This spicy southern classic, shrimp creole, is so flavorful, delicious, and completely packed with vegetables. Have a healthy and satisfying weeknight dinner on your table in less than an hour!

I’m a fan of meals with BIG flavor.
But I want to get that BIG flavor without spending BIG amounts of money.
This means that even in meals that include meat, I aim to make it more of a condiment than a large portion of the plate.
I’ve managed to do that with meals like Buffalo Chicken Potato Nachos and Southwestern Chicken Salad, and I’ve even found 17 ways to stretch ground beef!
You know what all of those have in common? They have plenty of flavor, a bit of meat, and loads of veggies.
The same is true for this shrimp creole recipe.
Go all out with every vegetable listed or use whatever vegetables you have on hand in the kitchen. Either way, this shrimp creole recipe will come out amazing, guaranteed!
SHRIMP CREOLE RECIPE
I love this shrimp creole recipe because it’s:
- Quick and easy. Have dinner on the table in less than an hour!
- Healthy and satisfying. Full of protein and veggies, this is a hearty meal.
- Versatile. Use the veggies and protein you have on hand.
- Dairy-free friendly. Use bacon grease instead of butter for cooking.
- Gluten free-friendly. Use gluten-free flour for a gluten free shrimp creole.
- Can even be made vegetarian! Just use lentils for your protein instead of shrimp.
CREOLE SHRIMP INGREDIENTS
- Bacon grease or butter. For dairy-free creole shrimp, opt for bacon grease instead of butter (plus saving bacon grease is an easy way to save money on real food.)
- Whole grain flour. I like to use whole grain einkorn flour, but all-purpose flour works as well. For gluten free shrimp creole, use a gluten-free all-purpose flour (not almond flour or coconut flour).
- Vegetables. Onion + green bell pepper + celery ribs + carrots + garlic + zucchini (or whatever vegetables you have on hand). I like to add mushrooms for a rich, umami flavor, but they’re optional.
- Spices and flavorings. Bay leaf + salt + black pepper + dried thyme + parsley + Worcestershire sauce + cayenne pepper (optional).
- Diced tomatoes. Most shrimp creole recipes call for crushed tomatoes, but I think it comes out too ‘tomato-ey.’ Same with tomato sauce. If that’s what you have on hand and you like a thick tomato flavor, then use them! But if you have a choice, go for diced tomatoes. They make the dish lighter, allowing some of the other yummy flavors to shine through better.
- White cooking wine or stock. If you don’t have cooking wine, use fish, chicken broth, or vegetable stock (not beef). (See my Slow Cooker Chicken Stock method here or my Instant Pot Chicken Stock method here.)
- Shrimp. Any shrimp will work, but using shrimp that’s raw, peeled, and deveined saves time. If the shrimp are large, halve or quarter them. I recommend wild shrimp.
A NOTE ABOUT THE SHRIMP
Because of the way farmed shrimp is grown in large, man-made “ponds,” farmed shrimp usually contains several antibiotics and harmful chemical residues, so I recommend wild-caught seafood, especially fresh shrimp. Sources: (1) (2) (3)
If you can’t find wild-caught shrimp or are allergic, you can substitute chicken and/or sausage. Or use a combination of all three!
If your local stores don’t carry high-quality seafood, I recommend Butcher Box. I have a subscription myself! You can read my honest review of their products here and how to make Butcher Box worth the cost here!
HOW TO MAKE RECIPE FOR SHRIMP CREOLE
Step 1. Prepare rice for serving. Use my Instant Pot White Rice recipe or follow the package instructions for the stovetop.

Step 2. Make a roux. Melt bacon grease or butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to combine with the fat. Cook the flour for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.

Step 3. Add vegetables. Add the celery, onions, bell peppers, carrots, and garlic. Cook the vegetables until they are soft and lightly browned, stirring often, for about 8-10 minutes.

