• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

A Full Living

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Winter
  • Recipes
  • Portfolio
  • About Us
  • Work Together
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Winter
    • Recipes
    • Portfolio
    • About Us
    • Work Together
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • ×

    A Full Living » Blog » Beef

    Published: Mar 3, 2019 · Modified: Feb 22, 2022 by Briana · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Low Carb Keto Jambalaya

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    Graphic with text of Low Carb Keto Jambalaya

    This Keto Jambalaya is a cajun food lover's delight, without the carbs! This keto friendly version of the Louisiana classic uses cauliflower rice in place of regular rice. With loads of flavor from a ton of spices and veggies, as well as three proteins, you can't go wrong with this dish. This version includes juicy shrimp, chicken thighs, and andouille sausage, and comes in at 5 net carbs per serving. Enjoy the flavors of the bayou, without all the extra carbs and calories. Someone pass the Tabasco sauce!

    Tabasco hot sauce over a cast iron of low carb jambalaya

    Fan Testimonial:
    "I have no words for this keto jambalaya recipe! Okay, maybe a few... the flavors and the spice this dish has reminds me of the real thing. It may seem like a bit of prep work, but TRUST ME, it will all be worth it in the end. One of my top 5 favorite ketofied dishes of all time!" - Instagram User Denise of @keepcalmabewell

    Ingredients:​

    • Unsalted butter - For sautéing everything and for flavor. You can use your favorite substitute if you want.
    • Celery, jalapeño, green bell pepper, yellow onion, and garlic - These veggies will add a ton of flavor to the base of this keto jambalaya, we will sweat them all down with butter in the skillet, creole style. We tend to prefer creole style vs cajun style, because it's said to include more layering, and therefore, lots of layered flavors.
    • Kosher salt - Add gradually at each stage of cooking to help control the saltiness level of this dish.
    • Ground black pepper , smoked paprika, dried oregano, dried thyme, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes and bay leaves - A strong seasoning base makes this low carb jambalaya a little spicy and really delicious! Season to taste of course.
    • Chicken thighs, Andouille style sausage, and shrimp- We are going to use this super trifecta of amazing proteins to make this dish super flavorful and absolutely delicious. You could of course just use one of the proteins, or whatever you prefer.
    • Crushed tomatoes- Since we are mimicking a creole style, we used crushed tomatoes. A traditional cajun style doesn't generally include tomatoes at all, but Creole style does! Crushed tomatoes aren't traditional however, we just prefer them over fresh or diced.
    • Liquid smoke- optional, but helpful for developing a layered flavor!
    • Riced cauliflower- It's super easy to find, and we usually get ours at Costco. We use this in place of rice to make this dish low carb friendly!
    • Hot sauce to taste- we love Tabasco. Use a Louisiana style for the most authentic taste!
    • Green onions and parsley for garnish (optional)

    Let's Make This Keto Jambalaya!


    Start by thawing, peeling and deveining your shrimp (if necessary). Next, prep the rest of your ingredients, as there are quite a few and it will just make the whole process so much smoother! Dice your green bell pepper, onion and jalapeño. Mince your garlic, and cut your celery into thin strips. It would also be wise to measure out your dry seasonings, crushed tomatoes and liquid smoke. Dice up your chicken thighs and your andouille sausage as well.

    Now, preheat your cast iron skillet for a few minutes. Add in your butter, then add in your onion, celery, green bell peppers and jalapeño. Cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Then, add in your garlic. Stir continuously until garlic is fragrant. About 30 seconds. Be careful not to burn your garlic. Now, add in dry seasonings (smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, oregano and thyme).

    cast iron with celery, jalapeno, bell peppers and onion
    adding garlic to a holy trinity mix
    holy trinity with cajun spices in a cast iron skillet

    Next, add in the chicken thighs and sausage. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cook until chicken is cooked thru, about 5-7 minutes.

    adding chicken thighs and andouille sausage to cast iron skillet
    seasoning chicken with salt
    chicken, andouille sausage, and holy trinity mix

    After chicken is cooked thru, add in your crushed tomatoes, liquid smoke, bay leaves and cauliflower rice. Cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes.

    adding crushed tomatoes to a cast iron skillet
    Low Carb Jambalaya | Food Photography | A Full Living
    adding cauliflower rice to low carb jambalaya
    low carb jambalaya in a cast iron skillet

    Now, add in your shrimp. Cook for about 3-5 minutes (shrimp cooks fast!) Then season with some Tabasco sauce. Adjust your other seasonings as well. We added more salt and pepper at this time.

    hand adding shrimp to low carb jambalaya
    Low Carb Jambalaya with shrimp, sausage and chicken
    Tabasco hot sauce over a cast iron of low carb jambalaya

    Garnish with parsley, green onions or fresh thyme (or all of the above!) Enjoy your keto jambalaya!

    Low Carb Jambalaya in a skilelt
    Low Carb Jambalaya in a cast iron skillet
    low carb jambalaya with shrimp, sausage and chicken

    A Note About Authenticity:

    Making a keto friendly version of this iconic Louisiana dish was no simple task. We would never claim this version to be super authentic, to be honest. The same way we would never claim that something that we make that mimics a classic dish tastes as good as the original, but we are proud to say, it's pretty darn good. We fell in love with Louisiana cooking on our many trips to Louisiana over the years. Bri's dad lived there for over 6 years, so we you could say we spent a little time there! As much as we love the food in the bayou, we aren't in love with the fact that everything is deep fried and covered in carbs. Making something at home that is keto friendly that mimics those flavors was absolutely essential for us. We hope you enjoy this keto jambalaya!

    Here's More Recipes You Will Love!

