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Flavors of a jambalaya in an easy-to-make casserole

 

This delicious Louisiana Casserole has become an instant favorite in our house! It has all of the delicious flavors of a jambalaya in an easy-to-make casserole. Tasty andouille sausage, shrimp, veggies, rice, and cajun seasoning come together for a complete meal on the table in just 40 minutes!

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

• Comfort Food: If you’re craving some warm, cozy, classic comfort food, you will love this hearty Louisiana casserole. 
• Easy to Make: This dish comes together so quickly and easily. You can whip this up in less than an hour, which includes prep and cook time! 
• So tasty: The combination of bold spices with cajun-style ingredients, plenty of texture, and the crisp topping will be a dinner that you’ll want to enjoy again and again!

Ingredients Needed for Louisiana Casserole

The ingredients needed to make this Louisiana casserole recipe are classic cajun ingredients that come together for major flavor and texture. This meal is similar to a traditional jambalaya, but everything is cooked together in one dish. It’s savory and hearty, with warm spices that make this casserole irresistible. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.

• Shrimp: For convenience, buy your shrimp peeled and deveined.
• Andouille Sausage: A smoked sausage commonly used in Cajun cuisine.
• Cooked Rice: I used minute rice for this recipe, but you can make regular rice with a rice maker.
• Yellow Onion: Adds a sweet, savory flavor and a bit of texture.
• Red Bell Pepper: Gives the dish a beautiful color and a slightly sweet crunch.
• Green Bell Pepper: Provides a green color, which adds contrast, making the dish look appetizing and tastes amazing!
• Canned Fire Roasted Tomatoes: Adds the most delicious smoky flavor.
• Butter: Cooking the vegetables in butter adds a rich, deep flavor.
• Garlic: Freshly minced garlic is one of the best ingredients to pair with shrimp (just ask this brown butter spicy shrimp), and along with the other veggies, it adds depth and complexity.
• Salt and Pepper: To enhance all of the flavors.
• Cajun Seasoning: You can use a store-bought spice blend or try this homemade cajun seasoning.

Breadcrumb topping

• Parmesan Cheese: For sharp cheesy flavor.
• Bread Crumbs: Adds golden, crispy texture on top of the casserole.
• Salt and Pepper: For extra flavor.

How to Make Louisiana Casserole

Trust me when I say this is an easy recipe to follow. Most of the ingredients are ready to go! You just need to sauté the veggies, heat the sausage, and cook the shrimp, and dinner is served! The whole family will love this one. Here’s how everything comes together:

1. Prep: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Sauté Veggies: Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Then add the onion, red, and green pepper to the skillet and sauté until the vegetables become tender.
3. Sauté Sausage and Shrimp: Add the garlic, sausage, and shrimp to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, sauté until the shrimp are mostly pink.
4. Combine All Ingredients: Add the vegetables and meat to the baking dish along with the rice, tomatoes, and cajun seasoning. Stir everything together.
5. Mix the Topping: Mix the parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper, in a small bowl. Then sprinkle the top of the casserole with this mixture.
6. Bake: Place the dish in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the rice has had time to soak in any excess juice.
7. Rest and Serve: Remove from the oven and allow the casserole to rest for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Louisiana Casserole Tips and Variations

It’s hard to get this casserole wrong. It really is so simple to put this casserole together and it tastes amazing! But here are a few tips and substitution ideas so it turns out exactly how you like it!

• For the Topping: For the breadcrumb topping, I used plain breadcrumbs. You can try panko breadcrumbs as a substitute.
• Thaw Frozen Shrimp: If you use frozen shrimp, be sure to thaw it completely before cooking it with the sausage and veggies. 
• Pre-Cooked Rice: To save time, I like to use pre-cooked rice that you heat in the microwave. 5-minute rice should also work just fine.
• Sausage: This recipe calls for andouille sausage, but you can use a kielbasa or other link sausage of your choice!
• Spice Level: Want to spice things up? I recommend adding a seeded and diced jalapeño to the skillet with the bell peppers and onions. You can also mix in some red pepper flakes for that extra kick of heat!

