Instant Pot Jambalaya Recipe: Quick & Easy Comfort Food

Spark up your dinner menu with this Instant Pot Jambalaya recipe. It’s a spicy, filling Louisiana recipe full of andouille sausage, shrimp, rice and vegetables that’s fast and easy to make!

With the cold weather I’ve been firing up my Instant Pot daily to whip up soups, stews and other hearty recipes.

I love recipes that are completely cooked in the Instant Pot multi-cooker which saves on clean up AND once I’ve sealed the ‘IP’ that I can go do something else!

To be clear I have nothing against traditional cooking methods, I just really can use more time in many days, particularly on weeknights for dinner.

The versatility of the Instant Pot to prepare a variety of cuisines’ recipes with robust flavors ‘super fast’ is a win.

What is Jambalaya?

Jambalaya is a cajun recipe originating in Louisiana made with rice, celery, peppers and onion; with chicken and smoked or spicy sausage like Andouille.

Shrimp is often added too.

This Instant Pot Jambalaya recipe does not include chicken but with a few little tricks is perfection with spicy sausage and shrimp!

How to make Instant Pot Jambalaya – Step by Step:

This version of Jambalaya is easy to make and irresistibly delicious! 

For a detailed printable recipe refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Set the Instant Pot on the ‘Saute’ setting. Add sausage slices and cook until browned (about 2 minutes per side) (photo 1).
• Remove and place on a double layer of paper towels to drain (photo 2).
• Add the vegetables to the Instant Pot insert to sauté (photo 3). NOTE: they will pick up the browned bits in the Instant Pot, flavoring the oil in the process.
• Add the rice and seasonings to the sautéed vegetables. Toss to fully coat the rice (photo 4).

• Add the diced tomatoes, chicken stock, and salt; stir (photo 5).
• Seal the Instant Pot and cook on High Pressure for 8 minutes (photo 6). When the cooking completes, natural release for 5 minutes followed by a manual release of the remaining pressure.
• Stir the rice mixture.
• Add the sausage, shrimp and scallions (photo 7).
• Reseal the Instant Pot lid and allow the Jambalaya to warm for 5 minutes in the residual heat (note: the Instant Pot is on Warm).

Time Saving Ingredient Preparation Tip

I have mentioned I use a Mini Chopper for everything. It speeds up chopping and minimizes clean-up.

If you have a mini chopper, combine the onions and garlic to chop; add them to the Instant Pot at the prescribed time.

As they start to cook, combine the green pepper and celery to the mini chopper, pulse to chop and add to the Instant Pot.

No knives or cutting board to clean up and the vegetables chop in a flash.

What does this Instant Pot Jambalaya Recipe Taste Like?

The seasonings in this recipe are on point. Bold and spicy in traditional Louisiana style.

It’s a warming, filling recipe, perfect for winter’s chill. I loved the step of sautéing the sausage giving it a browned crust.

Adding the sausage and the shrimp at the end of the recipe, allowing it to only warm through, keeps a wonderful texture; firm, with a bite (not rubbery as overcooking can cause).

This Jambalaya recipe is adapted from a cookbook I was reviewing (credit in the recipe notes below).

When making the Jambalaya recipe as written I found the rice was al dente.

The goal of the recipe is to cook the rice through and avoid it becoming mushy.

After researching, there are multiple ways to achieve this.

I found extending the cooking by a minute, allowing brief natural release followed by adding the sausage, shrimp and scallions, resealing the pot and warming in the residual heat provided a more satisfying result (the recipe reflects the changes I made).

More Recipes to Try

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5 from 59 votes

Print

Instant Pot Jambalaya

'Jambalaya, a Louisiana meat, seafood, and rice staple, is quick and easy in the multi-cooker. By browning the sausage first and then stirring it in only at the end, you infuse the rice with its flavor, yet keep it from turning rubbery under pressure."-Super Fast Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Cookook

I would add, including the cooked shrimp at the end also allows it to keep non-rubbery texture which can occur when shrimp is over-cooked!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword instant pot jambalaya, jambalaya recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 6 1 1/2 cup servings

Calories 430 kcal

Author Toni Dash

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 12 ounces Andouille Sausage cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
• 1 medium Onion chopped
• 1 medium Green Bell Pepper seeded and chopped
• 1 medium stalk Celery chopped
• 3 Garlic Cloves diced
• 2 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon ground Thyme
• 1 cup Long-Grain White Rice
• 1 14.5-ounce can Diced Tomatoes undrained
• 1 1/2 cups Low-Sodium Chicken Stock
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 12 ounces medium Cooked Shrimp (41-60 count)
• 4 Scallions thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in the inner pot at on Sauté. Add the sausage slices, and cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the meat to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. 
   

2. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. 

3.  Add the Cajun seasoning, thyme, and rice, and stir until the rice is well coated in the oil. Press Cancel to stop the cooking. 

4. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the stock, and salt. Stir. 

5. Lock the lid. Cook on Manual High Pressure for 8 minutes, then allow a Natural Pressure Release for 5 minutes followed by manual release of the remaining pressure. 

6. Stir the rice mixture, then stir in the shrimp, scallions, and reserved sausage. Replace the Instant Pot lid and allow the ingredients to heat through for 5 minutes in the residual heat.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Recipe adapted from 'Super Fast Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Cookbook' Copyright © 2018 by Heather Rodino and Ella Sandersand printed with permission of St. Martin's Griffin.

 

Nutrition Facts

Instant Pot Jambalaya

Amount Per Serving

Calories 430 Calories from Fat 198

% Daily Value*

Fat 22g34%

Saturated Fat 6g30%

Cholesterol 190mg63%

Sodium 1164mg49%

Potassium 403mg12%

Carbohydrates 29g10%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 26g52%

Vitamin A 505IU10%

Vitamin C 22mg27%

Calcium 115mg12%

Iron 2.8mg16%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Originally published: January 21, 2018