Shrimp Etouffee
By Emily Carter ·
Published
Quick answer
Stir butter and flour into a blonde to peanut butter roux, cook down the holy trinity with garlic, tomato paste and Cajun seasoning, whisk in shrimp stock and simmer until thick and glossy, then fold in the shrimp and cook just until pink. Serve over fluffy white rice with parsley. About 45 minutes start to finish.
Shrimp Etouffee is the Louisiana classic that turns a handful of humble ingredients into a bowl worth slowing down for. It starts with a buttery blonde to peanut butter roux, builds with the holy trinity, garlic and Cajun seasoning, then simmers into a thick, glossy sauce that only needs plump shrimp folded in at the very end. Spoon it over fluffy white rice and finish with parsley, and dinner tastes like a Friday night in New Orleans.
Why you’ll love it
- True Louisiana flavor from a simple roux, the holy trinity and real shrimp stock.
- Plump, juicy shrimp in every bite, never rubbery, because they go in at the very end.
- A thick, glossy sauce that clings to rice, built in about 45 minutes start to finish.
- One skillet, pantry spices and honest ingredients, no shortcuts that taste like shortcuts.
- A guaranteed crowd pleaser that tastes like it simmered all afternoon.
Ingredient notes
Shrimp: large shrimp, about 21 to 25 count, stay plump and juicy in the hot sauce. Peel and devein them before you start, since they go in at the very end and cook in minutes. Fresh or thawed frozen shrimp both work well.
Butter and flour: equal parts butter and flour make the roux that carries the whole dish. Butter gives a richer flavor than oil here, and all purpose flour thickens the sauce to that classic glossy body.
The holy trinity: onion, green bell pepper and celery, diced fine, are the backbone of Louisiana cooking. They melt into the hot roux and build the savory base that makes etouffee taste like etouffee.
Shrimp stock: the ingredient that separates good etouffee from great etouffee. Shrimp stock brings a briny depth that chicken stock cannot match, and store bought shrimp or seafood stock works fine on a weeknight.
Cajun seasoning: the warm spice that seasons the whole pot. Blends vary a lot in salt and heat, so start with 2 teaspoons and taste at the end, adding more if the sauce needs a bolder kick.
Tomato paste: just 2 tablespoons, cooked with the vegetables until it darkens a shade. It deepens the color to that signature reddish brown and adds a quiet savory note without making the sauce taste like tomatoes.
The roux and the stock: the two things that make it work
Two things decide your etouffee, and both happen before the shrimp ever touch the pan. First, the roux. Stir butter and flour over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes until it reaches a blonde to peanut butter color, and do not walk away. That steady stirring is what builds the toasty flavor and the rich color, and a roux can go from perfect to burned fast. Second, the stock. Whisk it in slowly, a splash at a time, so the sauce turns silky instead of lumpy, and choose shrimp stock over chicken stock if you can. The shrimp stock gives the sauce a briny, coastal depth that reads as authentic Louisiana from the first bite. Get the roux right and the stock right, and the rest of the recipe is just simmering and timing.
Variations
- Crawfish etouffee: swap the shrimp for 1 lb of peeled crawfish tails and use seafood stock. Crawfish tails need even less time, so fold them in and heat through for 2 minutes.
- Extra spicy: add 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne with the Cajun seasoning and finish each bowl with hot sauce at the table. The heat builds without overwhelming the buttery base.
- Smoky sausage twist: brown 8 oz of sliced andouille in the skillet first, set it aside, then make the roux in the drippings. Stir the sausage back in with the stock for a heartier pot.
- Lighter weeknight version: use olive oil instead of butter for the roux and serve over cauliflower rice. The sauce stays rich and satisfying while the meal feels a little lighter.
What we learned testing it
- The peanut butter colored roux beat the darker roux in the side by side test. A chocolate colored roux tasted deeper but turned the sauce bitter at the edges, while the peanut butter roux gave the same rich color with a cleaner buttery flavor.
- Shrimp stock made a clear difference over chicken stock. The chicken stock version tasted fine but flat, while the shrimp stock version tasted like the coast, briny and full.
