Cajun Shrimp Etouffee, Easy Recipe from Acadiana
An authentic Cajun shrimp etouffee recipe from Acadiana features a rich blond roux that is seasoned with Cajun spices and includes the holy trinity of vegetables: onion, celery, and green bell pepper. Serve this flavorful sauce over a scoop of white rice for a truly satisfying meal.
I'm an Amazon Associate. The Louisiana Woman Blog contains Amazon affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through them. Thank you!
Etouffee (pronounced ay-too-fay) is a French word meaning to smother. That's what we do here: smothering flavorful Gulf shrimp in a buttery sauce made with the trinity vegetables and Cajun spices. This classic Cajun dish offers a unique way to highlight the abundant seafood of South Louisiana.
Another traditional Cajun seafood dish is crawfish etouffee. It closely resembles this shrimp version and tastes just as delicious. Which of these two smothered dishes do you prefer?
A simple way to add Cajun flavor to your cooking is by using homemade Cajun seasonings. This Pink Salt Cajun Seasoning Blend with healthy pink salt is quick and easy to make. You'll enjoy having a shaker bottle nearby to sprinkle on all your savory dishes.
The Shrimp creole is spicy-delicious! It gets its thick sauce by slowly cooking together tomatoes, fresh herbs, and the Cajun trinity, then adding fresh shrimp. Serve it over a bed of rice, garnished with lemon slices, for a squeeze of fresh flavor to this Creole stew.
Jump to:
Ingredients
You may notice there are no tomatoes in this recipe. No, no, no! Not even a bit of tomato paste like some etouffee recipes call for. Louisiana-inspired recipes that include tomatoes in their gumbo recipe and sauces are more like Creole cuisines (mainly the food of New Orleans) than Cajun cuisines.
We're cooking an authentic Cajun shrimp etouffee recipe here.
- Salted butter - the fat to flavor the dish and saute the Cajun trinity.
- Onion - the tastiest and leading member of the Cajun vegetable trinity.
- Celery - its unique herbaceous, subtly bitter taste is a prominent part of the trinity family.
- Green bell pepper - the third component of the trinity adds sweet pepper taste and bright color.
- Garlic - you know how shrimp and garlic go well together, so pass it through a garlic press to infuse the sauce.
- Cornstarch - this is the thickener for the buttery, blond roux in the etouffee; it results in less clumping than all-purpose flour.
- Shrimp - Gulf shrimp is the best shrimp. Remove the shells and the black vein just under the skin on top of the shrimp.
- Salt - the seasoning of all seasonings that brings out the flavor of all ingredients.
- Cayenne pepper - more or less for just the right peppery taste.
- Water - add to the butter-cornstarch roux to make the sauce; no specific amount is given, as some water will cook off from the shrimp as the shrimp is sautéed.
- Parsley - this brightens the whole dish with a peppery, herbaceous kick, highlighting the other flavors.
- Green onions - an optional garnish.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
We are not making a traditional flour-and-oil roux in this shrimp étouffée recipe. Instead, we saute the trinity vegetables in butter, then thicken the sauce with cornstarch for a smooth, buttery, blond roux. Small amounts of water are stirred in after the shrimp is added, a little at a time, to make a luscious sauce.
- Melt butter in a large pot, such as a Dutch oven or large, heavy pot, on the stove top.
- Add the onion, celery, and green pepper and cook over medium heat until the onions are transparent, about 10-15 minutes; do not brown the vegetables.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add cornstarch, and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring often.
- Stir the shellfish into the cornstarch and vegetable mixture, cook for a few minutes or until shrimp turn pink.
- Add salt and pepper, stirring well, then pour a little water, about ¼ cup at a time, until it is the consistency of a thick gravy.
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley and stir to enhance the flavor.
- Adjust the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add a small amount of water if the gravy needs thinning.
- Serve over a scoop of cooked rice.
Hint: Before you add the shrimp, pass your hand through them, removing any shrimp shells or black veins.
Substitutions
- Crawfish - substitute crawfish for the shrimp pound for pound to make a crawfish etouffee recipe.
- All-purpose flour - in place of the cornstarch, make sure to stir all of the lumps out before adding the shell fish.
Equipment
The perfect pot for an etouffee!
Buy Now → 
Roux spoons have slanted edge advantage.
Buy Now → Storage
You can store the etouffee in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Top Tip
Purchase shrimp harvested as close to your home as possible. You don't know what you're getting from a foreign source.
FAQ
Authentic Cajun Shrimp etouffee is made of a light roux with the seasonings from the Cajun trinity vegetable trio of onion, bell pepper, and celery, plus Cajun spices. This is the base for a luscious sauce. The shrimp and gravy are served over a scoop of white rice.
Etouffee (pronounced ay-too-fay) is a French word meaning to smother. That's what we do here: smothering flavorful Gulf shrimp in a buttery sauce made with the trinity vegetables and Cajun spices.
Shrimp creole is made with a tomato gravy and the Cajun shrimp etouffee recipe is made with a buttery blond roux.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this shrimp etouffee? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with shrimp etouffee:
📖 Recipe
Cajun Shrimp Etouffee, Easy Recipe from Acadiana
This smothered shrimp recipe in a buttery white sauce is flavored with the Cajun trinity and a kick of cayenne. The étouffée is served over rice and enjoyed as a favorite classic Southern Louisiana dish.
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 ½ sticks (¾ cup) of real salted butter
- 2 cups chopped onion
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon chopped celery
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon chopped bell pepper
- 2-3 large cloves of garlic, pressed
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- 2 pounds fresh or frozen shrimp (peeled and cleaned)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, more or less
- water
- parsley, chopped; optional
Instructions
- Melt butter in a heavy saucepan.
- Add onions, celery, and bell pepper and cook on medium heat until onions are transparent, about 10-15 minutes; do not brown the vegetables.
- Stir in the garlic for a minute or two.
- Add cornstarch, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Stir the shellfish into the cornstarch and vegetable mixture and cook for a few minutes or until the shrimp turn pink.
- Add salt and pepper, stirring well, then add a little water, about ¼ cup at a time, until it is the consistency of a thick gravy.
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley and stir, optional.
- Adjust the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add a small amount of water if the gravy needs thinning.
- Serve over cooked rice.
Notes
- Before you add the shrimp, pass your hand through them, removing any pieces of shell or black veins.
- No specific amount of water is given, as some water will cook out of the shrimp as they are sautéed.
- Purchase shrimp harvested as close to your home as possible. You don't know what you're getting from a foreign source.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Dinner
- Method: saute
- Cuisine: Cajun
Pin Me!
You know I love hearing from you. Please leave a question or comment below, and don't forget to follow me on Facebook and Instagram and pin my recipes to Pinterest.
Have a nice day!
"Giving encouragement to others is a most welcome gift, for the results of it are lifted spirits, increased self-worth, and a hopeful future."
Florence Littauer
Comments
No Comments