Storing Leftovers

This Louisiana casserole has the best texture when it is served fresh out of the oven. However, leftovers can be stored and enjoyed for a few days after cooking. This dish makes a great lunch for the next day! Here are my tips for storing and reheating leftovers.

• In the Refrigerator: Stored properly in an airtight container, leftovers will last up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
• Reheating: I recommend reheating in the microwave until warmed through. I always start with using 30 second increments, so I don’t over cook the shrimp.
• Freezing: I do not recommend freezing this recipe.

More Casserole Recipes

Casseroles make some of the best meals. They are usually super easy to throw together and taste amazing. Try out some of my other family favorites! For more dinner inspiration, find my full list of casseroles here!

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Print

Louisiana Casserole

This delicious Louisiana Casserole has become an instant favorite in our house! It has all of the delicious flavors of a jambalaya in an easy-to-make casserole. Tasty andouille sausage, shrimp, veggies, rice and cajun seasoning come together for a complete meal on the table in just 40 minutes!

Course Dinner, Main Course, main dish

Cuisine American, cajun, Southern

Keyword casserole, louisiana, louisiana casserole recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 8 people

Calories 348kcal

Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• ¼ cup butter, salted
• ½ yellow onion, minced, about 1/3 cup
• 1 green bell pepper, diced, about 1 cup
• 1 red bell pepper, diced, about 1 cup
• 2 cloves garlic, minced, about 2 teaspoons
• 14 ounces andouille sausage, cut into ¼ inch rounds
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups cooked rice, white or brown
• 1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes,
• 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning

Breadcrumb topping

• ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
• ⅓ cup plain bread crumbs
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
• Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, red, and green pepper to the skillet and saute until the vegetables become tender.
• Add the garlic, sausage, and shrimp to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, saute until the shrimp mostly pink.
• Add the vegetables and meat to the baking dish along with the rice, tomatoes, and cajun seasoning. Stir everything well.
• In a small bowl mix together the parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Top the casserole with the breadcrumb mixture.
• Place the dish in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the rice has had time to soak in any excess juice.
• Remove from the oven and allow the casserole to rest for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

If you are using frozen shrimp, thaw it before cooking. 

 

You can use jumbo or mini shrimps in this recipe, the shrimp I used was a medium-sized, standard shrimp fresh at the deli of my local grocery store. 

 

I used minute rice for this recipe but you can make regular rice with a rice maker.  To get 3 cups of cooked rice you will need to cook about 1 cup of dry rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 1022mg | Potassium: 320mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1631IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 2mg

Learn how to make the perfect homemade Graham Cracker Crust

 

Learn how to make the perfect homemade Graham Cracker Crust! It comes together in just 10 minutes with 3 simple ingredients for the right amount of buttery sweetness and crunch! You’ll never buy one from the store again!

Reasons to Love This Recipe

• No Baking Required: It doesn’t get any easier than a no-bake pie! This pie crust recipe comes together quickly with no fuss.
• Best Taste and Texture: This crust is perfectly sweet and buttery tasting, plus it’s just the right amount of crisp and crumbly while still holding its shape.
• Simple Ingredients: It only takes 3 ingredients to whip up this easy pie crust!

Graham Cracker Crust Recipe

Every baker needs a reliable graham cracker crust recipe to have in their arsenal. This one is simple to make and so delicious! It’s my go-to recipe, from cream cheese pie to my key lime tart. While you can always use a store-bought crust, homemade tastes so much better, and it has a much better texture than a packaged crust from the store.

Ingredients You’ll Need

One of my favorite things about this pie crust recipe is that the ingredient list is short and sweet. You need only three simple ingredients to make it! Exact measurements of the ingredients can be found below in the recipe card.

• Graham Cracker Crumbs: You can purchase graham cracker crumbs in a box down the baking aisle or make the crumbs yourself by crushing about 12 sheets of graham crackers.
• Granulated Sugar: For wonderful sweetness without overwhelming the graham cracker flavor.
• Salted Butter: Melted butter is what will bind the tiny crumbs and sugar together. It also will give the crust an incredibly rich and buttery flavor. 

