Cajun Shrimp Étouffée
Cajun shrimp étouffée—smothered shrimp in a rich brown-roux gravy with the holy trinity over rice. Cook shrimp just until opaque (~145°F) at the end so they stay tender.
🛒Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter or oil
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups seafood or chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 green onions, sliced
- Cooked white rice for serving
- Kosher salt, black pepper, hot sauce
🔧Kitchen Tools Needed
- Heavy skillet or Dutch oven
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon
📝Instructions
- 1
Make a medium-brown roux: melt butter over medium heat, whisk in flour, and cook stirring constantly 10–15 minutes until peanut-butter brown—do not burn.
- 2
Add onion, pepper, and celery; cook 5–7 minutes. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, Cajun seasoning, and paprika 1 minute.
- 3
Gradually whisk in stock; add bay leaf. Simmer 15–20 minutes until gravy thickens and coats a spoon. Season with salt and pepper.
- 4
Stir in shrimp; cook 3–5 minutes until opaque and pink (~145°F). Discard bay leaf; finish with parsley, green onions, and hot sauce.
- 5
Serve over rice. Refrigerate within 2 hours up to 2 days; reheat gently to 165°F.
🥗Nutrition Information
⚡Calories per serving: 380
🏷️Recipe Tags
❓Frequently Asked Questions
Roux too dark/burnt?
Start over—burnt roux tastes bitter and cannot be fixed.
Crawfish?
Swap peeled crawfish tails; heat through gently the same way.
Thicker gravy?
Simmer uncovered longer, or mash a spoonful of cooked rice into the sauce.
Food safety?
Add shrimp at the end to ~145°F opaque; chill leftovers within 2 hours; reheat to 165°F.
