Cajun Shrimp and Rice Recipe
Dinner doesn't get much easier or bolder than this Cajun shrimp and rice. Juicy shrimp cooked with bacon and a chunky tomato and vegetable sauce with Cajun spice. Served over rice and topped with crispy bacon bits all in about 30 minutes.
Servings: 2
Calories: 570kcal
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/4 lb bacon
- 1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
Cajun Seasoning:
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper to taste
Cajun Sauce:
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 bell pepper
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup chopped scallions
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 Tbsp honey
To Serve:
- 2 cups cooked rice
Instructions
- Tip: dice the bacon while it's still cold, it's much easier to cut when it's cold.Prep all the ingredients first: measure the seasoning and mix it. Set rice to cook in a salted water or half water and half broth (for more flavor). Cut bacon into small pieces, dice the vegetables, smash and mince the garlic, and measure the tomato sauce and broth.
- In a small bowl, add the shrimp and sprinkle about half the seasoning. Mix shrimp with seasoning to coat it well.
- Preheat a large cooking pan over medium heat and add a little oil. Add bacon pieces and let them cook, stirring from time to time, until all the fat is rendered. Once bacon bits are nicely browned, take them out but leave the bacon grease. Set bacon bit aside to top off the cooked dish at the end.
- Add the seasoned shrimp to the pan, spread them so they are not overlapping. Let them sear until they turn opaque and flip. Let them sear until opaque on the other side as well. (Shrimp take 1.5 - 2 minutes per side to cook, depending on size.) Take them out and set aside.
- Add diced onion and bell peppers. Let them cook for a few minutes until softened. Make a well in the center of the pan and add minced garlic. Let it cook until fragrant and mix it with the veggies.
- Add diced tomatoes and turn down the heat a little. Let the vegetables cook for a couple more minutes.
- Add tomato sauce, broth, honey and remaining spice mix, stir everything together and bring to simmer. Simmer, stirring often for about 5 minutes.
- Add back the shrimp and let it stew for just a couple of minutes. Take off heat.
- When serving, add rice to a bowl, top off with shrimp and vegetables, and add some bacon bits and scallions of top.
Notes
- Storing: store leftovers in the refrigerator, in an air-tight food storage container with a lid. It should be good for 2-3 days.
- Reheating: I don't usually recommend reheating seafood (especially shellfish) in the microwave because it's too easy to overheat and turn rubbery. It's best to reheat it in the pan, over medium to medium-low heat. Reheat it just until warmed through and if you wish, you can add a splash of broth to the sauce to thin it out a bit.
Nutrition
Calories: 570kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 2172mg | Potassium: 890mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 4576IU | Vitamin C: 104mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 3mg