Jambalaya Soup is an easy and soul-satisfying soup recipe. Slightly thick and perfectly spicy, it's a delicious taste of the south!
If I were to ever write a cookbook it’d be all about soup. No theme has ever felt more right. Cozy, savory, and soul-satisfying — every season is soup season, if you ask me!
My latest soup recipe, Jambalaya Soup, is not to be missed!
This recipe might look a little familiar to long-time readers as it’s adapted from the Chicken Gumbo Soup I shared many years ago. I felt the recipe needed to be re-highlighted and updated with a name that better communicates it’s contents.
Maybe I’m overthinking things but gumbo is made with a roux and Jambalaya is not, and while this soup is slightly thickened by the addition of gluten-free flour, it definitely falls more into the Jambalaya category — that is, a mixture of meat, vegetables, and rice.
Over-analysis aside, this is the ultimate cool weather soup. Cajun-spiced vegetables, chicken, Andouille sausage, bacon, and white rice bob in a slightly thickened broth that’s ultra savory, perfectly spicy, and so, so filling. I’ve also included instructions on how to keep this soup on the mild side if you’re serving to spice-sensitive people and/or kids, so the whole family can enjoy.
This easy, hearty recipe is a KEEPER!
Start by rendering the fat from 4 slices chopped bacon in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.
Once the bacon is crisp, scoop it onto a plate reserving the bacon fat in the pot. If you’re using lean bacon, add enough extra virgin olive oil so there’s 2 Tablespoons fat in the pot total.
Turn the heat up to medium-high then add 12oz chopped andouille sausage and 2 chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper then saute until the chicken starts to turn opaque, about 2 minutes.
- Tip: Andouille sausage has a spicy kick to it, so use keilbasa if you want a more mild soup.
Next add the “Holy Trinity” of southern cooking: chopped bell peppers, onions, and celery – wouldn’t be Jambalaya without it!
Season the vegetables with 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning – I like Emeril’s Essence – then saute until the vegetables are tender, 5 minutes, turning the heat up if necessary to keep everything sizzling.
Again, if you’ve got some spice sensitive folks you’re feeding this soup to, start with 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning then add up to another teaspoon at the end to get the spice level just right.
Once the vegetables are tender, sprinkle in 3 Tablespoons gluten-free flour (or AP if not GF) over the meat and vegetables then stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes.
Slowly add splashes from a 6 cups gluten-free chicken broth while stirring to create a smooth sauce then add a 28oz can crushed tomatoes, and 2 bay leaves.
Turn the heat up to high then, once the liquid is boiling, stir in 3/4 cup long grain white rice.
Turn the heat down to medium-low then cover the pot and cook until the rice is al dente, 15-18 minutes, stirring frequently.
Remove the pot from the heat then let the rice finish cooking for a couple minutes before taking the lid off, stirring in the bacon, and letting the soup sit and thicken for 10 minutes or so.
That’s it! Told you it was easy!
When it’s time to eat, ladle the soup into bowls then serve with a side salad, Gluten-Free Cornbread, or Gluten Free Focaccia to make it a meal.
I hope you love this perfectly thick and spicy, hearty Jambalaya Soup!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 12 oz gluten free andouille sausage, chopped, or kielbasa for a mild soup. Johnsonville recommended
- 2 chicken breasts, ~1lb, cut into bite-sized pieces
- salt and pepper
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, see notes
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 3 Tablespoons gluten free flour, or AP flour if not GF
- 6 cups gluten free chicken broth
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- 3/4 cup long grain white rice, Lundberg recommended
Directions
- Add bacon to a large Dutch Oven or soup pot then place on the stove and turn heat to medium. Cook until bacon is crisp then remove bacon to a plate and set aside, reserving bacon fat in the pot. If necessary, add enough extra virgin olive oil to total 2 Tablespoons fat in the pot.
- Turn heat up to medium-high then add sausage and chicken, season with salt and pepper, then saute until chicken begins to turn opaque, 2 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery, season with Cajun seasoning, then saute until vegetables are tender, 5 minutes, turning heat up if necessary to keep ingredients sizzling. Add garlic then saute for 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle flour over the meat and vegetables then stir to coat and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly add chicken broth a splash at a time while stirring to create a smooth sauce, then add crushed tomatoes, and bay leaves. Turn heat up to high to bring liquid to a boil then add rice and stir well. Turn heat down to medium-low then cover and simmer until rice is al dente, 15-18 minutes, stirring often to ensure the rice isn't sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- When the rice has a couple minutes left until it's tender, remove the pot from the heat then let sit with the lid on for 2-3 minutes to let the rice finish cooking from the heat of the pot. Remove the lid then stir in the bacon and let soup sit and thicken for 10 minutes before ladling into bowls and serving.