Step 4. Add zucchini and mushrooms (if using) and bay leaf, tomatoes, white cooking wine or stock, salt, pepper, thyme, parsley, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 5. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink and are no longer raw, about 3-5 minutes.
If using cooked sausage and chicken, add them with shrimp and allow them to warm as the shrimp cooks through. If using uncooked sausage and chicken, add them BEFORE the shrimp and cook for about 5 minutes, or until three-quarters of the way cooked through. Then add the shrimp and cook thoroughly.

Step 6. Serve this recipe for shrimp creole over rice.
EASY SHRIMP CREOLE RECIPE TIPS
- In order to have a good, spicy creole, you need all of the spices. Don’t skimp out on them but do feel free to add more if you like it even hotter! A dash of Cajun Seasoning or Hot Sauce will kick it up a notch!
- You can switch up the protein in this shrimp creole recipe.
- Make shrimp creole, sausage creole, chicken creole, or a combination of all three!
- I’ll often add a cup or two of cooked shredded chicken for shrimp and chicken creole.
- I don’t often make shrimp creole with sausage, because Mr. Crumbs isn’t a fan of the texture of ground meat, but it would be a delicious combo!
- Use lentils instead of shrimp for a vegetarian creole that’s full of flavor.
- Switch up the veggies. I included veggies I typically have on hand, but you can use what you normally eat. Or add something new from your CSA box! Try including yellow squash, okra, or green beans.

TO SERVE SHRIMP CREOLE
- Serve over Instant Pot White Rice or Instant Pot Brown Rice.
- Or wrap in a Homemade Tortilla if you prefer a shrimp creole wrap.
- For a low-carb option, serve creole shrimp over Cauliflower Rice.
- Try a side of Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread or Easy Dinner Biscuits
LOUISIANA SHRIMP CREOLE RECIPES FAQS
What is the difference between shrimp creole and shrimp gumbo?
Classic New Orleans shrimp creole recipes taste spicier than gumbo, and the rice is prepared separately. With jambalaya, the rice is cooked together with the meat and vegetables.
Can I make this shrimp creole recipe vegetarian?
Yes! Omit the meat altogether and use lentils instead.
Can I freeze shrimp creole?
Yes! This recipe freezes very well for up to 3 months. Follow the cooking instructions, and let the recipe cool completely before freezing. Freeze in a tightly sealed, freezer-safe container, or a freezer bag (let the air out and seal, so it can lay flat in your freezer). The night before you want to serve your shrimp creole, pop the frozen container in the fridge. For mealtime, sauté your shrimp creole in a pan until the sauce is hot. Serve over rice.
MORE QUICK & EASY DINNERS
- Instant Pot Steamed Shrimp
- Sheet Pan Hawaiian Shrimp
- Eggroll in a Bowl
- Vegetable Fried Rice
- Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken

