Shrimp Étouffée is a southern dish packed with all the flavor of our favorite New Orleans cuisine!
In this dish, tender seasoned shrimp are smothered in a creamy sauce and jam-packed with flavor. The best Shrimp Etoufee is easy to make but it does take a bit of time and I can assure you that the time is definitely worth it!
What is Shrimp Étouffée?
This is a dish I learned to make in cooking classes in New Orleans. It’s so incredibly delicious, I knew I HAD to share it with you!
Roughly translated, Shrimp Étouffée means “smothered shrimp.” It’s picked up many variations along the way.
For this recipe, a creamy sauce made with a roux will mix with cajun-seasoned shrimp. We love the layers of flavor in this creamy sauce and of course the plump juicy shrimp.
Ingredients & Variations
SHELLFISH
Étouffée can be made with any kind of shellfish. Sub out the shrimp for crab, mussels, or even crayfish (or crawdads) if you can find them! Fresh shrimp is the best to use, but if frozen is all that’s available, no worries! Just make sure it’s well-drained, and don’t overcook.
SAUCE
The base of this dish is the sauce made from a roux. It’s possible to make different types of roux, from “blonde” to medium, to brown. The longer the roux cooks, the darker and nuttier it becomes, but it can definitely take some time. So our recipe strikes a happy medium, without sacrificing any of the flavors!
BROTH
If time is short, just go ahead and use chicken broth, or better yet, canned shrimp broth. But if time is no issue and you want to “get your chef on,” then go ahead and make homemade shrimp stock.
How to Make Shrimp Étouffée
This dish takes time but I can assure you it’s worth every second.
-
- Cook Shrimp
Season and cook shrimp just until pink (per recipe below). It will cook more later, do not overcook. - Make Roux
Combine flour and fat and cook until it becomes the color of peanut butter. Add onions/celery/peppers (this helps stop the cooking process).
- Cook Shrimp
- Simmer
Add diced fresh tomatoes, bay leaf, and Worcestershire and simmer. - Add flavors
Add shrimp, green onions, and a squeeze of lemon juice and heat through. Serve over rice.
Tips
- Once the roux has reached the color of peanut butter, add the celery/onion/green pepper (aka the holy trinity). This cools the roux to keep it from browning further.
- The best shrimp is cooked safely—but just until pink! For the first cooking, remove shrimp from heat just as soon as it turns pink on both sides, which takes just a couple of minutes! Once added back into the sauce, make sure it’s heated thoroughly but doesn’t boil. A very short simmer is fine, but that’s it. This will ensure the shrimp stays juicy and tender.
- Add green onion and parsley last, just before removing the dish from heat. This way the herbs retain their flavor and stay bright green.
- Make sure to time the cooking so that the rice is ready when the Étouffée is done. Hot, steaming, and slightly sticky rice tastes the best. Try making Instant Pot Rice or baked rice.
Classic Southern-Style Dishes!
- Hoppin’ John – loaded with fresh veggies
- Dirty Rice
- Fried Chicken and Waffles – comforting & delicious
- Southern Potato Salad – perfect for a backyard BBQ
- Collard Greens – fave side
- Cajun Chicken Pasta – ready in under 30 minutes
- Shrimp and Grits – cheesy & flavorful
Did you love this Shrimp Etouffee as much as we do? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Shrimp Etouffee
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds medium shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup butter
- ⅓ cup flour
- 1 small onion chopped
- ½ bell pepper chopped
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- ¼ teaspoon thyme
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups shrimp stock or chicken broth
- 2 cups tomatoes fresh (not canned), diced
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- salt & pepper to taste
- ¼ cup green onion
- ¼ cup parsley
- ½ lemon juiced
Instructions
- Toss shrimp with cajun seasoning. Heat oil over medium-high heat and add shrimp. Cook until shrimp just begins to turn pink, about 2 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Stir in flour and cook until the flour becomes the color of peanut butter, about 6-8 minutes.
- Add onions, bell pepper, celery, thyme and garlic and cook until slightly softened. Stir in the broth/stock a bit at a time until smooth.
- Add tomatoes, Worcestershire and bay leaves and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered about 20 minutes. Add salt & pepper to taste.
- Stir in the green onions, parsley, lemon juice and shrimp with any juices. Cook just until shrimp is heated through, do not overcook.
- Serve over rice.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dinner, Entree, Main Course, Seafood
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Amazing flavor. Not from New Orleans but grew up in the South. This is sumptuous!
I made the etouffee and I added okra that I cook down and butter to take the slime out and I added grilled corn and I grill the shrimp on the barbie and it was the best ever ever ever made up ever eaten I loved it just a piece little additions can go a long way
I made this tonight and it was delicious! A keeper for sure. I did the shells in broth. I forgot to add salt and pepper but didn’t miss it. My husband is very particular with his southern shrimp( being from NY) and he loved it!
That is great, Susan! So happy he loved it.
Made this for the first time tonight. My husband and I both loved it. But with just two of us we had some leftover is there a way to heat it up with out making the shrimp tuff?
So happy you both enjoyed it, Vonna! To reheat, you could add it back to the saucepan with a little water and heat just until the shrimp is heated through. You could also cover in foil and reheat in the oven with a little water in the pan just until heated through. We would love to hear how it turned out for you!
Take your time on the roux. It’s so worth it! Yummy!
Want to double recipe and make a day ahead. Can I make through step 3 or 4 and add shrimp at reheat step…Also will be serving in warming buffet dish…any advice
Hi Linda, we have never tried prepping this recipe ahead like that but would love to hear how it turned out for you!
The flavor was excellent. I made the quick shrimp broth. I’m sure it added flavor, well worth an extra 20 minutes. My sauce was like broth. Through the whole cooking process I felt like I should have used more flour. I even cooked it longer and at higher heat.. The great taste compensated.
Easy to make, forgiving and the end result was delicious! I made a stock from the shrimp shells which really made a difference from the other etouffees I’ve made. I used a teaspoon and a half probably of chopped fresh thyme, which was a bit too much, so learn from my mistake. I’m visiting my sister and she LOVED it, as did I. It’s a real show stopper.
My first time attempting my all time favorite dish and this recipe was perfect! Nailed it!