Spicy and comforting, smokey and filling, these jambalaya-stuffed bell peppers are packed with so much flavor, and come together for one easy weeknight meal.
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These jambalaya-stuffed peppers are the perfect way to celebrate Fat Tuesday when you can’t be in New Orleans. I’ve partnered up with Dandy® to share today’s cajun-inspired recipe!
Andouille sausage, fresh shrimp and chicken, oh my! These Jambalaya-Stuffed Peppers are packed with so much flavor that I’d be bold enough to say they rival some of the jambalaya I’ve had in New Orleans, with a lot less carbs.
If you’re a pure Cajun aficionado, you may disagree, and I get that. But for the home cook like yours truly, these Jambalaya-Stuffed Peppers are not only perfect for a weeknight dinner (with loads of leftovers), but make enough for a proper Mardi Gras party at home!
THE HOLY TRINITY: WHAT IS IT
Onion, celery, and bell pepper; we call this trio, “The Holy Trinity” of Cajun cooking, or it’s also known as Mirepoix, and serves as the base of most savory dishes, such as a stew, soup or sauce, and of course jambalaya.
The Holy Trinity is the first thing to go into your skillet when making these Jambalaya-Stuffed Peppers. Obvi, I am biased and prefer Dandy® fresh-cut celery, for this recipe. But that’s because they’re crispier and crunchier than other celery, so why would I not?
HOW TO MAKE CAJUN-STUFFED BELL PEPPERS
There is a little more prep to this Cajun dish than other weeknight dinners, but the payoff (leftovers for days) is worth it. And while these Jambalaya-Stuffed Peppers bake, you can clean up so it’s not too terrible in the long run.
- You’ll first want to prep all of your ingredients (list below)
- Then you’ll roast your cleaned bell peppers for 15-ish minutes
- While the peppers soften in the oven, make the jambalaya filling
- Remove bell peppers from the oven and stuff each pepper half with filling
- Bake for an additional 10-12 minutes (clean up while peppers bake!)
- Dig IN
Traditional Jambalaya recipes call for rice to soak up all that spicy, saucy goodness with Cajun flavors! But to keep these stuffed peppers gluten-free, we swap in 2 cobs of Dandy® Sweet Corn. This helps give it a sweetness to balance the Cajun spice, and it also helps to bulk up our jambalaya filling before stuffing into peppers.
If you’re full on keto or whole30, you can omit the corn altogether. That’s up to you.
I also suggest a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese – again, to balance the Cajun flavors, but if you’re dairy-free or on a whole30, you can forgo the Parmesan, and the flavor will still be incredible.
HOW TO MAKE A CAJUN SEASONING
Between adding corn and Parmesan, Cajun purists are cursing me as I type this! But sometimes you guys, rules were made to be broken. And when it comes to an easy weeknight dinner made in your own kitchen, you’re the boss, so do what you like.
There are so many Cajun seasoning recipes you can find in the store – Tony Chachere’s being the most popular after a quick Google search, but you probably have most of these ingredients on hand in your spice cabinet already, so I say make your own. This Cajun spice blend can absolutely be made in advance.
Here’s my cajun spice blend:
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
These Jambalaya-Stuffed Peppers can be completely customizable; the basics apply but beyond that, change it up how you like! Sometimes I use chicken breast and sometimes thigh. I love fresh made andouille sausage from the butcher, but if I can’t find it, I will easily swap for sausage links from the meat case at my grocery (think: Aidell’s).
Want more veggies? Add a cup of riced cauliflower before baking off. Make these Jambalaya-Stuffed Peppers your own – and enjoy!
Jambalaya-Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 4 bell peppers, sliced in half lengthwise, seeds removed - any color
- 6 tablespoons avocado oil - can also use olive oil
- 1 green bell pepper - diced
- 1/2 yellow onion - diced
- 1/2 cup Dandy® celery; diced - about two stalks
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 12 ounces Andouille sausage - sliced into coins
- 4 ounces chicken thighs cubed - can also use breast
- 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 8 ounces shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails removed
- 2 cobs Dandy® Sweet Corn - cut from the cob
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, for topping - optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Brush the peppers (inside and outsides) with aprrox 1 tablespoon avocado oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Place the peppers on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes.
- While the peppers are roasting, make the jambalaya filling. Heat a large skillet (I used a 12-inch skillet) over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon avocado oil. Add in the bell pepper, onion, and celery. Saute until fragrant, 3-5 minutes.
- Add in the Cajun spices along with the chicken and sausage. Stir to combine. Cook for 6-8 minutes until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Add in the tomatoes and shrimp. Cook 2-3 minutes until the shrimp is cooked through then add in corn. Cook another 4-6 minutes until corn is hot. Stir to combine and remove from heat.
- Remove the peppers from the oven. Fill the pepper halves with the jambalaya mixture. Bake another 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat and garnish with Parmesan, if using.
Notes
Nutrition
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Made these..were amazing!
I’m so glad you loved them, Pammie!
Can’t wait to make this weekend!
I hope you love it as much as we do! Let me know how it turns out!