One-Pan Jambalaya is an easy, 30-minute meal of oven-roasted & seasoned sausage, shrimp, veggies, and rice. Everything gets cooked together on one sheet pan!

Overhead view of One-Pan Jambalaya
chelsea

author’s note

The Fastest Way To Get Jambalaya Flavors on the Table!

Let’s start with this disclaimer: this is not an authentic jambalaya recipe. I mean… it’s made on a sheet pan, so that should tell you everything you need to know, ha!

This isn’t a spend-all-day, layer-the-flavors kind of meal. So why still call it jambalaya? Because it’s inspired by those same bold, smoky, slightly spicy flavors and the classic combo of sausage, shrimp, rice, and veggies.

Certain dishes just carry a feeling with them, and jambalaya is one of those.

The whole idea here is simple: big flavor, minimal effort, and hardly any cleanup. Everything roasts together on one pan, which means less time cooking and way fewer dishes at the end.

And honestly, it delivers. This one is hearty, packed with flavor, and comes together so fast.

One thing to note, though, this does have a bit of a kick. You can absolutely adjust the spice (I share how below), but like most jambalaya-inspired dishes, expect a little heat in every bite.

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Ingredient shot: elements that go into this One-Pan Jambalaya recipe

One-Pan Jambalaya Ingredients

IngredientSwaps or Tips
Smoked sausageAny pre-cooked sausage works
ShrimpSwap for chicken if preferred
Bell peppers & onionAny color peppers work
Creole seasoningAdjust amount to control spice
Ready riceUse leftover cold rice
Cherry tomatoesSkip if you want less moisture

Quick Tip

Love the concept of cooking a grain alongside everything else on one sheet pan? Add these recipes to your list to try next: Cheesy Chicken Broccoli & Rice, Butternut Squash Wild Rice Pilaf, or Sheet-Pan Quinoa Pilaf.

Process shots: adding peppers, onions, seasonings and oil; toss and roast.

Scaling Down (Or Up) The Spice Levels

When scaling down the spice, note that there will be some loss of flavor. When removing or reducing spicy seasonings, you may want to increase other spices such as salt, pepper, paprika, and the Italian seasoning.

To make this recipe milder, reduce the Creole seasoning (you can always add more at the end!) and don’t add in any red pepper flakes. Use a plain or hardwood smoked turkey sausage instead of a Cajun-style andouille smoked sausage.

To make this recipe spicier, use a Cajun-style andouille smoked sausage, add in a diced jalapeño pepper when adding in the rice, add in the optional red pepper flakes, and increase the Creole seasoning to taste.

Process shots: add tomatoes to the pan; combine shrimp with olive oil and seasonings.

chelsea’s recipe tip

My Top One-Pan Jambalaya Tips

  • My top tip: Use a large sheet pan or two pans. Don’t crowd the pan or the food will steam instead of roast.
  • Cut veggies to similar sizes so they roast evenly.
  • Use fresh shrimp to save time. If using fresh, make sure it’s peeled and deveined.
  • Watch shrimp closely. Cooked shrimp form a loose “C.” A tight “O” means overcooked, and gray spots mean undercooked.
  • Finish with fresh herbs. Green onions and flat-leaf parsley add fresh flavor.
Process shots: mix shrimp with sauce; add to the sheet pan; add rice and more seasonings; finish roasting and add fresh herbs.

Storage

  • Storing: Cool the one-pan jambalaya to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
  • Freezing: Cool completely, portion into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months.

More Easy One-Pan Dinners:

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4.89 from 9 votes

One-Pan Jambalaya

One-Pan Jambalaya is a quick, flavorful meal with seasoned sausage, shrimp, veggies, and rice—all roasted together for an easy 30-minute dinner!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Video

