Looking for a quick, but authentic Cajun dish to serve for Mardi Gras? One of the most popular Cajun dishes is Jambalaya, and for good reason; it’s delicious. Many versions have long lists of ingredients and require hours of prep and cooking time. This Five-Ingredient Jambalaya, however, starts with the versatile Basic Creole Sauce Module, which is made in a slow cooker, packaged in recipe size portions, and stored in the freezer up to several months ahead. All that is needed to make this fabulous one-dish meal is to mix the Creole sauce with rice, sausage, and ham in the slow cooker; the jambalaya cooks on it’s own with no watching, until raw shrimp is stirred in at the last moment. Hands-on time is 15-20 minutes, but the finished dish tastes as good as the versions that take hours to prepare.

For a change, chunks of boneless, skinless chicken breast may be substituted for the ham, however it should be added later – about halfway through cooking time to prevent the chicken from drying out. Most versions of Jambalaya contain shrimp, but other favorite seafood may be used instead. Andouille Sausage is a must for Jambalaya, since it’s spicy and has a very distinct Cajun flavor. If it’s difficult to find, as a last resort, substitute a hot cured sausage such as Portuguese Linguica or hot Kielbasa.

4 generous Servings

1 cup Converted Rice (such as Uncle Ben’s)
3/4 cup diced (about 3 ounces) lean ham
4 ounces andouille sausage, cooked and sliced
3 cups Basic Creole Sauce

1/2 pound raw shrimp, tails removed

1. Place the rice, ham, sausage, and Creole sauce in a small slow cooker.


2. Set the slow cooker to low and cook 6-8 hours or until the rice is tender.


3. Stir in the shrimp 15 minutes before serving; the shrimp will cook as the jambalaya sits.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 372 Calories from Fat 87
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 23% Protein 27% Carb. 50%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 10 g
Saturated Fat 3 g
Cholesterol 138 mg
Sodium 1117 mg
Total Carbohydrate 46 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 25 g

Vitamin A 2% Vitamin C 9% Calcium 0% Iron 25%