Shrimp etouffee serves up tasty shrimp simmered in a savory gravy. Pair this classic comfort food with dirty rice, red beans and rice, or tasty cornbread to make it a complete meal.
What Makes a Dish an Ettoufee?
Étouffée is an integral part of the food history in the American South. There is a good chance that when you think about Cajun and Creole cuisine, meals like gumbo, red beans and rice, jambalaya, and shrimp étouffée come to mind, and for a good reason!
Étouffée is a French word that means ‘to smother,’ a common cooking technique in the South. This way of cooking is very similar to a French fricassee. If you haven’t made anything like this before, begin with our Jamaican chicken fricassee.
Both techniques involve preparing a rich, flavorful sauce for the ingredients to cook; our shrimp stews in a sauce made up of the holy trinity of vegetables, shrimp stock, and a simple, gluten-free roux for the best shrimp etouffee recipe!
What is a Roux?
Roux is the basis for Cajun meals like gumbo and shrimp étouffée. A classic roux contains a few simple ingredients and a whole lot of whisking! They include equal parts fat and flour cooked to varying degrees depending on the dish you’re preparing.
The three main rouxs are white, blonde, and dark brown. We prepare a gluten-free roux with cornstarch to make this recipe. While it’s faster to use cornstarch as a thickener for étouffée, it doesn’t develop the same flavor as a flour roux. For this reason, I include extra herbs and spices- so you don’t miss out on anything.
How to Make a 15-Minute Blonde Roux
Ingredients:
Salted Butter
All-Purpose Flour
Instructions:
1. Warm a cold pan over medium heat. Add the butter and heat until it bubbles.
2. Add the flour and whisk to combine.
3. Whisk the mixture constantly to prevent burning, especially once it starts changing color. If you notice color spotting, turn down the heat and continue whisking.
4. Watch the roux and pay attention to the color. Forming a blonde roux takes about 15 minutes or longer.
What is Shrimp Etouffee Made Of?
Traditional Cajun étouffée starts with a blonde or brown roux, depending on who’s making it. The sauce builds on the “holy trinity” of Cajun cooking—onions, celery, and green bell peppers—simmered until the sauce thickens and turns a dark shade of brown. Then, you smother the shrimp with the velvety sauce to finish the dish. Here’s everything you need to get started.
- Roux: I deviate from traditional roux by making a gluten-free version with butter and cornstarch. I include instructions for preparing a flour roux in the section above.
- Vegetables: It’s hard to depart from tried and true; we use onions, celery, green bell peppers, and garlic.
- Cajun Seasoning: I prefer to use the Cajun seasoning included in this recipe so you can cater the spices to your taste. If you purchase seasoning from the store, use our homemade Slap Ya Mama Seasoning recipe.
- Herbs: Bay leaves and fresh thyme bring this shrimp dish to the next level.
- Shrimp Stock: You can purchase shrimp or seafood stock, but why not use whole shrimp and make your own? Ours takes less than 10 minutes to prepare, and all you need is shrimp shells, water, and salt. Homemade shrimp stock sets the stage for the dish, but use vegetable, seafood, or chicken stock if you’re in a pinch.
- Shrimp: I use tail-on, jumbo shrimp, but use what you have. Be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly. Try crawfish, alligator, or chicken thighs instead of shrimp.
How to Make Cajun Shrimp Etouffee
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Prepare the Shrimp Broth or Use Store-Bought
Step 1: Warm the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells and sauté for 3 minutes.
Step 2: Add water and simmer for 5 minutes. Then, use a slotted spoon to remove the shells or pour the broth through a fine mesh strainer. Set the broth aside.
Make the Étouffée
Step 1: Mix the ingredients for the Cajun seasoning (if using) in a small bowl and set it aside.
Step 2: Melt the butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the cornstarch and whisk until it starts foaming, about 3 minutes.
Step 3: Add the diced onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic. Sauté until they soften for 5-8 minutes.
Step 4: Stir in the Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, and fresh thyme.
Step 5: Deglaze the pan with the reserved shrimp broth and simmer for 30 minutes over medium-low heat until it thickens.
Step 6: Once the gravy reduces, add the prepared shrimp and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
Cooking Tip
Adjust the cooking time based on the size of your shrimp.
Expert Tips
- Should I use homemade or store-bought shrimp broth? That decision is up to you. Making homemade shrimp stock takes a few ingredients and a little extra time, or skip the extra work and buy grocery store broth.
