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.
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 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.
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 tbsp butter or olive oil
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 1 large green bell pepper chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 tsp GF creole seasoning
- 1/4 cup tapioca starch
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped
- 8 oz. clam juice
- 1.5 lbs 16-20 count shrimp peeled & deveined
- 1 tbsp GF Worcestershire sauce*
- 1 tbsp 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
