30 Minute Creole Jambalaya recipe - A Dish of Daily Life (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to a good jambalaya? ›

Don't be afraid to load up on the seasonings and spices.

Black pepper, cayenne pepper, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, and hot sauce are the backbone of a great jambalaya. You can also add in some tomato paste or tomato powder, which creates a little sweetness.

Two main categories of jambalaya exist: Creole (or red) jambalaya, which is associated with the city of New Orleans and contains tomato, and Cajun (or brown) jambalaya, which contains no tomato and is more common in other parts of Louisiana.

The History of Jambalaya

Jambalaya has influences of Spanish, French, African, Native American and Caribbean cooking styles and produce. Perhaps the most obvious of these is Spanish, due to the dish's similarity to paella, which was brought to New Orleans by foreign explorers.

Jambalaya is both a culinary staple and a storied dish in New Orleans. The dish has been a part of New Orleans cuisine since Colonial Spanish settlers tried reconstructing their native paella from locally-sourced ingredients. Today, the dish is comprised of a mix of chicken, seafood, sausage–or all three!

The "holy trinity" in Cajun cuisine and Louisiana Creole cuisine is the base for several dishes in the regional cuisines of Louisiana and consists of onions, bell peppers and celery. The preparation of Cajun/Creole dishes such as crawfish étouffée, gumbo, and jambalaya all start from this base.

One of the biggest complaints when making jambalaya is that the rice ends up mushy. And there's two main culprits of this – choosing the wrong type of rice and over-stirring. For this recipe, you want long-grain white rice, like basmati or jasmine. Don't use short-grain rice.

A cajun jambalaya, I'm reliably informed, should be somewhat dry, even slightly browned on the bottom, which rules out the soupier, wetter texture of those creole versions using tomatoes (Oliver advises cooks to aim for a “porridgey” consistency).

Whereas the seasoning combination of onion, celery, bell pepper, cayenne pepper and thyme give jambalaya its Creole/Cajun flavors, paella has a Mediterranean flavor profile owing to lemon, paprika, saffron and olives.

Traditional African American comfort foods include homemade macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, red beans and rice, cornbread, seasoned greens, mashed potatoes and gravy, and ice-cold sweet tea. Although many of these foods are not considered the healthy choices, they excite our taste buds and warm our hearts.

The word jambalaya was not used in reference to a mixture of meats and fish until the early 1800s when it was included in a book of poetry published in Provence. An American publication used the word ("JAM BOLAYA") in the latter part of that century.

What does jambalaya mean in English? ›

Etymology. The Oxford English Dictionary indicates that jambalaya comes from the Provençal word jambalaia, meaning a mish mash, or mixup, and also meaning a pilaf (pilau) of rice. This is supported by the fact that the first printed appearance of the word is in a Provençal poem published in 1837.

Jambalaya is a classic New Orleans dish whose name derives from the French jambon (ham) and the African laya (rice).

The iconic dish of New Orleans

Gumbo is rich in flavor and history. With roots in Western Europe, Africa, The Caribbean and Native American culture, the strongly-flavored stew is quite literally a melting pot of cultures. It consists of the Cajun holy trinity of vegetables - celery, bell peppers and onions.

McKeithen, then Governor of Louisiana, proclaimed Gonzales, Louisiana as the "Jambalaya Capital of the World." In mid-June of 1968, the first festival was held.

The bits of meat that stick to the bottom of the pot (sucs) are what give a Cajun jambalaya its brown color. A little vegetable oil is added if there is not enough fat in the pot.

Browned Sausage

Before you mix in your andouille or kielbasa into the pot, in a separate skillet, really brown up your sausage pieces until they get good and crispy on the outside. This will make sure they're less mushy and lend a more complex smoky flavor to the entire dish.