This Jambalaya Soup delivers all the flavors of the classic—smoky andouille, chicken, shrimp, tomatoes, Creole seasoning, and rice—in a rich, tomato-forward broth. It’s bold, hearty, and comes together in a single pot.

Overhead view of a bowl of jambalaya soup with shrimp, andouille sausage, tomatoes, and rice, topped with sliced scallions and parsley, served on a wooden tray with fresh herbs in the background.

Before You Start Cooking

Creole Seasoning. This recipe uses my Homemade Creole Seasoning. It’s less salty than most store-bought versions. If you’re buying it at the store, I recommend looking for a reduced-sodium seasoning so the soup isn’t too salty.
Chicken Broth. Be sure to use low-sodium chicken broth for this soup, since the Creole seasoning and andouille sausage will both add salt.
Andouille Sausage. Most andouille sold in grocery stores is fully cooked, though you may see fresh versions at specialty butcher counters. For this recipe, use fully cooked sausage. Heat levels vary by brand—some are fairly mild, while others have a much stronger kick—so it may take a little taste-testing to find your favorite.
Rinse your Rice. This recipe uses long-grain white rice. Before adding the uncooked rice to the soup, rinse it under cool running water until the water runs clear, then drain it well. This helps keep the grains separate in the soup and prevents the broth from becoming overly thick.

How to Make Jambalaya Soup

Overhead view of labeled ingredients for jambalaya soup arranged on a marble surface, including shrimp, andouille sausage, chicken thighs, diced tomatoes, rice, vegetables, herbs, spices, broth, and seasonings.

Step 1: Prep Your Ingredients

Before you turn on the stove, take a few minutes to mise en place and get everything chopped. This soup moves quickly once you start cooking.

Start with the chicken. Trim off any excess fat from the boneless, skinless thighs and cut them into bite-sized pieces about ¾-inch wide. Try to keep the pieces fairly even, so they cook at the same rate.

Slice the smoked andouille sausage into ¼-inch rounds. If the casing feels tough, you can peel it off first, though most fully-cooked sausage casings are fine to leave on.

Next, dice the vegetables. Chop the yellow onion, green bell pepper, and celery into small, even pieces—about ½-inch for the onion and pepper, and slightly smaller for the celery. This trio (called the “holy trinity” in Creole and Cajun cooking) forms the flavor base of the soup.

Mince the garlic finely (or use a garlic press) so it melts into the broth rather than standing out in large pieces. (The addition of garlic is often called “the pope” when used with the holy trinity.)

Step 2: Brown the Chicken and Andouille

Lightly season the chicken pieces with kosher salt. You don’t need much since the sausage and Creole seasoning will add plenty of flavor to the pot.

Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. You can use a mild olive oil suitable for sauteing (like Graza’s “sizzle”), vegetable oil, or avocado oil.

Once the oil is shimmering, add the sliced andouille and chicken pieces. Let them cook undisturbed for a minute or two before stirring.

Overhead view of a white Dutch oven filled with browned slices of andouille sausage and chunks of chicken thighs, showing rendered drippings at the bottom of the pan. — Browning the chicken and andouille.

The sausage should deepen in color around the edges, and the chicken should develop golden spots. It’s fine if the chicken isn’t cooked through yet—it will finish simmering in the broth.

Once everything has good color, use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken and sausage to a plate, leaving the drippings behind. Those browned bits on the bottom of the pot (the fond) are pure flavor—and they’ll get pulled right into the soup when you add the broth.

Step 3: Cook the Vegetables

Add another splash of oil to the pan, followed by the chopped onion, celery, and bell pepper.

As the vegetables cook, they’ll start to soften and release moisture, loosening the browned bits left from the chicken and sausage. Give them about 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they’re tender and fragrant.

Overhead view of a Dutch oven with sautéed diced onions, celery, and green bell peppers—known as the Cajun holy trinity—cooked in oil until softened. — Cooking the holy trinity.

Stir in the minced garlic, Creole seasoning, and tomato paste. Cook for about a minute, stirring constantly, until the garlic smells fragrant and the tomato paste deepens to a rusty red color.

