Weeknight Kid-Friendly Jambalaya Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is jambalaya too spicy for kids? ›

Typical Jambalaya can be really spicy, which a lot of kids don't love. This version still has the yummy Jambalaya flavor, just with a more mild heat making it the perfect veggie packed dinner for kids.

Holy Trinity.

At the heart of jambalaya is the “holy trinity,” the mixture of celery, bell pepper, and onion that serves as the base of a lot of New Orleans cuisine, as well as many French dishes.

Cajun vs.

Creole jambalaya, also known as red jambalaya, contains tomatoes. Cajun or brown jambalaya does not. Jambalaya isn't thickened with roux, although some cooks do include a little skillet-browned flour.

Zatarain's makes a mild variety of our Jambalaya Mix, but it's easy to reduce the spice level of any Jambalaya mix by replacing half (or more or less) of the mix with white rice before preparing.

Cases of adverse effects such as mucosal irritation, nausea, vomiting, and high blood pressure have repeatedly been reported. However, the amount of capsaicin consumed was often unknown. Children are particularly sensitive to hot chilli products.

The "holy trinity" in Cajun cuisine and Louisiana Creole cuisine is the base for several dishes in the regional cuisines of Louisiana and consists of onions, bell peppers and celery. The preparation of Cajun/Creole dishes such as crawfish étouffée, gumbo, and jambalaya all start from this base.

If you don't rinse it away, the starch creates a gluey film as the rice cooks. Rinse away the extra starch and the rice will be sticky enough to fluff up, but not too gummy. If you've been having trouble achieving the “just right” texture with your rice, try adding the rinsing step to your prep.

One of the biggest complaints when making jambalaya is that the rice ends up mushy. And there's two main culprits of this – choosing the wrong type of rice and over-stirring. For this recipe, you want long-grain white rice, like basmati or jasmine. Don't use short-grain rice.

Jambalaya (/ˌdʒæmbəˈlaɪə/ JAM-bə-LY-ə, /ˌdʒʌm-/ JUM-) is a savory rice dish of mixed origins that developed in the U.S. state of Louisiana apparently with African, Spanish, and French influences, consisting mainly of meat or seafood (or both), and vegetables mixed with rice and spices.

Is jambalaya just gumbo with rice? ›

What Are the Differences Between Gumbo and Jambalaya? The main difference between these two dishes is their use of rice. Gumbo is really a soup or stew that's often served over a little rice, while jambalaya is made with the rice cooked into the dish, making the grain an integral part of it.

Cajun Jambalaya and Hurricane

The mix of Andouille sausage, chicken, peppers, and onions in the Jambalaya pairs perfectly with the fusion of Southern Comfort, light rum, dark rum, and our signature hurricane mix in this classic New Orleans drink.

Two main categories of jambalaya exist: Creole (or red) jambalaya, which is associated with the city of New Orleans and contains tomato, and Cajun (or brown) jambalaya, which contains no tomato and is more common in other parts of Louisiana. The recipe I'm focusing on here is the former, with tomato.

A cajun jambalaya, I'm reliably informed, should be somewhat dry, even slightly browned on the bottom, which rules out the soupier, wetter texture of those creole versions using tomatoes (Oliver advises cooks to aim for a “porridgey” consistency).

An authentic jambalaya recipe is savory, spicy, meaty, and oh so flavorful! And it's very easy to make as well! Let me share with you my favorite healthy jambalaya with lots of meat, crushed tomatoes, and jambalaya seasoning.

Sprinkle in Sugar

Sugar is yet another kitchen staple that can help quell a dish that is a little too hot. Sprinkle in some granulated sugar, brown sugar, honey or maple syrup to get the desired effect and flavor.

Really spicy foods are not good for very little babies because they can cause irritation to their digestive system. However, from around six months, or from when the baby is ready for solid food, experts agree that mild herbs and spices are a great addition.

Spicy food trends are especially on the rise in the US, where an estimated 59% of consumers aged 18–34 prefer very spicy foods and demand a greater variety of spicy foods (2). Liking the spice from chili peppers is unusual compared to other foods because it elicits a pain response.