Whole30 Jambalaya Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to a good jambalaya? ›

Another signature of great jambalaya is the rice. There's a science to making sure it's just the right consistency: perfectly fluffy, not too wet, and not at all crispy. I've found the key is to bring your liquid, whether it's water or stock, to a complete boil to create a healthy amount of steam.

One of the biggest complaints when making jambalaya is that the rice ends up mushy. And there's two main culprits of this – choosing the wrong type of rice and over-stirring. For this recipe, you want long-grain white rice, like basmati or jasmine. Don't use short-grain rice.

Flex the Holy Trinity

Traditional jambalaya relies on the holy trinity of onion, pepper, and celery—but skipping celery here allows the heat and roasty schmaltz flavor of the cayenne and chicken fat to come forward.

That's also the biggest reason not to be intimidated; if you can cook rice, you can cook jambalaya. Whether you just toss it in an electric cooker with a 2:1 water ratio, or gussy it up in on a stove top, jambalaya is just rice. Cooked with meat, sausage and seasonings.

The "holy trinity" in Cajun cuisine and Louisiana Creole cuisine is the base for several dishes in the regional cuisines of Louisiana and consists of onions, bell peppers and celery. The preparation of Cajun/Creole dishes such as crawfish étouffée, gumbo, and jambalaya all start from this base.

To make classic jambalaya, you will need: The Cajun/Creole “holy trinity”: Celery, onion and green bell pepper (although for some extra color, I've also used red and yellow bell peppers). Jalapeño and cayenne: For heat. Feel free to add more or less of either, depending on your heat preferences.

The one ingredient that seems to be fairly constant in all Jambalaya preparations though is some kind of sausage, and preferably a smoked one. Andouille, a spicy smoked sausage native to Louisiana, is the traditional choice.

Most jambalaya recipes don't call for thickeners like roux or okra, though some people use cornstarch as a thickener if the dish needs it.

Cajun vs.

Creole jambalaya, also known as red jambalaya, contains tomatoes. Cajun or brown jambalaya does not. Jambalaya isn't thickened with roux, although some cooks do include a little skillet-browned flour.

Two main categories of jambalaya exist: Creole (or red) jambalaya, which is associated with the city of New Orleans and contains tomato, and Cajun (or brown) jambalaya, which contains no tomato and is more common in other parts of Louisiana. The recipe I'm focusing on here is the former, with tomato.

Is jambalaya supposed to be thick or soupy? ›

Cajun jambalaya does not traditionally use any tomatoes, but both variations are real and authentic. Should jambalaya be thick or soupy? Jambalaya should come out like any other meat and rice dish that you'd make in a skillet or braiser. The rice should be moist, but there shouldn't be too much extra moisture.

White rice: Long grain is traditional, but short grain white rice also works. Okra: Fresh or frozen; we will use this to help thicken the jambalaya.

For tender grains of rice that easily separate, such as in a pilaf, use 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice. You can also use another liquid like stock in this 2:1 ratio. For slightly chewier, fluffy white rice, use 1 1/2 cups of water for every cup of rice, or a 1.5:1 ratio.

Creole Seasoning - brings a rustic flavor with a kick to the dish. The addition of oregano, thyme, and bay leaves are the perfect herbal complement to the tomatoes. Rice - any long-grain rice will work including jasmine and basmati. I like my jambalaya to be a little more liquidy so I add just 1-½ cups rice.

One of the primary differences in Cajun jambalaya as opposed to the Creole variant is the absence of tomatoes. Instead, it relies on a dark roux (which is a cooked mixture of flour and fat) to achieve a deep, smoky flavor. Country meats like andouille sausage, tasso ham, or game meats take center stage.

Popular Cajun seasonings like Tony Chachere's and Slap Ya Mama get heat from red pepper, with black pepper, salt, and garlic powder in the mix to enhance the flavor of food. Creole seasoning rounds out spicy red pepper with herbs like thyme, oregano, basil, and bay leaf.

Cajun jambalaya usually has a brown colour due to the meat dissolving in the broth. It also has a smokier flavour because of the meat being allowed to brown first.