- Cooking the shrimp only 3 minutes kept them plump. The test batch that went 6 minutes turned tight and rubbery, so set a timer if you tend to wander.
Read how we test recipes.
Shrimp Etouffee
Makes About 6 cups (4 servings) · 55 min total · Easy
Ingredients
Equipment
Large heavy skillet or Dutch oven · Wooden spoon · Sharp knife and cutting board
Instructions
-
Make the roux
Melt the butter in a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth, then switch to a wooden spoon and stir constantly for 15 to 20 minutes. The roux will go from pale to blonde to a peanut butter color. Keep the heat at medium and never walk away, since a roux can go from perfect to burned in a minute. A blonde to peanut butter roux keeps the flavor buttery and the sauce a rich reddish brown.
-
Add the holy trinity and garlic
Stir the diced onion, bell pepper and celery right into the hot roux. The vegetables will sizzle and stop the roux from darkening further. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic, tomato paste and Cajun seasoning and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring so the tomato paste coats the vegetables and turns a shade darker.
-
Simmer the sauce and add the shrimp
Pour in the shrimp stock a little at a time, stirring well after each addition so no lumps form. Add the bay leaf and Worcestershire sauce, then bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce is thick, glossy and coats a spoon. Taste and season with salt, black pepper and a little more Cajun seasoning. Fold in the shrimp and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, just until they turn pink and curl. Do not overcook them or they turn rubbery.
-
Serve over fluffy rice
Remove the bay leaf. Spoon the hot etouffee over a dome of fluffy white rice in wide bowls. Finish with chopped parsley and sliced green onions, and serve right away while the sauce is at its glossiest.
Notes
- Stir the roux the whole time. A roux rewards patience and punishes distraction, so keep the spoon moving and the heat at medium.
- Add the stock slowly. Pouring it in all at once almost guarantees lumps, but adding it a splash at a time with steady stirring gives a silky sauce.
- The shrimp cook in minutes. Fold them in at the very end and pull the skillet off the heat the moment they turn pink and curl.
- Taste before you serve. Cajun seasoning blends vary in salt, so season at the end with salt, pepper and an extra pinch of seasoning if the sauce needs more kick.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition information is being calculated.
Substitutions
- Shrimp stock
- Use seafood stock or chicken stock instead. The sauce will still be good, but expect a milder flavor that tastes less of the sea.
- Cajun seasoning
- Use Creole seasoning or make your own with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, thyme and oregano. Taste and season again at the end, since blends vary.
- White rice
- Serve over brown rice or cauliflower rice instead. The sauce is rich enough to carry either one, though white rice is the classic pairing.
Storage and make-ahead
Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days. The sauce thickens in the fridge, so reheat gently in a skillet over medium low heat with a splash of stock or water, stirring until smooth. Store the rice separately so it does not soak up all the sauce. Freeze the sauce without rice for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently, adding the parsley fresh.
Frequently asked questions
What is shrimp etouffee?
Shrimp etouffee is a classic Louisiana stew, pronounced ay too fay, built on a buttery roux, the holy trinity of onion, bell pepper and celery, and shrimp stock, with plump shrimp folded in at the end. It is served over fluffy white rice and tastes rich, savory and gently spicy.
How dark should the roux be for shrimp etouffee?
Aim for blonde to peanut butter color, which takes 15 to 20 minutes of steady stirring over medium heat. That range gives the sauce its signature reddish brown color and toasty flavor without the bitterness a very dark roux can bring.
Can I use store bought shrimp stock?
Yes, store bought shrimp or seafood stock works fine and saves a lot of time. If you have shrimp shells, simmering them for 20 minutes in water with a bay leaf makes a quick homemade stock that tastes even better.
How do I keep the shrimp from getting rubbery?
Fold the shrimp in at the very end and cook them only 3 to 4 minutes, just until pink and curled. The sauce stays hot enough to finish them gently, and pulling the skillet off the heat at the right moment keeps them plump.
Is shrimp etouffee spicy?
It has a warm background heat from the Cajun seasoning, not a fiery burn. Start with 2 teaspoons, taste the finished sauce, and add more if you like it bolder. A dash of hot sauce at the table works too.
