Jambalaya is a dish of  warm, hearty flavors and textures. Every Jambalaya recipe is a unique experience due to the numerous ways you can customize the spices and ingredients to make it your own favorite one-pot recipe.

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Prep time 15 mins | Cook time 35 min | Total time 50 min | Yield: 6 servings of 1 1/4 cups

Ingredients:

Instructions:

1. Choose which proteins you are adding and prepare them (see below for specific instructions for different types of proteins).
2. Wash onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and green onions. Chop onion, celery and bell pepper. Mince garlic. Slice green onion (both green and white parts) and set aside.
3. Add the vegetable oil to a large saucepan or pot over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot (add a piece of onion; if it sizzles, the oil is ready).
4. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic then cook for about 5 minutes, until they become translucent but not brown.
5. Add rice and all of the seasonings. Add broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the rice is tender, about 35 minutes. Fold in the scallions and serve.

Proteins prep:

• Tofu: Drain water, press between towels under something heavy for at least 30 minutes, and flavor with your favorite seasonings and spices. Bake on a baking sheet at 375° for 40 minutes, flipping halfway through. Add tofu after step 4.
• Beans: Drain and rinse beans, and add after step 4.
• Sausages (pork, turkey, chicken, or vegetarian): After step 3, add in the sausages, cooking for 5-6 minutes, making sure to get a nice color – then continue to the next step.
• Bacon: After step 3, add chopped bacon and cook for 5-6 minutes, until lightly browned and the fat is rendered out. Then continue to the next step.
• Chicken: After step 3, add chicken thighs and cook for another 5-6 minutes.

Did you know?

What’s the difference between Creole and Cajun seasoning?

• Creole seasoning is a spice blend widely used in Creole cuisine, a style of cooking originating in Louisiana which blends West African, French, Spanish, and Native American influences, as well as influences from the general cuisine of the Southern United States.
• Cajun seasoning focuses primarily on a variety of ground peppers (white, black, and red). It focuses on browning the meats and proteins first, and then adding the rest of the ingredients.
• Creole seasoning commonly contains those as well but also features herbs like thyme, basil, and oregano. Creole Jambalaya typically has tomatoes.
• *If you do not have Creole seasoning for this recipe, you can substitute in a combination of other spices you might have: garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, smoked paprika, dried thyme, dried oregano, dried basil, cayenne pepper, pepper.

This recipe is adapted to be lower cost than a more traditional Jambalaya. Check out Cajun Jambalaya from Brittany Conerly from Beyond the Bayou if you want to try out the more traditional recipe we adapted ours from!

We demonstrate how to make Jambalaya in this Cooking Matters at Home virtual class video. Try it yourself and tell us about it in the comments!