This Dutch Oven Jambalaya Recipe is one of my favorite and most solid ways to cook a Jambalaya consistently perfect every time. Soft, moist rice and full of Cajun spice - with shrimp, chicken and smoked sausage.
We cook Jambalaya year round, but it is a favorite during festival season. The jambalaya pot is always a favorite to be pulled out when the festivals begin.
In Louisiana, our favorite festival times are Mardi Gras (of course) and Jazz Fest. You will find Jambalaya served at all the street carts and festivals.
Jump to:
- What makes this recipe so yummy
- Groceries you'll need: Ingredients
- Recipe walkthrough: Instructions
- Recipe variations and substitute ideas
- Necessary gear: Equipment
- More Cajun recipes I think you'll love
- How to store leftovers
- Mel's kitchen notes
- Frequently asked questions: FAQs
- Dutch Oven Jambalaya
- 💬 Comments
What makes this recipe so yummy
- It's packed full of meat, a little of this and that. It's actually versatile in this sense. If you have some pork, that tastes great, some leftover chicken (like I did in this recipe - perfect). Any kind of meat will do.
- Cooking in the Dutch Oven low and slow in the oven makes the flavors come together that much more.
- It's a one pot meal. However, delicious white beans taste delicious with this recipe.
- It's a big favorite New Orleans dish, and an authentic recipe.
- One pot meals are always a big deal.
- Although cooking time is a little lengthy, good things come to those who wait.
Groceries you'll need: Ingredients
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities.
Recipe walkthrough: Instructions
This is an overview of the recipe steps. For more detailed instructions visit the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Step 1: Liberally season the shrimp with the Creole Seasoning then place in the refrigerator.
- Step 2: Sear and caramelize the smoked sausage, then remove from a large Dutch Oven and set aside for later.
- Step 3: Add the chopped onions, green peppers and celery (holy trinity) and cook over medium heat, scraping up the brown bits from caramelizing the sausage. Cook until browned and cooked well - about 15 minutes.
- Step 4: Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Step 5: Slowly add the chicken broth then the browning sauce.
- Step 6: Add the rice and sausage and give a good stir. Bring to a boil.
- Step 7: Add the shrimp and chicken, stir well and once it starts to bubble again turn off the heat. Add the lid to the Dutch oven.
- Step 8: Place the Dutch Oven in a preheated oven and cook for 1 hour.
- Step 9: Remove from the oven and don't remove the lid for 5 minutes.
- Step 10: Remove the lid, after 5 minutes, give a good stir then stop. Sprinkle with green onions and serve.
Hint: Once cooked don't stir too much, you'll make the Jambalaya mushy.
Recipe variations and substitute ideas
- Cayenne Pepper - if you like a little more spice.
- Olive Oil - you can start the smoked sausage in a little olive oil if you find your sausage is not too oily.
- Hot Sauce - for added heat.
- Bay Leaves - add a bay leaf or two.
- Cajun Seasoning - instead of the Creole Seasoning - although they're practically the same.
- Tomato Paste - to help thicken.
- Tomato Sauce - or crushed tomatoes are sometimes added for a more Creole cooking style.
- Chili Powder - for more southern heat.
- Chicken Breasts - if this is what you have, chop it up and use it.
- Worcestershire Sauce - for a little extra flavor.
- Red Pepper Flakes - for added heat.
- Chicken Stock - works just the same as the broth.
- Italian Sausage - if you don't have smoked sausage, this may work ok. It won't be as good though.
- Old Bay Seasoning - instead of Creole Seasoning.
- Black Pepper - add a little for flavor.
- Yellow Onions - instead of sweet onions.
- Brown Rice - a healthier option instead of white rice, the cooking time will need to change I'm sure.
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Necessary gear: Equipment
The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
A nice 6-Quart Dutch Oven pot (10-inch Dutch Oven) is perfect for this recipe - it's what I used in the images. I have an affiliate link to all the equipment used in the recipe card below.
If you love cooking in a Dutch Oven, you should try this Dutch Oven Ham recipe.
How to store leftovers
Once the Dutch Oven Jambalaya has cooled completely store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
This recipe does freeze well, so if you have some leftovers you want to save for another time place in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Mel's kitchen notes
Do not remove the lid at all when cooking in the oven. The fluid to rice ratio is perfect and if the steam is lost it will likely mess it up.
