Voodoo Shrimp Creole

If Shrimp Creole and Voodoo Shrimp had a spicy little Louisiana love child, this would be it. This Voodoo Shrimp Creole recipe is loaded with tender shrimp, the holy trinity, tomato, beer, Cajun seasoning, and just enough brown sugar to balance the heat.

Serve it over fluffy rice or creamy grits for a bold, saucy dinner that tastes like Mardi Gras.

What is Voodoo Shrimp?

The family visited Cape May last summer and oddly enough, we had some of the best French Creole food we’d ever had on the New Jersey seaside. I can’t even remember what I had, although I remember it being good, but hubby, he had Voodoo Shrimp.

Shrimp Creole is a shrimp dish based in a beer laced tomato sauce using the trinity of creole and finished with a little cream. It is spiced with cayenne pepper or other hot peppers and generally served over white rice or grits.

Since making this dish, I’ve been told over and over that the House of Blues serves a Voodoo Shrimp, but I’ve never had it and I have no clue how this one compares. So do me a favor, if you have had it and you make my version, leave a comment to let others know how it rates since I can’t comment on that aspect.

Ingredients You’ll Need

The ingredient list looks lengthy, but many of the items are pantry staples you likely already have on hand.

• Creole Spice Blend– This blend is forgiving and can be adjusted for taste. It consists of paprika, coarse Kosher salt, white pepper, onion power, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, thyme, basil and crushed red pepper.
• Butter– Unsalted and is the fat that will soak up all of the aromatics from the spice blend and infuse into the sauce.
• Holy trinity– Onions, bell pepper, celery and very commonly garlic (I know, that is four, not three). These ingredients are sautéed together until it nearly forms a flavor-packed paste that is the base of many creole and cajun dishes.
• Dark Beer– I suggest using a lager or stout, but some recipes use Southern Comfort, a fruity whiskey. This can be omitted and swapped with additional broth or tomato juice from the canned tomatoes. The alcohol will burn off leaving only flavor.
• Broth– I generally use vegetable or seafood broth and aim for a low-sodium version.
• Hot sauce, worcestershire sauce & lemon juice– These sauces pack loads of flavor.
• Brown Sugar– This helps to balance the heat and the acidity while adding a touch of molasses. If the beer used is bitter, add more sugar, if not, add less. Start with 1 tablespoon and taste test.
• Bay leaves– Also optional, bay leaves have earthy flavor.
• Petite diced tomatoes– Delicious fresh nuggets in the sauce. I do drain them to avoid having too much sauce, but if you plan to not use alcohol, free free to use the tomato juice as part of the swapped in broth.
• Shrimp– Large or extra large shrimp work the best, but honestly you can swap in any preferred seafood as long as it equals a full pound.
• Cream and/or Cornstarch– When I first started to make this sauce I liked it a thinner, but now I want it to coat the back of a spoon and cream alone won’t do the trick so I add a small amount of cornstarch to thicken. This is optional.
• Rice or grits– I would say the most authentic way to serve this creole shrimp is over white rice, but I also like it on grits.

Easy Variations

• Make it with chicken: Swap the shrimp for bite-sized chicken thighs or breasts, browning them first before simmering in the sauce until cooked through.
• Use crawfish or langostino: Stir in crawfish tails or langostino at the end just long enough to heat through.
• Tone down the spice: Reduce the cayenne, Cajun seasoning, or hot sauce for a milder version.
• Skip the alcohol: Replace the beer with seafood or chicken stock plus a splash of Worcestershire sauce or the juice from the canned tomatoes.
• Change the base: Serve it over rice, grits, polenta, mashed potatoes, or with crusty bread.
• Add extra vegetables: Bulk it up with okra, extra bell peppers, more diced tomatoes, or mushrooms.
• Swap the sweetener: Use a little honey or maple syrup in place of brown sugar if needed.

How to Make Voodoo Shrimp (Step-by-Step)

1. Spices. Combine the blend. It can be thrown in whole or if you prefer a finer blend, give it a whirl in a spice grinder.
2. Sautè. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and melt the butter (fat) and then the holy trinity. This cooks down into nearly a paste. Stir in the spice mix to toast and bloom in the fats.

3. Deglaze. Stir in the beer, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to low simmer.
4. Create Sauce. Add the broth and other flavor-forward ingredients to make the sauce. Simmer on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until sauce has reduced by half. Stir in the cream.
5. Cook Shrimp. Add the peeled and deveined shrimp, cooking until they slightly curl and turn pink, approximately 4 minutes.