Uncooked chopped celery, onion, and bell pepper in a white Dutch oven with tomato paste, minced garlic, and Creole seasoning added on top before being stirred together. — Adding “the pope”, tomato paste, and seasoning.

Taking this extra minute to cook the tomato paste helps concentrate its flavor and removes any raw edge.

Cooked-down mixture of celery, onion, bell pepper, tomato paste, garlic, and Creole seasoning in a white Dutch oven with a wooden spoon resting in the pot. — Bloomed and ready for broth.

Step 4: Build the Broth and Simmer

Pour in the chicken broth, using a wooden spoon to scrape up anything stuck to the bottom of the pot. All those browned bits from the sausage, chicken, and tomato paste will dissolve into the liquid, deepening the soup’s flavor.

Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juices and a splash of Worcestershire sauce for a little extra savory depth.

Red, well-seasoned broth with visible herbs, tomato chunks, and a few pieces of meat simmering in a white Dutch oven, stirred with a wooden spoon. — Stirring in the tomatoes.

Return the browned chicken and andouille to the pot, along with any juices that collected on the plate. Add the dried bay leaves, fresh thyme, and the rinsed long-grain rice, then stir everything together.

Uncooked white rice and browned sausage slices are added to a rich, red tomato-based broth in a white Dutch oven, with a wooden spoon resting in the pot. — Adding the sausage, chicken, rice, and herbs.

Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a steady, gentle simmer. Cover and cook until the rice is tender, stirring occasionally (especially toward the end) to prevent sticking.

As the rice cooks, it releases starch, naturally adding some body to the broth. The texture should land somewhere between a brothy soup and a hearty stew—substantial, but still loose enough to ladle easily into bowls.

If it thickens more than you’d like, you can always add a splash of broth to loosen it before serving.

Step 5: Add the Shrimp

During the last 3 to 5 minutes of cooking, stir in peeled and deveined shrimp. You can either leave the tails on or remove them.

I like to use 31/35-count shrimp—large enough to stay juicy but not so big that they overpower a spoonful of soup. (Check out my Shrimp Sizing and Counts Per Pound guide to help you navigate the market.)

Shrimp cook quickly, so keep an eye on them. As soon as they’re pink and no longer translucent in the center, they’re done. Overcooking will make them turn rubbery.

Overhead view of a Dutch oven filled with jambalaya soup, showcasing a vibrant tomato-based broth with shrimp, sliced sausage, chicken, rice, and peppers.

Step 6: Finish and Season

When the shrimp are cooked, remove and discard the bay leaves. Give the soup a taste and adjust as needed with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, or extra Creole seasoning as needed. How much you’ll need depends on the sausage, broth, and seasoning blend you used.

A wooden spoon holds a hearty scoop of jambalaya soup above a bowl, showcasing colorful vegetables, rice, sausage, and herbs. A Dutch oven of soup and fresh herbs are blurred in the background.

If you like a little heat throughout, I recommend stirring in a few dashes of Louisiana-style hot sauce rather than adding a lot of extra Creole seasoning, especially if you’re using a salt-forward store-bought blend. Adding more seasoning instead of hot sauce can push the soup too salty.

If you’re serving guests with different heat preferences, leave the soup as is and let everyone add hot sauce to season their own bowls to taste at the table.

Right before serving, scatter sliced scallions and chopped fresh parsley over the top for a pop of freshness against the rich, savory broth.

Close-up of a wooden spoon lifting a shrimp from a bowl of jambalaya soup, surrounded by sausage, rice, tomatoes, and sliced green onions in a spicy, red broth. Fresh parsley rests in the background.

Serving Jambalaya Soup

Serve the soup hot with crusty bread or cornbread on the side (my Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread is a reader favorite) to soak up every last bit of the spicy, tomato-rich broth.

If you’re making it part of a larger meal, a simple green salad with a bright red wine vinaigrette balances the hearty soup nicely.

Storage and Reheating

Jambalaya Soup keeps well, and the flavors deepen as it rests—leftovers are often even better the next day. Store cooled soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Because the rice continues to absorb liquid as it sits, the soup will thicken in the fridge. When reheating, add a splash of chicken broth (or water) to loosen it, if needed.

Warm the soup gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat so the shrimp don’t overcook.