Jambalaya is a popular rice dish with French and Spanish influences. It’s popular in the southeast part of the US, especially in Louisiana. But, due to its high carb content, it is one of those dishes that low carb dieters tend to avoid. However, this keto jambalaya recipe uses cauliflower rice instead of the usual rice.
Related reading: Low Carb Broccoli Rice Versus Cauliflower Rice
Therefore, you get to enjoy the authentic taste of jambalaya without worrying about having too many carbs on your keto diet. It takes only 20 min to prepare and cooks in 40 minutes.
This keto jambalaya recipe from Kevin of Fit Men Cook is the perfect dish to serve during weekend gatherings of family and friends. Even those who are not following a low carb diet will surely appreciate its delicious taste.
Kevin states that this dish contains 17 grams of carbs per serving but does not say if this is net carbs or not. I imagine that it’s not so it’s hard to know where you are if you are on a very low carb allowance for keto.
More shrimp recipes
For a slightly different Jumbalaya recipe take a look at this Low Carb Jambalaya Recipe. Cajun seasoning is used in this recipe instead of all the herbs in Kevin’s recipe below which will give a different flavor. Also the sausage that is used is different.
If it’s shrimps you love then you are bound to like this delicious low carb Shrimp Cakes Recipe or you could try this Keto Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles.
Jumbo Shrimp Notes
When you buy your shrimp it’s important to make sure you know where they comes from. Imported shrimp is likely to be from fish farms where there are no controls over contaminants, such as dioxins, PCBs, antibiotics or hormones and other banned chemicals. These will be toxic so if you value your health then avoid them
Shrimp from American shrimp fisheries on the other hand are likely to be clean as the fisheries are well-regulated.
Recipe notes
I’ve tweaked the ingredients a little as I always do to include organic produce. It’s higher in nutrients than regular produce and you avoid any pesticide residue. Also, it’s always better to use organic or at least free range chicken if you can.
I’ve changed the olive oil which Kevin uses for frying for avocado oil which had a higher smoke point. Some health authorities say that heating olive oil detroys its health benefits so it’s best to use it for dressings or to drizzle over vegetables once they are cooked.
I’ve also changed the salt for Redmond Real Sea Salt so you can avoid getting a dose of plastic microfibers that are now found in regular sea salt. Redond salt comes for ancient sea beds before the plastic pollution era.
All these little things add up to make you healthier!
Keto Jambalaya Recipe
Serves 5
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw cauliflower rice (you can buy ready made or make your own)
- 1 pound organic/free range chicken breasts, cut into chunks
- 8 ounces peeled and deveined good quality raw jumbo shrimps
- 8 ounces smoked turkey sausage, cut into chunks
- 3 tbsp. avocado oil
- 1 cup diced red onion
- 1 green organic bell pepper, diced
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 stalk of organic celery, diced
- 1 cup sliced organic cherry tomatoes
- 3 tbsp. organic tomato paste
- 8-ounce sugar-free tomato sauce
- 1 ½ cup organic chicken broth (low sodium)
- 2 bay leaves
- Seasonings –
Redmond Real Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste,
1 tablespoon dried oregano,
1 tablespoon thyme,
1 tablespoon smoked paprika,
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper - Thinly sliced green onions for garnishing
Directions
1. If you are going to prepare the cauliflower rice yourself, use a food processor or blender to process the raw cauliflower florets. Pulse blend until it produces a rice-like texture. But be careful not to overorecess them.
2. Next, heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the red onions and garlic and cook for up to 3 minutes or until the onion turns brown making sure not to burn the garlic.
3. Add the chicken breast and turkey sausage. Cook for about 6 – 8 minutes until the outside of the chicken is no longer pink.
4. Next, mix in the celery, bell pepper, and tomatoes stirring well, then pour in the tomato sauce and add all the seasonings. Cook for another 6 or 7 minutes.
5. Fold in the cauliflower rice along with the shrimps. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Add the chicken broth, bay leaves and tomato paste. Season with a little salt and pepper, then stir well. Lower the heat to medium and cover the skillet. Cook for 15 – 20 minutes.
7. Uncover the skillet and remove it from heat. Stir well and let the jambalaya thicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then garnish with green onions before serving.
Check out Kevin’s video demo of how to prepare this keto jambalaya recipe:
