A bit like a classic fricassee recipe, shrimp etouffee offers up a wonderful creamy sauce made from the Cajun Holy Trinity of vegetables - bell peppers, celery and onion, and in this case, garlic and tomato for a Creole version, much like a stew. Bring in your favorite Creole spices and you’ll develop a flavor that will definitely work its way into your heart. The shrimp can be sautéed then added to the dish, or you can cook them right in the sauce, which is more traditional. In fact, the very name “etouffee” means “to smother” in French, referring to smothering the shrimp within the sauce. Let’s talk about how to make shrimp etouffee, shall we?
Shrimp. Peeled and deveined, but save the shrimp shells. Oil. Use peanut oil or vegetable oil. Flour. All purpose white. Cajun Holy Trinity. Green Bell Pepper (or use jalapenos for a spicier version), onion, celery + garlic. Chicken Broth. Diced Tomatoes. I’m using canned tomatoes. Spices. Use Creole seasonings (or use Cajun Seasonings) + dried thyme and salt and black pepper. Bay leaves are popular as well. Worcestershire Sauce. Hot Sauce. If desired. I love a good Louisiana style hot sauce for this recipe. For Serving. Cooked rice, fresh chopped parsley or green onions, spicy red chili flakes.
First we make a roux with equal parts flour and fat - I’m using vegetable oil - in a large pot. Stir it continuously for 10-12 minutes, until the roux darkens to a light brown color, the color of peanut butter. Learn more about How to Make a Roux. Add the onions, peppers and celery to cook a few minutes, then add the garlic and tomatoes. Simmer at least 20 minutes to let the flavors mingle and develop. For the shrimp, you can cook it separately in a pan, or tuck them into the simmering sauce to cook through. The choice is yours. BOOM! DONE! It’s great served over rice! I love this recipe. SO good. It makes me think of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Comfort food at its finest. Simmer 20 minutes, then strain and use. Extra flavor! See the recipe video in the recipe card. The Roux. I use a light brown roux for my recipe, but you can use a lighter or darker roux, to your preference. A blonde roux will give you a slightly thicker gravy, while a dark roux will be thinner, but will have more developed flavor. You can just cook it to the color you prefer. Tomatoes - Yes or No? Cajun and Creole versions differ. In Cajun cooking, a typical “etouffee” does not include tomatoes, while the Creole versions usually do. You can skip them if you’d like, but use more stock. Seafood Options. You can make this recipe with other types of seafood, particularly Crawfish Etouffee, as well as with chicken. You can freeze the etouffee sauce for 3 months in a freezer container. I prefer to freeze it without the shrimp. That’s it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my shrimp etouffee recipe. Let me know if you make it. I’d love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
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NOTE: This recipe was updated on 6/21/24 to include new information and photos. It was originally published on 3/29/19.
