Shrimp Etouffee

A close up shot of etouffee loaded with shrimp.

4.25 from 83 votes

A creamy, velvety smooth Creole-style Shrimp Etouffée with a foolproof roux, a simple sauce fortified with the Cajun's holy trinity of vegetables, fresh tomatoes, and quick-cooking shrimp!

Prep Time12

Cook Time28

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Creole

Keyword: Shrimp Etouffee

Servings:

Calories: 266kcal

Author: Kelly Anthony

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
3 stalks of celery, finely diced
3 cloves of garlic
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4 cups unsalted chicken broth or unsalted seafood broth
2 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
2 teaspoons Cajun or Creole seasoning
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
Generous pinch black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 large tomato (seeds and pulp removed), diced
1 pound large wild-caught shrimp, peeled and deveined (see note below)

Instructions

Add the butter to a large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Do not allow the butter to burn. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery as soon as the butter has melted and sauté until softened, 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute more.
Sprinkle the flour over the mixture, and stir for about 1 - 2 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste, and begin adding the first 2 cups of broth one big splash at a time, stirring well after each addition. Add the remaining broth and stir to combine.
Stir in the Worcestershire, hot sauce, Cajun seasoning, salt, black pepper, bay leaf, and diced tomato.
Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and simmer for 6-8 minutes, until the mixture is slightly thickened. Stir occasionally. Add the shrimp and simmer an additional 5 minutes, stirring often. Serve with a heaping serving of fluffy white rice, and enjoy!

Notes

We prefer to use wild-caught, frozen shrimp that comes peeled and deveined to speed along the preparations. You can typically find frozen shrimp near the fresh seafood or in the freezer section. Be sure it is thawed before adding to the pot.

Nutrition