3. Thicken (Optional). If you want a thicker sauce, whisk in a cornstarch slurry.
4. Serve. Spoon the shrimp and sauce over white rice or grits.

Make This a Meal

Voodoo Shrimp Creole is plenty flavorful on its own, but it really shines when you give that saucy goodness something to cling to. Serve it over white rice, dirty rice, cheese grits, or creamy grits for a hearty, satisfying dinner that soaks up every spicy, tomatoey drop.

Want to round things out? Add a side of cornbread or crusty bread for sopping, because leaving sauce in the bowl should be illegal. A simple green salad or quick sautéed greens also help balance the richness and heat, turning this bold shrimp dish into a full Louisiana-inspired meal.

Storage & Reheating

Leftovers- Let the dish cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. If possible, store the rice or grits separately so they don’t soak up all that glorious sauce.

Reheating– To reheat, warm it gently in a skillet over medium-low heat or in the microwave in short intervals, stirring in between until heated through. If the sauce has thickened too much in the fridge, add a splash of broth, water, or a little cream to loosen it back up. Just be careful not to overcook the shrimp during reheating, or they can go from tender and juicy to rubbery fast.

Voodoo Shrimp FAQS

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Voodoo Shrimp Creole

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A spicy Voodoo Shrimp Creole recipe made with tender shrimp, the holy trinity, tomato, beer, Cajun seasoning, and hot sauce. Serve over rice or grits for an easy Louisiana-inspired dinner.

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

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Servings: 4

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Equipment

• Large Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients

Creole Seasoning Mix:

• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground white pepper
• 1 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Creole Shrimp:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup white onion , grated or finely minced (about 1/4 onion)
• 1/2 cup celery , chopped
• 2 cloves garlic , grated or finely minced
• 12 ounces dark beer , lager or stout
• 1/2 cup low sodium vegetable or seafood broth
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1-4 tablespoons brown sugar , see note
• 2 bay leaves
• 15.5 ounce petite diced tomatoes , drained
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 pound shrimp , peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 4 cups rice or grits , cooked
• celery leaves , optional for garnish
• parsley , chopped for garnish

Instructions

• In a small bowl, stir together the 2 teaspoons paprika, 2 teaspoons ground white pepper, 1 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried basil, and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Set aside.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat, adding the 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. when melted, stir in the chopped 1/2 cup white onion, 1/2 cup celery and minced 2 cloves garlic, coating in the butter. Allow to sweat for 3-4 minutes.
• Stir in the reserved dry spice mixture, blending together until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Deglaze the pan with 12 ounces dark beer, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to low simmer.
• Stir in the 1/2 cup low sodium vegetable or seafood broth, 2 teaspoons hot sauce, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice,, 2 bay leaves and drained 15.5 ounce petite diced tomatoes. Add 1 of the tablespoons of brown sugar and then taste test to see if you should add more. Bitter beers will require the full 4 tablespoons while milder version will only need the 1 tablespoon. Simmer on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until sauce has reduced by half.
• Stir in the 1/2 cup heavy cream over low heat until fully incorporated.
• Add the peeled and deveined 1 pound shrimp, cooking until they curl and turn pink, approximately 4 minutes.
• Optional- if you want a thicker sauce, whisk together 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water and stir into the sauce.
• Divide into 4 servings, each with 1 cup cooked rice or grits. Garnish with celery leaves, if desired.
• If you've tried this recipe, come back and let is know how it was in the comments or star ratings.

Video

Notes

*The amount of brown sugar added will depend on the bitterness of your beer. I used a pretty bitter, hoppy beer and therefore needed all four tablespoons. Start with one and add more at the end, if needed. 

Nutrition

Calories: 1032 kcal, Carbohydrates: 170 g, Protein: 40 g, Fat: 17 g, Saturated Fat: 9 g, Cholesterol: 334 mg, Sodium: 1990 mg, Potassium: 775 mg, Fiber: 6 g, Sugar: 10 g, Vitamin A: 1585 IU, Vitamin C: 22.3 mg, Calcium: 309 mg, Iron: 6.6 mg

Author: Chef Jessica Formicola

Calories: 1032

Course: Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine: Creole

Keyword: Cajun shrimp, Creole shrimp, New Orleans shrimp recipe, shrimp creole, shrimp creole recipe, spicy shrimp recipe, voodoo shrimp, voodoo shrimp creole

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