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This healthy jambalaya recipe is a Whole30 and low carb version of an authentic Cajun dish. With sausage and shrimp, this paleo Creole recipe is even keto friendly, thanks to cauliflower rice! Surprisingly easy, too, and it comes together in a little less than an hour.
Ah, New Orleans. The atmosphere, the music, the FOOD. Truly, is there anything better than seriously authentic Cajun food around every corner? Well, only perhaps the fact that you can chase it all down with plenty of local beer and a couple of powdery beignets.
Or maybe that you can make it all home except way healthier, Whole30 compliant, and low carb (even keto!). The secret? An authentic jambalaya recipe with a quick substitution of cauliflower rice for white rice.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- The combination of Cajun ingredients, like sausage, shrimp, and Cajun “holy trinity” (onions, bell peppers, celery), make this healthy jambalaya taste super authentic.
- Cauliflower rice means this recipe is Whole30, paleo, low carb, and keto.
- It’s actually quite easy to make and comes together in less than an hour!
Recipe Variations
- Try crawfish instead of or in addition to the shrimp! SO GOOD!
- Use broccoli rice instead of cauliflower rice in this healthy jambalaya if you feel like it.
- Stir in a couple of (drained) cans of crab for some extra seafood jambalaya magic.
- Replace the shrimp or sausage with cooked chicken, preferably dark meat.
Chef’s Tips
- Make sure you simmer the mixture. If you don’t and the liquid doesn’t properly reduce, you’ll end up with a soupier dish than what a jambalaya should be.
- If you’re on a Whole30 round, stick to sausages like Aidell’s Chicken Apple Sausage or other Whole30 compliant varieties you find. Costco usually has a great selection!
- Use pre-riced cauliflower. I buy large frozen bags at Costco, which makes this recipe so easy.
Other Recipes You’ll Love
- Paleo Buffalo Chicken Casserole with Ranch (Whole30)
- Healthy Shrimp and Grits Recipe (Whole30, Paleo, Keto)
- Blackened Salmon
- Healthy Spanish Chicken and Rice Stew (Whole30, Low Carb, Keto)
- Blackened Shrimp with Remoulade Sauce
- Healthy Authentic Seafood Gumbo (Gluten Free, Whole30, Paleo, Low Carb)
- Keto Gumbo
- Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice
- Creamy Shrimp Risotto with Parmesan
Healthy Jambalaya (Whole30, Low Carb, Paleo)
This healthy jambalaya recipe is a Whole30 and low carb version of an authentic Cajun dish. With sausage and shrimp, this paleo Creole recipe is even keto friendly, thanks to cauliflower rice! Surprisingly easy, too, and it comes together in a little less than an hour.
Ingredients
- 1 pound sausage like Aidell’s chicken-apple sausage for Whole30, sliced
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red bell pepper deseeded and chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 green bell pepper deseeded and chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 stick celery thinly sliced
- ½ of one onion chopped
- 1 ½ – 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ – 1 ½ teaspoons salt use ½ teaspoon if your Cajun seasoning contains salt, up to 1 ½ teaspoons if it doesn't
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 2 14.5-ounce cans fire-roasted tomatoes 29 ounces total
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 5 cups frozen cauliflower rice
- 1 pound medium raw shrimp peeled
- green onions sliced, for garnish
- fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
- Louisiana hot sauce to serve, optional
Instructions
- In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat ½ tablespoon olive or avocado oil over medium heat. Add sliced sausage and cook until browned on both sides, stirring occasionally. Transfer sausage to a plate.
- Add 1 tablespoon oil. Add garlic, onion, bell pepper, and celery; sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes over medium heat.
- Add Cajun seasoning, starting with 1 ½ tablespoons, black pepper, salt, and optional cayenne pepper to pot; stir. Add tomatoes, chicken broth, and sausage to pot, and stir to mix.
- Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to low; simmer for 25-35 minutes or until thickened and liquid is reduced.
- Stir in shrimp and cauliflower rice. Cook on low, stirring regularly until rice is heated through and shrimp turn pink and no longer translucent. Don't overcook the shrimp.
- Ladle into bowls and top with sliced green onions and parsley. Serve with Louisiana hot sauce.
Video
Recipe yields approximately 8 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes. Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving out of 8. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by 8. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Serving Size: 1servingCalories: 310calProtein: 25gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 191mgSodium: 1512mgPotassium: 511mgTotal Carbs: 7gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gNet Carbs: 4gVitamin A: 2071IUVitamin C: 70mgCalcium: 121mgIron: 3mg
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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How can I incorporate a leftover hamhock into the recipe? Thank you.
Hi, Stephanie! Hamhock usually needs to be simmered for hours, so this recipe won’t take long enough to really make it worth adding the hamhock. You could try cooking the hamhock first, then adding it to the jambalaya when you add the broth, but we haven’t tested doing that so I don’t know how it would affect the final flavor of the dish. If you try it, let us know how it goes!
This came out fantastic! A massive hit at my house. I was afraid of the cauliflower rice, so I eyeballed what looked like enough (maybe 3.5-4 cups), but it works so well I wish I put it all in.
So glad it was a hit with the family! Thanks for sharing, Dan. 😊
How would this do without the tomatoes? I’m allergic to them. Should I sub something?
It can be done, but you’ll definitely lack a good bit of flavor. The tomatoes add liquid, too, so your jambalaya would be pretty thick – I’d increase the amount of broth you use to help combat that!
Which Dutch oven brand/size are you using?
Hi Rachael! Cheryl uses both Lodge and Amazon brand dutch ovens. I think the one used in these photos was a 6 quart size. Hope this helps!
Hey Cheryl! I plan on making this today and am very excited. When you add the cauliflower rice- is it still frozen or do you let it thaw?
Still frozen!
I don’t see when to cook the shrimp and when you add it to the pot. Am I missing something?
Hi, Laura! The shrimp is added in during step 5 of the recipe. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Yummy Recipe! I add extra spices and extra hot sauce, and celery. I want to try adding okra next time. Delish, especially when you’re on whole30!
Glad you enjoyed and were able to make it your own! Thanks so much for the review, Kaitlin!
I followed this recipe exactly and also added zucchini and it was SO GOOD.
I really doubted the cauliflower rice at first but followed through with adding it in and it really is delicious. 10/10 for me. My brother liked it too.
Love that! Adding zucchini sounds super yummy! Thanks for the review, Celena!
Is there any substitute for the roasted tomatoes? I completely forgot to buy them and also sometimes tomato-based sauces give me heartburn.
You could just used regular canned tomatoes or died tomatoes instead of roasted. That may help with the heartburn!
I used several proteins (smoked sausage, chicken, shrimp) and cubed zucchini. Incredibly delicious!
Yum! You really can add anything to jambalaya. Glad you enjoyed it!
Love this recipe! So tasty and nourishing. Do you know if it freezes well? I am starting to stock up my freezer for some postpartum meal prepping, and was curious!
It freezes beautifully! Definitely recommend stocking your freezer with it. 🙂
To freeze it, would I make it as instructed and then just put in crockpot frozen?
Yep! It will take longer as it will need to thaw, but the crockpot is a great way to reheat frozen leftovers.