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This is the perfect one-pot meal for a busy night! Dutch oven jambalaya is flavorful, comforting, and so simple to cook. Made with the holy trinity, andouille sausage, shrimp, and plenty of seasonings, this easy rice dish is sure to be a family favorite.
I’m always trying to come up with meals that are flavorful, cozy, and easy to make. This Dutch oven jambalaya takes the cake!
I am no stranger to Cajun recipes. In fact, some of my favorite dinner recipes are Cajun chicken bites, Cajun roast chicken, and Cajun chicken pasta. Jambalaya just might be a new contender for my all-time favorite, though!
It’s absolutely packed with bold Cajun flavor, and everyone in my family raves about it. What I love most of all, though, is how simple jambalaya is to make with just a Dutch oven.
It has plenty of carbs, veggies, and protein in it, so you can enjoy your entire meal in one bowl — no sides required.
This is a recipe to keep on hand for busy weeknights! It’s quick to whip up, customizable to use what you have, and always satisfying.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One-pot meal: If you crave simple meals that don’t create a lot of dishes to wash, this is the recipe for you! Jambalaya is made in one pot, and it has everything you need for a complete meal in one tasty dish.
- Packed with protein: With both sausage and shrimp, this jambalaya is extremely filling!
- Flavorful: I can’t get enough of this Dutch oven jambalaya. The variety of veggies, meat, and seasonings gives it a bold, irresistible flavor.
- Allergy-friendly: Jambalaya is naturally dairy-free and gluten-free, making it the perfect meal for a variety of dietary restrictions.
Ingredients
- Veggies: Like any good Cajun-inspired recipe, we will start with “the holy trinity” of celery, bell pepper, and onion. We’ll also be adding garlic for additional flavor (because garlic is always a good idea!).
- Seasoning: A combination of black pepper, paprika, oregano, and Cajun seasoning will give this rice dish a savory, smoky, and well-rounded flavor.
- Salt: Add your salt to taste — the amount you need will depend on how salty your sausage and broth are, as well as your personal preference.
- Sausage: Andouille sausage is traditional in jambalaya, and it is simply delicious!
- Broth: I like chicken broth best in this recipe, but feel free to substitute vegetable broth, beef broth, or even homemade bone broth.
- Canned tomatoes: Adding a can of diced tomatoes with the juice adds just the right amount of acidity and tanginess to the rice.
- Rice: Long grain white rice is needed for this recipe. See my notes about using instant rice.
- Shrimp: Make sure your shrimp is shelled and deveined.
- Green onions: Garnishing your jambalaya with diced green onions doesn’t just add visual appeal; it gives a burst of fresh oniony flavor.
How to Make Dutch Oven Jambalaya
Step 1: Brown the sausage
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced sausage and cook until browned on both sides. Once browned, scoot the sausage over to one side.
Step 2: Sauté the vegetables
Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the same pot, then toss in the diced onion, celery, and bell peppers. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, and Cajun seasoning. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until softened.
Step 3: Add the garlic
Stir in the minced garlic. Cook for another minute until fragrant.
Step 4: Add the liquids and rice
Pour in the chicken broth, diced tomatoes (with juices), and rice. Give everything a good stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a low boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 20–25 minutes, or until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has absorbed.
Step 5: Add the shrimp
Stir in the shrimp and cover again. Cook for 3–4 minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through.
Step 6: Finish and serve
Remove from the heat, taste, and adjust the seasoning if needed. Garnish with diced green onions and serve warm
Tips + Notes
- Use long grain white rice, not instant. Instant rice cooks too fast and won’t hold up with the rest of the ingredients. Long grain gives you that classic jambalaya texture — fluffy and full of flavor.
- Brown the sausage well. Don’t skip this step! Getting some good color on the sausage adds flavor to the whole dish.
- Chop everything before you start. Jambalaya moves fast once the veggies hit the pot. It’s way easier if everything is prepped and ready to go before you turn on the stove.
- Check your rice around the 20-minute mark. Every stove and Dutch oven is a little different. If the rice isn’t quite done but your liquid’s running low, add a splash of broth and let it continue simmering.
