Oven Baked Shrimp Jambalaya Skewers

Spice up your weeknights with these easy, baked shrimp jambalaya skewers, made with shrimp, bell pepper, grape tomatoes and Cajun seasoning. This recipe is just 5 ingredients and takes 8 minutes to bake!

You don't need a grill to make tasty Jambalaya shrimp kabobs! As long as you got an oven and some skewers, you can make these 5-ingredient skewers in 25 minutes or less.

Although these oven kabobs may not have all the ingredients of a typical jambalaya, they're just as tasty due to the Cajun-flavored shrimp, tender grape tomatoes and crispy bell peppers. We use Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning to flavor the kabobs, but you could use another seasoning of choice or your own combination of spices (be aware you may need to adjust the amount).

These baked shrimp skewers serve as an all-in-one meal since you got your protein and fruit or veggies all in one kabob. And these skewers take just 15 minutes to prepare and bake in less than 10 minutes.

You can make these skewers as a simple weeknight meal or for larger gatherings since they're easy to serve and can be prepared in advance.

Ingredients

Large Shrimp: You can use fresh or frozen shrimp for these kabobs. We use peeled, deveined and tail-on shrimp, but you can purchase shrimp without the tail for easier eating. If frozen, thaw shrimp according to bag instructions. This recipe calls for a pound of shrimp, which should be enough for 5 to 6 skewers.

Green Bell Pepper: Bell peppers are must in Jambalaya! Although you can use any color, green is a nice contrast to red tomatoes. You can char the bell pepper before skewering by broiling on high for 3 minutes or you can simply skewer as is (raw) for a crunchier, roasted bell pepper.

Grape Tomatoes: We use larger grape tomatoes since they turn pretty tender and juicy after 8 minutes in the oven. However, you could replace with larger cherry tomatoes.

Cajun Seasoning: We use Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning since it's easy to find at most stores. However, you can use another preferred Cajun blend. Please note that Tony ChaChere has a No Salt Seasoning Blend that contains less sodium. But, the No Salt Seasoning Blend contains more carbs. Should you decide to replace the Original Creole Seasoning with this, then you'll need to recalculate the carbs in this dish.

Other Options: Sliced red onion (cut into the same size chunks as the bell pepper) is another tasty option for these skewers. We don't include sausage or chicken since they have longer cooking times. You can top the finished kabobs with chopped parsley or green onions.

How to Make

STEP 1: Preheat oven to 400 F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. If using wooden skewers, soak 5 to 6 skewers in water for 20 minutes before baking. 

STEP 2: Combine thawed shrimp, grape tomatoes, chopped bell pepper, olive oil and Cajun seasoning in a large bowl. Stir until thoroughly combined. NOTE: If you prefer charred bell pepper, chop into 2 inch chunks and brush outside with olive oil and place under broiler for 3 minutes. After combine with shrimp, tomatoes, oil oil and Cajun seasoning.

STEP 3: Thread the shrimp, chopped bell pepper and tomatoes onto the skewers, alternating each ingredient.

STEP 4: Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until shrimp are pink and opaque. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Expert Tips for Baking Shrimp in the Oven

• Frozen shrimp are just as good, if not better, than fresh, store-bought shrimp. Shrimp bought at the store fish counter are often previously frozen and then thawed (so they may not be any more fresh than frozen shrimp). Read more here.
• If using frozen shrimp, thaw shrimp according to bag instructions. We recommend thawing in the fridge overnight as opposed to running under water. Please note that shrimp should not thaw longer than 2 to 3 days in the fridge.
• After thawing, pat shrimp dry with a paper towel to remove any excess water before combining with other ingredients.
• Avoid overcooking shrimp by removing from oven as soon as shrimp turn opaque and pink. Depending on the size shrimp, you may need to cook as little as 6 minutes (for medium size) or as long as 10 minutes for jumbo when baking at 400 degrees F.
• Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat in the oven at 350 degrees until warm.

Related Recipes

If you try this recipe, we would love to hear your feedback! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag @lowcarbsimplified on your photo of this recipe on Instagram or Facebook. We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

Recipe