Instant Pot Jambalaya is the answer to your busy weeknight dinner prayers! It’s a comforting bowl of meat, seafood, vegetables, and rice that is bursting with classic Cajun/Creole flavors. Ready in about 50 minutes, this dish is easy, quick, and oh so delicious!
Jambalaya is a Louisianan favorite that is typically made with chicken, spicy sausage slices, shrimp, vegetables, rice, and Cajun seasoning. It lies somewhere between being a soup and a stew, and I promise you it is FILLING! Exactly the kind of food you want after a long day.
I love my Instant Pot and any recipe I can adapt to cook in it, I will! That’s why I decided to take my best recipe for jambalaya and tweak it for the IP. I think this version is just as delicious as the traditional stovetop one and is a snap to make.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s a one-bowl meal that is both comforting and hearty. No fuss and easy clean-up!
- There is minimal hands-on time involved – just throw everything into the Instant Pot and let it do all the work!
- Quick meal option for busy weeknights. The jambalaya takes about 10 minutes of prep and has a cook time of about 40 minutes, which means you can have a complete meal on the table within one hour. That’s a weeknight win!
- Might remind you a bit of my shrimp boil, another amazing Southern-inspired recipe!
Ingredients
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Vegetable oil – This is a neutral-tasting oil that won’t overpower the other flavors in the dish. Grapeseed and canola are other options for neutral-tasting oils.
- Andouille sausage – Commonly used in Cajun cuisine, this sausage is spiced and smoked.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breast – You could also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if that’s what you have on hand.
- Cajun seasoning – This is a bold and spicy seasoning! It’s a blend of spices usually containing cayenne, paprika, garlic and onion powders, black pepper, oregano, etc.
- Yellow onion, celery, and green bell pepper – Considered The Holy Trinity in Cajun cooking, most recipes start with these three ingredients.
- Garlic – You’ll need 3 cloves of minced garlic. I use fresh garlic cloves, but if you prefer to use jarred minced garlic for ease, that will work too.
- Dried basil – Adds a peppery sweetness to the dish.
- Salt and pepper – Adds seasoning and helps to bring out the other flavors
- Fire-roasted diced tomatoes – These canned tomatoes are charred over a flame, so they help to add a smoky flavor to the dish.
- Granulated sugar – Used to balance the acidity from the tomatoes.
- Long grain rice – You can use either white rice or brown rice depending on your preferences. Make sure you use regular and not instant rice! Instant rice will turn mushy in the Instant Pot.
- Chicken stock – Look for low sodium as that way, you can control how much salt you add according to your tastes.
- Cayenne or red pepper flakes – These are optional for added heat. The Cajun seasoning will already have some cayenne pepper in it.
- Raw shrimp – If you are using frozen shrimp, let them defrost before adding them to the Instant Pot.
How to Make Instant Pot Jambalaya
- Set up your Instant Pot. I use a 6 quart Instant Pot. Press the SAUTE setting and when the pot reads HOT, add the vegetable oil and cook the Andouille sausage for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the sausage to a plate and set aside.
- Sauté chicken and vegetables. Season with Cajun seasoning and add chicken to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes and remove to a plate. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic, and cook for 2 – 3 minutes.
- Switch off the sauté setting. Add Cajun seasoning, dried basil, salt, pepper, tomatoes, sugar, rice, and chicken stock. Give everything a good stir with a wooden spoon, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure you pick up all the delicious, browned bits and that there’s nothing sticking to the bottom.
- Secure the lid and set the valve to the SEALING position. Choose PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL setting on HIGH and pressure cook for 4 minutes, then naturally release the steam for 10 minutes. Quickly release the rest of the steam.
- Cook the shrimp. Carefully open the lid and add the shrimp, cooked sausage, and chicken. Put the lid back on and let the residual heat from the Instant Pot cook the shrimp for 5 – 10 minutes.
Tip!
You’ll know the shrimp is done when it turns pink and is no longer translucent.
- Garnish and serve. Lightly stir the jambalaya and garnish with green onion and parsley to serve.
Recipe Tips
- The amount of salt you add will depend on how salty your chicken stock is, to begin with. It’s always important to taste before seasoning.
- Rinsing the rice may seem like an unnecessary step, but don’t be tempted to skip it! You’ll be rinsing off some of the starch, which means that your rice won’t clump and stick together once it’s cooked.
- Browning the sausage, chicken, and vegetables is the key to developing a deeper flavor. That’s why we use the sauté function of our Instant Pot before we put in the rest of the ingredients. Don’t forget to scrape up all the browned bits at the bottom of the pot because that’s where your flavor is!
Frequently Asked Questions
Most jambalaya recipes call for meat, seafood, vegetables, rice, and seasonings. Traditionally, you’ll find chicken, sausage, and shrimp, but some recipes swap the chicken for pork and include various fish and seafood like trout, crawfish, and oysters. The one thing you’ll find in common among the recipes is the use of either Cajun or Creole seasoning. You can look for these seasonings in the spice aisle of your local grocery or bulk store.
