Cajun rice with shrimp and vegetables
- Preparation 25 min
- Cooking 45 min
- Servings 4 to 6
- Freezing Absolutely
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🌶️ My homemade version of a New Orleans classic
I’ve always been inspired by New Orleans cuisine. The cajun style, fresh ingredients, warm spices, the Southern United States vibe. I’ve never been there yet, but I really can’t wait to taste it for real. In the meantime, it was in a restaurant in Old Montreal that I discovered a dish like this that completely blew me away. I came home and said to myself: it’s decided, I’m making my own version. I replaced the classic white rice with a 7-grain rice blend for texture, I added black beans for the creole side, I kept the trio of smoked paprika, paprika and cumin for a well-balanced heat, and I finished it all with a splash of fresh lime juice. Result: a dish that transports you directly to the French Quarter, without the plane ticket.
🦐 The two rules to never break
When I started cooking rice, I made all the beginner mistakes. I stirred every 30 seconds, I lifted the lid to check, I stressed for nothing. That’s the worst thing you can do. Rice, you start it, you mix it, you cover it, and after that you don’t touch anything until it’s ready. That’s the magic. Overcooked rice is unappetizing, undercooked rice is inedible. The key is to follow the package instructions and forget about your pot. For shrimp, I have a foolproof trick: watch their shape. If they form a C shape, they’re perfect. If they’ve curled into an O on themselves, they’re overcooked and the texture becomes rubbery. Take them off the heat as soon as they’re in a C, even if you doubt. You’ll thank me.
🏡 The most versatile recipe in my repertoire
This dish is the kind of entertaining recipe that works as much for a Saturday night with friends with a little salad on the side as for a quick weeknight meal with the kids. You can serve it as a main dish with the shrimp, or remove the shrimp and serve it as a side dish to a grilled piece of meat. You can replace the shrimp with chicken, fish, cubes of cajun sausage. Basically, it’s a recipe that adapts to everything you have in the fridge. As a bonus, it freezes beautifully, so double the recipe if you want meal prep for the week. It’s exactly the kind of recipe that pleases kids, impresses your guests, and saves your life on a Tuesday night when you have no idea what to eat.
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🌾 Why 7-grain blend rather than white rice
The 7-grain rice is for the TEXTURE. White, basmati or jasmine are good, but they give a more uniform result. The 7-grain blend (Uncle Ben’s makes the classic, but any brand works) offers a more interesting chew, different grains that pop under the tooth, and a richer color. If you can’t find it, a bagged wild rice blend makes a good alternative, as does brown rice.
🦐 Shrimp in C = perfect, in O = overcooked
Remember this trick, it changes everything: when you cook shrimp, watch their shape during cooking. They start straight, then gradually fold. As soon as they have the shape of a C, take them off the heat. They’re perfect, juicy, tender. If you let them go to the O shape (curled up in a circle on themselves), they’re overcooked and become rubbery. 3 to 4 minutes is enough, no more.
🚫 Don’t touch your rice during cooking
This is the mistake everyone makes at first: we lift the lid, we stir, we check. Do the opposite. Follow the package instructions, cover, lower the heat, and don’t touch anything until the indicated time is up. Rice needs its closed and stable environment to steam properly. You lift the lid, you lose your steam, and you end up with rice that’s overcooked on the bottom and dry on top.
🥘 Less dishes: everything in one pot
A little trick I do when I’m too lazy to wash two pans: I cook the rice in a large pot, I transfer it to a bowl when it’s ready, then I reuse the same pot (without washing it) to cook the vegetables, spices and shrimp. I add the rice back at the end. Less dishes, same result.
🥫 Well-rinsed creole black beans
Get low-sodium canned black beans (your grocery store’s house brand does the job), and ALWAYS rinse them in cold water for at least 30 seconds before draining. This removes the excess sodium and the slimy liquid that would muddy the flavors of the dish. Black beans are my personal creole touch that adds protein and beautiful contrasting color.
