Shrimp Creole is a Louisiana-style dish made with green bell pepper, sweet onion, celery, garlic, and shrimp all simmered in a tomato base seasoned with Creole seasoning and a splash of Tabasco. This flavor-packed meal comes together in about 30 minutes, making it ideal for any night of the week.
Shrimp Creole is such a delicious dish, full of rich flavor. Cajun food is one of my favorite regional cuisines. When most people think of Cajun, they think of super-hot, spicy food. Cajun cuisine, to me, is robust with tasty, succulent ingredients and spices. This Shrimp Creole gets plenty of amazing yumminess from stewed tomatoes, sweet onions, earthy bell peppers, and fresh succulent shrimp.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients on the recipe card below.
- Garlic: You can substitute garlic flakes, granulated garlic, or garlic powder.
- Creole seasoning: You can make this homemade. Cajun seasoning is also a great substitute.
- Worcestershire Sauce: If you do not have this on hand, you can mix equal amounts of soy sauce, ketchup, and white wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar); this mimics its savory, tangy taste.
- Shrimp: I really prefer the wild-caught shrimp over the farmed-raised. Sometimes they are peeled and deveined, which saves you a little bit of time. Switch the shrimp out for andouille sausage, chicken, crawfish, or even make it a combination.
How To Make Shrimp Creole
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
- In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Toss in green pepper, onion, and celery. Cook until the onions are translucent and light browned.
- Add in the Creole seasoning and garlic. Cook for an additional minute.
- Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, stewed tomatoes, fire-roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, and brown sugar.
- Cover the skillet and simmer for about 20 minutes to meld the flavors. Add the shrimp and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Season with Tabasco Sauce to taste. Serve over rice.
Preparation Tips
- Purchase the vegetables as fresh as you can.
- If you have fresh garden tomatoes that you canned, use them. Sun-ripened garden tomatoes have a lot of flavor.
- If you have a sensitive palate, add just a touch of Cajun seasoning before you simmer the tomato/veggie mixture. Then season to taste with more seasoning before you add the shrimp.
- If you are diabetic or simply watching your sugar, skip the brown sugar. It is a light touch of sweetness, and chances are pretty good that you prefer things less sweet.
Serving Suggestions
Serve over white rice, dirty rice, Charleston red rice, or cheesy grits. Or serve with a side of fried okra, collard greens, southern green beans, or hush puppies.
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Shrimp Creole
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 green pepper cut in small dice
- 1 medium sweet onion cut in small dice
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon creole seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 lb wild caught shrimp peeled and deveined
- ½ to 1 teaspoon Tabasco Sauce
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add green pepper, onion, and celery. Cook until the onions are translucent and lightly browned, 5-7 minutes.
- Decrease the heat to low. Add garlic and Creole seasoning; cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, stewed tomatoes, fire-roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, and brown sugar.
- Cover the skillet and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the shrimp and simmer for 2 minutes or until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through.
- Season with Tabasco Sauce to taste. Serve immediately over rice.
Nutrition
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Vidhya
This Shrimp Creole is very flavorful and delicious! Love the recipe.
Beth Pierce
Thank, Vidhya! So glad that you enjoy it!
Catherine Kay
I made this for dinner and it was full of flavor. The shrimp cooked perfectly and the sauce had just the right kick.
Beth Pierce
So happy that you liked it.
Colleen
I have been to New Orleans a dozen times, and this is just as good as anything I ever had there. This is great!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Colleen!
Bentley
This is so good! I love Creole food, so I was eager to make this. I was very impressed!
Beth Pierce
So happy that you liked it, Bentley!
alejandra
I’m from Louisiana and I can tell that this shrimp creole is the real deal. Super flavorful! I regret not doubling the recipe to have leftovers.
Bryan Carey
New Orelans style food is always a hit in my household. And I like the added Tobasco sauce- a little more spice makes a difference.
Beth Pierce
Yes indeed, Bryan!
Tammy
This is such a flavorful dish and easy to recreate. Love the flavors…great Mardi Gras dish!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Tammy!
Amy
I cooked this shrimp creole for dinner last night, and the spicy tomato sauce was spot on. It’s a really hearty, flavorful meal that felt like a special treat for a weeknight.
Beth
This was extremely good. I threw a little red pepper at it for more heat, and it was great.
Beth Pierce
So glad that you liked it, Beth!
Terri
So good. I’ve been to New Orleans several times, and this is just as good as anything I’ve ever had there. A+
Beth Pierce
So glad that you liked it, Terri!