Description
Cajun Stuffed Peppers with Shrimp feature vibrant bell peppers stuffed with a flavorful mixture of sautéed shrimp, vegetables, and homemade cornbread seasoned with Cajun spices. This hearty dish combines the smoky spice of Cajun seasoning with the sweetness of bell peppers and the satisfying texture of cornbread, baked to perfection for a warm and comforting meal.
Ingredients
Units
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Cornbread
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup corn meal
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
Stuffed Peppers
- 6 bell peppers, various colors, sliced lengthwise, seeded and cored
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red or green bell pepper, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 5 green onions, thinly sliced (separate greens and whites)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 1/2 pounds medium peeled and deveined shrimp, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (like Tony Chachere's), divided
- 8 cups crumbled cornbread (from recipe above)
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- Prepare Cornbread: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat an 8×8 baking pan with cooking spray or butter. Whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk milk, vegetable oil, and egg until well combined. Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and stir until moist with some lumps. Transfer batter to the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature.
- Parboil Peppers: Fill a large Dutch oven with several inches of water and bring to a boil. Boil half of the bell pepper halves for 7 minutes. Remove, drain, and cool. Repeat with the remaining halves. Drain water from pot and keep pot for cooking vegetables later.
- Season Shrimp: Place shrimp in a colander and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning. Stir to coat and let sit while cooking vegetables.
- Cook Vegetables: Preheat oven to 375°F. Melt 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add diced bell pepper, celery, and white parts of green onions; sauté another 5 minutes until wilted. Add garlic and thyme and cook 1 more minute.
- Cook Shrimp: Add shrimp to the vegetable mixture and cook just until shrimp begin to turn pink. Remove from heat.
- Combine Filling: Add crumbled cornbread to the shrimp mixture and stir to combine. Add 1 cup chicken broth, beaten eggs, dried sage, Tabasco sauce, sliced green onion greens, chopped parsley, and remaining 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning. Fold gently to mix. Add remaining broth a little at a time if the mixture needs more moisture.
- Stuff Peppers: Spoon the shrimp-cornbread mixture into the hollowed bell pepper halves, pressing into curves and crevices. Mound the stuffing on top evenly. If freezing, place the prepared peppers on a plate for freezing later.
- Bake Stuffed Peppers: Arrange peppers stuffing-side up in a baking pan. Dot tops of stuffing with remaining 2 tablespoons butter divided into small pats. Bake uncovered at 375°F for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and garnish with additional parsley and fresh thyme if desired.
Notes
- Stuffed peppers freeze well. After stuffing, freeze the prepared peppers on a plate for 1 hour until solid, then transfer to freezer-safe containers. Defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours before baking as directed.
- This recipe is adapted from Taina Adamson’s version based on Louisiana Cookin website.
- To adjust spice level, vary the amount of Cajun seasoning and Tabasco sauce.
- Use a variety of bell pepper colors for a visually appealing dish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 160 mg