🌶️ Turn up the spice level to taste
The recipe gives medium heat, not strong. Because paprika and cumin are warm but not hot. If you like it hot, add a pinch of cayenne pepper powder or crushed red pepper flakes with the other spices at step 5. Start small, taste, adjust. You can also serve with a bottle of hot sauce on the table so everyone can adjust.
🧊 Perfect for meal prep and freezing
This dish is meal prep’s best friend. It keeps 3-4 days in the fridge and freezes beautifully in individual portions. To reheat: microwave 2 minutes stirring halfway through, or in the pan with a drizzle of water to bring the rice back to life. Double the recipe on the weekend and you have lunches for the whole week.
✅ What to serve with my cajun rice with shrimp and vegetables?
This dish can be eaten complete on its own, but for a dinner that’s really impressive, serve it with my Cheesy garlic bread to soak up the leftover juices on the plate or my Classic Caesar salad for the fresh and crunchy side. For a summer BBQ dinner where the cajun rice serves as a side dish, add my Bbq grilled veggies and my Green couscous salad with pecans, edamame and feta cheese for a complete meal that impresses effortlessly.
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Ingredients
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Olive oil
- 1 ¼ cups (310 ml) 7-grain rice blend, well rinsed
- 2 ½ cups (625 ml) chicken broth
- 3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 2 nantes carrots, quartered lengthwise, then thinly sliced
- 1 tsp (5 ml) smoked paprika
- 1 tsp (5 ml) paprika
- 1 tsp (5 ml) cumin
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 340 g (12 oz) raw shrimp (size 31-40), deveined and peeled, tail removed
- 1 can of 540 ml (19 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 large tomato, diced
- Juice of ½ lime
- Fresh parsley (for serving)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
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Preparation
- In a saucepan heated over medium heat, add the onion and garlic, then drizzle with a thin stream of olive oil. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring.
- Add the rice, drizzle with a thin stream of olive oil and mix. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the chicken broth and mix. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until the rice is cooked and the broth is absorbed. Remove from heat, mix and set aside.
- In a large skillet heated over medium heat, add the celery, carrots and a good drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and mix. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring.
- Add the paprikas, cumin and bell pepper. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring.
- Add the shrimp and continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring until they are cooked.
- Remove from heat, add the beans and tomato and mix. Add the rice and mix well to coat. Drizzle with lime juice and garnish with parsley before serving.
Absolutely. Basmati, jasmine or long-grain white rice all work very well. You’ll just lose the varied texture of the 7-grain blend. A bagged wild rice blend is an excellent substitute that keeps that interesting chew. Brown rice works too, but adjust the cooking time according to package instructions (generally longer). Avoid express basmati or minute rice, the final texture will be disappointing.
My preferred method: I place the shrimp still in their sealed bag in a large bowl of cold water for 15-20 minutes, changing the water once. Once thawed, I peel them (if not already done), I rinse them quickly in cold water, and especially I pat them well with paper towels so they sear instead of boil in the pan. Avoid thawing them in the microwave, you’ll precook them without wanting to.
Yes, it’s even one of my favorite uses. Simply omit the shrimp from the recipe and you get an excellent side dish that pairs with pretty much any grilled protein. Serve it with a piece of BBQ beef, grilled chicken, fish, pork chops. It works everywhere. Versatility is its strength.
Yes, it’s even one of its greatest assets. It keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container, and freezes beautifully up to 2 months in individual portions. To reheat: microwave 2 minutes stirring halfway through, or in the pan with a small splash of water to restore moisture to the rice. Double the recipe if you’re meal prepping.
This dish is already complete on its own, but for a dinner that elevates the experience, serve it with my pain à l’ail gratiné to soak up the leftover sauce or my salade César classique for a fresh and crunchy contrast. If you serve it as a side to grilled protein, add my légumes grillés sur le BBQ and my salade verte de couscous aux pacanes et edamames for a combo that works every time.
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