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Succulent shrimp and spicy Creole flavors come together in this delicious Shrimp Creole recipe. It’s a healthy meal that makes your tastebuds sing!
When you want an easy, healthy meal that’s packed with flavor, look no further than Shrimp Creole. So much goodness in this classic Louisiana dish! And with a few small tweaks, it becomes a healthy low carb dinner.
Just like my Keto Jambalaya, this recipe derives inspiration from all the fabulous seasonings and flavors of the original. It stays true to the spirit of the dish, while keeping the carbs in check. And you won’t notice the difference.
If you love dinners that set your tastebuds dancing, you’ve got to try it!
Why this dish is so delicious
Ever heard of Cajun holy trinity? It’s a similar idea to mirepoix in French cooking, where the base of many dishes start with a sauté of onions, carrots, and celery. Except in Cajun cooking, the carrots are replaced with bell peppers.
Which benefits those of us on a low carb diet, since peppers are far lower in carbs than carrots. And I would have used the classic green pepper, but my local grocery store was completely out. So I used a red pepper instead.
Then the stew is simmered with tomatoes, garlic, and bay leaves for more flavor. Shrimp tossed with Cajun seasoning and a little hot sauce gets added at the very end. The shrimp ends up succulent and tender, in a rich Creole sauce.
Oh boy, is it ever good served over a little cauliflower rice. And with only 6.2g net carbs per serving, you can dig in with gusto!
Ingredients you need
- Shrimp: Make sure your shrimp peeled and deveined first before cooking. I recommend removing the tails as well, as it makes eating the dish much easier.
- Extra virgin olive oil: You can also use avocado oil or butter.
- Celery: If you have celery leaves, dice them up and include them for additional flavor.
- Red pepper: You can also use green pepper.
- Onion: This recipe keeps the onions to a minimum because they contain quite a few carbs.
- Diced tomatoes: I used a 14.5 ounce can of tomatoes, but you can also dice your own. Remember to remove the seeds and extra liquids from the “pockets” of the tomatoes. You will need about 1 ¾ cups.
- Cajun seasoning: We love the Slap Ya Mama brand.
- Hot sauce: Tabasco is a good Louisiana hot sauce choice, but you can also use other brands. You can scale back on this if you don’t like a lot of heat.
- Pantry staples: Tomato paste, bay leaves, and garlic.
Step-by-step directions
1. Season the shrimp: Remove the tails from the shrimp, if desired. Place in a bowl and add the Cajun seasoning and hot sauce. Toss to combine and set aside.
2. Sauté the veggies: In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the celery, pepper, and onion. Sauté until tender, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute more.
3. Bring to a simmer: Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and cook about 20 minutes.
4. Stir in the shrimp: Add the shrimp to the pot and stir to combine. Cook another 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the shrimp are pink and cooked through.
5. Season to taste: Remove the bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Expert tips
Cajun seasoning typically has a lot of salt, so I’ve added no additional salt to this salt Creole Shrimp recipe. Once it has finished cooking, taste it and see what you think if it needs a bit more.
You can use frozen shrimp for this recipe but you want to make sure it’s fully thawed before adding it to the stew.
Don’t forget to take the bay leaves out of the Shrimp Creole at the end of cooking! They aren’t edible but they do add great flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Shrimp Creole is a flavor-packed tomato stew that’s packed with succulent shrimp. It has a spicy kick from Cajun seasoning and a dash of Louisiana hot sauce. But you can tailor the heat to your tastes!
This low carb shrimp creole recipe has 8g of carbs and 1.8g of fiber per serving. That comes to 6.2g net carbs per serving.
Store leftover shrimp creole in an air tight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. When you reheat the shrimp, use a low temperature in the microwave or stove to avoid the rubbery texture shrimp can get when overcooked.
Low Carb Shrimp Creole Recipe
Succulent shrimp and spicy Creole flavors come together in this delicious Shrimp Creole recipe. It’s a healthy meal that makes your tastebuds sing!
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Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 227kcal
Ingredients
- 2 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped celery (2 to 3 ribs)
- 1 medium red pepper, chopped
- ⅓ cup chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 14.5 ounce diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- ⅔ cup water
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
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Remove the tails from the shrimp, if desired. Place in a bowl and add the Cajun seasoning and hot sauce. Toss to combine and set aside.
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In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the celery, pepper, and onion. Sauté until tender, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute more.
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Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and cook about 20 minutes.
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Add the shrimp to the pot and stir to combine. Cook another 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the shrimp are pink and cooked through.
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Remove the bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Notes
Cajun seasoning typically has a lot of salt, so do not add salt to the Shrimp Creole until it is finished and you’ve tasted it.
Nutrition Facts
Low Carb Shrimp Creole Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 227
Calories from Fat 67
% Daily Value*
Fat 7.4g11%
Carbohydrates 8g3%
Fiber 1.8g7%
Protein 31.7g63%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
