasoning. The amount of spices used in this seasoning mix (coupled with the spicy Andouille sausage) results in a moderately spicy dish. Adjust the amount of cayenne up or down to your preference. Alternatively, the entire seasoning mix can be substituted with 1.5 tablespoons of store-bought Cajun seasoning.

(4) Thickening Sauce / Cooking Shrimp. The sauce is sufficiently thickened when it clings easily to food and is no longer watery. To determine when the shrimp is done, check its appearance: shrimp is raw when it’s gray and translucent, and fully cooked when it’s opaque white with bits of pink. If the pot gets too dry and food starts sticking to the bottom of the pot before the shrimp has fully cooked, add a few tablespoons of water.

(5) Serving / Leftovers. Serve into bowls once the jambalaya is cool enough to eat. Pair with side dishes like keto friendly cornbread or cheddar biscuits. Leftovers can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, and reheated using the microwave.

(6) Onion & Celery Option. Onion and celery are omitted to minimize the amount of carbs per serving. If desired, add 1/2 cup each of diced celery and onions to this recipe, satisfying the “holy trinity” base (bell pepper, onion, celery) often used in Cajun and Louisiana Creole cuisine.

NUTRITION

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