Especially during the cold months, I love cooking jambalaya, a classic Louisiana Creole dish made with rice and spices.
I enjoy it so much mainly because it’s an easy one-pot meal that tastes special and unique, with lots of rich and bold flavors.
In other words, this healthy jambalaya is a delicious, complete meal without lots of dishes to wash later – that’s a win-win recipe in my mind!
The version of jambalaya that I’ve been cooking these days is sort of an update or “healthy makeover” to the classic dish, which is often filled with several meats such as Andouille sausage.
To make my jambalaya healthy, I use shrimp and white beans instead.
These two ingredients are perfect, scrumptious complements to the rich spices and tomato-based sauce in this dish.
I also bulk up the dish with plenty of fresh produce, like celery, bell pepper, onion, and garlic.
Also, instead of rice, I use farro.
Farro is a grain that is very similar to rice, but it cooks faster and contains lots of healthy fiber and filling protein.
I also love the taste of farro – it has a chewy, nutty flavor that holds up really well in a one-pot meal like this one.
To make this dish rich in flavor, I begin by sautéing the classic Creole trinity of onion, celery, and green bell pepper.
Then I add the farro…
…along with some chopped tomatoes and organic vegetable broth.
I also add a special blend of spices (the spices are the key to unique and bold Creole flavor of this dish).
The spice blend includes bay leaves, chili powder, and smoked paprika.
Smoked paprika adds such a rich, savory flavor to the final dish!
When the veggies and farro have simmered away and are tender, add some cannellini beans and plenty of wild-caught shrimp.
(I use frozen uncooked shrimp that has been peeled and deveined to save lots of time and work – just toss the shrimp into the pot and it cooks in about 5 minutes!).
And the dish is ready to serve!
This healthy jambalaya recipe is savory, smoky, and richly flavored, with a hint of spiciness.
And the fresh veggies and spices simmered in tomato broth are so delicious with the white beans and shrimp (and so packed with nutrition too)!
It’s a complete, richly flavorful, healthy meal, all in one pot!
Here’s the recipe for Healthy One Pot Jambalaya: Shrimp & White Bean:
PrintHealthy One Pot Jambalaya: Shrimp and White Bean
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Fish & Seafood
- Cuisine: Spanish Influenced
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced (about 4 small celery stalks)
- 1/3 cup onion, diced (about 1/3 small onion)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 cup farro
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 15 ounces chopped tomatoes (diced tomatoes)
- 3 cups organic vegetable broth
- 15 ounces white beans, drained and rinsed
- 20 wild caught frozen uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
- Sea salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the bay leaves, bell pepper, and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
- Add the farro, smoked paprika, chili powder, chopped tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Stir until well combined.
- Cover and bring to a boil. When broth begins to boil, reduce to a light simmer. Cover and cook, stirring frequently.
- When most of the broth is absorbed and the farro is nearly tender, after about 15 minutes, add the white beans and shrimp. Season thoroughly with salt and pepper.
- Stir until well combined and cook until shrimp are pink and opaque and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with chopped parsley, and serve.
For More Related Recipes You Might Love, Check Out:
Winter Squash Farro Salad with Crispy Kale
Vegetable and White Bean Soup with Pesto
One pot and a scrumptious meal, delicious recipe 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
One of my go-to meals! So hearty and so good 🙂