This Saucy Creole Shrimp is next-level delicious. It's also gluten-free and Paleo friendly, and loaded with flavor. I usually serve it with a scoop of white rice and some green onions - but it's actually a perfect meal on it's own.
This tasty dish is inspired by traditional, long-cooked Southern flavors, but comes together in a snap. In fact, if you're a quick chopper, you could make this start to finish in 30-35 minutes.
About this Creole Shrimp recipe:
I found this recipe in Good Housekeeping, and tweaked it until it was not only gluten-free, but actually had the proper consistency. I ended up using tapioca starch, which gives a smooth texture and doesn't change the flavors.
A note: tapioca starch is also called tapioca flour. This is not the case with corn starch/flour or potato starch either.
Shrimp: what’s with the numbers?
When you pick up a package of frozen shrimp or spy some in the cold case, you’ll see numbers with a slash to mark the size: 16/20 or 21/25, and so on. These numbers represent the “shrimp count,” or how many shrimp that size it takes to make up one pound. When you buy 1 pound of 16/20 count shrimp, you can expect to get 16 to 20 shrimp. Larger shrimp will sometimes carry a count number that reads U/10 or similar. The “U” stands for “under” – meaning it takes less than 10 shrimp that size to make up a pound. I use 16/20 or 21/25 count shrimp in this recipe. If the shells are on (I used peeled & deveined) you may in an extra minute or two for cooking.
More shrimp recipes:
Love easy shrimp dishes? Try these Easy Roasted Shrimp With Sweet Peppers, Curry Roasted Shrimp, Chipotle-Espresso Roasted Shrimp, Roasted Shrimp with Lemon & Garlic recipes.
If it's flavors of the South you love, check out this Gluten-Free Louisiana Shrimp and Grits recipe from my good (and Southern-bred) friend James.
Saucy Creole Shrimp
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 1 large green bell pepper chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon GF creole seasoning
- ¼ cup tapioca starch
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped
- 8 oz. clam juice
- 1.5 lbs 16-20 count shrimp peeled & deveined
- 1 tablespoon GF Worcestershire sauce*
- 1 tablespoon Louisiana-style hot sauce plus more for serving
- 1.5 cooked white rice for serving
- 1 green onion diced for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Warm butter or olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepot. Add celery, green pepper, onion and Creole seasoning. Cook 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
- Sprinkle tapioca starch over vegetables, and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes or until the tomatoes are very soft. Scrape up all browned bits and stir in clam juice. Heat to simmering on high.
- Add shrimp, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until shrimp are just cooked, stirring occasionally. Serve over rice and top with hot sauce and green onion, if desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Photos by James Collier
Frequently Asked Questions about this Easy Creole Shrimp Recipe:
Creole sauce is made with tomatoes, the Cajun "Holy Trinity" (celery, bell peppers, and onions), Creole seasoning (usually made of garlic, salt, black pepper, white pepper, oregano, paprika and parsley) and stock: usually chicken or seafood stock. It often also contains fresh garlic, hot sauce, bay leaves, and more salt & pepper.
Creole seasoning is usually made of garlic, salt, black pepper, white pepper, oregano, paprika and parsley.
Creole seasoning and Cajon seasoning are different, with the Creole blends containing more herbs and Cajon seasoning containing more types of ground pepper and being spicier overall.
The "Holy Trinity" in Cajon and Creole cooking is made up of three ingredients: celery, bell peppers, and onions.
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