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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Sandy says
Great meal! I made this following following the recipe and tips which is unusual for me. I did make the mistake of putting the whole TBLS of creole on shrimp which made the shrimp way too salty. Next time I’ll get it right and just use 1 tsp of seasoning then the rest of the seasoning to pot. Lol. Plenty of spice and flavor without adding the extra salt.
Very thorough directions. Just need to read them thoroughly!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Sandy, I’m glad to hear you liked the recipe despite the extra spice! Thank you for commenting and rating!
Bernadette says
Hi Neena 🙂
This dish was AMAZING! It was my 1st time making Jambalaya and eating it as well – delicious! It reminded me of Spanish paella with more heat. Your step-by-step instructions and video are perfect for beginners and seasoned cooks alike – it’s much appreciated!
I followed your directions and ingredients exactly but I have a few questions:
1. Is this rice in this dish supposed to be al dente?
I used a 6qt Duo Evo Plus with Canilla Rice. I never made any rice in an IP before and because I’ve never eaten this dish, I’m not sure on the rice’s texture.
2. Should I have rinsed the rice before adding it to the IP?
3. Next time, can I add more stock and/or cook time to make it softer?
Thank so much for your time and this recipe! I can’t wait to try out more dishes.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hi Bernadette, I’m so glad you liked the recipe. Jambalaya and paella have similar roots, so you are right.
1. No, it’s not supposed to be al dente/undercooked and the Canilla rice should work the same as regular long grain rice. Try and cook the rice alone (ratio of 1:1 water to rice). I usually do long grain rice at 6 minutes. If your rice is al dente at 6 minutes, that means that either your Instant Pot or the rice requires a bit more cooking time.
2. You can rinse the rice, but it’s not necessary for this recipe.
3. Try first to increase the cooking time by about 2 minutes to see if the rice cooks better. If that doesn’t work, keep increasing the cook time to find the right amount for your tastes.
Hope that helps!
Bernadette says
Thanks for the info/suggestions. Next time I’ll try them out.
All the best to you and yours,
-B
D & S says
Delicious!! I’d add a couple mins to the pressure cook, as we thought the rice needed a little extra time. Otherwise, the meat and spices / flavors were fantastic! I only wish we could post a photo of the final dish.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thank you for commenting – glad you like the recipe!
Kimberly says
This is hands-down my go to jambalaya recipe! It comes out perfect every single time! I’m so glad that I found it and thank you so much for sharing it! It is the best!!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Aww, thank you Kimberly! I so appreciate you letting me know that.
Siobhan says
Delicious.
Sheri Shubert says
I’ve made this with your help that is 3 times now .It’s really yummy !! My family love it !! The rice came out this last time a little soggy . It was still good though . It only happened when I chose the 2X ingredient list . I let it depressurize in the pot without the fast vent method. Any suggestions for less soggy rice . Also I wanted to ask what is the estimated volume of 1 serving ??? Thank you so much !! Great recipe and your videos are easy to follow along !!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Sheri, thank you for your comment. I’m sorry you had trouble when doubling the recipe. Is it possible that the condensation caused the rice to be soggy? You could try to reduce the liquid by 1/4 cup (when doubling) and/or do a 10 to 15-minute natural release. Hope that helps.
stephanie otto says
Wonderful recipe and easy to make.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thanks, Stephanie – I’m so glad to hear it.
Mike says
Really like the recipe. I think it turned out better (and certainly faster) than my “regular” jambalaya. The rice texture was great – perfectly cooked, with all of the grains separate.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thank you Mike, happy to hear that the rice cooked just right.
Putnam Monroe says
Made for Mardi Gras 3/1/2022, came out perfectly! On complaint is that my two guests got the majority of the leftovers. As they are my kids I really won’t complain.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thank you for your comment – I’m so glad your whole family enjoyed it 🙂
Terri Odell says
I thought this was delicious! I actually cheated a little and used cooked shrimp. Just warmed it in the pot before serving. Flavors were fabulous. Will make again.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Cooked shrimp works too! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Terri.
