Shrimp Étouffée

Shrimp étouffée! This classic Louisiana stew is made with shrimp, the Holy Trinity of onion, celery, and green pepper, and a simple roux to thicken it up. Serve it over rice for a true Cajun meal!

By
Hank Shaw
Hank Shaw
Hank Shaw
Hank has authored five cookbooks, the latest in 2021. His website Hunter Angler Gardener Cook won Best Food Blog by the James Beard Foundation in 2013.
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Updated November 02, 2022
Hank Shaw
Shrimp Etouffee

Elise Bauer

Even though I grew up in New Jersey and my mother is from New England, I still think Louisiana has the best food in America.

Every time I cook Cajun or Creole I'm in awe of the balance and strength in the cooking there; it's one of the few places in the United States with a long-standing cuisine all its own.

This dish, étouffée, is one of that cuisine's crown jewels.

how to make etouffee with shrimp

Elise Bauer

What Is Étouffée?

Étouffée basically means "smothered," and it is a common cooking technique in the South; a fricassee is the same deal. You make a flavorful sauce and cook a meat or fish in it, not so long as a braise or stew, and not so short as a sauté.

Shrimp étouffée brings together all of the hallmarks of Louisiana cooking: Seafood (help our own shrimpers by making sure you use Gulf shrimp for your etouffee), a flour-and-oil roux, the "Holy Trinity" of onion, celery and green pepper, traditional Cajun seasoning and hot sauce.

Shrimp Etouffee

Elise Bauer

The Étouffée Dispute

Debates rage over whether étouffée ought to have a roux in it, whether you can use more than one seafood (wouldn't that be a gumbo, then?), and whether to use tomato or not. We went with a roux, one seafood, Tabasco, and no tomato. You can alter this recipe to suit your own preferences.

You'll note the long prep time in this recipe—that is mostly for peeling the shrimp shells for the stock and then for simmering that stock. If you use canned or pre-made stock, your prep time will go down to about 20 minutes.

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Watch How To Make Tasty Shrimp Étouffée

Shrimp Étouffée

Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 35 mins
Optional Homemade Stock 45 mins
Total Time 100 mins
Servings 4 to 6 servings

You can use shrimp, crawfish, or crab for this recipe interchangeably.

Ingredients

For the optional shrimp stock

  • Shells from 2 pounds of shrimp

  • 1/2 large onion, chopped

  • Top and bottom from 1 green pepper

  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped

  • 1 celery rib, chopped

  • 5 bay leaves

For the étouffée

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil or lard

  • 1/4 heaping cup flour

  • 1 large rib celery, chopped

  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped

  • 1 to 2 jalapeño peppers, chopped

  • 1/2 large onion, chopped

  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped

  • 1 pint shrimp stock, clam juice, or fish stock

  • 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

  • 1/2 teaspoon celery seed

  • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika

  • Salt

  • 2 pounds shrimp, peeled (save the shells for shrimp stock)

  • 3 green onions, chopped

  • Hot sauce, such as Crystal or Tabasco, to taste

Method

  1. Make the optional shrimp stock:

    If you don't already have prepared stock, pour 2 quarts of water into a pot and add all the shrimp stock ingredients. Bring to a boil, drop the heat down and simmer the stock gently for 45 minutes. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve into another pot set over low heat.

    You will only need about 2 cups of stock for this recipe. Use the leftover stock for soup, risotto, etc. It will last in the fridge for a week or frozen for up to three months.

  2. Make the roux:

    Heat the vegetable oil or lard in a heavy pot over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the flour, making sure there are no clumps. Let this cook, stirring often, until it turns a very brown, about 10 minutes or so.

    making the roux for shrimp etouffee

    Elise Bauer
  3. Add the vegetables:

    Add the celery, green pepper, jalapeño and onion, mix well and cook over medium heat for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes.

    cooking vegetables for etouffe recipe

    Elise Bauer
  4. Slowly add the shrimp stock, then the seasonings and the shrimp:

    Measure out 2 cups of the shrimp stock and slowly add it a little at a time, stirring constantly so it incorporates. The roux will absorb the stock and seize up at first, then it will loosen. Add additional stock as needed to make a sauce about the thickness of syrup.

    adding shrimp stock to etouffee

    Elise Bauer
    cooking shrimp stock for etouffee

    Elise Bauer

    Add the Cajun seasoning, celery seed and paprika and mix well. Add salt to taste, then mix in the shrimp. Cover the pot, turn the heat to its lowest setting and cook for 10 minutes.

    cajun shrimp added to etouffee pot

    Elise Bauer
  5. Finish and serve:

    Add the green onions and hot sauce to taste. Serve over white rice with a cold beer or lemonade.

    making shrimp etouffee in pot

    Elise Bauer
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
317 Calories
13g Fat
12g Carbs
38g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 317
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 16%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 320mg 107%
Sodium 2200mg 96%
Total Carbohydrate 12g 4%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 38g
Vitamin C 33mg 166%
Calcium 170mg 13%
Iron 2mg 8%
Potassium 535mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.