My cabbage jambalaya is one-pot Cajun comfort food deliciousness, y'all. First, Cajun trinity veggies, sliced sausage, and garlic brown down in the pot. Then, chopped cabbage, broth, Rotel, rice, and spices join the ingredient entourage, simmering down slowly for a bit. Finally, seasoned shrimp gets added at the finish, releasing all of their delectable juices into this scrumptious south Louisiana special dish that feeds a family of six. Yep and yay...
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It's a Little Sweet with Just a Bit of Heat, Y'all...
Cabbage jambalaya is a slight twist on traditional jambalaya. The chopped cruciferous vegetable is added to the basic recipe to elevate it with a slightly sweet element that plays perfectly off all of the layered savory flavors in the dish.
My version of cabbage jambalaya includes the beloved shrimp and sausage combination that's very near and dear to my heart, y'all. In my opinion, this is the very best meat choice for this recipe, as they both cook fast and flavor each bite of the easy recipe with true, authentic Cajun flavors.
Ingredient Essentials
- Cabbage is of course the star of this spin-on-jambalaya delight. One medium head should be perfect.
- Cajun trinity veggies and garlic are mandatory, y'all. They create the base of the dish and pull all of the other flavors together.
- Fresh shrimp and sausage are the essential meat components. I use beef or chicken sausage, but you'll likely want to use your own favorite brand.
- Rotel tomatoes with green chilies bring a feistiness to the dish that really takes it over the top. I use mild here to not overpower the other flavors.
- Long-grain rice is the best to use in this cabbage jambalaya. But, you can also use short-grain if that's all that you have on hand.
- The rest of the ingredients include typical Cajun spices, butter, and broth.
How to Make Cabbage Jambalaya
Start by seasoning the shrimp with the parsley flakes and dried paprika. Then, set the bowl aside.
Now, season the cabbage with salt, black pepper, and cayenne in a separate bowl. This softens the cabbage and pulls the seasonings throughout the entire dish, as well.
When the veggies are almost browned, add the sliced sausage to the pot. Then, cook for just a few minutes until browned, adding the garlic during the last minute of cook time.
Pour the remaining ingredients, except for the shrimp, into the pot. Stir well, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover the Dutch oven, and simmer for a bit.
Finally, stir the shrimp into the pot. Cover and continue cooking until the rice is tender.
And that's it, y'all!
Super easy and company-impressive, Cajun cabbage jambalaya is an incredible dish with lots of layered flavor tongue twists. The soft, sweet cabbage balances the pre-dominant savory flavors to perfection. And the succulent seasoned shrimp finish, y'all!! It brings the whole unforgettable experience waayyyy over the top.
With just enough rice to make each serving filling yet still a touch light, this dish is the perfect family dinner with leftovers that retain their composition through multiple days of refrigeration.
Share this amazing cabbage jambalaya with those that layer your life with love, laughter, and loyalty. And see y'all on the yum side...
Cabbage Jambalaya Storage
Store the leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. This recipe doesn't freeze well, as the rice gets too mushy.
Time-Saving Tip
Chop the Cajun trinity veggies, garlic, sausage, and cabbage the night before. Then, store each ingredient covered in a separate bowl overnight to shave many minutes off of your next-day prep time.
Related Recipes
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Cabbage Jambalaya
Ingredients
For the Seasoned Shrimp
- 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
For the Cabbage Jambalaya
- 1 medium-sized head cabbage,
cored and chopped - salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons butter or oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 ribs fresh celery, chopped
- 1 pound sausage, sliced into circles then in half (make sure gluten free)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup uncooked white rice
- 2 10-ounce cans Rotel tomatoes with green chilies, undrained (I used mild).
- 2 cups chicken broth (make sure gluten free)
- salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
Instructions
- Season the shrimp with the parsley flakes and paprika. Set aside.
- Sprinkle the salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste over the raw chopped cabbage. Then toss to combine and set aside. (The salt helps the cabbage begin to break down, which helps it cook more evenly, while the two types of peppers inject flavor into the star of the show.)
- Brown the Cajun trinity of chopped onion, green bell pepper and celery in the butter or oil in a large Dutch oven or deep cast iron skillet set atop medium-high heat.
- When the veggies are almost browned, add the sausage pieces. Continue to cook, stirring often, for about 3 minutes, or until the sausage pieces are browned.
- Add the garlic to the pot, and cook for one additional minute, stirring constantly.
- Stir the cabbage, both Rotel cans, rice, and the GF chicken broth to the pot, then let come up to a boil, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Cover the pot, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring very occasionally.
- Stir the seasoned shrimp into the pot, and cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender, stirring often.
Notes
The information shown is an estimate provided by a third-party, online computer-generated nutrition calculator, not a registered dietitian or certified nutritionist. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods and individual portion sizes, along with other factors.
See our full nutrition disclaimer here.
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