Jenny says
Wonderful recipe! Shrimp came out perfectly, but my rice still had a bit of bite. Next time I might bump up my cooking time one minute. Other than that it was delicious! A simple but extravagant treat.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Jenny, I’m so happy to hear that you liked the recipe. Yes, adding an extra minute sounds like the way to go. It is probably the brand/type of rice or maybe your Instant Pot is slightly different.
Hedy Blauvelt says
Used this recipe for my first time making jambalaya. It was terrific. I used cauliflower rice to make it keto, I might have used a bit more creole seasoning and it was quite spicy. Mmmm
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thank you for commenting – glad you liked it.
Andrew says
This was a good recipe. I wanted to substitute brown rice in for the white rice because I’m told it’s a little bit more nutritious. My rice came out a little bit crunchy is it because brown rice maybe takes a little bit longer to cook? And I should have maybe pressure cooker a little bit more?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Andrew, yes brown rice takes quite a bit longer (22 minutes). My only concern would be that the vegetables might get overcooked but if you don’t mind that, try following the recipe as is except for increasing the pressure cooking time.
Kathy says
Could you cook brown rice and add it when you add the shrimp?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Kathy, if you wanted to do cooked rice, cook the whole thing in saute mode or on the stovetop, omitting the broth since you won’t be cooking the rice.
Mary Ann says
Never made jambalaya before. I looked online for recipes and came upon your recipe and decided to try it. Wow, so good! I prepped everything before I started cooking so it was easy to put together in the instant pot. This recipe is a keeper for sure – thank you!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hi Mary Ann, thank you for your comment. What a coincidence, because I just made this today too! I’m very happy that you like the recipe too.
Jae says
Wow this website is amazing. I like that you link the exact type of ingredient so that I’m not left wondering if you used one of those chicken stock cubes, or a low sodium chicken broth. I’ve been struggling with food burning as well so I’m so excited to try your tip about leaving tomato and rice un-stirred. Thank you so much!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hi Jae, thanks for your comment. I hope you enjoy the recipe. Please do read my post on the Burn message. You can avoid it by making small changes to the recipes you’re using.
Benjamin J Brown says
Fantastic!!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thanks, so glad you liked it, Benjamin!
JH says
Great recipe! The proportions and methods are right to avoid “burn” messages. It is quite a bit of meat, so I added more bell pepper, and will probably add a second can of diced tomatoes next time. But this is a really good jambalaya — easier than my old tried and true crockpot recipe, and at least as good.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thanks for the comment and I’m so glad that you liked the recipe! Yes, change it up to suit your tastes 🙂
Sarah says
If I double the recipe (or 1.5 times it), should I increase the pressure cooker time?? Looking forward to trying this for Fat Tuesday!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hi Sarah, no you can keep the same cooking time. Thanks for reaching out and hope you enjoy the recipe!
Gail says
Thank you Neena for a fantastic recipe! I have been making this since at least January 2017 ( sent a picture of it to my son), and it has been a favorite of my family every since. My go to recipe for family dinners, and most special occasions.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Gail, thank you for taking the time to let me know. I’m happy to hear that the recipe brings joy to you and your family!
MarySC says
Everyone loved this! My rice wasn’t done (not even close) so I brought it back up to pressure then immediately turned it off and let it sit for 5 minutes and it was perfect. I followed the recipe exactly. It wasn’t spicy enough for me but that’s what hot sauce is for (and it was perfect for everyone else). The prep does take a while and next time I think I’ll brown the chicken in a skillet while the sausage and veg is sautéed in the IP…. I think I could leave the sausage in and just add the veg to it.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Mary, it could be the type of rice you use. I would try and cook that rice alone and see how long it takes to pressure cook and adjust the recipe cooking time accordingly.
Brian says
Excellent recipe, this will be a regular in our household!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thanks Brian! I’m happy to hear that.