Spicy Jambalaya Soup is a take on the classic Jambalaya, an American Cajun and Creole dish of rice. This hearty soup is loaded with the goodness of all the Jambalaya flavors but instead of being served on a bed of rice, it is served in a bowl.
Learn to make this soup in an instant pot, pot over the stovetop, or in a slow cooker using my easy recipe.
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About Jambalaya Soup
Jambalaya Soup is nothing but all the flavors of Jambalaya (A classic American Cajun and Creole dish of rice) in a bowl that you can slurp instead of eating.
It is vibrant in color and super flavorful with a spicy kick from jalapeno and cajun seasoning.
This hearty comforting one-pot meal is super easy to make and a large batch comes together in just 40 minutes using simple ingredients. You can make it in an instant pot or in a pot over the stovetop.
It can be cooked slowly in a slow cooker as well. I am sharing the recipe in the post below, so have a look.
Make a big pot of this spicy Jambalaya soup recipe for your whole family this winter for a wholesome and filling meal.
Here are some more soup recipes that you may like
- Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup
- Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Chinese Hot and Sour Soup
- Pumpkin Curry Soup
- Instant Pot Taco Soup
- Tomato Basil Soup
- Cuban Chicken Soup
- Chicken Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
Chicken Breast & Shrimp – Use boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces and medium raw shrimp (fresh or frozen).
These two sources of protein are added to this hearty soup to make it filling and nutritious.
You can replace raw chicken pieces with leftover rotisserie chicken.
You can also add other seafood like oysters, crayfish, etc to this recipe or totally skip adding any seafood if you are allergic to them or they are not your thing.
Sausage – Traditionally Andouille sausages are used to make Jambalaya soup as they give a very distinct smoky taste and texture to this soup. Andouille sausage is made of pork but I am not a major pork person so I used chicken sausages instead. You can use any spicy and smoky sausage you like.
Vegetables – Onions, green bell peppers, and celery makes the base of Cajun and Creole cooking (also called Holy Trinity) and this soup is no exception.
I like to add jalapeño for a spicy kick jalapeno.
You can add more veggies of your choice to make it even more filling. Some options are mushrooms, zucchini, sweet potatoes, water chestnuts, etc.
Crushed tomatoes make the base of this soup and also make it tangy. I used canned crushed tomatoes but you can also use fresh tomatoes. Just pulse them in a blender a few times.
White Rice – White rice makes the soup thicker and more wholesome. To make it healthier, you can replace white rice with brown rice.
Use cauliflower rice in place of white or brown rice to make it low-carb.
Cajun Seasoning – It adds smoky, garlicky, and peppery flavors to the soup. Make cajun seasoning at home using my easy cajun spice mix recipe or buy a packet.
You can replace cajun seasoning with creole seasoning too.
Chicken Broth – Use a carton of homemade chicken broth.
All-Purpose Flour – Flour is used to thicken the soup. If you do not want the thick consistency, you can skip adding it. Skipping the flour will also make this soup gluten-free.
Other Ingredients – Apart from the above-mentioned ingredients, you will also need garlic, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper powder.
Top this soup with crispy bacon and parsley to make it even more indulgent.
How To Make Jambalaya Soup
Preparation
Cut 1 pound (500 g) of boneless skinless chicken breast into ½-inch pieces.
Slice 12-ounce (350 g) chicken sausages (or andouille sausages) thinly (approx ¼ inch thick).
Peel and chop 5-6 garlic cloves, core, deseed and dice one small green bell pepper, chop 2 ribs of celery, remove the seeds of one jalapeno pepper and chop it finely.
Peel, devein, and clean 1 pound (500 g) shrimp. If using frozen shrimp, then thaw them.
Gather the remaining ingredients.
Make The Soup
In A Pot Over Stovetop
Heat 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large pot or a Dutch oven over high heat.
Add 1 pound (500 g) boneless skinless chicken breast (cut into ½ inch pieces) and 12 ounces (350 g) chicken sausages (cut into thin slices) and saute for 3-4 minutes.
Tip – Don’t skip browning the meats, it adds a lot of flavor.
Add 1 small red onion (peeled and diced) and 2 teaspoons chopped garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir a few times.
Now add 1 small green pepper (cored, seeded, and diced), 2 ribs of celery (chopped), and 1 Jalapeno pepper (seeded and finely chopped), and saute for another minute.
