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Home » Recipes » Southern Recipes

Shrimp Etouffee


Prep Time :5 minutes mins
Cook Time :55 minutes mins
Total Time :1 hour hr
Servings :6
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A dished up plate full of shrimp etouffee on a bed of rice.
Collage of two images showing shrimp etouffee, in a pot and dished up.

Published: Jun 1, 2025 · Modified: Jun 1, 2025 by Melanie Cagle · Leave a Comment

Louisiana Shrimp Etouffee (or Étouffée) is a classic dish that you have to try at least once. A tasty stew full of the Holy Trinity (onions, bell pepper and celery), butter and seasoning it's actually quite simple considering the ingredients but tastes far more than that. What you would expect from Cajun cuisine!

Close up of a plate of shrimp etouffee over rice.
Shrimp Etouffee

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It's a New Orleans favorite, you'll find shrimp Étouffée on most menus. Étouffée is a French word which means To Smother, or smothering, which is literally what you do in this recipe.

This was inspired by my other etouffee sauce recipe, Crawfish Etouffee. The exact same dish, swapping out the shrimp for crawfish. These recipes are popular during Mardi Gras!

Jump to:
  • Groceries you'll need: Ingredients
  • Recipe walkthrough: Instructions
  • Recipe variations and substitute ideas
  • More shrimp recipes I think you'll love
  • Necessary gear: Equipment
  • How to store leftovers
  • Mel's kitchen notes
  • Melanie Cagle
  • Shrimp Etouffee
  • 💬 Comments

Groceries you'll need: Ingredients

Ingredients needed to make shrimp etouffee.

See recipe card 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.

A baking sheet lined with paper towel and shrimp on top soaking in seasoning.
Step 1: Peel and devein the shrimp (if you have to). Wash and pat dry using paper towels. Sprinkle with the Creole Seasoning. Set aside to marinate.
A cast iron skillet cooking some shrimp.
Step 2: Add a little oil to a large heavy skillet - I like a cast iron skillet for this step as it chars nicely. Add the shrimp for just a few seconds just to get a nice color, then remove to a plate and set aside.
A large Dutch oven with a wooden spatula stirring a dark roux.
Step 3: Add the oil and flour to a large Dutch Oven (or heavy bottomed pot) and cook a roux until it is a medium brown color.
Onions, bell peppers and celery added to a large Dutch oven.
Step 4: Add the holy trinity of onions, bell pepper and celery and smother down for about 30 minutes.
Garlic on top of other ingredients in a large pot.
Step 5: Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes.
Broth being added to a large Dutch oven that's cooking etouffee.
Step 6: Add the seafood stock and stir well to combine. Bring to a boil, then turn down and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Shrimp and seasonings being added to a large Dutch oven with etouffee in it.
Step 7: Add back the shrimp, green onions, and thyme and stir well.
A large Dutch oven cooking a shrimp etouffee.
Step 8: Once the mixture is hot again, turn off the heat and serve over rice.

Hint: The 2 Tablespoons of Creole Seasoning will already give a little kick to the shrimp etouffee. If you like it hotter, feel free to add more Creole Seasoning or add some hot sauce to your plate.

Recipe variations and substitute ideas

  • Chopped Tomatoes - adding tomatoes would actually make this a more Creole dish - the Creole version of any dish usually as the addition of tomatoes. Mine is a classic Cajun dish and so does not use tomatoes.
  • Crawfish Tails - instead of shrimp if you prefer and have access, use crawfish.
  • Cajun Seasoning - virtually the same as Creole Seasoning. If you don't have either, use salt and black pepper and add some garlic powder and cayenne pepper.
  • Chicken Stock - or if you have shrimp shells from the peelings from the shrimp, use the off-cuts from the veggies and whip up your own shrimp broth by boiling with 4 cups of water for 1 hour. Or you could use store-bought stock.
  • Bay Leaves - Add a bay leaf or two for additional flavor.
  • Brown Rice - If you prefer, feel free to use brown rice in place of the white rice.
  • Andouille Sausage - Try adding some andouille sausage for some extra depth of flavor.

