Shrimp Creole with beans & rice for two
Bring the flavours of New Orleans right to your own kitchen with this easy shrimp recipe with red beans and rice that takes just 30 minutes to make.
Ingredients
- Creole seasoning (or skip if you purchase store-bought blend)
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) smoked paprika
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) chili powder
- 1 tsp (5 mL) each garlic and onion powder
- ½ tsp (2.5 mL) each dried thyme and oregano
- ½ tsp (2.5 mL) cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp (1 mL) black pepper
- ½ lb./227 g shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 12 large), thawed if frozen
- 3 tsp (15 mL) Creole seasoning (above or store-bought), divided
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) oil, divided
- 1 large onion, coarsely chopped, divided (about 1 ½ cups/375 mL)
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
- ⅓ cup (80 mL) rice
- ½ cup (125 mL) canned small red kidney beans, drained, rinsed
- 1 ¼ cups (310 mL) water, divided
- 3 bay leaves, divided
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) flour
- ¾ cup (175 mL) diced tomatoes (including juices)
- ¼ cup (60 mL) chopped parsley
Instructions
Mix Creole seasoning ingredients together in a small bowl. You will only need half for this recipe, but it can be stored in a small airtight container for your next use. If you have ready-to-use Creole seasoning mix, skip this step.
Toss shrimp with 1 tsp (5 mL) Creole seasoning and set aside.
Heat 1 Tbsp (15 mL) oil in a deep frying pan or medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 cup (250 mL) onion, garlic, celery and green pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 Tbsp (15 mL) oil in a small pot over medium heat. Add remaining ½ cup (125 mL) onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 to 5 minutes. Add rice and 1 tsp (5 mL) Creole seasoning and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Add kidney beans, ¾ cup (175 mL) water and a bay leaf. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover and continue to cook for 13 to 15 minutes.
After vegetables have cooked for 5 minutes, stir in apple cider vinegar and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in flour and remaining 1 tsp (5 mL) Creole seasoning. Add remaining 2 bay leaves, diced tomatoes and ½ cup (125 mL) water. Stir to combine. Once a low simmer is reached, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove cover from vegetable mixture and gently place shrimp in pan, nestling into tomato mixture. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until pink on one side; turn and cook on opposite side for another 2 minutes, until fully pink.
Remove bay leaves before serving. Serve cooked shrimp and sauce over beans and rice. Sprinkle with parsley just before serving.
Tips
- Lower glycemic load: The combination of beans and rice lowers the glycemic load of the carbohydrates in the rice, which will help lessen your post-meal blood sugar response.
- Substitution: If you prefer brown rice or quinoa, follow package cooking instructions for the amount of water and cooking time.
- Alternate: If you like a little heat, you can substitute the chopped green pepper for a poblano pepper or hot banana peppers.
| Amount | % Daily Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories 540 | |||
| Fat 18 g | 24 % | ||
| Saturated Fat 1.5 g + Trans Fat 0 g | 8 % | ||
| Cholesterol 230 mg | |||
| Sodium 600 mg | 26 % | ||
| Carbohydrate 56 g | |||
| Fibre 9 g | 32 % | ||
| Sugars 8 g | 8 % | ||
| Protein 41 g | |||