    • Keto Maple BBQ Shrimp
    • Keto Finnish Salmon Soup
    • Spicy Shrimp Bisque
    • Citrus Glazed Salmon
    • Cajun Shrimp Sausage and Peppers Skillet
    spoonful of low carb jambalaya

    Shop This Recipe!

    Need supplies for this keto jambalaya recipe? We've linked our favorites above and right here in our Amazon Store! You don't pay anything extra if you shop using our link, but we get a small percentage of the sale. A Full Living is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associate program, an affiliate advertising program designed to promote a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking products to amazon.com. We only share products we use and love. It doesn't cost you anything extra to shop using our links, but we earn a small commission that helps us keep this site going! 

    If you get a chance to try this low carb jambalaya recipe, let us know what you think, would ya?! Leave us a comment, or catch up with us on Facebook or Instagram, or pin to your favorite Pinterest board for later. We love sharing your versions of our creations over on Instagram @afullliving!

    If you could please leave a comment and/or a rating if you loved this recipe, we would be forever grateful! (Ratings helps users find our recipes, since users say that they like them!)

    Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to subscribe to our email newsletter so you’re the first to know about new recipes we post on our blog.

    Until next time,
    Briana & Chamere

    Tabasco hot sauce over a cast iron of low carb jambalaya

    Keto Jambalaya Recipe

    This Keto Jambalaya is made with juicy shrimp, chicken and andouille sausage and is only 5 net carbs per serving.  Enjoy the flavors of the bayou without the guilt.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!
    Prep Time: 25 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 6 people
    Author: Briana

    Ingredients

    • 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
    • 2 stalks celery. diced
    • 1 whole jalapeño, diced
    • 1 whole medium green bell pepper, diced
    • 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 150 grams)
    • 3 cloves garlic. minced
    • 2 teaspoon kosher salt, added gradually and to taste
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper, added gradually and to taste
    • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
    • 1 tablespoon oregano
    • 1 tablespoon thyme
    • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
    • 1 pound chicken thighs, cut into chunks
    • 12 ounces andouille sausage, cut into half moons
    • 8 ounces crushed tomatoes
    • 1.5 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
    • 3 whole bay leaves
    • 1 package riced cauliflower, prepared according to package
    • 12 ounces jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
    • Tabasco hot sauce to taste
    • Parsley for garnish
    • Green onions for garnish

    Instructions

    • Heat your cast iron on medium heat. Melt your butter in the pan, add in your bell pepper, onion, celery and jalapeño. Cook for 3-5 minutes until soft. 
    • Now, add in your garlic, and dry seasonings (smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, oregano and thyme). Cook until garlic is fragrant. Only about 30 seconds to a minute, being careful not to burn the garlic.
    • Next, add in the chicken thighs and sausage. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cook until chicken is cooked thru, about 5-7 minutes. 
    • After chicken is cooked thru, add in your crushed tomatoes, liquid smoke, bay leaves and cauliflower rice. Cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes. 
    • Now, add in your shrimp. Cook for about 3-5 minutes (shrimp cooks fast!) Then season with some Tabasco sauce. Adjust your other seasonings as well. We added more salt and pepper at this time. 
    • Garnish with parsley, green onions or fresh thyme (or all of the above!) Enjoy your Keto Jambalaya!

    Video

    Notes

    We used crushed tomatoes for this recipe instead of diced. We just prefer the texture with the crushed tomatoes, but you can definitely use diced tomatoes. We also like things spicy, so just know, this recipe is a little hot. Leave out some of the spicier ingredients if you want, or just adjust to your preferences. 
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 471kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 292mg | Sodium: 1860mg | Potassium: 629mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1399IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 151mg | Iron: 4mg

    These nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy and are only estimates. We cannot guarantee the accuracy.

    Did you love it?If you made this recipe, make sure to show us on Instagram at @AFullLiving or tag #AFullLiving! We love to see what you guys are making!
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Cajun
    « Keto Creamed Spinach
    Low Carb Salmon with Citrus »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Briana and Chamere in Norway Opera House

    Hi, We're A Full Living! Bringing wholesome recipes, treats, & drinks for all occasions!

    More about us→

    Winter Recipes

    • Steak and Seafood Skillet with Parmesan Cream Sauce
    • Beef Bourguignon Pressure Cooker Recipe
    • Chicken and Butternut Squash Recipe with Parmesan Sauce
    • Keto Mushroom Sauce Recipe
    • KFC Famous Bowl Recipe
    • Jalapeño Popper Chicken Skillet Recipe

    Trending Recipes

    • Cowboy Butter Dipping Sauce
    • How To Blanch and Peel Pearl Onions
    • How To Cook Melt in the Mouth Roast Beef with Gravy
    • Air Fryer Short Ribs
    • Lavender Gin Cocktail (Gin Fizz)
    • Sugar Free Apple Cider (Low Carb)
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    Briana and Chamere in Norway Opera House

    Hi, We're A Full Living! Bringing wholesome recipes, treats, & drinks for all occasions!

    More about us→

    Winter Recipes

    • Steak and Seafood Skillet with Parmesan Cream Sauce
    • Beef Bourguignon Pressure Cooker Recipe
    • Chicken and Butternut Squash Recipe with Parmesan Sauce
    • Keto Mushroom Sauce Recipe
    • KFC Famous Bowl Recipe
    • Jalapeño Popper Chicken Skillet Recipe

    Trending Recipes

    • Cowboy Butter Dipping Sauce
    • How To Blanch and Peel Pearl Onions
    • How To Cook Melt in the Mouth Roast Beef with Gravy
    • Air Fryer Short Ribs
    • Lavender Gin Cocktail (Gin Fizz)
    • Sugar Free Apple Cider (Low Carb)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • About us

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Work With Us
    • Portfolio

    As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. This website earns income from ads.

    Copyright © 2023 A Full Living