- Adjust the cooking time. I use jumbo or large shrimp to make this recipe but adjust the cooking time based on the size of the shrimp you have available.
If you enjoy shrimp etouffee, try more seafood recipes from Jamil Ghar!
Serving Suggestions
Prepare the rich and velvety sauce for the shrimp to simmer or be smothered in, as the name étouffée implies.
- Rice, Dirty Rice, Red Beans and Rice
- Corn Bread, Corn Casserole
- Hush Puppies, Dinner Rolls, Fresh Bread
- Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts, Collard Greens, Fried Okra, Cajun Corn on the Cob
- Fried Catfish
- Jambalaya
- Healthy Potato Salad, Southern Potato Salad
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: It’s well known that étouffée tastes even better the next day. Store leftovers in an airtight container for 1-2 days.
- Freeze: Let the dish cool and transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Shrimp etouffee freezes for 2-3 months.
- Thaw: Defrost the leftover shrimp in the refrigerator for the best results.
- Reheat: Warm leftovers on the stovetop over medium-low (so you don’t end up with rubbery shrimp).
- Repurpose: Use the leftover shrimp to make an easy shrimp and grits.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between shrimp creole and shrimp etouffee?
As the name implies, shrimp Creole is a Creole dish that relies heavily on tomatoes to build flavor for the sauce; Creole étouffée is much thinner and has a more stew-like consistency.
The Cajun version of shrimp étouffée does not include tomatoes; instead, the main ingredients are roux, onions, celery, and green bell peppers; the result is a highly concentrated and flavorful gravy to “smother” the shrimp.
Does étouffée have tomatoes?
To this, I would say – it depends on who you ask. As I mentioned, the difference between Cajun and Creole étouffée is the inclusion of tomatoes or the lack thereof.
What is the difference in gumbo and étouffée?
Both are classic comfort food made with a broth base. Étouffées have a thick consistency, whereas gumbo is thinner.
More Southern Recipes:
Shrimp Etouffee
- Small Bowl
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 pound shrimp shells, remove the tails from the shrimp
- 3 cups water
- kosher salt, to taste
- 3 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 stick salted butter
- ¼ cup corn starch
- 1 medium yellow onion, small diced
- 4 stalk celery stalks, small diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper, small diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 4 thyme sprigs
- 3 cups homemade shrimp broth, store-bought or homemade
- 2 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, shells reserved
- kosher salt, to taste
For the Shrimp Broth:
- Warm the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells and sauté for 3 minutes.
- Add water and simmer for 5 minutes. Then, use a slotted spoon to remove the shells or pour the broth through a fine mesh strainer. Set the broth aside.
For the Étouffée:
- Mix the ingredients for the Cajun seasoning (if using) in a small bowl and set it aside.
- Add the diced onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic. Sauté until they soften for 5-8 minutes.
- Stir in the Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, and fresh thyme.
- Deglaze the pan with the reserved shrimp broth and simmer for 30 minutes over medium-low heat until it thickens.
- Once the gravy reduces, add the prepared shrimp and simmer for 3-5 minutes.Tip: Adjust the cooking time based on the size of your shrimp.
- Should I use homemade or store-bought shrimp broth? That decision is up to you. Making homemade shrimp stock takes a few ingredients and a little extra time, or skip the extra work and buy grocery store broth.
- Adjust the cooking time. I use jumbo or large shrimp to make this recipe but adjust the cooking time based on the size of the shrimp you have available.
David Ramirez
Friday 26th of May 2023
Simply divine! The shrimp in this dish were incredibly tender and the sauce had just the right amount of spice. I served it with some flavorful dirty rice and it was a match made in heaven. This recipe is a keeper!
Julia Anderson
Friday 26th of May 2023
Wow, this dish blew me away! The flavors were rich and the shrimp were perfectly cooked. It paired amazingly with some homemade cornbread. Definitely a new favorite in our household. Thanks for the recipe!
Tiffany
Sunday 26th of February 2023
If I want to use flour instead of cornstarch should I alter the amount ??
Tressa Jamil
Sunday 26th of February 2023
Great question! You can directly replace the cornstarch with 1/4 cup of flour for this recipe.
Shariq
Sunday 16th of October 2022
My mouth waters whenever I think of this recipe again. This is a very authentic and classic etouffee recipe for those who don't want to make the trip to Louisiana. We love preparing this recipe in cooler months.