This Instant Pot Jambalaya recipe was adapted from an authentic jambalaya recipe with spicy andouille sausage, chicken, shrimp, and rice. Flavored with Louisiana spices and cooked to perfection, it’s a delicious one pot meal that can be made in the pressure cooker or on the stovetop. Great for an easy dinner on busy weeknights or a special occasion!
[This post was first published in February 2017 and was one of the first original and authentic Instant Pot Jambalaya recipes! It’s a popular recipe with rave reviews. Read the reviews at the bottom of this post.]
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read the disclosure.
Table of Contents
Introduction to Jambalaya
Jambalaya is a Cajun recipe that originated in Louisiana. It’s a one pot rice dish consisting of meat (pork or chicken), seafood (shrimp, crab, or crawfish), and a spicy sausage called andouille (pronounced aahn-doo-wee).
There are two types of Jambalaya: Creole or red jambalaya, which includes tomatoes, and Cajun or brown jambalaya, which is made without tomatoes.
Creole cuisine originated in the city of New Orleans, while Cajun food is traditionally associated with the French Acadian people who settled the swamps of southwest Louisiana.
This easy jambalaya recipe includes tomatoes and is derived from an authentic jambalaya recipe from a cookbook I’ve had in my possession forever, but I can’t recall when or where I got it!
It’s a tiny little cookbook a bit larger than a smartphone, written by chef Austin Leslie of the famed New Orleans restaurant Chez Helene, which closed in the 1990s.
I adapted this recipe for the Instant Pot and prefer this one pot pressure cooker jambalaya recipe over the stove top version! But I do provide the stove top instructions too.
Back when I first published this recipe, it was the only one. And it’s the real deal. This is the best Instant Pot Jambalaya recipe you’ll find! Read the reviews at the bottom of this post to see how popular this recipe is.
Learn more about your Instant Pot…
- Natural vs Quick Release: What are the different types of steam release and when should you use them?
- Instant Pot Tips and FAQs: What are some of the most commonly asked questions about the Instant Pot?
- Instant Pot Not Sealing: Why is your Instant Pot not sealing and what can you do to fix it?
- Common Instant Pot Problems: What are the most common problems encountered by Instant Pot users and how to solve them.
- Instant Pot Sous Vide: If you have a Sous Vide button on your Instant Pot, learn how to use it for perfectly cooked foods.
Make this one-pot Instant Pot jambalaya for a quick weeknight meal or when you’re entertaining. It’s perfect not just for Mardi Gras, but for any time of year.
Try These Creole and Cajun Instant Pot Recipes…
- Gumbo is a Cajun stew with chicken, shrimp and sausage that is a popular and hearty recipe. It’s thickened with okra and a dark roux and traditionally served over rice. Gumbo and jambalaya are the two most popular Cajun dishes.
- Etouffee is a Cajun seafood recipe that is another popular recipe in New Orleans. It’s traditionally made with crawfish cooked in a blonde roux, but my version has shrimp.
- Instant Pot red beans and rice has andouille sausage, ham bone, and red beans. It tastes like it’s simmered on the stove all day, but the Instant Pot makes it so easy! It’s one of my favorite recipes to make.
- Cajun chicken pasta is pasta with a Cajun twist. It’s like a jambalaya made with pasta! It’s a one-pot creamy pasta with chicken and sausage that’s really easy to make.
Tips to Make Instant Pot Jambalaya
Chicken, Sausage, and Shrimp
This Instant Pot jambalaya is made with chicken, andouille sausage, and shrimp. However, you can use chicken alone, or make chicken and sausage jambalaya by omitting the shrimp.
You could also make a seafood jambalaya – the options are endless!
Shrimp: Peel and devein the shrimp. Peeling ensures that the spices penetrate the shrimp.
Chicken: I love how tender chicken thighs turn out in the Instant Pot. And nothing beats their flavor. However, if you’re not a fan, feel free to use boneless skinless chicken breast. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Sausage: Andouille is a spicy smoked Cajun sausage. If you don’t have access to it, substitute it with Spanish chorizo or Polish kielbasa. I recommend that you use smoked sausage, not raw sausage.
