Quick MealsOne Pot Shrimp Jambalaya Lentil Bowls! A grain free, healthy southern food mash up! Classic Jambalaya and shrimp gumbo combined together and made healthier, to make one amazing southern comfort bowl. Packed full of veggies, lentils, and protein. It’s an easy one pot meal for a family, potlucks, or even to make ahead and freeze for later!
If you are from the South, then you know one thing is for sure…. You don’t mess with traditional Southern Comfort Food (like BBQ, shrimp and grits, gumbo, or jambalaya). And you don’t mess with your family’s favorite recipes (like my mom’s jambalaya casserole). You just don’t.
Unless you’re me and crave CHANGE. Well, at least a change in food. In fact, I change and adapt recipes more often than a cameleon. Ya, whoops. That whole Southern recipe rule just went flying out the window!
I need variety, and luckily, I married a Kiwi (aka New Zealander) who likes almost every kind of food. So I guess you could say I’m pretty spoiled. I don’t have to tailor any recipes to his liking. Unless it’s pumpkin. Haha, we all know he’s not a fan of plain pumpkin, unlike me… who’s a tad obsessed.
But I digress. Okay, back to my point here.
Comfort food bowls….
Yes, shrimp jambalaya can be made healthy and gluten free. In fact, you can make it grain free with just a few swaps! The RIGHT southern SWAPS being key. So instead of making true jambalaya here, I made a combo of gumbo and jambalaya. Most comfort food is all about the protein and the starch anyway. Might as well play to it’s strengths, right?
Which is why I decided to keep the starch “starchy” but still grain free. Instead of traditional rice, I used lentils. I also paired chicken sausage with shrimp and used okra instead of green peppers. It’s a one pot southern mash up wonder ya’ll!
Lentils making this mash up the WONDER part!
Just think, this shrimp jambalaya is now gluten free, grain free, and full of fiber. And dare I say it…..
If the lentils are first soaked and properly, they can act as one tasty resistant starch once cooled! Which means your gut and your digestion will benefit from eating this shrimp jambalaya dish. Let’s face it, you’re getting more bang for your good HEALTH buck in this recipe. And we all need that during the Fall/Winter months. (source)
Southern comfort food with a healthy grain free twist. Ha, now if only Paula Deen approved! Maybe I’ll email this to her. Yes? Nah!
If you are looking for more healthy gluten free Jambalaya recipes, check out this Quinoa Jambalaya from A Mind Full Mom!
Okay, let’s get to the recipe and then I’ll share more ways you can use this shrimp jambalaya, errr gumbo??
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Lentil Shrimp Jambalaya Bowls
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Prep Time: 15 min -
Cook Time: 30 min
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Total Time: 45 minutes
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Yield: 4
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Pin RecipeDescription
Lentil Shrimp Jambalaya Bowls {Grain Free}
Ingredients
- 1 cup lentils (uncooked) or 2 cups already cooked
- 10 ounces medium peeled shrimp
- 1 tbsp oil or butter
- 1/2 tsp gluten free worchestire sauce
- 2 cups chopped okra (fresh or frozen)
- 2/3 cup chopped carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 cup chopped celery
- 170 grams or 1 1/4 cup diced cooked andouille sausage or chicken sausage (gluten free brand)
- 1/3 cup tomato sauce
- 1/4 tsp onion salt or sea salt
- 1/4 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika or cajun creole seasoning blend (feel free to add more if you like)
- crushed red pepper
- dash of black pepper
- optional parmesan topping
Instructions
- First, make sure your lentils are cooked. It’s also easy to just use leftover lentils and sausage for this dish. But if you are making it from scratch then directions to cook those are below.
- For best health, soak lentils overnight first. If you don’t have time to soak, just rinse them thoroughly.
- To cook the lentils, use 3 cups of liquid (water or broth) to 1 cup of rinsed lentils.
- Bring to a boil, cover tightly, reduce heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Drain the lentils and set aside in a bowl.
- Once lentils are done, use that same pot or skillet for cooking everything else. Be sure to drain the water or broth first though.
- Add your onion, celery, seasoning, oil or butter, and shrimp to the skillet/pot. Add in sausage here too if it’s uncooked. If you are using pre-cooked sausage, then add that later with lentils.
- Sautee onions, celery, shrimp, oil, seasoning on medium to medium-high heat for a few minutes to coat the pan.
- Then add in the rest of your veggies and Worcestershire sauce; sautee all together until veggies are tender and shrimp and sausage are almost cooked through. About 8 – 10 minutes on medium to medium-high.
- Last add in your lentils, tomato sauce, and any remaining ingredients you’d like to add in.
- Stir and cook on medium-low to medium heat until everything is cooked through and sauce is warmed. Should only be a few minutes or so.
- Serve in bowls and top with red pepper flakes, a dash of black pepper, and parmesan, if desired.
Notes
To make this dish even faster, you can use pre cooked shrimp and sausage and just add it to the cooked veggies and lentils. Then stir and cook for a few minutes to get flavors all combined.
So when’s the best time to make this dish? Glad you asked. I mean, glad I asked.
This dish is perfect for potluck parties, family dinners, for making ahead and freezing for later, and for REFUELING you after a long day. Whether that be a long day of work, training, school, etc.
