Delicious, rich and oh so easy, this basic Creole Sauce recipe can be served alone or with cooked shrimp or chicken. For classic Shrimp Creole, simply add cooked shrimp to the sauce and pour over cooked white rice. Bayou Creole Sauce also makes a scrumptious filling for an omelet or a sauce for penne pasta. Add a crisp green salad and lots of crusty bread for soaking up the sauce for a quick and delicious Sunday night supper.

Bayou Creole Sauce

This recipe makes 3 cups of sauce

2 tablespoons Olive Oil
½ cup onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
¼ cup bell pepper (red or green), chopped
1 can (1 lb, 12 oz) diced tomatoes, including liquid
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1 teaspoon celery sea salt with celery seeds
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil in a sauce pan and add onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Sauté the vegetables until they are just tender. Add remaining ingredients; simmer uncovered for about 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.

For a thicker sauce, strain or cook longer to reduce liquid.


White Rice
This recipe makes 4-1/2 cups of cooked rice

1-1/2 cups long grain white rice
2-1/2 cups water
Pinch of sea salt, optional

Bring the water to a boil in a 2 quart sauce pan. Stir in the rice and the sea salt; cover with a tight fitting lid and lower the heat to simmer. Allow the rice to simmer for 15 before lifting the lid. If the rice is tender and the water has been absorbed, remove from heat. If the water has not been absorbed, cover and continue cooking for a few more minutes. When the rice is done, remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.

To Serve

Serve this dish steaming hot! Put a scoop of rice in the center of a wide, shallow soup plate. Ladle about 1/2 cup of sauce over the top of the rice.

For Shrimp Creole, distribute the cooked shrimp evenly over the top of the mound of rice and sauce.

Garnish with minced parsley or green onions.