Equipment

  • Sheet pan (15" x 10") 15 x 21-inch

Ingredients

  • Cooking spray
  • 3 bell peppers I use a red, yellow, and green
  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 13 ounces smoked sausage see note 1
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 2-1/2 teaspoons Creole seasoning divided
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 8 ounces medium shrimp raw, peeled, and deveined
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1-1/2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
  • 2 (8.5-ounce) packages cooked jasmine rice see note 2
  • fresh flat-leaf parsley optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 425℉. Lightly spritz a 15×21-inch sheet pan with cooking spray. (Everything will fit on a 15×21-inch sheet pan, but you’ll need 2 sheet pans if you don’t have this size.) Remove the stem and seeds and chop the bell peppers into 1-inch pieces. Halve and then thinly slice the yellow onion. Slice the sausage into thin, 1/2-inch coins.
  • Place the cut peppers, onion, and sausage on the prepared sheet pan. Toss with 2 tablespoons (27g) olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning, and Italian seasoning. Toss to coat everything, space out evenly (see note 3), and bake for 8 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the shrimp. Make sure it is peeled, deveined, and fully thawed if using frozen. You can also remove the tails here if desired. Toss the shrimp with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning, and paprika. Cut tomatoes in half.
  • Remove sheet pan from oven and toss everything, then space things out again into an even layer. Add seasoned shrimp and tomatoes. Cook another 6–8 minutes. Remove and add packaged rice (no need to microwave or prepare it at all; just knead it a bit before opening it), remaining 1 (up to 1 and 1/2) teaspoons Creole seasoning (to taste), and salt and pepper to taste. (I add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.) Toss everything together, space out, then return to the oven for 2 more minutes.
  • Remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh green onions and fresh chopped parsley. Enjoy immediately! Add red pepper flakes to individual plates if desired.
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Use Cajun-style andouille smoked sausage for more flavor or hardwood smoked turkey sausage (less spicy). Any smoked sausage works, but those are my favorites! Be sure to used smoked sausage, since it is already cooked.
Note 2: Use pre-cooked rice such as Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice (I use Jasmine Ready Rice). Alternatively, use leftover cooked rice.
Note 3: The more space the vegetables have, the better they roast. When vegetables overlap on a sheet pan, they end up steaming instead of roasting, making the veggies softer and soggy. Crowded veggies will also take much longer to cook through to tender.
Storage: Keep cooled-to-room-temperature jambalaya in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 34 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 396kcal | Carbohydrates: 19.9g | Protein: 18.6g | Fat: 26.9g | Cholesterol: 107.5mg | Sodium: 888.3mg | Fiber: 2.5g | Sugar: 5.2g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

 

Meet Chelsea


Hello, and welcome to Chelseaโ€™s Messy Apron! Iโ€™m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. Iโ€™m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping byโ€”I hope you find something delicious to make!

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32 Comments

  1. Anne Marie says:

    Hi, Do you have a substitution for the shrimp that I can use? I love everything else! Thank you!

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      You can just double up on the sausage! ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Laura M says:

    5 stars
    As I prep this recipe, I just wanted to comment and let you know how much I love it. Iโ€™ve made it so often since discovering it several years ago. It is warming, delicious, super easy to make. It also gets envious and admiring comments when I have brought it in to work for lunch. I donโ€™t eat shellfish so add extra sausage, or chicken. Just great! Today is its first seasonal outing as the grey skies of autumn in Manchester, England seem to call for jambalaya warmth โค๏ธ

    1. Chelsea says:

      I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Laura! ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. Rich says:

    5 stars
    I wasn’t sure about the rice cooking, but it worked out fine. I’ve made this twice so far. This time around I tried it with Uncle Ben’s beans and rice instead of the Jasmine rice. The beans and rice was a little clumpy and needed an additional minute, but it was pretty good. The Jasmine rice worked without any problems. Might try some brown rice next time.

    1. Chelsea says:

      I am so happy to hear you loved this! Thanks Rich! ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. Jeff says:

    4 stars
    Yes, this was quick and easy with good flavour. I would have liked to have seen how the ingredients were prepared at the top, along with the note that the sausage was pre-cooked.

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      So glad you enjoyed! Thanks Jeff! ๐Ÿ™‚

  5. Kristin says:

    Is your guess of the Nutrition facts per serving or for the whole pan? Thanks

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      Hey Kristin, I just updated the nutrition facts for serving! Thanks! ๐Ÿ™‚

  6. Nicole says:

    Is there different shrimp that u can use? I brought a shrimp that had cooked shrimp?

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      You can just toss the cooked shrimp in at the end to warm through ๐Ÿ™‚