Cooking the Shrimp
It might seem unusual to add the raw shrimp at the end and allow it to cook in the residual heat of the jambalaya. But this is something I discovered through trial and error and find it works well and the shrimp don’t get overcooked or tough.
Rub Creole seasoning over the uncooked shrimp and set aside while the rice is cooking, and stir in the shrimp at the end. Close the Instant Pot lid and allow the shrimp to cook in the residual heat.
Try to work quickly and add the shrimp as soon as the pressure goes down. You don’t want too much heat to escape because the shrimp needs to cook in the residual heat.
When you put the lid on, you might have trouble getting it to close. Put the steam release handle/button/switch in the Vent position and it should close easily. After closing the lid, put the steam release back into Seal. It might seal back up (i.e. the float valve may come up) and that’s okay. The shrimp is just going to steam in the rice.
If you have extra-large or jumbo-sized shrimp, you’ll need to let the shrimp sit in the covered Instant Pot for an extra 3 to 5 minutes. If you have smaller shrimp you may be able to decrease the amount of time.
If you prefer, you can saute the shrimp at the beginning when you’re sauteing the sausage and chicken and add it in once the rice has cooked.
In that case, do a natural release of pressure for 10 to 15 minutes after the rice is done pressure cooking. Then release any remaining pressure by moving the steam release to Venting position.
Different Types of Rice
The rice for this recipe is regular long-grain white rice or basmati rice. If you’d like to use jasmine rice, cook it for 5 minutes.
Brown rice requires a longer cook time (approximately 22 to 24 minutes), so your meats and vegetables may get a bit overcooked. Many of my readers use brown rice and do it this way. See the FAQ section for more options.
Seasonings
You can substitute Creole spice with Cajun spice. You can also add more or less seasoning than I’ve suggested. The quantity of salt you need will depend on the quantity and type of Cajun or Creole spices you use.
Go easy on the salt if you use more seasoning and/or the Creole or Cajun seasoning is very salty!
Stock / Broth
This recipe calls for chicken stock but you may want to try out my Instant Pot Shrimp Stock. It adds another dimension of flavor and it’s so easy to make. You already have the shrimp shells, so why not make some stock with them?
Shallots
Many people don’t like the taste of raw onions, and that’s the case with one of my children. So I often omit the shallots. The jambalaya tastes great either way.
If you’re new to the Instant Pot and aren’t familiar with how to use it, you might find it helpful to first read one of the following guides and then come back here to learn how to make this recipe.
- Instant Pot DUO Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot ULTRA Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot DUO EVO PLUS Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot DUO NOVA Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot DUO GOURMET Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot DUO CRISP Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot PRO Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot PRO CRISP Beginner’s Manual
FAQS
Jambalaya and gumbo are both from Louisiana and have some similar spices. However, gumbo is more of a soup or stew and is served over some rice, while jambalaya is primarily a rice dish.
To make it spicier, add some cayenne pepper. You could add more Creole spice, but watch out for the salt. You can also serve it with tabasco sauce or other hot sauce on the side.
You have a few options:
– Substitute brown rice for long-grain rice and cook for about 24 minutes. Brown rice cooks for much longer than white rice, so the meats and vegetables could get a bit overcooked. However, many of my readers do it and like it.
– Use parboiled brown rice, and increase the original cooking time by a couple of minutes.
– Another option is to reduce the quantity of liquid in the recipe, pressure cook everything but the rice for a couple of minutes, and stir in cooked brown rice at the end.
Yes, you can double the recipe. Keep the cooking time the same.
Different models and sizes of pressure cookers can vary. If you find your rice is undercooked, add some more liquid and cook for a few extra minutes. Next time add an extra tablespoon or two of liquid and pressure cook for 2 extra minutes.
Use a smoked sausage such as kielbasa, smoked chorizo, or a brand like Aidell’s chicken sausage.
