Meatless Friday: Creole-Style Shrimp and Spinach

For Meatless Friday, Barb Szyszkiewicz shares a quick version of Creole-style shrimp. Download our printable recipe card!

This is not exactly shrimp Creole, but it was one of those days when I was working with nothing but desperation and a bag of frozen shrimp. I didn't have the kind of tomatoes I wanted, but I did have half a pound of spinach in the fridge to use up before it got slimy. So with a little bit of this, a little bit of that, and a quick glance at some online recipes for inspiration, I got dinner on the table. 

Creole-Style Shrimp and Spinach

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp Creole seasoning (or to taste), see recipe below
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1 onion, diced
1 large bell pepper, chopped (use whatever color pepper you have)
2 garlic cloves, minced
14-oz can tomatoes (diced or whole), juice reserved
2 tsp thyme
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 cup vegetable broth (just in case you don't wind up with 1/2 cup tomato juice after draining the can)
Juice of 1 lemon
4 to 6 cups baby spinach

Directions

Start the rice. Dry the shrimp and season with Creole seasoning. If canned tomatoes are whole, chop them.

Heat oil, cook shrimp 2 minutes per side, and remove.

Add butter, onions, and peppers to the pan. Cook until they begin to wilt. Add garlic, tomatoes, and spices.

Add reserved tomato juice and enough broth to make 1/2 cup liquid, plus the lemon juice.

Add spinach and cover to cook down.

Stir in shrimp, then serve over rice.

It’s easy to make your own Creole seasoning blend from ingredients you probably already have in the house! Save an empty spice bottle and mix this up in minutes. My friend, Catholic Mom writer Karen Ullo, frequently shares this seasoning blend mix with her recipes.

Eileen’s Creole Seasoning:

2 tbs. salt
1 tbs. ground red pepper
1 tbs. chili powder
1 tbs. garlic powder
1 tsp. black pepper

Place all ingredients in an empty spice bottle and shake to combine.