- Add shrimp at the very end. Shrimp only needs a few minutes to cook. Toss it on top during the last 5 minutes and cover the pot — it’ll cook perfectly in the steam.
- Let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This helps the rice finish absorbing the last bit of liquid and makes it easier to scoop and serve without it being too loose.
Recipe FAQs
You could, but you would need to adjust the recipe. Brown rice takes much longer to cook and requires more liquid.
If you don’t have any Cajun seasoning on hand, you could use a combination of smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black or white pepper, oregano, thyme, cayenne pepper, and salt. This will offer a similar flavor.
Jambalaya will freeze decently well, but the rice may get a little mushy during the defrosting process. If you need to freeze leftover jambalaya, let it cool completely and freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost and reheat it in the microwave to best maintain the texture of the rice.
For freezer meal prep, I recommend following the recipe up until it’s time to add the rice, then freezing the veggies, sausage, seasonings, and broth as a jambalaya base. When you’re ready to prepare it, heat the base on the stove and add the rice and shrimp according to the recipe instructions.
Yes. My family absolutely loves the shrimp in this recipe, but you are welcome to skip it! You’ll still get plenty of flavor and protein from the andouille sausage.
Related Recipes You’ll Love
- Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta
- One-Pot Sausage and Peppers with Rice
- Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Polish Sauerkraut Soup with Sausage
If you tried this Dutch Oven Jambalaya recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Dutch Oven Jambalaya
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 celery ribs diced
- 2 bell peppers diced
- Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning or to taste
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 13 ounces andouille sausage sliced into ¼-inch pieces
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 14.5 ounces canned diced tomatoes 1 can
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1 pound raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- diced green onions for garnishing
Instructions
- Brown the sausage: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced sausage and cook until browned on both sides. Once browned, scoot the sausage over to one side.
- Sauté the vegetables: Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the same pot, then toss in the diced onion, celery, and bell peppers. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, and Cajun seasoning. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until softened.
- Add the garlic: Stir in the minced garlic. Cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Add the liquids and rice: Pour in the chicken broth, diced tomatoes (with juices), and rice. Give everything a good stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a low boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 20–25 minutes, or until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has absorbed.
- Add the shrimp: Stir in the shrimp and cover again. Cook for 3–4 minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through.
- Finish and serve: Remove from the heat, taste, and adjust the seasoning if needed. Garnish with diced green onions and serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Use long grain white rice, not instant. Instant rice cooks too fast and won’t hold up with the rest of the ingredients. Long grain gives you that classic jambalaya texture — fluffy and full of flavor.
- Brown the sausage well. Don’t skip this step! Getting some good color on the sausage adds flavor to the whole dish.
- Chop everything before you start. Jambalaya moves fast once the veggies hit the pot. It’s way easier if everything is prepped and ready to go before you turn on the stove.
- Check your rice around the 20-minute mark. Every stove and Dutch oven is a little different. If the rice isn’t quite done but your liquid’s running low, add a splash of broth and let it continue simmering.
- Add shrimp at the very end. Shrimp only needs a few minutes to cook. Toss it on top during the last 5 minutes and cover the pot — it’ll cook perfectly in the steam.
- Let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This helps the rice finish absorbing the last bit of liquid and makes it easier to scoop and serve without it being too loose.
- Brown the sausage well. Don’t skip this step! Getting some good color on the sausage adds flavor to the whole dish.
- Chop everything before you start. Jambalaya moves fast once the veggies hit the pot. It’s way easier if everything is prepped and ready to go before you turn on the stove.
- Check your rice around the 20-minute mark. Every stove and Dutch oven is a little different. If the rice isn’t quite done but your liquid’s running low, add a splash of broth and let it keep simmering.
- Add shrimp at the very end. Shrimp only needs a few minutes to cook. Toss it on top during the last 5 minutes and cover the pot — it’ll cook perfectly in the steam.
- Let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This helps the rice finish absorbing the last bit of liquid and makes it easier to scoop and serve without it being too loose.
First time making jambalaya here, and I can say, it turned out perfectly! Thanks!
That is great to hear! I am so happy you loved it!
delicious recipe!
Thank you so much! I am so happy you loved it!
This looks delicious!
Thank you!