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This spicy southern classic, shrimp creole, is so flavorful, delicious, and completely packed with vegetables. Have a healthy and satisfying weeknight dinner on your table in less than an hour!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Meals
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 5 Tbsp bacon grease (65g) or butter
- 5 Tbsp whole grain flour(8g) (or gluten free)
- ½ large onion, chopped (64g)
- 1 large bell pepper, chopped (114g)
- 4 ribs celery, chopped (160g)
- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped (114g)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (6g)
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped (optional)
- ½ cup mushrooms, sliced (optional)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 (16 oz) can (equals 2 cups) diced tomatoes with juices (450g)
- 1–2 (454g) cups white cooking wine or fish/chicken/vegetable stock (not beef) (See my slow cooker chicken stock method here, or my Instant Pot chicken stock method.)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tsp ground thyme
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (10g)
- 1 ½ Tbsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 8oz wild shrimp, peeled & deveined (halved or quartered if large) (227g)
Instructions
- Prepare rice for serving. Use my Instant Pot White Rice recipe or follow the package instructions for the stovetop.
- Make a roux. Melt bacon grease or butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to combine with the fat. Cook the flour for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
- Add vegetables. Add the celery, onions, bell peppers, carrots, and garlic. Cook the vegetables until they are soft and lightly browned, stirring often, for about 8-10 minutes.
- Add zucchini and mushrooms (if using) and bay leaf, tomatoes, white cooking wine or stock, salt, pepper, thyme, parsley, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink and are no longer raw, about 3-5 minutes.
If using cooked sausage and chicken, add them with shrimp and allow them to warm as the shrimp cooks through. If using uncooked sausage and chicken, add them BEFORE the shrimp and cook for about 5 minutes, or until three-quarters of the way cooked through. Then add the shrimp and cook thoroughly. - Serve this recipe for shrimp creole over rice.
Notes
- Increase the protein by doubling the shrimp or by adding cooked chicken breast.
- I prefer diced tomatoes, but you can also use crushed tomatoes for a strong, tomato flavor.
- Substitute 6oz nitrate-free sausage, cut into bite-size rounds AND/OR 1 cup chopped chicken instead of shrimp, or use a combination.
- To have a good, spicy creole, you need all of the spices. Don’t skimp out on them but do feel free to add more if you like it even hotter! A dash of cajun seasoning or hot sauce will kick it up a notch!
When do you add the parsley? I added it same time as the thyme and it came out good but wanted to double check and ask.
Hi Nicole,
That was a perfect time to add the parsley. I will fix the post. 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing with us.
I love your recipes! But, being from Louisiana, it is my responsibility to let you know that a true Cajun would NEVER use the word “crayfish”. Because I like you, I want you to know that they are called “crawfish”. Crayfish sounds cray cray:)
Love ya!
Thanks Diana! I look forward to the update! 🙂
Made this last night and it was awesome! I chopped up the veggies really small and even my picky eater ate the entire bowl!
Awesome! I’m glad you guys liked it!
YUM! Going on my meal plan, friend! Love this beautiful and simple dish!
Thank you for sharing with your readers!!
We love creole, etouffe, and gumbo though, sadly, I never make any of them myself! 🙁 I love that this is affordable and a double batch – it’s pinned for next week’s menu since I’m trying to stock my freezer for those late afternoon swim team days that are just around the corner. Thanks!
Dena, you are such an encourager! What a blessing you are! Just wanted to let you know that!
I’ve never really thought about the problems with seafood in other parts of the country. My family is blessed to live in southern Louisiana where you can get fresh fish, shrimp, oysters, and all manner of seafood right off the boats. The prices aren’t unreasonable so we eat seafood at least once a week. Finding grass fed beef around here though isn’t nearly as easy. (:
Natalie! You’re the Cajun I wish I was, lol! 🙂
Hahaha the food down here is great!
Okay – this looks good but I gotta ask -how on earth is it only $5. The meat alone would cost me more than that!
Price break down? 🙂
Absolutely!
The recipe as written covers two nights worth of meals, so the breakdown for one meal is: chicken ($1), shrimp ($1.50) and nitrate-free chicken sausage ($0.75). I buy the vegetables listed in bulk from Costco, so the per item cost on those is really low. Spices and other things are just pennies, making the total skirt in just under $5 for each meal. It would be less for non-organic foods and is always slightly conditional on the produce available in your area. 🙂
What are you paying per pound for organic chicken, shrimp and sausage when you shop? Do you aim for around $6/lb for shrimp – split it into 8oz. portions and call it two meals?
I do agree with Lydia; that the prices seem REALLY low, but what I’m guessing, is that you go extra light on the meat, and heavy on the veggies…
Either way, I’d love to see a greater breakdown on recipes like these. My family loves seafood !
Hi Mary Katherine,
On average, we pay $2.49/lb for organic chicken. I do aim for $6/lb for shrimp and I can get nitrate-free sausage regularly for $3 per 12oz package. If we’re hosting company, we’ll serve the whole pound of shrimp. Otherwise we split into 8oz portions and make two meals, as you wrote.
I’ll update the post with a more accurate calculation of the prices, but you’re right, light on meat and heavy on veggies!