Jambalaya Soup

Name: Jambalaya Soup Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast (cut into ½inch pieces); 12 ounce chicken sausages (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; 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 (peeled and devined); 1 teaspoon salt (or as per taste); ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder (or as per taste)

By Neha Mathur

5 from 6 votes

on Jan 05, 2022, Updated Sep 29, 2023

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Spicy Jambalaya Soup is a take on the classic Jambalaya, an American Cajun and Creole rice dish. 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, over the stovetop, or in a slow cooker using my easy recipe.

Here are some more soup recipes that you may like: Thai Pumpkin Curry Soup, Tomato Basil Soup, Cuban Chicken Soup, Tomato Plum Soup, and Chicken Sweet Potato Soup.

About Jambalaya Soup

Jambalaya Soup is all the flavors of Jambalaya (a classic American Cajun and Creole rice dish) in a bowl you can slurp instead of eating. I came across the recipe while watching one of the cooking channels and immediately knew I had to make it. And I am glad I did.

The soup 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. A large batch comes together in just 40 minutes using simple ingredients. After making it many times, I have devised recipes to make it in an instant pot and over the stovetop.

It can also be cooked slowly in a slow cooker. 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.

Ingredients

Chicken Breast and 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, such as oysters, crayfish, etc., to this recipe or totally skip adding any seafood if you are allergic to it or it is not your thing.

Sausage – Traditionally, Andouille sausages are used to make Jambalaya soup, giving it a distinct smoky taste and texture. 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 are the base of Cajun and Creole cooking (also called Holy Trinity); 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 instead of white or brown rice to make it low-carb.

Cajun Seasoning adds smoky, garlicky, and peppery flavors to the soup. You can make cajun seasoning at home using my easy Cajun Spice Mix 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 thickens the soup. If you do not want the thick consistency, skip adding it. Skipping the flour will also make this soup gluten-free.

Other Ingredients – In addition to the abovementioned 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 of boneless skinless chicken breast into ½-inch pieces.

Slice 12 oz chicken sausages (or andouille sausages) thinly (approx ¼ inch thick).

Peel and chop 5-6 garlic cloves, core, deseed, 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 boneless skinless chicken breast (cut into ½ inch pieces) and 12 oz 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 the following ingredients and saute for another minute.

1 small green pepper (cored, seeded, and diced)
2 ribs of celery (chopped)
1 Jalapeno pepper (seeded and finely chopped)

Bell pepper, celery and Jalapeno added to the pot.

Add the following ingredients and mix well.

4 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
28 ounces crushed tomatoes
½ cup rinsed uncooked white rice
3 teaspoons cajun seasoning
2 whole bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper powder

Chicken stock, flour, crushed tomatoes, white rice, cajun seasoning and bay leave added to the pot.

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 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 the SAUTE button.

Now follow the steps until rice and broth are added 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, manually release the remaining pressure and open the lid.

Press the 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 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

How to make KETO jambalaya soup?

To make this soup keto, replace white rice with cauliflower rice. Also, skip adding the flour or replace it with 1 teaspoon xanthan gum.

Can you make this soup vegetarian?

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.