You can try using jasmine rice instead of long grain white rice. Reduce the cooking time by one to two minutes.
Ensure you deglaze and scrape the bottom of the pot well before pressure cooking. Also, don’t stir the rice or tomatoes. Add them on top and gently press down to ensure the rice is submerged. If you’re still having issues, increase the liquid by ¼ cup. Find out how to avoid the burn notice.
Instant Pot Jambalaya Recipe – Ingredients
- Shrimp
- Andouille sausage
- Chicken
- Uncooked rice
- Red and/or green bell pepper
- Tomato
- Onion
- Celery
- Broth
- Garlic
- Thyme
- Olive oil or vegetable oil
- Parsley
- Bay leaves
- Worcestershire sauce
- Creole or Cajun spice
- Salt
- Shallots (missing from photo)
Full recipe instructions and details are below in the recipe card.
How to Make Authentic Jambalaya in the Instant Pot
- Season shrimp
- Turn on Saute Mode
- Saute sausage
- Saute chicken
- Saute vegetables
- Add the chicken, sausage, tomato, and rice
- Pressure cook
- Quick-release pressure
- Stir in Shrimp
- Garnish with parsley
Season Shrimp
- Thaw and thoroughly dry the shrimp with a paper towel.
- Rub creole spices all over the shrimp and reserve.
How to Turn on Saute Mode
- Instant Pot DUO: Select the Saute function.
- Instant Pot ULTRA: Select the Saute function and press Start.
Saute Sausage
- Once it has preheated, add oil to the inner pot and let it heat up.
- Add sausage slices and cook until browned, about 6 minutes.
- If the sausage browns too quickly, press Cancel until the Instant Pot cools down a bit, and press the Saute button again. Deglaze the bottom of the pot as needed with a tablespoon of broth.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage slices to a plate.
Saute Chicken
- Add chicken and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Deglaze as needed.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Press Cancel to turn off the heat if the Instant Pot is too hot, and turn it back on when it’s cooled down a bit.
- Now add the holy trinity of Cajun cuisine (onions, bell peppers, celery) and garlic.
Saute Vegetables
- Saute vegetables until the onion is translucent. The liquid released from the vegetables should be enough to deglaze the pan. If it’s not, add a few tablespoons of broth to deglaze the bottom of the pot and incorporate the brown bits. The bottom of the pot should be completely clean.
- Add thyme, Creole seasoning, salt, and Worcestershire sauce and stir to coat for about 30 seconds.
- Stir in broth and bay leaves.
Add Chicken, Sausage, Tomato, and Rice
- Stir in the reserved chicken and sausage.
- Add the tomatoes and gently spread them out with a spatula. Don’t stir.
- Add the rice and gently push down with a spatula till covered with broth. Don’t stir the rice mixture.
Program the Instant Pot and release pressure
- Close the lid.
- Program the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high pressure for 7 minutes.
- The display will go from On to 7:00. The float valve will go up after a few minutes. The display will count down to 00:00.
- Do a quick release of pressure. Once the float valve goes down, the lid can be opened.
Stir in Shrimp
- Open the lid and add in shrimp.
- Using a spatula, stir up the rice mixture and nestle the shrimp in the rice.
- Try to work quickly so too much steam doesn’t escape.
Garnish with Parsley
- Close the Instant Pot and allow the shrimp to finish cooking in the residual heat. If you have trouble closing the lid, move the steam release to the Vent position.
- After 10 minutes, open the Instant Pot and add parsley. Gently fluff the rice with a fork.
- Let the jambalaya rest (lid open) for 5 to 8 minutes before serving
- Serve with hot sauce on the side.
How to Make One Pot Jambalaya on the Stove
- Season the shrimp with the creole seasoning and reserve.
- Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Saute the sausage and chicken separately, and remove.
- Saute the onions, bell peppers, and celery until the onions are translucent. Saute garlic until fragrant.
- Add the spices and saute briefly. Deglaze the bottom of the pan.
- Return the meats to the pot. Stir in the broth and tomatoes, and bring to a boil. You’ll need to add an extra cup of broth compared to the Instant Pot version of the recipe.