Basically it’s a go-to meal. Kinda like this one. A meal that suits every need. And trust me, you won’t be disappointed. Unless you are an old school southerner… kidding.
Favorite southern comfort food?
Do you have any recipe mash ups that you make?
Do share!
Cheers,
Yum! You know how I love my Andouille sausage! This needs to jump off the screen and into my house for dinner tonight 🙂
you bet! sausage lovers unite! p.s. i tried to comment on your post twice but it failed me. ugh, sorry. but have you tried salt tabs? I have holistic brand you might like!
Haven’t tried, yes would love the info thanks!
its called bio plasama by hylands brand! https://hylands.com/products/cell-salts
You don’t have to ask me twice to eat a dish with fish or lentils and since this one has both I’m on board. Now when are you coming to visit to make this for me? I’m still recovering you know! 😉
on my way!!!
Jambalaya and gumbo are two of my absolute favorite dishes, but you know I can’t really have them all that much (thanks stomach). But this breaks it down for me in a way that I could probably recreate!
have you tried soaking lentils? or is it the spice? i want to make it susie friendly!!
These look so delicious. What is it about putting yummy food like this into a bowl that makes them so inviting??
because you don’t have to share the bowl! xxoo
I LOVE jambalaya! I just made a giant pot for my dad’s birthday a few weeks ago. I forgot how much I love it. I’ve cooked lentils before and they didn’t come out very well. I’ve been a little scared of trying them since, but this recipe sounds so good, I need to give it another go.
keep me posted! ok?
I love jambalaya anyway, but I LOVE that this is made with lentils. This looks like the perfect weeknight meal lady!
These photos look fantastic! I have only had jambalaya once and it was in New Orleans but I’m liking this version with lentils- I think lentils are the essential cold weather food 🙂
so true! and so nourishing. you’d approve, right? haha
i love the swap of lentils for rice, I’m not that big of a fan of rice! this looks like the perfect dinner, i swear I’m a southerner at heart even though I’m from the northeast! I love some chicken and dumplings 🙂
i think you’re a true southerner too! <3
I have been craving lentils lately and pinned this for later to make…As you know, I LOVE all your lentil recipes!!! XOXO
I’m beginning to think I’m literally incapable of following an actual recipe. There are just too many ideas in my crazy head…
Love, love, love this idea. I much prefer lentils to rice anyway.
you and me both girlfriend. I mean bro!
Lentils are by far one of my favorite winter foods!! And this jambalaya full of okra – I remember the first time I made jambalaya and I was like how do I even cook this okra lol!! Oh I’m in love with how gorgeous this is! Dave has been on a big gluten free sausage kick, and I adore shrimp, I bet we could use the lentil jambalaya as a base and add our favorite protein at the end!!
haha I know. Okra can be slimy if not really sauteed well. and it’s weird.
Ooo this looks delicious!! I’ve been in the mood for some okra, so I’ll have to try out this recipe soon! I love some Southern food, but I’m from Georgia so what do you expect?? I used to work for Paula Deen, so unless you add in about 2 sticks of butter I’m not sure she’ll be interested. 😉
let me know if you do!
haha true. I only used like 2 tbsp whoops
I simply LUUUUUUUURRRRRRRVE your use of lentils instead of rice! I crave change too and this is my kind of jambalaya! My gut, my digestion, the tastebuds in my pie hole they will all benefit from eating this!
yes, lentils for the win! and a happy gut. haha
Total comfort food! I love the idea of using lentils instead of rice. That’s an ingredient that I don’t cook with often, but they are so darn good!
Oh my worrddddddddd. SO need to try this. Sharing on my link Friday because this is too good and EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS. Can’t wait to try <3
Yum!! I traveled to New Orleans for work for an entire year, and I ate so much creole food that it took me a full year to start enjoying it again. So now i’m always looking for healthier takes on creole classics!
oh man, i can only imagine! haha did you go to get beignets a lot?
Looks soooo good! I’m loving all of the spice and veg!
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Oh, I just want to grab a bowl of this now. Look at all those amazing veggies, so beautifully cooked and photographed.It’s only 6.20am as I write this AND it’s too long to wait until dinner! Gah! 😉
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I love Jambalaya!
You do not need Paula Deen’s approval. In fact, you could teach her a thing or two about how best to fuel your body.
I love lentils and yet rarely cook with them. In fact, I have a bag of beautiful red ones in the pantry right now just begging to be used in a big comfort dish like this one.
we absolutely LOVE jambalaya, and I adore lentils, so this is a must make for me.
This is a great way to introduce lentils into a diet, too. So much flavor going on!
yes, I so agree! love those lentils
Oooooh I know what is going on my meal plan next week!!! This looks amazing!
let me know if you do!
I am not sure what okra is?? Is there anything else you can use instead? I am really wanting to try this it looks amazing. I am new to gluten free.
Okra is more a southern veggie. YOu can for sure use snap peas or green beans! keep me posted.
Mmm I like me some jambalaya 🙂
I try and do fried quinoa rather than fried rice, and I like the substitution a lot! Ray still prefers regular rice, so I’ll do that every now and then.
this looks so delicious! I will try this out for today’s dinner.
First time eating Okra!! Loved it! 🙂
★★★★★
Just give me the damn recipe. You don’t need to write a novel about the dish before you post the ingredients and directions…
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