Easy Instant Pot Jambalaya Soup
This hearty Instant Pot Jambalaya recipe is quick, easy, and delicious. Packed with sausage and shrimp, and homemade Creole seasoning, this mouth-watering soup is pressure cooked and ready in just 20 minutes. It even makes amazing leftovers, if you have any!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What Makes This Recipe Great
I am all about soup this time of year. I had this idea to make Instant Pot Jambalaya but when I tested the recipe, it came out super SOUPY. Then I thought…wait a minute…is Jambalaya Soup a thing? Because it should be. We ate the entire thing in 24 hours, and now Instant Pot jambalaya soup is a staple in my house!
If you like my Shrimp & “Grits”, you will love this jambalaya soup. It’s packed with homemade Creole seasoning, smoked sausage (you can also sub Kielbasa), and tender shrimp. I used cauliflower rice instead of regular rice to keep this Whole30, Paleo, and Keto. A 20-minute recipe that tastes like it took all day!
Ingredient Notes
Shrimp: I like to get frozen shrimp that comes 21-25 per bag. They are fairly large, but you can really use any size of shrimp you want (as long as it comes in a 1 lb bag).
Smoked Sausage: I always look for sugar-free smoked andouille sausage (Pederson’s Farms is great) or Kielbasa, which I can usually find at Wegman’s, Sprouts, Harris Teeter, and many other stores!
Veggies: Diced tomatoes, green bell pepper, onion, and minced garlic.
Frozen Cauliflower Rice: I use this instead of white rice. Feel free to substitute regular white rice if you prefer.
Chicken Broth: You can use chicken stock, bone broth, or even beef broth for this recipe.
Arrowroot powder: This is a paleo alternative to corn starch!
Homemade Creole Seasoning: Garlic powder, paprika, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, oregano, dried thyme, onion powder, and red pepper flakes.
Creole vs. Cajun Seasoning
While these spices resemble each other quite a bit, there are some key differences in the creole vs. cajun seasoning debate.
Creole Seasoning: Features more herbs like oregano, thyme, and paprika.
Cajun Seasoning: Features more peppers like black, cayenne, and white.
My homemade seasoning is sort of a blend of both but leans into the Creole category more. Either way, it’s delicious!
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to “saute” mode. Heat olive oil for 1 minute. Add in onions, peppers, and garlic and stir for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and beginning to soften.
- Add in the sausage slices, diced tomatoes, broth, and spices. Lock the lid in the sealing position and cook on manual high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Mix arrowroot powder + water to create a slurry. This will help to thicken the soup a bit.
- Quick release the pressure. Hit “cancel/keep warm”, then turn to “saute” mode.
- Bring to a boil, then add in the frozen cauliflower rice and thawed shrimp.
- Cook for 5-7 minutes until the shrimp is pink and cooked through and the cauliflower rice is tender. Scrape any browned bits from the bottom. Add in slurry and stir to thicken.
- Serve your jambalaya soup topped with hot sauce and green onions. Enjoy!
Mary’s Tips & Tricks
Stove Top Instructions
- Sauté garlic, onions, and peppers for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in sausage and sauté for an additional 3 minutes.
- Add in tomatoes, broth, and seasoning.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Add in shrimp and cauliflower rice and cook for an additional 10 minutes until they are cooked through.
- Serve warm with green onions.
Spice Level: If you prefer more spice, add more cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes. If you want your jambalaya soup milder, use less.
Storage Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Leftovers taste even better the next day because the flavors have a chance to meld together. Yum!
Recipe FAQs
Jambalaya is a stew cooked with rice inside, whereas gumbo is a stew served over rice, separately.
Traditional jambalaya is a thick stew. However, this Instant Pot Jambalaya recipe features all the same flavors, but with a twist, making it jambalaya soup.
The tomatoes! Also called “red jambalaya” the use of tomatoes is what separates it from cajun jambalaya.
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Easy Instant Pot Jambalaya Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb shrimp, thawed if previously frozen
- 1 12 oz package smoked sausage, sliced into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces. (can sub kielbasa – look for sugar free if doing Whole30)
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 16 oz package frozen cauliflower rice
- 1 cup chicken or beef broth
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, add more for more heat!
- 1 tsp oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes, reduce for less heat
- diced scallions/green onions, for garnish
- 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
- 2 tbsp water
Equipment
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to "saute" mode. Heat olive oil for 1 minute. Add in onions, peppers, and garlic and stir for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and beginning to soften.
- Add in sliced sausage, diced tomatoes, broth, and spices. Lock lid and cook on manual high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Mix arrowroot powder + water to create a slurry. This will help to thicken the soup a bit.
- Manually release the pressure. Hit "cancel/keep warm", then turn to "saute" mode. Bring to a boil, then add in the frozen cauliflower rice and thawed shrimp. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the shrimp is pink and cooked through and the cauliflower rice is tender. Add in slurry and stir to thicken. Serve topped with hot sauce and green onions. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Sauté garlic, onions, and peppers for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in sausage and sauté for an additional 3 minutes.
- Add in tomatoes, broth, and seasoning.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Add in shrimp and cauliflower rice and cook for an additional 10 minutes until they are cooked through.
- Serve warm with green onions.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on October 13, 2019 and updated on December 21, 2022 with new photos and copy.
80 Comments on “Easy Instant Pot Jambalaya Soup”
This recipe is absolutely delicious! I had to make some big changes to my diet which involved removing gluten and dairy. This recipe fit with the way I need to eat AND was loved by my husband and teenage daughters. This is officially on the permanent rotation. I didn’t make any substitutions other than adding only half of the cayenne and red pepper flakes so it wouldn’t be too much heat for the girls. THANK YOU!
Thanks Kate!
I have made so many different jambalaya for my husband and this is the only one he will eat. Â This is the best! It is even better the next day or two for lunches. I am not allowed to make any other kind because he can now tell the difference. This is easy and we usually have most of the ingredients on hand. Thank you for this receiptÂ
Thank you Nicole!
Made the Easy Instant Pot Jambalaya Soup. My husband loved it. I have been making new recipes every night for several weeks and he said this was he best one and to make it again.Â
So glad you enjoyed it!
This was really quick and easy to make. The flavors were great and was super nice to eat on a colder evening!
So glad you enjoyed it, Sheleena! Thanks!
This was a favorite in our house! Great flavor, easy to make, and a bunch of leftovers that will taste even better tomorrow. Mary does it again!
Thanks Jenny!!
DELICIOUS!! Received rave reviews at my house.  You are my go to for recipes on Instagram 🙂Â
Thank you Joanna!!
Made this tonight following the stove top directions and it was absolutely delicious! It will definitely be making a regular appearance on our dinner table!
So glad you enjoyed it!