"Creole Style Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya in a cast iron pot with Hot sauce, corn bread- Photographed on Hasselblad H3D2-39mb Camera"
Food - Drink
The Difference Between Jambalaya And Étouffée
By HEATHER LIM
Black plate with étouffée and rice
Jambalaya and étouffée are staples of Creole cuisine, and both dishes usually include a variety of seafood paired with grains. It’s possible that a jambalaya recipe could contain identical ingredients to an étouffée recipe, but there are some critical differences between these two dishes that make them unique from each other.
Jambalaya with chicken and sausage on a plate
Jambalaya is a stovetop dish that uses rice as its base ingredient, rather than serving it on the side, and it doesn't contain thickening agents like a roux or cornstarch slurry. The dish naturally thickens up using the starch of the rice, combined with meat and/or seafood, vegetables, and broth, creating a sort of thick, scoopable rice stew.
Close-up of shrimp étouffée
Etouffée uses the same celery, onion, and bell pepper mixture found in jambalaya, but it's more of a gravy-like stew that’s served over rice. In addition to being more liquidy than jambalaya, etouffée is thickened with a roux, and is usually focused on seafood like shrimp and crawfish, while jambalaya may include smoked meats like sausage.