- Add in the rice.
- Bring to a boil, stir, reduce heat to low, and cover. Don’t stir again.
- Let the rice simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked through.
- Add the shrimp to the rice and allow the shrimp to cook through.
- Once the shrimp is cooked, open the pot and garnish.
See the recipe card below for detailed instructions.
Easy Instant Pot Jambalaya
Ingredients
- 1 lb. shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning or to taste
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 12 oz. Andouille sausage (340 grams) cut into ½ inch slices
- 12 oz. boneless skinless chicken thighs (340 grams) cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 1 cup bell pepper chopped
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste *
- 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth (3 cups for stovetop version)
or homemade Instant Pot Shrimp Stock
- 2 small bay leaves or 1 large
- 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes (411 grams)
- 1 ½ cups long grain white rice
- 2 tablespoon parsley chopped, to garnish
- ½ cup shallots thinly sliced – optional
- hot sauce to taste
Instructions
- Dry shrimp with a paper towel, rub with 1 teaspoon of Creole seasoning and set aside.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Press 'Saute' and add oil to inner pot of the Instant Pot.
- Once the oil is hot, add the sausage and cook until browned, about 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a medium bowl and set aside. If the sausage browns too quickly, press ‘Cancel’ until the Instant Pot cools down a bit and press the ‘Saute’ button again. Deglaze as needed with a tablespoon of broth.
- Add chicken to the inner pot, and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to the bowl containing the sausage, and set aside. If the chicken browns too quickly, press ‘Cancel’ until the Instant Pot cools down a bit and press the ‘Saute’ button again. Deglaze as needed with a tablespoon of broth.
- Add onions, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Stir until onion is translucent. The liquid released from the vegetables should be enough to deglaze the pan. If it's not, add a tablespoon or more of broth to deglaze.
- Add thyme, remaining Creole seasoning, salt, worcestershire sauce and stir to coat, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in chicken broth and bay leaves. Make sure there's nothing stuck to the bottom of the inner pot – deglaze as needed.
- Stir in the reserved sausage and chicken.
- Add the tomatoes (with the liquid) and spread out with a spatula, but don't stir.
- Add the rice and gently push down with a spatula till immersed in the liquid, but don't stir in.
- Close the lid and pressure cook on High Pressure for 7 minutes. **
- Do a quick release of pressure (QR) and open the lid. [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods].
- Carefully stir in shrimp. Take care to not allow too much steam to escape because the shrimp will cook in the residual heat.
- Close the Instant Pot and allow the shrimp to finish cooking in the residual heat for about 10 minutes. Jumbo shrimp may require an additional 5 minutes. If you have trouble closing the lid, move the steam release to 'Vent', close the lid, and move it back to 'Seal'.
- Open the Instant Pot and add parsley. Gently stir the jambalaya. Allow the Instant Pot jambalaya to rest for a few minutes. Garnish with shallots, if using.
- Serve with hot sauce on the side.
Stovetop Instructions
- Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat on the stovetop. Add the oil and heat until the oil is hot and shimmering.
- Add andouille sausage, and saute until browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a medium bowl and set aside. Repeat with the chicken.
- Add onions, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Add more oil as needed. Stir until onion is translucent. The liquid released from the vegetables should be enough to deglaze the pot. If it's not, add a tablespoon or more of broth to deglaze.
- Add thyme, remaining Creole seasoning, salt, worcestershire sauce and stir to coat, about 30 seconds.
- Add the broth, bay leaves, reserved meats, and diced tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Add rice to the pot. Stir just until combined and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and cover. Don’t stir again.
- Let the rice simmer for 25 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked through. If you find it sticking, add some more broth.
- Add the seasoned shrimp to the rice, stirring gently so that the shrimp is nestled in the rice. Allow the shrimp to cook through (about 5 to 7 minutes).
- Once the shrimp is cooked, open the pot and sprinkle with parsley and shallots (optional). Serve with hot sauce on the side.
