30 Minutes or Less Dinner

Shrimp and Sausage Skillet

Shrimp and sausage skillet plated with sweet potato wedges

Shrimp and sausage skillet is a stir-fry style dinner that is super simple to make. Made with lean ingredients and dairy-free, this recipe leaves you with that full but not heavy feeling that we all crave.

Shrimp and Sausage Skillet is a great option to throw together at the last minute too! Start to finish takes only 25 minutes. Just put on a pot of brown rice while you whip up the shrimp and sausage and dinner will be on the table before you know it.

About the Ingredients

Chicken sausage – chicken sausage comes in all sorts of flavors. I wanted to give this dish a little cajun vibe without making it spicy so I found these burrito flavor chicken sausages from Al Fresco that I used. They were delicious.

Shrimp – shrimp come in various sizes. I like to use 30 per pound because they border between being bite size or just big enough for 2 bites. I also recommend removing the tails before cooking because it makes the shrimp easier to eat (tails look pretty but who are we impressing at the dinner table on a weeknight?)

Bell peppers one green and one red. You can use whatever colors you like but I think the sweetness of the red and then bite of the green balance each other nicely.

Onion and celery – chopped

Flavorings – minced garlic, tomato paste and dried thyme.

Chicken broth – to create the sauce.

A close up of Shrimp and sausage skillet

How to Make Shrimp and Sausage Skillet

Begin by slicing the sausage into coins and then cooking it in a skillet until it gets a little brown and crispy. Once it starts to form a crust, add the veggies (onion, peppers and celery) to the skillet. You want the veggies to get soft so you might need to turn up the heat a little. Let them soften for 5 to 8 minutes.

Now it’s time to add in the flavorings – tomato paste, garlic and thyme. Give everything a really good stir. The tomato paste will be difficult to distribute so just keep working it in until it looks even.

Pour the chicken broth over everything. It will look like a lot of liquid at first but that’s ok. Bring the broth to a simmer. Once it’s bubbling, nestle the raw shrimp right into the hot liquid. They should begin to turn pink pretty quickly, about 3 minutes, so keep an eye on them. Season everything with salt and pepper and dinner is ready!

Shrimp and sausage skillet plated with sweet potato wedges

Recipe Substitutions & Variations

This shrimp and sausage skillet recipe would be great with a a little cajun kick. Try swapping the chicken sausage for andouille sausage and/or adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of cajun seasoning when you add the tomato paste and other flavorings.

Not a seafood lover? No worries! Swap out the shrimp for cubed chicken breast.

FAQ’s and Recipe Tips

What should I serve with Shrimp and Sausage Skillet?

I love to serve this recipe with Baked Sweet Potato Wedges. You could also serve it with rice to soak up some of the delicious broth.

Can I make Shrimp and Sausage Skillet ahead of time?

Shrimp isn’t really at it’s best when it’s reheated. If you want to prep this in advance I would make the dish but not add the shrimp yet. When you’re ready to finish it off, reheat everything in a skillet and add the shrimp to cook just before serving.

How thick should I slice bell peppers to cook them?

This is personal preference however, you want the peppers to soften up enough to easily bite through them. Their raw crunchy texture won’t blend well with the rest of the tender food on the plate. To get them to soften enough during a quick 5 minute sauté it’s best to slice them no more than 1/2 inch thick.

Shrimp and sausage skillet plated with sweet potato wedges.

The Recipe for Shrimp and Sausage Skillet

The recipe is attached below for easy downloading and printing.  If you test it out be sure to leave a note in the comments below. I’d love to hear what you thought of the shrimp and sausage combination. Enjoy!

Shrimp and sausage skillet plated with sweet potato wedges

Shrimp and Sausage Skillet

A stir-fry style dish that takes just 20 minutes to prepare. Lean proteins and fresh vegetables are the star of this recipe.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb chicken sausage any flavor but burrito or cajun flavored work great
  • 1 lb shrimp deveined and tails removed
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 2 stalks celery chopped
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 3 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • salt and pepper

Instructions
 

  • Slice the sausages into 3/4 inch thick coins. Coat a large pan over medium heat with a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the sausage to the pan and cook until browned on the outside and cooked through on the inside – about 6 minutes.
    1 lb chicken sausage
  • Add the onion, peppers and celery to the pan. Continue cooking for another 7 minutes or until the vegetables soften.
    1 green bell pepper, 1 red bell pepper, 1 onion, 2 stalks celery
  • Add the tomato paste, minced garlic and thyme to the pan. Slowly stir the paste into the vegetables and sausage until thoroughly combined. Season everything with salt and pepper.
    2 tbsp tomato paste, 3 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp dried thyme, salt and pepper
  • Pour the chicken stock over the skillet and stir. Bring everything to a simmer.
    1 cup chicken broth
  • Add the shrimp to the pan and submerge them into the simmering broth so the cook evenly. The shrimp should turn pink in about 3 minutes. Once all of the shrimp are pink on all sides, taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper if needed.
    1 lb shrimp

Notes

Serve with: sweet potato wedges or rice.
To make ahead: prepare recipe through adding the broth. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Reheat in a skillet. Once simmering, add the raw shrimp and cook until pink, then serve.
Leftovers: save leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days for an easy, microwave friendly lunch. 
Keyword sausage, seafood, shellfish, shrimp, skillet, under 30 minutes

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