Creole Shrimp and Okra Bowl with Steamed Peppers

48 Comments / By Stephanie / May 29, 2019

Combine shrimp and okra with some fresh vegetables and serve over a bed of rice for this delicious take on a shrimp gumbo.

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If you’ve seen any of my 2017 garden posts, then you may have noticed our overabundance of okra. I found a photo of a shrimp and okra bowl and decided we could try to make it ourselves. We started cooking to see what we could come up with since I didn’t have a recipe. This is great because it’s basically a one-pan meal as well, besides cooking the rice to put the gumbo over.

We have so much okra out in the garden, so I sent Justin out to get the okra for the recipe. I don’t like going out there in the summer (and whatever the calendar says, it’s summer in South Texas) because there are always a lot of wasps out there and I am terrified of wasps. So during the warm months when the wasps are most active, I don’t do much in the garden. I don’t even go in the backyard much because of the wasps and the heat.

I learned okra should be about 3-4 inches for optimal taste. When they get longer, they get stringy and lose a lot of their flavor.

The original recipe had a green bell pepper in it, but we had trouble finding one at that time. We decided to use a yellow pepper and it still turned out delicious.

Garnish Ideas for Shrimp and Okra Bowl

I am one who always likes to garnish my meals. Sometimes it’s as simple as a dash of salt and black pepper, other times I want a sauce. Here are my favorite ways to garnish this okra gumbo.

Dash of black pepper
Sliced green onions
Red pepper flakes
Lemon juice
Hot sauce
Cayenne pepper
Dried celery flakes
Fresh parsley
Dried onion
Crushed tomatoes or tomato juice

Ingredients Options

As always, when you make a meal at home, you have the ability to make some changes.

The type of bell pepper you use will change the flavor a bit. We liked the mild yellow pepper, but you could also use any other color bell pepper.
If you aren’t a fan of red onions since they can be strong, switch that out for a yellow onion.
I like Toney Cachere Creole Seasoning, but you can use any brand. You can also use cajun seasoning if that’s all you have.
Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, or stewed tomatoes to your shrimp mixture.

Shrimp and Okra Bowl Step by Step

Ingredients

1 cup long grain brown rice
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp cornmeal
10 oz fresh okra (halved lengthwise)
1 yellow bell pepper (sliced in half)
2 tsp honey
1 tsp creole seasoning
8 oz large shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1 1/2 cups tomato (chopped)
1/2 cup red onion (sliced)
1/2 cup dried parsley leaves
1/4 cup celery (sliced)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Preparation

Prepare the rice according to the package directions. I like to use my rice steamer for this step.

Preheat the broiler in the oven. Line a baking sheet with foil to make cleanup quicker and easier. In a small mixing bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of oil, the cornmeal, and sliced okra stirring to coat the okra.

Put the bell pepper halves and okra on the lined baking sheet with the skin side up. Broil on the middle oven rack for about 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, cover the bell pepper. Let it sit for another 10 minutes to let it continue to cook by steaming in the bowl. Then chop the pepper into bite-sized pieces.

In a medium bowl, combine the honey and creole seasoning then coat the shrimp. I prefer to go ahead and take the tail off the shrimp before cooking. It’s easier to eat later if the tails are off.

Put the shrimp on the baking sheet with the okra. Put it back under the broiler for another 8-10 minutes flipping the shrimp halfway through.

Combine the cooked pepper, okra, and shrimp with the tomato, sliced onion, parsley, celery, red wine vinegar, salt, and rice in a large bowl. We kept the okra full, but you could also cut it and add the chopped okra to your mixture. This is especially helpful if you have little ones trying to eat this.

Divide the food into four serving dishes and serve warm. Garnish as desired.

Shrimp and okra bowl recipe in a white bowl with a towel next to it (vertical)

Shrimp and Okra Bowl Leftovers

Storage: Place any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for 2-3 days.

Reheating: The best way to reheat this okra mixture is in a saucepan or deep skillet over medium heat or medium-high heat. If it gets dry, add a small amount of chicken broth or vegetable broth.

Recipe

Originally Published On: September 28, 2017

Last Updated On: October 19, 2023

Shrimp and Okra Bowl

Combine shrimp and okra with some fresh vegetables and serve over a bed of rice for this delicious take on a shrimp gumbo.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Course:

Main Dish

Cuisine:

American

Keyword:

okra

rice

seafood

shrimp

Servings: servings

5 from 6 votes