I think 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. As much as it pains me to admit the following: I’m totally ready for fall and all the warm and comforting foods that come along with it. Yep, raise your hand if you agree it’s time to crank up the stove, get a big pot of soup bubbling on a corner burner, then fling open the doors to let the cool breeze whistle through whilst enjoying multi bowls of said soup.
Except as of last week I can only utilize the front door – the sliding back door is dead to me. There’s a family of wolf spiders living below the track so it can obviously never be used again and the only logical next step is to wall up the opening and/or set fire to the deck. Decisions decisions…
What were we talking about again? Oh yes, SOUP! We’ve been living off the stuff over the past two weeks while Lincoln and I battle the ear/nose/throat bug that won’t quit, but while the mornings have started out cool and sweet, we’re definitely sweating while we scoop in the evening as summer’s 80 degree temperatures don’t seem to be going anywhere for the time being. It’s a battle of wills – the hot sunshine vs my refusal to keep my jean jacket on the fall/season-that-shall-not-be-named portion of the closet any longer. It’s time, Mother Nature! You hear me?! It’s TIME!
Anyway, one such recipe that’s worth a little perspiration? Jambalaya Soup!Â
Jambalaya Soup is rocking my face off to the tune of six bowls in four days. No shame in my leftover game!
This recipe might look a little familiar to long-time readers as it’s adapted from the Chicken Gumbo Soup I posted here on IGE way back in 2012. That’s the year Gangnam Style came into our lives for Heaven’s sake! #neverforget Anyway, I felt it needed to be re-highlighted – the soup recipe, NOT Gangnam Style – and updated with a name that better communicated 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, than anything else.
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. While I’ve been eating a ton of it over the past couple of days, Lincoln’s bowl count isn’t too far behind mine. This easy, hearty recipe is a KEEPER!
Start by rendering the fat from 4 slices chopped bacon in a large, 6-quart 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 (I used Aidells,) 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.Â
Tip: Andouille sausage has some 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 (I used brown rice flour) over the meat and vegetables then stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes. You could use all-purpose flour here if you don’t need to eat gluten-free.
Slowly add splashes from a 32oz carton gluten-free chicken broth while stirring to create a smooth sauce then add a 28oz can crushed tomatoes, 2 cups water, and 2 bay leaves.Â
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 or gluten-free cornbread (YUM!) to make it a meal. I hope you love this perfectly thick and spicy, hearty Jambalaya Soup!
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Jambalaya Soup
Description
Jambalaya Soup is an easy and soul-satisfying gluten-free soup recipe. Slightly thick and perfectly spicy, it's a delicious taste of the south!
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 12oz gluten-free andouille sausage (use kielbasa if sensitive to spice,) chopped
- 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- salt and pepper
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (see notes)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 Tablespoons gluten-free flour or all-purpose flour (soup will not be GF if using AP flour)
- 32oz gluten-free chicken broth
- 28oz crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 3/4 cup long grain white rice
Directions
- Add bacon to a large, 6-quart Dutch Oven or heavy 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, water, 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. When 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's 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, which I highly recommend!
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Riya 02.28.2017
Kristin I cherish the turns and turns of taking conventional formulas and making them spring up recently! You’re so great at that! This soup looks astounding and I can hardly wait to attempt it!
Jarred Lemoine 10.23.2016
Don’t refer to this as jambalaya, because it does not resemble it in any possible way.
Southern Gal 11.27.2019
You are so wrong. I can’t tell you how many times my Mawmaw added chicken broth to the hardened leftover rice and the leftover jambalaya and turned it into soup. This was common among all the people I grew up with-in the coastal Gulf.
Abby 10.02.2016
Made this for dinner tonight with salad and cornbread muffins. Huge hit! My kids (7 and 5) love your sausage and chicken gumbo, as do the hubby and I, but this is an awesome, quicker substitute! The kiddos called is Gumbalaya, which I sort of think is the perfect accidental name.
Used andouille sausage and 1 tsp of Emerill’s essence and the spice level was fine for them. They can tolerate a little spice but not a ton. Happy family. Can’t wait to battle husband over who gets to take the leftovers to work!
