Shrimp Étouffée
Add Preferred Source
Once you taste this Shrimp Étouffée, you’ll understand why it’s been a Louisiana favorite for generations. The sauce is thick and velvety, clinging to tender shrimp with buttery richness balanced by tomatoes and Worcestershire. Onions, celery, and bell peppers add layers of flavor that make every spoonful over rice taste like pure Cajun comfort.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate, if you purchase through those links, I earn a commission. Thank you!
I make it for Mardi Gras celebrations, Sunday suppers, dinner parties, or any time I’m craving something warm and comforting. It impresses guests without the stress, and leftovers make an awesome lunch the next day. It keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days or freezes for up to 3 months and reheats easily on the stovetop.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.
How to Make Shrimp Etouffee with Step-By-Step Instructions
Scroll down for the full recipe card containing a full printable recipe and measurements in both US customary and metric units.
You’ll have tender, flavorful shrimp in a rich Cajun sauce that’s perfect over rice.
Season and Sear the Shrimp
In a bowl, toss the peeled and deveined shrimp with Cajun seasoning until they’re evenly coated. A deveiner tool makes prepping shrimp super easy.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then add the shrimp in a single layer. Cook for about 2 minutes, just until they turn pink and start to curl. Pull them out and set them aside so they don’t overcook while you build the sauce.
Make the Roux
Lower temp to medium heat and melt butter in the same pan. Once it melts, whisk in the flour and keep stirring with a wooden spoon or a heatproof silicone spatula for 6 to 8 minutes until the mixture turns a deep peanut-butter color.
Don’t walk away because the roux can burn quickly, and that color is what gives the sauce its signature nutty flavor.
Cook the Holy Trinity
Toss in the chopped onion, bell pepper, celery, thyme, and garlic. Stir everything together for 3 to 4 minutes until the vegetables soften and smell fragrant. The moisture from the vegetables will help deglaze any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Build the Sauce
Pour in the chicken broth gradually while whisking as you go to keep the sauce smooth and lump-free. A silicone whisk works well here for breaking up clumps without scratching your pan.
Stir in the diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves. Bring everything to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes.
The sauce will thicken slightly, and all the flavors will meld together. Taste and add salt and black pepper as needed.
Finish with Shrimp and Herbs
Stir in the green onions, parsley, lime juice, and the cooked shrimp along with any juices that collected on the plate. Let everything cook together for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the shrimp are heated through. Fish out the bay leaves before serving.
Serve Over Rice
Spoon the etouffee over hot steamed rice using a ladle so the sauce pools around the shrimp. The rice will soak up all that rich, flavorful sauce. Enjoy!
If you’re bringing shrimp étouffée to a potluck or gathering, pack it in a leakproof food container and keep it warm in a thermal bag. You can also transfer it to a slow cooker set on warm or low to keep the sauce at the ideal temp without overcooking the shrimp.
Keep the etouffee and rice separate until serving time so the rice doesn’t turn soggy from the sauce, and bring extra green onions and parsley for garnish to freshen everything up when you arrive.
Equipment
- Large skillet or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds medium shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup butter
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 small onion chopped
- ½ cup green bell pepper chopped
- 2 celery ribs chopped
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups fresh tomatoes diced
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup green onions sliced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- Juice of ½ lime
Instructions
- Season the shrimp evenly with Cajun seasoning and set aside.1 ½ pounds medium shrimp, 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes, just until pink. Remove shrimp from the pan and set aside.1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Reduce heat to medium and add the butter to the same pan. Once melted, whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 6 to 8 minutes, until the roux turns a deep peanut-butter color.⅓ cup butter, ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, thyme, and garlic. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to soften.1 small onion, ½ cup green bell pepper, 2 celery ribs, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves, 4 garlic cloves
- Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, stirring constantly to create a smooth sauce.3 cups chicken broth
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, until slightly thickened. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.2 cups fresh tomatoes, 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 bay leaves, Salt and black pepper
- Stir in the green onions, parsley, lime juice, and the cooked shrimp along with any accumulated juices. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the shrimp are heated through.¼ cup green onions, ¼ cup fresh parsley, Juice of ½ lime
- Remove bay leaves and serve hot over steamed rice.
Notes
Nutrition
How to Store Leftovers
Let the etouffee cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It’ll keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often and adding a splash of chicken stock or broth if the sauce has thickened too much.
For longer storage, freeze the sauce without the shrimp for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers, then thaw overnight in the fridge and add fresh shrimp when you reheat it so they stay tender.
What to Serve With Shrimp Etouffee
Serve it over steamed white rice or dirty rice for a more traditional Cajun meal that soaks up every bit of the sauce. Cornbread or garlic bread on the side is perfect for mopping up any extra sauce.
For a bigger spread, add roasted okra, coleslaw, or collard greens. A cold beer or sweet tea rounds out the meal and balances the Cajun spices.
More Easy Recipes for You to Try at Home
If you love this, you’ll want to try my other flavorful shrimp recipes.
