I adapted this Instant Pot Jambalaya recipe 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!
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ℹ️ Introduction to Jambalaya
Nawlins. New Or-linz. New Or-leens. No matter how you pronounce it, if you’ve visited New Orleans, you have to agree that it’s one of the most historic and charming cities in the United States.
I feel it’s a city that everyone should have a chance to visit. I was introduced to New Orleans by a friend when we worked together at my first job right out of college. Mary was born and raised in New Orleans and I now realize how lucky I was to experience New Orleans (including Mardi Gras!) with a local girl.
I’ve been back to New Orleans since those early trips at different stages of my life, with different people, and the city never loses its charm. I just discover new things each time!
Some of my favorite dishes include Jambalaya, Etouffee, Red Beans and Rice, and Gumbo. Jambalaya is a hearty one pot meal made with rice, meat and seafood, similar to Spanish paella.
There are two types of Jambalaya. Creole, which includes tomatoes, and Cajun, which is made without tomatoes.
My version of Jambalaya includes tomatoes and is derived from a cookbook I’ve had in my possession forever, but have no idea when or where I got it!
It’s a tiny little cookbook a bit larger than a smart phone, written by chef Austin Leslie of the famed New Orleans restaurant Chez Helene, which closed in the 1990’s.
Hope you get to try out this Instant Pot Jambalaya. It’s a meal in one that doesn’t really need any side dish. It’s also a great dish to make for a group.
This recipe has over 150 reviews!
Patricia says ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I am originally from New Orleans, now living in California. Whenever I need a taste of home, this is my go to recipe. I leave out the tomato and it tastes just like my Cajun grandmother used to make it! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
And this recipe can easily be doubled! See the FAQs below for details.
➡ Looking for more rice recipes? Try my Instant Pot arroz con pollo, Lebanese lentils and rice (mujadara), or Instant Pot fried rice! They are all amazing.
Ingredients and Tips
🧂 Ingredients for Instant Pot Jambalaya
💡 Cook’s Tips for Jambalaya Recipe
🍖 Proteins: Use chicken, andouille, and shrimp as written, or customize the recipe. Try chicken-only, skip the shrimp, or make it a seafood jambalaya – lots of combinations!
🍗 Chicken: Thighs stay tender and flavorful in the Instant Pot, but chicken breast works too. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
🌭 Sausage: Andouille is traditional, but Spanish chorizo or Polish kielbasa works great. For this recipe, use smoked sausage, not raw, for that essential smoky flavor! Some readers use Aidell’s smoked chicken sausage.
🦐 Shrimp Prep: Always peel and devein shrimp so spices penetrate the meat for maximum flavor.
🫕 Shrimp Cooking Method: The shrimp can be cooked one of two ways: You can rub some Cajun seasoning over the shrimp and set aside for 15 minutes, then briefly saute and add at the end (as stated in the recipe). Or you can stir in the uncooked shrimp at the end and let it cook in residual heat with the Instant Pot covered, just add a couple of extra minutes. The advantage of adding it in at the end is that the shrimp juices get absorbed into the rice and thereís less of chance that the shrimp is dried out.
⚡ Work Fast: It’s important to add shrimp immediately after pressure releases to capture the maximum residual heat. The shrimp will steam perfectly in the hot rice. You may be skeptical, but it really does work!
🔒 Lid Closing Trick: If the Instant Pot lid won’t close after adding shrimp, set the steam release to the Venting position first. Once closed, switch back to Sealing – it may seal up again, and that’s perfectly fine!
📏 Shrimp Size: Extra-large or jumbo shrimp need 3-5 extra minutes in the covered pot. Smaller shrimp may need less time than suggested.
🍳 Alternative Method: Prefer to sauté shrimp with other proteins? Cook it with sausage and chicken at the beginning, do a natural pressure release for 10-15 minutes once the rice is done, and add the shrimp in at the end.
🍚 Rice: Use long-grain white rice or basmati for best results. Jasmine rice works too – just cook for 5 minutes instead. Brown rice needs 22-24 minutes but that may overcook your proteins.
🧂 Seasoning: Creole and Cajun spices are interchangeable. Go easy on salt if using extra seasoning or if your spice blend is already salty. Taste and adjust!
🍲 Seafood Stock: Try my Instant Pot Shrimp Stock instead of chicken stock for deeper seafood flavor. You’ll already have shrimp shells – why not use them?
🧅 Shallots: Skip the shallots if anyone in your family dislikes raw onions. The jambalaya tastes amazing either way!
❓ FAQS
Yes, you can double the recipe. Double all ingredients but keep the cooking time the same.
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.
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.
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 food burn Instant Pot message.
⏲️ How to Make Authentic Jambalaya in the Instant Pot
- Thaw and thoroughly dry the shrimp with a paper towel.
- Rub creole spices all over the shrimp and reserve.
- Heat the Instant Pot in Saute mode. 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.
