Louisiana-Style Shrimp Creole

This highly-rated shrimp Creole recipe is bursting with authentic Louisiana flavors.

What Is Shrimp Creole?

Shrimp Creole is a classic Louisiana dish made with shrimp simmered in a rich tomato sauce. It begins with the Cajun Holy Trinity—diced onions, celery, and bell peppers sautéed in butter. Typically, it is served over a bed of rice.

Shrimp Creole Ingredients List

Here are the ingredients you'll need to prepare this delicious shrimp Creole dish:

• Butter: Cook the chopped vegetables cooked in three tablespoons of butter. 
• Fresh vegetables: This recipe starts with the Cajun Holy Trinity (diced onions, celery, and bell peppers) cooked in butter. 
• Seasonings: The shrimp Creole is flavored with fresh garlic, Cajun seasoning, chile powder, and fresh thyme (for garnish). 
• Cornstarch: Thicken the sauce with two tablespoons of cornstarch. 
• Canned tomatoes: You’ll need one can of stewed tomatoes and one can of tomato sauce. 
• Sauces: From the sauce aisle, you’ll need Worcestershire sauce and hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco). 
• Shrimp: A pound of (peeled and deveined) medium shrimp will make about five servings of shrimp Creole. 
• Lemon juice: Add brightness with an (optional) tablespoon of lemon juice. 

How to Prepare Shrimp Creole

Below is the complete, step-by-step guide for making shrimp Creole — here’s a quick preview of what you can expect during the cooking process:

1. Sauté the vegetables in butter.
2. Mix in the cornstarch, canned tomatoes, water, spices, and additional water.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often.
4. Add the remaining ingredients and cook until the shrimp turns pink and opaque.

What to Pair with Shrimp Creole

Serve your shrimp Creole over a bed of rice for a hearty meal. For more serving ideas, explore our collection of Best Cajun Side Dishes. Here are a few tasty suggestions to try:

• Fried Okra 
• Cajun Corn and Bacon Maque Choux 
• Mom's Cajun Hush Puppies 

Dinogo Community Tips and Feedback

“I prepared this dish for my husband and he absolutely loved it,” says Victoria Rueda-Sievers. “I didn’t have cornstarch, so I used flour and mixed it in with the veggies instead.”

“Amazing recipe, tasted fantastic the first time I tried it,” says Naomi Foote. “It was really simple to make too. It might even taste great with some cooked andouille sausage mixed in at the end.”

“I really enjoyed this recipe,” shares Jcwalke1. “I added green onions and bay leaves. I’ll definitely be making this again.”

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams

Ingredients List

• 3 tablespoons butter

• ½ cup finely diced onion

• ½ cup chopped green bell pepper

• ½ cup chopped celery

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes

• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

• 1 cup water

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco, to taste

• 1 pound medium shrimp - peeled and deveined

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (Optional)

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (Optional)

Instructions

Prepare all the ingredients.

Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, green bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Cook and stir until the onion softens and the bell pepper becomes tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in the cornstarch, followed by the stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, Cajun seasoning, and hot pepper sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often.

Add shrimp, lemon juice, and fresh thyme to the pot. Cook until the shrimp turn bright pink and the flesh becomes opaque, about 5 minutes.

Kitchen Tips

This recipe was tested in our kitchen in August 2023, and we've updated it to include 1 cup of water and 2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning.

Nutritional Information (per serving)