Frequently asked questions: FAQs
As with most Louisiana dishes, if you hear the word Creole - it's going to tend to have a more redness to it - it'll have tomatoes. Cajun dishes do not. They'll be more on the brown side. So it'll be a red jambalaya.
Jambalaya is said to have a very Spanish history behind it. It's said that when the Spanish came to Louisiana, the locals here learned about their paella dish and modified it for their tastes.
If you’ve tried this Dutch Oven Jambalaya Recipe or any other great recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section below, how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers!
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Dutch Oven Jambalaya
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Ingredients
- 1 Pound Medium Shrimp peeled, tail-off
- 2 teaspoons Creole Seasoning
- 1 Pound Smoked Sausage sliced
- ½ Pound Andouille Sausage chopped
- 2 Each Sweet Onions diced
- 2 Ribs Celery diced
- 1 Each Green Bell Pepper diced
- 4 Cloves Garlic minced
- 4 Cups Chicken Broth
- 2-½ Cups Long Grain Rice
- 2 teaspoons Browning Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 1 Pound Cooked Chicken chopped
- 2 Each Green Onions sliced (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Sprinkle the Creole Seasoning over the peeled shrimp, mix up then place into the refrigerator.2 teaspoons Creole Seasoning, 1 Pound Medium Shrimp
- Add the sliced smoked sausage and the chopped andouille to the Dutch Oven and turn on medium-high heat. Sear and caramelize the sausage so it has some good color and there's a bunch of stuck bits on the bottom of the pan.1 Pound Smoked Sausage, ½ Pound Andouille Sausage
- Remove the sausage and put to the side. Add the chopped onion, bell pepper and celery to the pot and while it's cooking scrape up the burned bits from the bottom - this adds great flavor to the dish.2 Each Sweet Onions, 2 Ribs Celery, 1 Each Green Bell Pepper
- Cook over medium to medium-high heat, until the onion mixture (holy trinity) has totally cooked down- this will take about 15 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook a further 2 minutes, until you can start to smell the garlic.4 Cloves Garlic
- Add the chicken broth and browning sauce. Give a good stir.4 Cups Chicken Broth, 2 teaspoons Browning Sauce
- Add the rice, dried thyme and cooked sausage.2-½ Cups Long Grain Rice, 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
- Bring to a boil, stir well, then add the shrimp and chicken.1 Pound Cooked Chicken, 1 Pound Medium Shrimp
- Once the pot has started to bubble again turn off the heat.
- Place the Dutch Oven into the oven and cook (undisturbed) for 1 hour. DO NOT LIFT THE LID.
- Remove from the oven after the 1 hour - still do not lift the lid. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.
- THEN, lift the lid, give a good stir then don't stir again.
- Sprinkle with green onions and serve.2 Each Green Onions
Notes
Nutrition
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J.C. says
This looks yummy, but I want to clarify something please. The recipe says to add the shrimp with the chicken, bring to a boil, then put in oven for 1 hour. That seems like a long time to cook shrimp? I always add them the last few minutes of cooking so that they will not overcook.
Melanie Cagle says
The oven temperature is not so hot, this cooking is low and slow and yes, it seems like they would be over cooked... but they're not - they're great.
Wayne Thomason says
I made this last night with a few minor necessary modifications (I didn't have any chicken or andoule and I only had half a pound of frozen *cooked* shrimp). It was really good and this afternoon it occurred to me that this recipe is a twofer (2 for 1) because if I swap out the protein for browned ground beef and maybe some mashed chicken livers, this recipe would work for dirty rice as well.
Melanie Cagle says
So glad you liked it Wayne.
Wayne Thomason says
I made this rice again with the modifications I suggested previously for dirty rice: instead of the chicken, shrimp, smoked sausage and andoule, I cooked a pound of chicken livers in oil and removed them from the pot. Then I browned one pound of ground beef in the juices. I minced up 3-4 of the livers, added them to the ground beef while it was cooking, and saved the remaining livers in the freezer. I finished preparing the recipe as written. This rice recipe really is great as a basis for dirty rice as well!
Melanie Cagle says
Sounds amazing - I'm so glad you popped back in to update us!