- 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 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Open the lid and add in shrimp.
- Using a spatula, stir up the rice mixture and nestle the shrimp in the rice.
- It’s important to work quickly so that too much steam doesn’t escape.
- 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 and then back to Seal after shutting the lid.
- 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 jambalaya on the stovetop
- 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 teaspoon 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 1 lb. shrimp with a paper towel, rub with 1 teaspoon of Creole seasoning and set aside.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Press 'Saute' and add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to inner pot of the Instant Pot.
- Once the oil is hot, add the 12 oz. Andouille 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 12 oz. boneless skinless chicken thighs 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 1 cup onion, 1 cup bell pepper, 1 cup celery, and 1 tablespoon 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 1 teaspoon dried thyme, remaining Creole seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce and stir to coat, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in 2 cups low sodium chicken broth and 2 small 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 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes (with the liquid) and spread out with a spatula, but don't stir.
- Add the 1 ½ cups long grain white 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 2 tablespoon parsley. Gently stir the jambalaya. Allow the Instant Pot jambalaya to rest for a few minutes. Garnish with ½ cup 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.
Nutrition
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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.
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Stephanie K says
What would need to be adjusted if you wanted to leave out the tomatoes?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hi Stephanie – the tomatoes include liquid so I think you could reduce the liquid by that much, say about 1/4 to 1/3 cup? Good luck.
Ginger says
My first Instant Pot failure. Followed the recipe exactly. Rice was way undercooked. Had to add more broth and transfer to stove top to finish off. Taste was great, however.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Ginger, what kind of rice did you use? Most long grain rice will cook within the stated time. You may want to test out by pressure cook the rice alone to see how much time it takes to cook and then adjust the recipe cook time accordingly.
Ginger Ryback says
Thanks, I will try that. It was just standard long grain white rice. But as I said, the flavors we’re delicious, and we enjoyed it very much. Will definitely make again but will test with rice alone first.
Mike in Chapel Hill says
Quick question; if i am using brown rice do i use the amount of stock called for? IP recipe calls for 1:1 ratio for any rice or (1.5 c rice with 2 c stock per recipe). So question is if I cook brown rice first, do i use 2 c of stock then drain as directed or do i cook rice 1:1 then add to recipe and then add the remaining .5 c stock? Sorry if it’s confusing, makes sense in my head. Just wanted it to turn out right. Thanks in advance!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Mike, I have to be honest and say that I haven’t cooked this recipe with brown rice. I was passing on what a couple of readers have tried but I don’t know the details. I think I will modify the tips and remove that suggestion because others may be confused like you. You are right, you have to have less liquid because the rice has already cooked through 3/4 of the way. But I don’t know exactly how much. So to be safe, I would do it the second way: saute the meats and veggies, remove them and add them back in with the shrimp. OR just pressure cook for 22 minutes. I know readers have done that too. I apologize for the confusion.
Mike says
Hey PKR,
Thanks for the feedback. I ended up using Basmati Rice and WOW!!!!!!!! This is a great recipe, teen approved with 2 thumbs up. Definitely a keeper. Followed recipe exactly as provided and extremely satisfied with result. Will make again many more times. Thanks again for the feedback and providing great recipes to the masses. Stay safe and healthy. BTW, you may want to clarify in the recipe that the canned tomatoes do not need to be drained, I wasn’t sure but used the the whole can with juices and like I said it came out perfecto!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hi Mike, I’m glad it worked out for you. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know. I will make the change you suggest and remove the other suggestion for brown rice. Thanks so much – you take care too.
Linda says
Absolutely delicious. Amazing that you can have such good taste without a roux! I made it without the chicken and loved the way the shrimp cooked so moist and delicious.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Linda, thank you so much for the comment and rating. I’m so happy you like the recipe.
Natalie says
This was absolutely amaxinf!!!! Followed recipe exactly. Everyone loved it !
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Natalie, I’m so happy to hear that the recipe worked so well for you – thanks for your comment!
Brenda says
So yum! Thank you for this recipe! I’ve made jambalaya before but I’ve been disappointed by how dry it is. Your recipe was so moist and tasty that I went back for a second bowl! I was skeptical when I opened the pot that the rice wasn’t fully cooked. But after adding the shrimp and letting it sit, it came out perfect! Seasoning the shrimp before added so much flavour. 😊😋
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Wonderful to hear that, Brenda. Thank you so much – I appreciate you taking the time to comment.
Steve says
I made this jambalaya once and loved the flavor and the recipe. I have a duo 6 instant pot. Can I double the recipe and still fit in the duo 6??
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hi Steve – I usually use my 8 quart to double this recipe but I’ve had readers double it in a 6 quart. Just take care to not go over the half-full mark.