Add
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 28 ounces (800 g) crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup rinsed uncooked white rice
- 3 teaspoons cajun seasoning
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
and mix well.
Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid.
Cook for 20-25 minutes until the rice is well cooked. Stir a few times during cooking to avoid scorching at the bottom of the pot.
Remove the lid and stir in 1 pound (500 g) shrimp (peeled and deveined). Cook for 5 minutes.
Check for the salt and add more if required.
Transfer the soup to serving bowls. Garnish with chopped green onions, cilantro, or parsley, and serve hot.
In An Instant Pot
To make this soup in an electric pressure cooker, press SAUTE button.
Now follow the steps until adding rice and broth to the pot.
Secure the lid of the pot and press PRESSURE COOK. Set the timer to 6 minutes at high pressure.
Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Then release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid.
Press SAUTE button once again and add the shrimp. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Garnish and serve.
In A Slow Cooker
This soup can be easily made in a slow cooker( crockpot). Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker except rice and shrimp.
Mix everything well, cover, and cook on low for about 4 hours.
After 4 hours, add in the rice, mix well, cover, and cook on low for another 2 hours, until the rice is cooked.
Once done, stir in the shrimp and cook on low for 20 minutes. Slow cooker jambalaya soup is ready. Serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make this soup keto, replace white rice with cauliflower rice. Also, skip adding the flour or replace it with 1 teaspoon xanthan gum.
Yes, you can. Skip adding chicken breast, chicken sausages, and shrimp. Replace chicken stock with veg stock and add additional veggies like mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, etc.
Pro Tips By Neha
If you’re unsure of the spice level you prefer, start with the lower end called for and add in more after cooking and tasting.
Add some hot sauce or red pepper flakes if you like the soup spicier. You can also increase the quantity of jalapenos for a spicier soup.
This recipe is based on the Creole jambalaya. Make it Cajun style by omitting the tomatoes.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this delicious and rich soup along with a light salad. It also tastes great with homemade bread or grilled corn on the side.
I love to serve cheddar biscuits or other crackers to munch on while sipping the soup.
Storage Suggestions
Store it in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
This soup freezes well. You can store it in an air-tight container and freeze it for about a month. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat it before serving.
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Recipe Card
Best Spicy Jambalaya Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast (500 g, cut into ½ inch pieces)
- 12 ounce chicken sausages (350 g, cut into ¼ inch slices, you can use any sausage that you like. Andouille sausage is a great option too)
- 1 small red onion (peeled and diced)
- 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
- 1 small green bell pepper (cored, seeded and diced)
- 2 ribs celery (chopped)
- 1 Jalapeno pepper (seeded and finely chopped, reduce the amount for a less spicy soup)
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 28 ounce crushed tomatoes (800 g)
- ½ cup uncooked white rice (rinsed)
- 3 teaspoons cajun seasoning (reduce the amount for a less spicy soup)
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 1 pound shrimp (500 g, peeled and devined)
- 1 teaspoon salt (or as per taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder (or as per taste)
Instructions
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over high heat.
- Add chicken breast and sausages and saute for 3-4 minutes.
- Add onion and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir a few times.
- Now add bell pepper, celery, Jalapeno pepper and saute for another minute.
- Add chicken stock, all-purpose flour, tomatoes, rice, cajun seasoning, bay leaves, salt, and pepper, and mix well.
- Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid. Cook for 20-25 minutes until the rice is well cooked. Stir a few times during cooking.
- Remove the lid and stir in the shrimp. Cook for 5 minutes. Check for the salt and add more if required.
- Transfer the soup to serving bowls. Garnish with chopped green onions, cilantro, or parsley, and serve hot.
Notes
Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker except rice and shrimp. Mix everything well, cover, and cook on low for about 4 hours.
After 4 hours, add in the rice, mix well, cover, and cook on low for another 2 hours, until the rice is cooked. Once done, stir in the shrimp and cook on low for 20 minutes. Serve hot. Instant Pot Recipe – To make this soup in an electric pressure cooker, Press SAUTE. Now follow the steps until adding rice and broth t the pot. Secure the lid of the pot and press PRESSURE COOK. Set the timer to 6 minutes. Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release manually for 10 minutes. then release the remaining pressure and open the lid. Press SAUTE once again and add the shrimp. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Garnish and serve.
DENISE BETHUREM
Great!!! Fast and incredible flavor!!!
Neha Mathur
Happy to hear 🙂