How to Make a Graham Cracker Crust

This recipe only takes about 10 minutes to make! Then, you can chill the crust for 30 minutes or bake it for 12 minutes before adding your filling.

1. Mix Ingredients: Add the graham cracker crumbs and sugar to a medium bowl and mix. Add the melted butter and mix evenly until the crumbs resemble wet sand.
2. Press into the Pie Dish: Pour the crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie dish and use your hands or a flat-bottomed measuring cup or glass to press the crumbs evenly into the sides and bottom of the pan. Set it in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare your chosen filling, or at least 30 minutes before adding the filling.

Tips for Making Graham Cracker Crust

This delicious graham cracker crust really is so easy to make! Here are some tips and variations to make it just the way you like it.

• Baking the Crumb Crust: Should you use a no-bake or baked graham cracker crust? It comes down to preference. No-bake crusts have more butter, making them softer and richer in flavor. Baked crusts are crisper and have a nuttier taste, and they use less butter since the oven helps bind the crust. Both types work for recipes that don’t require baking the filling.
• Baked Crust instructions: If you want to prepare your own crust, mix 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, and five tablespoons of melted salted butter. Press it into a 9-inch pie pan and bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes. Let it cool completely before adding your filling of choice.
• Making Graham Cracker Crumbs: If you want to make your own graham cracker crumbs, mix 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, and five tablespoons of melted salted butter. Press it into a 9-inch pie pan and bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes. Let it cool completely before adding your filling of choice.
• Use Different Flavors: You can substitute the traditional honey graham cracker crumbs for another flavor of graham cracker, like, cinnamon or chocolate, you can swap them out for the same amount!  
• Unsalted Butter: If you use unsalted butter instead of salted butter, add 1-2 dashes of salt to the graham cracker mixture.

Make Ahead

To make this graham cracker pie crust super convenient, you can make it ahead of time, and then all you will have to do is fill it and serve it! 

• Freezer: If you want to bake it ahead and use it much later, you can! Once you have baked it and let it cool, wrap it in plastic wrap and cover it with aluminum foil. It will last 1-2 months in your freezer! When you are ready to use it, put it in your fridge to thaw.
• Refrigerate: If you’d like to use the crust within a day or two, then after you have baked it and it has cooled, cover it with aluminum foil and store it in your fridge for 1-2 days. You can also store it the same way without baking it.

Ways to Use a Graham Cracker Crust

Graham cracker crust can be used to make so many fabulous pies! It’s definitely a favorite of mine, and it’s way easier than a regular pastry pie crust. Here are some delicious pie recipes to use your perfect graham cracker crust!

Desserts

No Bake Pistachio Cream Pie

3 hrs 15 mins

Peach

No-Bake Fresh Peach Pie

4 hrs 20 mins

Desserts

No Bake S’mores Pie

Cheesecake

No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake

3 hrs 45 mins

Print

Graham Cracker Crust

Learn how to make the perfect homemade Graham Cracker Crust! It comes together in just 10 minutes with 3 simple ingredients for the right amount of buttery sweetness and crunch! You’ll never buy one from the store again!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword graham cracker crust, graham cracker pie crust, homemade graham cracker crust, how to make graham cracker crust, no-bake graham cracker crust

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

chill time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 1 9-inch crust

Calories 1605kcal

Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup salted butter melted

Instructions

• Add the graham cracker crumbs, and sugar to a medium bowl and mix. Add the melted butter and mix evenly until the crumbs resemble wet sand.
• Pour the crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie dish and use your hands or a flat-bottomed measuring cup or glass to press the crumbs evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the dish. Set it in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare your chosen filling, or at least 30 minutes before adding the filling.

Notes

Baked graham cracker crust:

Mix 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, and 5 tablespoons of melted salted butter. Press it into a 9-inch pie pan and bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes. Let it cool completely before adding your filling of choice.

Nutrition

Calories: 1605kcal | Carbohydrates: 162g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 105g | Saturated Fat: 60g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 28g | Trans Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 244mg | Sodium: 1561mg | Potassium: 252mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 96g | Vitamin A: 2836IU | Calcium: 127mg | Iron: 5mg