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!
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.
One-Pan Jambalaya Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swaps or Tips |
|---|---|
| Smoked sausage | Any pre-cooked sausage works |
| Shrimp | Swap for chicken if preferred |
| Bell peppers & onion | Any color peppers work |
| Creole seasoning | Adjust amount to control spice |
| Ready rice | Use leftover cold rice |
| Cherry tomatoes | Skip 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.
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.
Featured Comment
“I made this tonight and it was a total hit! Not only was it delicious but it took close to no time at all! Working 8 hour days and coming home to a four month old and hungry partner this is legit a life saver! I will definitely be checking out more recipes from this site!”
– Celia
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.
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:
One-Pan Jambalaya
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.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I don’t usually rate or comment on recipes I find online, but I was compelled to do so for this one since it’s fantastic, It’s so easy to make and tastes like authentic jambalaya. My family loves it and is permanently on our dinner rotation.
Oh I’m so thrilled to hear this has been enjoyed! 🙂 Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment 🙂
Great recipe, loved how all the flavours are perfectly balanced. I googled creole seasoning and made my own as well as the rice. Much better than other Jambalaya that I have made in the past. This is going in my Make again binder.;)
Ahh i’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks! 🙂
I made this tonight and it was a total hit! Not only was it delicious but it took close to no time at all! Working 8 hour days and coming home to a four month old and hungry partner this is legit a life saver! I will definitely be checking out more recipes from this site!
I’m always trying to find time savers too! You’ll find lots of other ones on my page. So glad you guys enjoyed:)
Hi CHELSEA, I like to eat seafood especially shrimp. This dish looks very attractive and colorful, I’ve been attracted to it, it will definitely be delicious. I will do it for the whole family to enjoy, thank you for sharing
You’re welcome! 🙂
Do I cook the precooked rice in microwave before adding?
Nope 🙂 Just throw it on the pan!
Made this tonight and it was AMAZING! I didn’t have Creole seasoning and I made the rice vs. from a package. This was so good that I’m sad my stomach is too full to eat more! Thanks for this – it’s a keeper 🙂
I’m so thrilled this was a hit! 🙂 Thanks so much for the comment Nicole!
I’m the only seafood lover in my house, how would I substitute chicken for the shrimp?
I haven’t tried chicken in this particular dish, but I’d cube it into pieces, add the seasoning + olive oil and cook it with the veggies at the beginning (so it gets about 20 minutes total cooking time and should register 165 degrees F on a meat thermometer).
Thank you!
Hi Chelsea! How many cups prepared rice if not using the prepackaged rice? Thanks!!
I’d use about 3-4 cups 🙂 And if you aren’t using the packaged rice, you don’t need to add it to the sheet pan. Just cook it on the stovetop and then stir in the seasonings when it’s all the way cooked through 🙂
I too am currently obsessed with turkey sausage and I have you to blame. I am making these one pan dishes on repeat. This is a please excuse my lack of cooking knowledge question but I’m assuming this shrimp is the kind you get from the seafood counter? Can you use frozen shrimp in place? I know it won’t be as fresh tasting but is it typically okay to sub fresh shrimp for frozen and does it just cook a bit longer? {I’m still very new to the cooking world!}
Haha!! Well I’m glad you are liking these one pan dishes! 🙂 So you can definitely use either — I prefer the fresh shrimp from the seafood counter, but frozen will work fine with (as you said) just a slightly less “fresh” taste. For the frozen shrimp, follow the package directions to completely thaw it out and then dry the shrimp and it will be ready to use 🙂 The cooking time will be the same with thawed (frozen) shrimp. Enjoy!
Hey girl- this looks so yummy!