Notes
- Prep time does not include steps that are already accounted for in the ingredient list, e.g. cut up chicken, chopped onion, etc.
- * Quantity of salt will depend on your Cajun seasoning. If it’s more salty, go easy on the extra salt.
- ** I find that 7 minutes is perfect. However, some people find the rice to be undercooked at 7 minutes. This could be due to variations in pressure cooker models and brands of rice. Modify the recipe to add an extra 2 minutes to the cooking time if you experience this.
- If you prefer, you can very briefly saute the shrimp at the beginning and remove. I find that adding the raw shrimp at the end allows the juices to get absorbed by the rice, without the shrimp drying out.
- This recipe has been modified from the original publication version: tomatoes and rice are layered on top without stirring in to avoid the Burn Message.
- See the blog post for more detailed recipe tips. You don’t want to miss any!
Nutrition
Thank you for visiting Paint the Kitchen Red. All photos and content are copyright protected. Please don’t use any content without prior written permission. If you’ve made this recipe and would like to share it with your friends, please link back to this recipe. Thank you!
I am not a certified nutritionist. I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers. If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons, I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.
Did you know that the best way to support your favorite bloggers is to comment and rate recipes, and share on social media? If you loved this recipe, please comment and give it a five ⭐ rating in the comment section below. If you’re a pinner, pin this post using the Pin buttons at the top and bottom of this post and in the recipe card above. Thank you for your support!
Kim
Hi this looks great! I am going to try and make it tonite but I dont see in which step you added the rice. Could you clarify? Thanks!!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Kim – It’s in step 7 of the recipe card and in the 4th step-by-step photograph. (Add thyme, Cajun seasoning, salt, rice and stir to coat, about 30 seconds.) Hope you enjoy it!
Klaudia
Hi, I was hoping to make this but I’m allergic to shrimp. How can I make this and omit shrimp? Thanks so much I look forward to trying your recipe!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Klaudia – I’ve had readers who’ve made it with scallops. They season and saute scallops and set aside, and add them in at the end, fully cooked. I think you could easily omit the shrimp and if you desire, add more chicken or sausage, or substitute ham.
Nicole
This recipe looks great and I want to try it, but I don’t have an instant pot! Do you think this would work in a crockpot or could be modified for it?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Nicole, I’ve never cooked this or any rice dish in a slow cooker, so I’m not sure how the rice would turn out. You can cook it on the stovetop. Follow directions up to the pressure cooking part. Add equal parts rice and broth. Add shrimp at the same time as rice (uncooked). Cook covered on low for 30 minutes or more. If rice is not cooked, add 1/4 cup more water and cook further. Some people cook rice separately and add to the jambalaya. That way you know the rice will be perfectly cooked. Good luck! p.s. you need to get an Instant Pot ?
Kristen Anderson
What kind of rice did you use? I have cooked long grain white rice in the IP and it has taken at least 12 minutes under pressure to get it done. 7 minutes seems much too short of a time. Otherwise, I’d love to try your recipe.
Paint the Kitchen Red
I use white long grain or basmati and the 7 minutes is perfect. Keep in mind that the shrimp steams for 10 minutes too. However if you’ve not been able to successfully cook rice for shorter than 12 minutes, you can stick to your timings. OR you can cook for 7 minutes and then close it and cook for longer as needed. Let me know how it goes. Thanks for reaching out.
Asa
Your Jambalaya recipe was great as your chicken curry!!
Best Jambalaya I ever made. So delicious!!
Thank you for sharing the recipe!!
Ishween
Hi Neena,
I just got an InstantPot as a birthday gift & am excited to start trying it. This recipe sounds great – I’m hoping to try it out soon & take it to a crawfish boil I was recently invited to. Since the recipe is for 6, would you suggest doubling and making in two batches or if it can be done in one batch, should I change the cooking time?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Ishween – congrats on your new Instant Pot! I would definitely try it in two batches especially if you’re doing it for the first time to take somewhere. That way you can adjust the recipe if necessary. Good luck and please do let me know how it goes if you get the chance.