Notes
- If serving this recipe to children or someone who is sensitive to spice, start with 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning then add up to 1 additional teaspoon seasoning at the end until desired heat level is reached.
- I use Emeril's Essence for the Cajun seasoning.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
I just made this tonight! While it’s definitely not a quick recipe, it’s certainly delicious! I made it mild this time, but will definitely go spicy next time. Yum!!!
Please do not gasp in horror when I say the following, but I’m a bacon-hater. Cannot stand it or the smell. The soup still looks beyond amazing, I think I’m still going to go for it, just using some olive oil in lieu of the fat and maybe a bit of smoked paprika to get that type of non-bacon bacony flavor in.
*gasp!* Just kidding – we all have our aversions for one reason or another! ;) I think extra virgin olive oil + smoked paprika is a great idea!
Wow!! With some fresh bread or even cornbread, this looks amazing!! What a great base – and would be so easy to customize!! Great idea!!
Kristin I love the twists and turns of taking traditional recipes and making them come to life in a new way! You’re so good at that! This soup looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it!
I feel the same way as you! But at least your house doesn’t have brown recluse spiders! OMG! Our new house has them and they are so hard to get rid of. Talk about nightmares!
OMG is right!!! Now I’m freaking out wondering if the wolf spiders are, in fact, brown recluses and contemplating just moving so I don’t have to do a google search to find out. ??????
This looks delicious! Quick question-at what point do you add the bacon back in? I think I missed that in the recipe. Thanks!
Great catch, Kayla, thank you for pointing that out! Add the bacon back in at the end after the rice is fully cooked. I added it to the post and recipe card. Thank you again!
I’ll be trying this recipe for sure! But more importantly, RUN!, don’t walk! to your nearest Valu Hardware store and buy Terro Spider Traps! Set them inside your house….just in case….
I had a wolf spider in my mudroom just last night. Oh.My.Gosh. When a spider is cognizant enough to be aware of my presence and be planning his escape route—-not cool—-SO not cool! I swear he had kneecaps. Good Luck! Here’s hoping they stick to the back door so you have an escape route!
Kneecaps – HA!!! You are too funny! Seriously, I’m pretty sure mine are large enough to have a drivers licenses. ?
This looks scrumptious! Can’t wait to try it. :) If I adjust the cooking time accordingly, do you think brown rice could be used instead of white rice?
It’s possible! I think you’d need to add more liquid and adjust the saute time for the meat/vegetables otherwise they’d get overcooked in the time it’d take the brown rice to cook.
Hi Kristin,
I just wanted to say that I have been enjoying your blog for several years now, and of all the food blogs that I follow (and they are numerous) I find yours to be the most entertaining, well written, and funny. Not to mention, that I have saved and made many of your recipes! I just saved this Jambalaya Soup recipe and I can’t wait to try it!! Thank you!
^^^^ Couldn’t have said it better myself!
Thank you so much ladies, you are too kind!!! Seriously! :) Hope you love this soup recipe too!
I am stumped by this. As a born-and-raised south Louisianian, I have never in my 34 years heard of jambalaya soup. One, because it’s either a soup or jambalaya, not both. It just looks like you put too much broth, and didn’t give it time to cook down. And it has tomatoes in it, so it’s red (Creole) jambalaya and needs the distinction, in my opinion. So maybe it’s a red jambalaya-flavored soup? LOL, my brain can’t process this! I hope my comment doesn’t come across as mean; I really am laughing over here. And I’m sure that it tastes delicious, as almost all of your recipes that I’ve tried, but I can only imagine the looks that I would get from my husband if I served him jambalaya soup. :)
Also, please see Exhibit A for how passionate Louisiana can be about her food:
I forgot my “this is NOT traditional Jambalaya!” disclaimer! Just a fun way to serve up the same flavors in a new and different way. Hope you love it if you decide to give it a go!
Making this for dinner :D
Let me know what you think, Kiara!
Ahhh! We have a wolf spider living on our back deck too! And when it scurries into its creepy funnel web hole, it goes INTO OUR HOUSE. Or at least our siding, or however that works. Needless to say, my days of tending to the grill out there are done for the year.
I too, am ready to fully embrace fall eats. Soup every dang day sounds pretty good to me and this one is being added to the must-make list!
I can’t, I can’t, I can’t… Looks like we’ll both be house hunting in the near future!
OMG I just killed one of the spiders IN THE HOUSE!! *dyyyyying*
Ohhhh yumm! I’m not quite ready for fall yet – I am not really looking forward to freezing and being wet from the rain every time I go outside. But yes, I am looking forward to cooking those flavourful dishes again, and my whole apartment smelling great! This soup looks nourishing and comforting, which would be perfect after coming home drenched. Haha!
I know – I know I’ll regret saying those words in about 3 months, but as of now I’m ready for a change!