Emma A says
I made this last night, and it was fantastic! When I make it again (notice I didn’t say “if”), I’ll increase the rice to 2 C and increase the stock accordingly, since we’re a big rice family. I skipped the parsley and shallot, and increased the chicken (my package was 1.2 lbs and I didn’t want to waste the extra). I was already a fan of your shrimp and grits recipe, so I had confidence this would be good too, and I was not disappointed. It was a little salty, but that was my own fault – didn’t read the directions and put all the seasoning on the shrimp to marinate, and added more to the pot to compensate. My husband had 4 servings… Yum!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Oh, that’s so great to her, Emma! I’m so glad you enjoy my recipes.
Carol Marie says
Fantastic! Yum yum yum!
Michele TP says
The best ever! I made it for my son’s french class’ Mardi Gras celebration. Unfortunately half of the dish was eaten by my husband before I could pack it up to take to school!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Michele, that’s funny! Hopefully you’ll get a chance to make it again!
Michael says
More of a comment on instant pot protocol. I think next time I will brown the chicken and sausages on the side with a nonstick while the veggies sauté. Keeping everything one-potty is a good idea but saute is just easier on a frying pan
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Michael – that’s always an option with any recipe that requires sauteing. Thanks for the comment.
Lisa says
Ermagerd! What an incredibly flavorful dish! Took me some prep time but I’ve made it twice now and it does not leave the tastebuds wanting. I give this 6 stars out of 5! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thank you,Lisa! Oh, how nice it would be to have a sous chef to take care of all that prep work! I’m so happy you loved the recipe.
Kimberly says
Absolute perfection! I didn’t get any burn notice, the rice is perfectly cooked! I will be adding this to my list of all time favorite IP recipes! Thank you so much for sharing!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing Kimberly!
Justin says
This recipe turned out to be f’n amazing!! There is no reason it wouldn’t if you follow the recipe correctly. Only thing I can think of that would be an issue is, be mindful of the type of rice you use.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Wow, thank you so much Justin! Mmmm, good point – different rice varieties require different cooking times.
Scott Baker says
I have made this recipe 6 times, and I really like the way it works in the Instant Pot. My family loves this dish! The first time I made this recipe, I experienced the dreaded “Burn” notice on my Ultra, but since then I have learned and applied the benefits of thorough deglazing. I have tried different cajun/creole seasonings and have yet to choose a favorite, as all have yielded excellent taste. The quality of the andouille sausage makes a big flavor difference. Also, adding the shrimp at the end works the best, I think, rather than sauteing them in the beginning. Just follow the recipe and pay attention to the helpful tips… you will not be sorry.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thanks for sharing your tips, Scott! And it’s very kind of you to take the time to comment.
Lauren says
Absolutely delicious! Made for the first time when friends were coming over and everyone loved it! Thank you for another awesome recipe!!!! You should have a cook book!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Lauren, It’s so great to hear you and your guests liked the recipe! lol, that’s really kind of you to say – I need to get on that 🙂
Chad says
Followed the recipe pretty much as described…was absolutely delicious. Best jambalaya I have had!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Aww, thank you Chad! So glad you enjoyed it. Give the red beans and rice a try. Even my kids who aren’t huge fans of beans love the recipe!
Mike says
I made twice this week (had chicken and shrimp left from 1st). I used jasmine rice both times (cooked 5 min. 1st time, 6 min. second time (=better cooked). Also on 2nd try I simmered shrimp shells in 3/4 cup chicken broth and added 1/2 cup to the 2 cups chicken broth (more moist). Also added 1 tbsp butter to the oil (because Prudhomme used butter in so many recipes). Also added 1/2 lb sliced fresh okra to veggies in 2nd batch. 1st batch I used Weber’s New Orleans Cajun seasoning and in 2nd batch I split half Weber’s and half Walker and Sons “Slap Ya Mama” seasoning- my wife thought 2nd batchhad a little too much heat. Both batches really good but 2nd one richer, more “authentic” in my judgement. Will definitely make again! Thank you.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Wow, thanks Mike, for the details! I need to add my Instant Pot shrimp stock recipe link to the recipe – thanks for reminding me! Ohhh, butter always makes food taste better – I approve 🙂 Have you tried Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning – I like that one!
Jill says
This was my 2nd full instant pot meal and my hubby and I were delighted with it. I went easy on the spice so used just one chorizo sausage and made up the rest with garlic sausage. If I reduced the cooking time to 6 min on Hi would the rice be less gummy? I would prefer having more ‘grainy’ rice.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hey Jill, what type of rice did you use. Long grain white rice and basmati rice cook up fluffier whereas medium, short grain and jasmine rice are more starchy. Yes, I think cooking for a shorter amount of time would help. Also, it’s important to let the rice rest open after all the cooking is complete. Hope that works for you. Thank you for commenting.
Megan says
In the directions at the top it says to use creole seasoning. But in the directions with the recipe it says use Cajun seasoning. Is there a difference?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Megan, I use both seasonings depending on what I have on hand. Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning is quite good. I will update the recipe post to be more consistent – thank you for pointing it out 🙂