More shrimp recipes I think you'll love

  • overhead shot of some texas roadhouse grilled shrimp on skewers on top of seasoned rice
    Texas Roadhouse Grilled Shrimp Recipe
  • Shrimp and grits with some delicious bacon and green onions sprinkled on top.
    Creole Shrimp and Grits
  • Close up of boom boom shrimp, or bang bang shrimp, on a plate.
    Boom Boom Shrimp
  • fork digging into shrimp alfredo bake pulling out the noodles
    Garlicky Shrimp Alfredo Bake
  • Shrimp Creole

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See this Creole Shrimp and Grits Recipe or this Seafood Gumbo Recipe! Two classic Louisiana dishes that should be in your family's meal rotation!

Necessary gear: Equipment

I like to use my Dutch Oven (see link in the recipe card below) to cook anything that requires smothering. Due to the thickness of the cast iron it gives a nice even cooking experience. A Cast Iron Pot will do the same too. In fact, using your cast iron pot will also imbue some flavors.

How to store leftovers

I can't imagine you having any leftovers, however, if you have, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

It does freeze well. Store in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.

Mel's kitchen notes

If you are not happy with the darkness of your shrimp etouffee, use Kitchen Bouquet (a browning and seasoning sauce) to add a little darkness. Easy though, it is salty.

About The Author

Melanie Cagle

Melanie is a professional cook, food photographer and Cajun food connoisseur. Since 2020 she has been sharing rigorously tested recipes and tutorials right here on this blog.

Her work has been featured on Fox News channels, Yahoo news, Southern Living and more.

About Mel

If you’ve tried this Shrimp Etouffee 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!

You can also follow me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes!

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A dished up plate full of shrimp etouffee on a bed of rice.
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Shrimp Etouffee

Shrimp Etouffee is a delicious Louisiana classic - a type of stew, it's made from a roux, the Holy Trinity of Onion, bell pepper and celery and tasty Gulf shrimp.
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time55 minutes mins
Total Time1 hour hr
Servings: 6
Cuisine: Cajun and Creole
Author: Melanie Cagle
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Equipment

  • 5.4 inch cast iron skillet
  • Dutch Oven

Ingredients

  • 2 Pounds Large Shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 2 Tablespoons Creole Seasoning
  • ⅓ Cup Vegetable Oil
  • ½ Cup All Purpose Flour
  • 2 Each Yellow Onions diced
  • 1 Each Green Bell Pepper diced
  • 3 Ribs Celery diced
  • 6 Cloves Garlic minced
  • 4 Cups Seafood Stock
  • 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
  • 6 Each Green Onions chopped

Instructions

  • Wash the shrimp and lay out on paper towel and pat dry. Season with the Creole Seasoning. Set aside.
    2 Pounds Large Shrimp, 2 Tablespoons Creole Seasoning
  • Add enough oil to wet the bottom of a cast iron skillet (or any skillet) and sear the shrimp just to show color. Remove and set to the side.
    ⅓ Cup Vegetable Oil
  • Add the oil to a Dutch Oven (or other heavy bottomed pan) and heat over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring continuously until a peanut butter color has formed.
    ½ Cup All Purpose Flour
  • Add the diced onions, bell pepper and celery and sweat down for about 30 minutes.
    2 Each Yellow Onions, 1 Each Green Bell Pepper, 3 Ribs Celery
  • Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes.
    6 Cloves Garlic
  • Add the seafood stock and bring to a boil. Turn down and simmer for 10 minutes.
    4 Cups Seafood Stock
  • Add back the shrimp, chopped green onions and thyme, stir to combine.
    1 teaspoon Dried Thyme, 6 Each Green Onions
  • Heat through then remove from the heat.
  • Serve with white rice and sprinkle chopped green onions over the top.

Notes

If you had whole shrimp with the shells, make a homemade shrimp stock by boiling the shrimp shells with offcuts from the veggies.
MAke the roux as dark or light as you like. Some people like a dark roux, others lighter.
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Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 588kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 405mg | Sodium: 2770mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g

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Original Publish Date: October 26, 2023

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Filed Under: Cajun Recipes, Dinner Recipes, Lunch Recipes, Seafood Recipes, Shrimp Recipes, Southern Recipes, Weeknight Recipes

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