Ishween
So I just tried it & similar to another comment, mine came out wet plus the rice isn’t fully cooked. I made the mistake of using brown basmati rice…also I used the measuring cup that came with the instant pot for measuring the rice & stock amounts. Wondering if that decreased the amount of rice needed to absorb the liquid? Any ideas on how to fix it so the rice cooks through? (Already added the shrimp unfortunately)
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Ishween, sorry it didn’t work out for you. I don’t think it’s the cup, since you used the same one to measure rice and stock. For brown basmati, you needed to increase the cooking time. If there’s enough liquid to reach pressure, I would take the shrimp out (sorry!) and restart for another 12 to 15 minutes. If there’s not enough liquid, add maybe 1/4 cup? Sorry, but it’s hard to troubleshoot 🙂
Ishween
No worries – I didn’t have white rice at home so decided two substitute without factoring in the additional cooking time it would take. I fixed it by simmering over low heat on the stove (after removing cooked shrimp) so that’s resolved. I’m now trying the 2nd batch using 12 mins instead of 7 – will let you know how it turns out (fingers crossed!)
Ishween
Unfortunately 12 mins didn’t do it so back to the stovetop simmering method, lol! For future attempts, curious if I cooked for 22 mins so the brown rice cooks through, whether that would overcook the other ingredients & therefore ruin the recipe…any thoughts?
Paint the Kitchen Red
That’s the hard thing with brown rice, right? I would try it out with larger pieces of chicken thighs. Your veggies might be overcooked, but I think it will taste good – let me know how it turns out, Ishween!
Angel
Made this tonight and it was a HUGE hit. Thanks for much for posting this terrific recipe. I will definitely make this again and everyone wanted a copy of the recipe.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Angel, I am so glad to hear you liked the recipe! Thanks for letting us know. I plan to post more Cajun recipes soon.
Kay Pea
I made this last night. It tastes really good, and the rice was cooked but the texture of the dish was a little “wet.” Is it supposed to be like that? Last jambalaya I made, I recall the rice absorbed pretty much all of the liquid.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Kay, when I make it, it’s not wet. It could be that your veggies released some extra liquid. Or did you have anything that was previously frozen – that can cause more liquid to be released. I hope you can make some adjustments next time to get it to a better consistency. Thanks for taking time to comment!
Mary
Really tasty recipe but I kept getting the burn error message. That is the only reason I am not giving this recipe 5 stars. Had to finish it on the stovetop since the rice kept doing it. Any suggestions for next time?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Mary, I’ve made notes on the recipe that if you’re prone to getting the burn message, you should *NOT* stir the rice and tomatoes. Just add it on top and push down to submerge in the liquid. Hope that helps you next time.
Cheryl
Great instant pot recipe- The rice was perfect!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Cheryl – I’m so glad you liked it! One pot dishes are so convenient right?
Cindy
This recipe is awesome!! I didn’t have chicken and upped the amount of shrimp. I will make it again and add okra. Yum! Thanks for sharing!
Paint the Kitchen Red
I love shrimp, so that’s not a bad substitution to make! Glad you liked it.
Shanthini Jayanthan
Did you use boneless skinless chicken thighs or bone in ones ? Do we cut them and what size ?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Shantini – yes, boneless skinless cut into small pieces (1 inch).
Mom
Maybe I completely missed it, but am I supposed to use cooked or uncooked rice? Seven minutes on pressure doesn’t seem long enough to fully cook rice. ??? Help!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi there! Sorry if it’s not clear, but it is uncooked long grain white rice – I used basmati. Yes, it cooks just fine in 7 minutes in my Instant Pot. Hope it goes well!
Leslie
I made this in my instant pot and it was delicious!
I used less shrimp (8 pcs) and more chicken (package of 3 chicken thighs- a little less than double the called for amount). It was so good – our favorite dish we’ve made since getting the IP (and we’ve made some good stuff!). Thank you for sharing!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thank you, Leslie! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks also for letting us know what changes you made and how they turned out.