Jambalaya makes a great make-ahead dish, in fact, I find that the longer the flavors sit and mingle, the tastier it becomes! You can store it in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge and reheat it either in the microwave or on the stove.
Yes! It freezes well, so you never have to worry about your leftovers going to waste. The best way to store it for the freezer is in an airtight container or a freezer-safe plastic storage bag (with the air removed).
Cajun seasoning can come in varying degrees of spiciness, so look for one that has less cayenne pepper. You can also look for mild options for Andouille sausage. You will also definitely want to avoid adding the (optional) red pepper flakes.
Side Dishes that Work Well with Jambalaya
Jambalaya makes an amazing stand-alone dish, but if you’re looking for side dishes to pair with it, you might enjoy some of these suggestions:
- Cornbread – Moist and not too sweet, this bread is the perfect pairing.
- Corn on the cob – A great accompaniment and can also be made in the Instant Pot.
- Simple tossed green salad – Goes well with every meal!
- Cheddar Biscuits
- Fried Okra
If you like shrimp dishes, you should try my easy Fried Shrimp recipe too!
Once you’ve had a taste of this Instant Pot jambalaya, you’ll be hooked! Let me know in the comments what you think and if there are any ways you tweaked the ingredients for your family!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Instant Pot Jambalaya
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 12 ounces Andouille sausage sliced into 1 inch rounds
- 1 pound chicken breasts boneless and skinless, cut into bite sized pieces
- 4 teaspoons Cajun seasoning divided
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 medium stalk of celery diced
- 1 small green bell pepper seeded and diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and pepper
- 14.5 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar to balance the acidity
- 1½ cups long grain rice rinsed well and drained (regular, do not use instant rice!)
- 1½ cups chicken stock low sodium preferred
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne or red pepper flakes optional if you like a spicy cayenne (Cajun seasoning already contains cayenne)
- 1 pound raw shrimp peeled and deveined but tail left on
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot on the SAUTE setting, when the message HOT is displayed add 1 tablespoon of oil. Cook the sausage for 5 minutes or until it’s golden brown. Remove onto a plate and set aside.
- Add 1 more tablespoon of oil, and the chicken then season with 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning. Cook for 5 minutes or until it’s cooked through. Remove onto a plate and set aside.
- Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the remaining Cajun seasoning, dried basil, salt, pepper, diced tomatoes, sugar, rice, and chicken stock. Stir everything together, and make sure that there’s nothing stock to the bottom of the pot from the sautéing earlier (scrub with a wooden spoon).
- Cover with the lid, make sure that the valve is in SEALING position. Choose the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL setting on HIGH. And Pressure cook for 4 minutes, then naturally release the steam for 10 minutes. Quickly release the rest of the steam.
- Carefully open the lid, and add the shrimp along with the cooked sausage and chicken. Cover with the lid and let the shrimp cook from the heat of the pot (residual heat) for 5-10 minutes (the shrimp is cooked when it turns pink and opaque/no longer translucent). Lightly stir, garnish with chopped green onion and parsley and serve.
Notes:
- The amount of salt you add will depend on how salty your chicken stock is, to begin with. It’s always important to taste before seasoning.
- Rinsing the rice may seem like an unnecessary step, but don’t be tempted to skip it! You’ll be rinsing off some of the starch, which means that your rice won’t clump and stick together once it’s cooked.
- Browning the sausage, chicken, and vegetables is the key to developing a deeper flavor. That’s why we use the sauté function of our Instant Pot before we put in the rest of the ingredients. Don’t forget to scrape up all the browned bits at the bottom of the pot because that’s where your flavor is!
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Willie W says
Hi, when I heat up the shrimp, do I keep the “Keep Warm” setting on? And if not, can I keep it on if I don’t plan on serving it immediately?
Little Sunny Kitchen says
It’s easy to overcook shrimp when you’re reheating them. I would suggest reheating the dish only until it’s warmed through, and then serving it right away. Keeping it on the heat will dry the shrimp and the rice out.
Tine Gill says
Would love to try this recipe but I need to use either Jasmine rice or preferably brown rice (for dietary reasons). How would I need to adapt this recipe if using either of those types of rice? Appreciate your time and help, thanks!
Diana says
Hi Tine, jasmine rice would work fine following this recipe. If you want to do brown rice, I suggest that you cook it separately as it takes 25 minutes in the instant pot and that would overcook the chicken.
Tine says
Thank you so much! I will try it with the Jasmine rice first!
Marlene Lenz says
The recipe is delicious. I’ve made it several times and get the burn notice every time. I make sure there is nothing stuck to the bottom of the pan. When it’s almost done cooking, that’s when the burn notice comes on and there is a massive amount stuck to the bottom. While still edible, it’s agrivating.
Terry says
Hi…this sounds delicious…can I omit the green pepper?….they make me very ill so I try to avoid them if possible…thank you and I will probably be making this next week!
Diana says
Hi Terry, of course! It will still be delicious. Enjoy!