This Cajun shrimp and sausage skillet one pot meal is the perfect meal for busy weeknights. It’s a complete meal that is low fuss and one the entire family can enjoy. Even better is that it’s a great option for meal prep throughout the week as well. If you like simple single pan meals you may also like chicken enchilada casserole with poblano cream sauce, healthy skillet lasagna or this salmon stir fry.
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Growing up in a small town that borders Louisiana (and my mom also being from Louisiana) I grew up with a lot of creole influence especially in food. My mom would always make a homemade jambalaya with tons of cajun flavor that truly made my taste buds sing. That was the inspiration for this easy cajun shrimp and sausage skillet one pot meal. It has some of the same ingredients and flavors as jambalaya however minus the tomatoes and tomato paste.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR EASY CAJUN SHRIMP RECIPE
The ingredients list for this easy weeknight meal reads like any traditional cajun dish. Given I always lend towards making dishes healthier, there are a few swaps I make that are more nutritious to make this a healthy fitness meals.
The main ingredients you will need are:
- Shrimp – I used white large shrimp for this recipe however you can choose your favorite variety of shrimp
- Turkey sausage – traditionally this type of dish would use andouille sausage however in order to reduce the fat content and bump up the protein, I swapped it for turkey. Chicken sausage would also work great in this dish as well.
- Mixed bell peppers – I used a mix of green bell peppers, orange bell peppers and yellow bell pepper given that’s what I had on hand. However any combination of bell peppers including red bell pepper will do to add some mild heat and sweetness to the dish.
- Green onion – used both the green and the whites of the onion
- Jasmine rice – instead of traditional white rice, this simple swap helps amp up the nutrition value
Full ingredients list including quantities are listed in the recipe card below.
HOW TO MAKE CAJUN SHRIMP AND SAUSAGE SKILLET ONE POT MEAL
First prep all of your ingredients by defrosting the shrimp and removing the shells and placing them in a large bowl. Season the shrimp with old bay seasoning and set aside.
Cut the turkey sausage into quarters by slicing them lengthwise then slicing them lengthwise again and then cutting them into smaller pieces. Next chop your vegetables including the peppers, green onions, yellow onion, and garlic.
In a large non-stick skillet, bring 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil to medium heat. Pan fry the shrimp in a single layer cooking for 1-2 minutes on both sides. Once the shrimp has turned pink, remove from the pan and set aside on a paper towel lined plate. To the non-stick skillet add 1 tbsp of butter or butter substitute and stir around with a wooden spoon ensuring to scrape the bottom of the pan, that’s where all the flavor lives! Next add the sausage to the pan and brown on both sides. Then add all of the chopped vegetables except for the green onions, the cajun spices plus black pepper and cook until the peppers just begin to soften. Once the veggies have softened, add the jasmine rice and stir to toast the rice.
Add the water to the skillet along with the chicken bouillon cube and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Once the liquid begins to simmer, reduce heat to low and cover with a lid to allow the rice to absorb the liquid.
When the rice has absorbed all of the liquid, remove the lid and stir to fluff the rice. Add the shrimp back to the pan and top with the green onions. Optional, you can also top withe some fresh parsley as well for additional flavor and color.
HOW TO SERVE CAJUN FOOD
This is such an easy one skillet meal unto itself however to serve you can easily add one of your favorite side like green beans, asparagus, or even a small side salad. If you want to bump up the heat level in this easy meal, you can top with cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes or even your favorite hot sauce.
If you make this cajun shrimp and sausage skillet one pot meal recipe, feel free to leave a comment down below. Also, let’s stay in touch! Feel free to follow me on my social media as I share more healthy recipes, fitness workouts and motherhood. Give a follow at: Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest!
Cajun Shrimp & Sausage Skillet One Pot Meal
Equipment
- 1 Large Non-stick skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb Shrimp
- 1 pkg Turkey Sausage
- 1.5 cups Jasmine Rice
- 1 cube Chicken bouillon
- 1/2 cup Yellow bell pepper diced
- 1/2 cup Green bell pepper diced
- 1/2 cup Orange bell pepper diced
- 1/4 cup Yellow onion diced
- 1 tsp Garlic chopped
- 1/4 cup Green onions chopped
- 1 tbsp Old bay
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 tbsp Creole seasoning
- 1 tsp Black pepper
- 1 tbsp Butter or butter substitute
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2.5 cups Water may vary based on type of rice used
Instructions
Prepping Ingredients
- First prep all of your ingredients by defrosting the shrimp and removing the shells and placing them in a large bowl.
- Season the shrimp with old bay seasoning and set aside.
- Cut the turkey sausage into quarters by slicing them lengthwise then slicing them lengthwise again and then cutting them into smaller pieces.
- Next chop your vegetables including the peppers, green onions, yellow onion, and garlic.
Cooking Cajun Shrimp & Sausage Skillet
- In a large non-stick skillet, bring 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil to medium heat. Pan fry the shrimp in a single layer cooking for 1-2 minutes on both sides.
- Once the shrimp has turned pink, remove from the pan and set aside on a paper towel lined plate. To the non-stick skillet add 1 tbsp of butter or butter substitute and stir around with a wooden spoon ensuring to scrape the bottom of the pan.
- Next add the sausage to the pan and brown on both sides. Then add all of the chopped vegetables except for the green onions, the cajun spices plus black pepper and cook until the peppers just begin to soften. Once the veggies have softened, add the jasmine rice and stir to toast the rice.
- Add the water to the skillet along with the chicken bouillon cube and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Once the liquid begins to simmer, reduce heat to low and cover with a lid to allow the rice to absorb the liquid.
- When the rice has absorbed all of the liquid, remove the lid and stir to fluff the rice. Add the shrimp back to the pan and top with the green onions.
- Optional, you can also top withe some fresh parsley as well for additional flavor and color.
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