Spice Up Dinner with This Bold and Flavorful Seafood Rice Dish!

Photo byAngie Bright

Seafood Rice is one of those dishes that feels like a coastal getaway in every bite. The mixture of shrimp, crawfish, sausage, and fragrant jasmine rice, all seasoned to perfection, delivers a burst of flavor that’s both satisfying and comforting. If you’re looking for a hearty meal that blends land and sea, this Seafood Rice recipe is exactly what you need. It’s a crowd-pleaser, perfect for family dinners or a casual gathering with friends.

This dish combines the savory taste of sausage, the sweetness of shrimp, and the rich flavor of crawfish, all brought together with a blend of spices that adds just the right amount of heat. The use of Cajun seasoning, Herbes de Provence, and liquid crab & shrimp boil gives the dish its signature taste, while jasmine rice adds a fragrant, slightly nutty flavor that complements the seafood beautifully.

Seafood Rice Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb sausage, diced
• 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 lb frozen crawfish tails, thawed (reserve the liquid)
• 4 TBS butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1 TBS minced garlic
• 2 TBS Cajun seasoning
• 1 TBS Herbes de Provence
• 1 TBS onion powder
• 1 TBS garlic powder
• 1 TBS liquid crab & shrimp boil
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups jasmine rice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 TBS olive oil
• Chopped green onion for garnish

Instructions:

1. Cook the Sausage: In a Dutch oven or large stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced sausage and cook until browned and the fat is rendered, about 5-7 minutes. Once cooked, remove the sausage from the pot and set aside.
2. Prepare the Crawfish and Shrimp: Thaw the frozen crawfish tails, and reserve the orange liquid (fat) that drains from them for later. Add the shrimp and crawfish tails to the pot, and sprinkle them with 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning. Sauté the seafood until the shrimp are cooked through (turning pink) but be careful not to overcook the crawfish. Once done, remove the shrimp and crawfish from the pot and add them to the reserved sausage.
3. Cook the Vegetables: In the same pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the diced onion and bell pepper, and sauté for 2-3 minutes until they begin to caramelize. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Make the Broth: Pour in the reserved crawfish fat, chicken stock, and liquid crab & shrimp boil. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then stir in the remaining butter, Cajun seasoning, Herbes de Provence, onion powder, and garlic powder. Taste the broth and season with salt and pepper as needed.
5. Cook the Rice: Once the broth is well seasoned, bring it to a boil. Stir in the jasmine rice, lower the heat, and cover the pot with a lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is fully cooked.
6. Combine and Serve: After the rice is done, return the cooked sausage, shrimp, and crawfish to the pot. Stir everything together, fluffing the rice with a fork to ensure it’s light and airy. Let the seafood and sausage warm through for 2-3 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped green onion for a fresh finish.

The Final Touch

Seafood Rice is a dish that brings together the best of both land and sea. The smokiness of the sausage pairs beautifully with the sweetness of the shrimp and crawfish, while the rice soaks up all the savory juices and seasonings, creating a flavorful base. This dish is rich without being heavy, with just enough spice to make it exciting. Whether you’re serving it up for a special occasion or simply craving a taste of the coast, this recipe delivers every time.

The Seafood Rice recipe you've shared is a fantastic fusion of flavors, combining the richness of sausage, shrimp, and crawfish with bold seasonings like Cajun spice and Herbes de Provence. Dishes like this are popular in coastal areas and are often inspired by similar recipes such as Cajun-style seafood rice and gumbo.

This particular recipe echoes the hearty, flavorful traditions found in Louisiana, where seafood rice and gumbo often feature crawfish and shrimp alongside fragrant vegetables and seasonings. The steps involved—like browning the sausage for added flavor and cooking the seafood separately to prevent overcooking—ensure a balance of textures and taste​(Allrecipes)​(Rouses).