Healthy Jambalaya Recipe | The Gracious Pantry (2024)

FAQs

What is the best rice to use for jambalaya? ›

Jambalaya is traditionally made with the long-grain rice grown in Louisiana – more glutinous short-grain varieties would turn to mush in the pan. Delia Smith, and others, recommend basmati, but I find the slim grains too delicate, and the aromatic flavour gets lost.

It's loaded with protein, veggies and complex carbs for a balanced dinner. This recipe makes a lot so you can enjoy leftovers for lunch throughout the week. It's gluten free and dairy free! This healthy jambalaya is infused with bold Cajun flavor with minimal effort.

Another signature of great jambalaya is the rice. There's a science to making sure it's just the right consistency: perfectly fluffy, not too wet, and not at all crispy.

That's also the biggest reason not to be intimidated; if you can cook rice, you can cook jambalaya. Whether you just toss it in an electric cooker with a 2:1 water ratio, or gussy it up in on a stove top, jambalaya is just rice. Cooked with meat, sausage and seasonings.

Whereas the seasoning combination of onion, celery, bell pepper, cayenne pepper and thyme give jambalaya its Creole/Cajun flavors, paella has a Mediterranean flavor profile owing to lemon, paprika, saffron and olives.

Two main categories of jambalaya exist: Creole (or red) jambalaya, which is associated with the city of New Orleans and contains tomato, and Cajun (or brown) jambalaya, which contains no tomato and is more common in other parts of Louisiana.

There are two types of jambalaya: Cajun and Creole. Cajun jambalaya originates from the bayous of Louisiana, featuring andouille sausage and various veggies. Creole jambalaya incorporates tomatoes and shrimp, using influences from Spain, France, and African locals.

Creole cooks traditionally make a 'red jambalaya' using tomatoes, whereas Cajun cooks do not. Another difference is the order in which the ingredients are prepared.

A flavorful dish and a fundamental part of New Orleans cuisine. Jambalaya is both a culinary staple and a storied dish in New Orleans. The dish has been a part of New Orleans cuisine since Colonial Spanish settlers tried reconstructing their native paella from locally-sourced ingredients.

One of the biggest complaints when making jambalaya is that the rice ends up mushy. And there's two main culprits of this – choosing the wrong type of rice and over-stirring. For this recipe, you want long-grain white rice, like basmati or jasmine. Don't use short-grain rice.

What goes with jambalaya for dinner? ›

Pour broth and tomatoes into the pot; bring to a boil, add the rice, and stir. Return mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot, and simmer mixture until for 5 minutes. Remove cover, stir, and continue to simmer until the rice has absorbed the liquid and is tender, about 5 minutes more.

Sauté the onion, bell pepper, celery, jalapeño and garlic until soft. Add rice, liquids and seasonings. Add in the uncooked rice, chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, Cajun/Creole seasoning, thyme, cayenne and bay leaf.

Problem: Complicated to make, jambalaya is usually overcooked and underseasoned. The dish is an unappealing mixture of rubbery shrimp, dry chicken, and gummy rice bound in a thin, watery tomato base. Goal: We wanted fluffy rice with perfectly cooked and seasoned chicken, shrimp, and sausage.

Then cover with the lid and cook on low heat for 30 minutes. Once the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and stir the pot; then put the cover with the lid and let the jambalaya sit for 10 minutes so the rice can get as tender as possible. You now have a pot of jambalaya ready to eat. Invite Some Friends and Enjoy!

Both jasmine and basmati rice have a more pronounced aroma and taste than standard white rice. Choose jasmine rice when you want a fluffy, creamy dish. Try basmati in a pilaf, salad, or grain bowl where you want the texture of the individual rice grains to shine through.

➡️ Why is my Jambalaya rice crunchy? Not using enough liquid causes crunchy rice or cooking it over too high of heat. Remember to use the correct ratio of rice to liquid, as stated in the recipe. Also, be sure to bring the liquid just to a boil, cover the pan, then reduce the heat to low.

This quick version of Red Beans and Rice is made using fresh vegetables, pinto beans, Cajun seasoning, tomato sauce and Mahatma® Ready to Heat Garlic & Olive Oil Jasmine Rice – alternatively, use your preferred rice variety like Jasmine Rice Instant Pot or white rice.

The best choice is long-grain white rice. The individual grains are long and slender, and they contain a type of starch that is more apt to let the grains stay separate and fluffy as they cook. Other long-grain varieties work, too.