Kristin 10.02.2016
Ahhh, so thrilled to hear this! And “Gumbalaya”…LOVE. IT! ;)
Nat 09.25.2016
Wonderful recipe! I made this last night and used boneless skinless chicken thighs and also added Old Bay seasoning, which really helped boost the flavor. I also used Cento chef’s cut tomatoes, my personal favorite for any jambalaya recipe. I’m a southern girl with Creole influences so I couldn’t help myself…go figure! Love your recipes and your blog. Keep up the good work!
Kristin 09.25.2016
Such a compliment coming from a Southern girl with Creole roots! Thanks so much for the feedback, Nat! :)
Laura 09.22.2016
Hi Kristin! Do you have any recommendations for making this in a slow cooker? I’d love to make this soon!
Kristin 09.22.2016
Hi Laura! White rice doesn’t do so well in the crock po, but I think you could probably cook the rest on low for 3-4 hours, and then add cooked rice at the end. I’d remove 1 – 2 cups cooking liquid since it wouldn’t be soaked up by the rice.
Carolyn 09.21.2016
This is delicious! I made this for dinner last night it was a big hit. I just finished up the leftovers for lunch. We have a household full of littles, so thank you for the notes on making it less spicy. I used Polish kielbasa and just 1tbsp of the cajun seasoning. It was still a little spicy for us so I stirred in 1/2 cup of sour cream after it cooled a bit. So delicious. Thank you!
Kristin 09.21.2016
I’m so, so glad you all loved it – I just had leftovers for lunch too! ? Just a quick tip for next time, the recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning vs 2 Tablespoons. That will make it much less spicy for your little guys!
Carolyn 09.22.2016
Haha right you are!!! This is why YOU have the awesome cooking blog and not me! My two youngest, 3 and 1, can’t have gluten. I really enjoy all your awesome recipes. Thank you for giving me the confidence, and joy, back into cooking! It used to be so stressful trying to find things that they could eat. You have really simplified it!
Tina B. 09.20.2016
OMG! The wolf spider thing had me rolling with laughter! We have a similar thing every year! What the heck!! Creepy!! I think they just wait for us to unpack the patio chairs and table to stretch out and have their own family outing! ICK!
Sarah G 09.20.2016
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!!!
Jenn 09.20.2016
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.
Kristin 09.20.2016
*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!
Maria 09.19.2016
Wow!! With some fresh bread or even cornbread, this looks amazing!! What a great base – and would be so easy to customize!! Great idea!!
Shirley 09.19.2016
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!
Jill r 09.19.2016
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!
Kristin 09.19.2016
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. ??????
Kayla 09.19.2016
This looks delicious! Quick question-at what point do you add the bacon back in? I think I missed that in the recipe. Thanks!
Kristin 09.19.2016
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!
Christie 09.19.2016
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!
Kristin 09.19.2016
Kneecaps – HA!!! You are too funny! Seriously, I’m pretty sure mine are large enough to have a drivers licenses. ?
Casey 09.19.2016
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?
Kristin 09.19.2016
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.
Sheri 09.19.2016
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!
Kari 09.19.2016
^^^^ Couldn’t have said it better myself!
Kristin 09.19.2016
Thank you so much ladies, you are too kind!!! Seriously! :) Hope you love this soup recipe too!
Missy G. 09.19.2016
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:
Kristin 09.19.2016
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!
Kiara 09.19.2016
Making this for dinner :D
Kristin 09.19.2016
Let me know what you think, Kiara!
Trisha 09.19.2016
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!
Kristin 09.19.2016
I can’t, I can’t, I can’t… Looks like we’ll both be house hunting in the near future!
Trisha 09.19.2016
OMG I just killed one of the spiders IN THE HOUSE!! *dyyyyying*
Vivian | stayaliveandcooking 09.19.2016
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!
Kristin 09.19.2016
I know – I know I’ll regret saying those words in about 3 months, but as of now I’m ready for a change!