Donna
Thank you thank you so much for posting this recipe. This is the 3rd recipe we’ve made in our new instapot and we LOVED it.
Paint the Kitchen Red
You’re welcome Donna! So glad you enjoyed it. It’s such a hearty one-pot dish.
Joyce
I had no idea that there were different types of Jambalayas! I had so much fun reading this post and reading about the types of cuisines and as much as I love pretty and modern cookbooks I always love finding old ones because they usually have the passed on secret flavours that hasn’t been made ‘trendy’. Love learning from you 🙂
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thanks Joyce! That’s such a great compliment. Yes, I love old cookbooks too. Blogs are great (of course) but a good old-fashioned cookbook is special.
Brian
Could I complete steps 1-6 the day before I plan to serve this dish? And then pick up at step 7 the day of? We have an office party and I could bring the instant pot to work but probably can’t get away with sautéing anything. I would be fine cooking under pressure at work though.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Brian, the only thing I would worry about would be any bacteria that might be in any meats, since we’re just browning and not completely cooking. If it weren’t for that, you could make it work. Can you cook it completely the day before and heat it up the next day either in the microwave or using the steam function of the Instant Pot (1 cup water + food in a container placed on a trivet.) for less than 5 minutes? Or you precook the meats and add them in at the end the next day (flavor won’t be as good). Don’t forget to leave extra time for the Instant Pot to come to pressure with cold ingredients if you choose to finish cooking the next day.
Fred
Jambalaya is always better the next day after the flavors meld. Make it, refrigerate and reheat the next day instead.
Danielle
I haven’t bought an instant pot yet, but can’t wait to make the plunge. It seems like it will make cooking so much quicker, which is great for weeknight meals. I love to make jambalaya and this seems like a great recipe. I had not idea that the difference between Creole and Cajun jambalaya was the tomatoes! That’s so interesting.
I’m working on making my own Cajun seasoning, but Tony Chacheres will work for now 🙂
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Danielle, hope you are able to get your Instant Pot soon! Be aware that the Instant Pot takes time to come to pressure and to release pressure, which adds on to the cook time – so 10 minutes for chicken can take 25 to 30 minutes. But the beauty of it is that the chicken is so tender and flavorful AND you don’t have to watch it, stir it, turn it, etc. You can go about your work and it cooks in the background. That’s the time-saving part for me. When you get your IP, you might want to check out my step by step beginner’s manual. Thanks for your comment!
Cheryl
How many will this jambalaya recipe serve? I’m very anxious to try this. Luv ur explicit instructions.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thanks Cheryl! I think the recipe can serve 6 people easily. Hope you get a chance to make it. Enjoy!
Amanda
Hi…I tried this recipe and it was fabulous. I am planning to make it again, but for 10 people. How do you adjust the ingredients and any changes to the IP timing?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hey Amanda – thanks for your question. I feel the original recipe is pretty good for 6 servings – not sure if you agree. In which case you could double the recipe and get plenty of food. If I were doubling, I would just double all the ingredients. Keep the cook time the same. The only thing to watch out for is make sure you’re not going over the 1/2 fill mark on your Instant Pot. And if you wanted to be extra careful, just add the tomatoes and rice on the top, after all the other ingredients have been put in and stirred up and just push down into the liquid without stirring.
Paint the Kitchen Red
I know right? But that I can’t remember how or where I got it, is scary! I use whatever seasoning I have on hand: Tony Chachere’s, Slap Ya Mama, Emeril, or even Old Bay.
romain | glebekitchen
What a cool cookbook. I love it when people dig up hidden gems to share. What type of cajun or creole seasoning do you recommend?
Shari
Omigoodness. This was so authentic tasting! I would recommend freezing the chicken and andouille and then cutting them up. The sausage we used came out more like little meatballs. The Cajun seasoning is one we put together from another website and it was fantastic. We did, however, add some hot sauce once it was on the the table. I would serve this to company. It was fabulous.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Awesome, Shari! Thanks for posting your suggestions and modifications.