Shrimp Creole: A Mardi Gras memory

By MaryFran Stransky, Social Media

Twenty years ago, my husband attended a Mardi Gras dinner party in St. Louis, where he was served an unforgettable shrimp creole dish. The hosts graciously shared their recipe, and it was such a hit that I submitted it to the Nodaway News Leader as my “staff favorite.”

Since then, it has become a staple in our family, shared countless times and enjoyed just as much today. It continues to hold its place as our daughters’ all-time favorite meal and a cherished Christmas Day tradition.

Over the years, we’ve made small adjustments to the dish, always adding more shrimp than originally suggested. When necessary, we’ve swapped shrimp for chicken or served it over grits instead of rice. We’ve settled on Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning as our go-to spice blend and prefer Rotel original tomatoes for a little extra kick. You can adjust the tomato sauce to your liking, add a touch of white pepper, or include 10 ounces of okra for an even more authentic Creole flair.

If you have a favorite NNL recipe that you’ve used and loved over the years, we’d love to hear from you. Share your culinary success stories with us—“Say You Saw It in the NNL!”

Shrimp Creole

Ingredients:

  • 2 sticks butter
  • 15 oz canned tomatoes, crushed
  • 2 onions, sliced
  • 1 green pepper, diced
  • 1–2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 can beef broth
  • 8 oz tomato sauce
  • 1–2 pounds cooked shrimp

Directions:

  1. Melt the butter in a large pan. Add the tomatoes, green pepper, and Cajun seasoning. Sauté until the onions are soft.
  2. Blend in the flour.
  3. Stir in the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato sauce. Simmer until the mixture thickens.
  4. Just before serving, add the cooked shrimp to the sauce.
  5. Serve over rice or grits.