Shrimp

It might seem unusual to add the raw shrimp at the end and allow it to cook in the residual heat of the jambalaya. But this is something I discovered through trial and error and find it works well and the shrimp doesn’t get overcooked or tough.

Rub Creole seasoning over the shrimp and set aside while the rice is pressure cooking, and stir in the uncooked shrimp at the end. Let it cook in residual heat with the lid on.

Try to work quickly and add the shrimp as soon as the pressure goes down. You don’t want too much heat to escape because the shrimp needs to cook in the residual heat.

When you put the lid on, you might have trouble getting it to close. Put the steam release handle/button/switch in the Vent position and it should close easily.

If you have extra-large or jumbo-sized shrimp, you’ll need to let the shrimp sit in the covered Instant Pot for an extra 3 to 5 minutes. If you have smaller shrimp you may be able to decrease the amount of time.

If you prefer, you can saute the shrimp at the beginning when you’re sauteing the sausage and chicken.

Different Types of Rice

This recipe calls for regular long grain rice or basmati rice. If you’d like to use jasmine rice, pressure cook for 5 minutes.

Brown rice requires a longer pressure cooking time (approximately 22 minutes), so your meats and vegetables would probably get overcooked if you pressure cook for that long. If you’d like to cook Instant Pot Jambalaya with brown rice:

Remove the cooked meat and vegetables from the inner pot and set aside. Substitute brown rice for the long grain rice and pressure cook for 22 minutes. Add the meats and vegetables back in at the end, when you’re adding the shrimp.

Sausage

Andouille is a spicy smoked Cajun sausage. If you don’t have access to it, substitute it with Spanish chorizo or Polish kielbasa. I recommend that you use smoked sausage, not raw sausage.

Seasonings

You can substitute Creole seasoning with Cajun seasoning. You can also add more or less seasoning than I’ve suggested. The quantity of salt you need will depend on the quantity and type of Cajun or Creole seasoning you use. Go easy on the salt if you are using more seasoning and/or if the Creole or Cajun seasoning is very salty!

Stock / Broth

The recipe calls for chicken stock but you may want to try out my Instant Pot Shrimp Stock. It adds another dimension of flavor and it’s so easy to make. You already have the shrimp shells, so why not make some stock with it?

Shallots

Many people don’t like the taste of raw onions, and that’s the case with one of my children. So I often omit the shallots. The jambalaya tastes great either way.