Healthy Jambalaya Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is jambalaya healthy? ›

Shrimp is naturally low in fat and calories, and a small number of chicken thighs, though higher in fat than chicken breast, can still keep the dish lean. The other vegetables and oils used are super healthy, and make an outstanding dish. Celery, green bell pepper, and tomatoes pack in vitamins and nutrients and fiber.

Another signature of great jambalaya is the rice. There's a science to making sure it's just the right consistency: perfectly fluffy, not too wet, and not at all crispy. I've found the key is to bring your liquid, whether it's water or stock, to a complete boil to create a healthy amount of steam.

Jambalaya With Meat And Rice, Chicken And Sausage Jambalaya (1 cup) contains 22.7g total carbs, 21.4g net carbs, 21.2g fat, 26.1g protein, and 393 calories.

The main difference between these two dishes is their use of rice. Gumbo is really a soup or stew that's often served over a little rice, while jambalaya is made with the rice cooked into the dish, making the grain an integral part of it.

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.

Cajun vs.

Creole jambalaya, also known as red jambalaya, contains tomatoes. Cajun or brown jambalaya does not. Jambalaya isn't thickened with roux, although some cooks do include a little skillet-browned flour.

There are two types of jambalaya: Cajun and Creole. Cajun jambalaya originates from the bayous of Louisiana, featuring andouille sausage and various veggies. Creole jambalaya incorporates tomatoes and shrimp, using influences from Spain, France, and African locals.

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.

Jambalaya (/ˌdʒæmbəˈlaɪə/ JAM-bə-LY-ə, /ˌdʒʌm-/ JUM-) is a savory rice dish of mixed origins that developed in the U.S. state of Louisiana apparently with African, Spanish, and French influences, consisting mainly of meat or seafood (or both), and vegetables mixed with rice and spices.

Pick your protein: Chicken, shrimp and Andouille sausage are all traditional options for jambalaya. But feel free to choose just one, two or use all three, depending on what proteins you like. Other options could include other kinds of seafood (i.e. cod, mussels, clams, crawfish, etc.), pork or firm tofu.

What is the main component of jambalaya? ›

jambalaya, a savory dish, popularly associated with the U.S. state of Louisiana, consisting of meat (pork, chicken, or even rabbit), seafood (shrimp, crab, crawfish), or both (often including andouille either way) and cooked with vegetables, stock, rice, and various seasonings.

Most jambalaya recipes don't call for thickeners like roux or okra, though some people use cornstarch as a thickener if the dish needs it.

The one ingredient that seems to be fairly constant in all Jambalaya preparations though is some kind of sausage, and preferably a smoked one. Andouille, a spicy smoked sausage native to Louisiana, is the traditional choice.

Jambalaya vs Paella

Jambalaya and paella are both one-pot rice dishes loaded with medleys of meat, seafood, and vegetables. Spices differentiate jambalaya and paella. Saffron is the main spice flavoring paella, but it is not in jambalaya. Cayenne pepper gives jambalaya a bolder flavor profile than paella.

Your healthy slow cooker jambalaya is done and it's PACKED with protein! This slow cooker jambalaya tastes just as good as it looks and it's got just the right amount of kick to it.

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!

It is thought that jambalaya is descended from the Spanish dish paella, which was brought by Spanish immigrants to New Orleans. Jambalaya features ingredients that are readily available in Louisiana and pull from the state's cultural influences — namely African, French and Caribbean.

The favorite choice for the term "Jambalaya" is 1 cup of Jambalaya with Meat and Rice which has about 21 grams of fat. The total fat, saturated fat and other fats for a variety of types and serving sizes of Jambalaya is shown below.