Jambalaya is a fiery, exotic Creole creation packed full of flavour and texture. It’s a timeless classic in southern parts of the US and because it’s made in large batches…there’s bound to be some left over to freeze.
Can You Freeze Jambalaya?
Yes, you can freeze jambalaya. Jambalaya can be frozen for around 3 months. Begin by divvying it up into suitable portions and then placing it in a freezer-safe container. Providing your jambalaya is protected from freezer burn, it will freeze well.
Does Jambalaya Freeze Well? Yes
Can You Refreeze Jambalaya? Yes
How to Freeze Jambalaya
Whether fish, andouille sausage, shrimp, or full-on cajun jambalaya, you should follow the steps below to ensure it’s well preserved in the freezer:
- Cool
Once the jambalaya is fully cooked, you will need to allow the jambalaya to cool to room temperature before preparing it for the freezer. To speed this process up, remove it from the pan you used for cooking and place it in a room-temperature dish. - Split Into Portions
We recommend splitting your jambalaya into portion sizes before freezing it, as this makes your life easier at the defrosting stage. Determining suitable portion sizes is totally up to you; just make sure you split the ingredients equally, so you don’t have too much meat/fish/rice in one serving and too little in another. - Place in Freezer-Safe Container
Store your jambalaya in a freezer bag or container, leaving around one inch of space at the top before sealing. - Label and Freeze
Write the date that you prepared the jambalaya, as well as its use-by date, on the top of the container before transferring it to the freezer. Remember, you can keep jambalaya frozen for around three months.
3 Tips for Freezing Jambalaya
Now you know how to freeze leftover jambalaya, we’ve got our Top 3 Tips, which we strongly recommend following to have the best results:
- Leave out the Shrimp – If you know in advance you’re going to freeze your jambalaya leftovers, it’s best to leave out shrimp. This is because it tends to go chewy when it has been frozen. You can always fry a fresh batch of shrimp to add to the leftovers if you don’t think you can go without!
- Reheat on the Stovetop – Although there are several ways of reheating frozen jambalaya (the microwave and oven also work), reheating it on the stovetop produces the best results. If you choose to add fresh shrimp to your leftovers, for instance, you can add the defrosted jambalaya to the cooking shrimp, ensuring you get the full flavour burst provided by the shellfish.
- Store in the Fridge Before Freezing – If you think you might use your leftover jambalaya within 3-4 days, you can store it in the fridge before you think about freezing it. This saves you from having to worry about freezing and then defrosting your jambalaya, which reduces the risk of ruining its texture.
How Long Can You Freeze Jambalaya?
You can keep jambalaya in the freezer for around three months.
Leaving it for any longer than this can cause it to go stale once it has been defrosted, and some of the ingredients will taste far from fresh. Be sure to note the use-by date on the lid of your jambalaya before freezing it, so you know when you need to use it.
How Do You Defrost and Reheat Jambalaya?
Because jambalaya usually contains meat and shellfish, you should defrost it in the fridge. Never defrost meat or fish on the countertop, as harmful bacteria will grow, and this could cause a stomach upset or severe illness.
Tip
The night before you plan to enjoy your leftovers, remove your jambalaya from the freezer and place it in the fridge overnight.
To prevent the rice from becoming mushy (no one wants mushy rice!), it’s best not to reheat jambalaya straight from frozen.
The best way to reheat jambalaya is in a pot on the stove. Alternatively, you can try reheating Jambalaya in a slow cooker or in the microwave until hot throughout.
Be sure to use a microwave-safe container when reheating jambalaya in the microwave.
Can You Refreeze Jambalaya?
You should only freeze and reheat jambalaya once. The variety of ingredients and the changing moisture content of the freezing and defrosting processes can ruin the texture of your jambalaya.
The main reason for freezing jambalaya in portions is to ensure you only need to defrost what you actually need at any given time, reducing the risk of wastage and keeping your jambalaya nice and fresh.
Does Jambalaya Freeze Well?
Providing you leave the shrimp out, jambalaya freezes extremely well. You will find that freezing it for around three months retains much of its taste and flavour, and with the exception of shrimp, the meat and fish that is often included will be nice and moist once it has been thawed.
As such, you have no excuse to let your delicious homemade batch of jambalaya go to waste, as it will freeze perfectly well for up to three months.
Tip
Definitely going to freeze it? Cook the jambalaya without rice and then freeze the jambalaya. Once thawed, add cooked rice and follow the normal reheating process.
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing jambalaya or jambalaya in general, then these may help:
Yes, gumbo can be frozen. Generally speaking, a gumbo without seafood can be frozen in airtight containers for around 6 months. If the gumbo contains shellfish or seafood then this should be reduced to a maximum of 3 months.
Yes, it is! The main thing to bear in mind is how the rice was cooled down and then stored. It should not be left out at room temperature for an extended period of time. As soon as it has cooled, get that rice frozen.
Sources
We have verified the information on this page using the following resources:
