Grilled Shrimp Jambalaya
On October 18, 2021 (Updated October 24, 2023)
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Grilled shrimp and southern flavors come together in this hearty Grilled Shrimp Jambalaya. Grab yourself a pot, because this dish is bringing the heat with the perfect mix of rice, sausage, shrimp, and veggies.
Shrimp Jambalaya
It’s hard to pass up a large bowl of shrimp jambalaya. This dish is a hearty, one-pot recipe that combines amazing Creole and Cajun flavors for a dish that tastes like it’s straight out of Louisiana.
This dish is heavy on the meat and flavor with andouille sausage and grilled shrimp taking center stage. Next up, we cook onion, bell pepper, and celery with jalapenos and garlic before adding big flavor with file, cayenne, and my Hey Grill Hey Fiesta Rub. If you do not have a bottle of this at home, you can make your own using my recipe for Homemade Fiesta Rub.
Grilled Jambalaya
You may ask yourself why we’re grilling this jambalaya instead of cooking it inside? Simple answer? I just love cooking things over a fire that would otherwise be cooked on a stovetop. The shrimp on the grill has such a great buttery char flavor that is complemented by the savory rice and mix of vegetables, I highly recommend trying it out.
The adjustments are simple ones to make, all you need to do is set up your grill for two-zone cooking. The flavors added by cooking on the grill are amazing, and the extra little crispy bits of char and flavor on the grilled shrimp make for the best overall texture in the jambalaya. So while cooking this jambalaya on the grill is not super traditional, the flavors are out of this world.
Grilled Shrimp Jambalaya Ingredients
Jambalaya requires quite a few ingredients, but rest assured, it’s relatively easy to make. Everything gets dumped in the same pot, and it’s ready in a little over an hour.
- 1 pound andouille sausage
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/2 cup white onion
- 1/4 cup of each green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and celery
- 2 jalapenos
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon file
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne
- 1 Tablespoon Hey Grill Hey Fiesta Rub
- 14 ounces short or medium grain rice
- 32 ounces chicken stock
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- salt and pepper
The shrimp in this recipe is seasoned with melted butter and Fiesta Rub prior to sticking it on the grill. I recommend 16/20 shrimp (also labeled as “extra jumbo” shrimp with approximately 16-20 shrimp per pound).
Variations for Grilled Shrimp Jambalaya
File is a very southern ingredient typically used in jambalaya. It is a spicy herb/seasoning made from the dehydrated leaves of the sassafrass tree. It adds flavor, but it also acts as a thickener in the jambalaya. If you can’t get your hands on file powder, you can substitute it for 1/4 cup of thinly sliced okra. If you miss the additional spiciness, you can increase the amount of cayenne powder in the rest of the recipe.
Speaking of cayenne powder, this jambalaya is pretty spicy as written. It’s not too crazy, but my kids definitely raised their eyebrows at the heat level. Todd and I thoroughly enjoyed the amount of heat.
If you are spice hesitant, the Fiesta Rub and andouille will provide more than enough spice, and you can omit the cayenne entirely. If you LOVE the spicy stuff, cook the recipe as written and add additional cayenne pepper or your favorite hot sauce at the end of the cooking process.
More Shrimp Recipes
This isn’t the only southern shrimp recipe I’m cooking on the grill! Check out my other favorite BBQ shrimp recipes that come ready with flavor and a good amount of heat.
Grilled Shrimp Jambalaya Recipe
Are you ready to take on the classic flavors of shrimp jambalaya on the grill? Let us know what you thought of this recipe in the comments below!
Grilled Shrimp Jambalaya
Ingredients
Jambalaya
- 1 pound andouille sausage casing removed
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter
- ½ cup white onion diced
- ¼ cup green bell pepper diced
- ¼ cup red bell pepper diced
- ¼ cup celery diced
- 2 jalapenos seeded and diced
- 6 cloves garlic finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon file or ¼ cup thinly sliced okra
- 1 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 1 Tablespoon Hey Grill Hey Fiesta Rub
- 14 ounces short or medium grain rice
- 32 ounces chicken stock
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 scallions thinly sliced for garnish
Grilled Shrimp
- 2 pounds 16/20 shrimp peeled and de-veined, tails removed
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Fiesta Seasoning
- 3 Tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat. Set your grill up for two-zone cooking with your overall target temperature around 400 degrees F.
- Cook the sausage. Place a 4.5- or 6-quart Dutch oven over the direct flame side of your grill, place the butter in followed by the sausage. Break the sausage apart with a wooden spatula.
- Add vegetables. Once the sausage begins to brown, add in the diced peppers, garlic, jalapeno, onions, and celery along with ½ Tablespoon of Fiesta seasoning. Stir it often but close the top of your grill in between stirs to maintain temperature. Cook the sausage and vegetable mixture for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are almost translucent.
- Add remaining ingredients. Stir in the remaining spices, rice, stock, and white wine. Bring the contents of the Dutch oven up to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot with a lid leaving about ½ inch vent open. Push the pot over to the indirect side of the grill, so there is no direct heat underneath to scorch the rice and close the grill lid.
- Cook the jambalaya. Cook the rice for 35 to 40 minutes, checking on it every 10 minutes and fluffing it to prevent the bottom from burning. If it stops boiling and is “soupy”, put it back on direct heat.
- Season the shrimp. When the rice is nearly cooked, prepare the shrimp. Mix 3 Tablespoons of melted butter and 1 1/2 Tablespoons of Fiesta seasoning in a small bowl.
- Grill the shrimp. Skewer the shrimp then brush with the seasoned butter on both sides. Grill the shrimp skewers over direct heat for about 90 seconds per side or until they are no longer translucent. If the shrimp curl up into a tight, constricted circle, they are overcooked. They should be a nice shiny white with pink/red accents and a loose “C” shape.
- Serve the grilled shrimp jambalaya. Taste the finished rice and season with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Remove the grilled shrimp from the skewers and place it on top of the finished rice, garnish with thin-sliced scallions and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Haven’t tried anything yet but plan on it.