If you love Cajun shrimp, this is one of those easy seafood dinners that brings something different to the table. Tender roasted cabbage bowls get filled with juicy shrimp, smoky turkey sausage, and sweet peppers, all finished with buttery Cajun juices. It’s a hearty, low-carb dinner that’s as fun to eat as it is to make.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A creative, low-carb dinner. Roasted cabbage bowls stand in for the usual grain or bread base.
- Bold Cajun flavor throughout. Both the cabbage and the filling get seasoned generously.
- Shrimp and sausage together. Two proteins bring layers of flavor to every bowl.
- A memorable presentation. These cabbage bowls look as impressive as they taste.
Ingredients
- 2 medium green cabbages
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 12 oz smoked turkey sausage, sliced into thick rounds
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 1 small green bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1½ tsp Cajun seasoning
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- Salt, to taste
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
How to Make Cajun Shrimp & Smoked Turkey Sausage Stuffed Cabbage Bowls
1. Make the cabbage bowls. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut each cabbage in half through the core to make 4 thick cabbage bowls. Carefully remove some of the center leaves while keeping the outer layers and base intact.
2. Season the cabbage. Mix 2 tablespoons melted butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil, half the Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Brush generously over the cabbage and between some of the leaves.
3. Start roasting. Place the cabbage bowls cut side up in a large baking dish. Pour the chicken broth around them, cover loosely with foil, and roast for 25 minutes.
4. Brown the smoked turkey sausage. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the smoked turkey sausage and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until nicely browned around the edges.
5. Build the Cajun filling. Add the onion and red and green bell peppers. Cook for 3 minutes, then stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, onion powder, remaining Cajun seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce.
6. Add the shrimp. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side, just until they begin turning pink. Keep the shrimp slightly undercooked since they will finish cooking in the oven.
7. Stuff the cabbage bowls. Remove the cabbage from the oven. Generously fill each cabbage bowl with the Cajun shrimp, smoked turkey sausage, peppers, and onions. Drizzle the remaining melted butter and flavorful skillet juices over the top.
8. Finish in the oven. Return the stuffed cabbage bowls to the oven uncovered and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the cabbage is tender with caramelized edges and the shrimp are fully cooked.
9. Add the finishing touch. Drizzle fresh lemon juice over the Cajun shrimp and sausage cabbage bowls. Spoon the buttery juices from the baking dish over each serving and serve hot.
Tips for the Best Cajun Cabbage Bowls
- Keep the base of the cabbage intact. This is what holds the bowl together, so remove center leaves carefully without cutting through the bottom.
- Pull the shrimp while still slightly undercooked. They’ll finish cooking in the oven, so this prevents them from turning rubbery.
- Cover the cabbage for the first roast. This helps it soften properly before the uncovered finishing bake, which develops those caramelized edges.
- Spoon the buttery juices over generously at the end. This final touch ties all the flavors together.
What to Serve with Cajun Shrimp & Sausage Cabbage Bowls
These bowls are filling enough to be a complete meal, but a side of crusty bread or rice can be added if you’d like to round things out further.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different sausage?
Yes, andouille sausage is a traditional and flavorful option if you’d like even more smoky depth.
Can I make the filling ahead of time?
Yes, the shrimp and sausage filling can be made ahead and refrigerated, then reheated and spooned into freshly roasted cabbage bowls.
What if my cabbage bowls are unstable while roasting?
Trimming a small slice off the rounded bottom of each half can help them sit flat and stay steady in the baking dish.
Cajun Shrimp & Smoked Turkey Sausage Stuffed Cabbage Bowls
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut each cabbage in half through the core to make 4 thick cabbage bowls. Carefully remove some of the center leaves while keeping the outer layers and base intact.
- Mix 2 tablespoons melted butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil, half the Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Brush generously over the cabbage and between some of the leaves.
- Place the cabbage bowls cut side up in a large baking dish. Pour the chicken broth around them, cover loosely with foil, and roast for 25 minutes.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the smoked turkey sausage and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until nicely browned around the edges.
- Add the onion and red and green bell peppers. Cook for 3 minutes, then stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, onion powder, remaining Cajun seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Add the shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side, just until they begin turning pink. Keep the shrimp slightly undercooked since they will finish cooking in the oven.
- Remove the cabbage from the oven. Generously fill each cabbage bowl with the Cajun shrimp, smoked turkey sausage, peppers, and onions. Drizzle the remaining melted butter and flavorful skillet juices over the top.
- Return the stuffed cabbage bowls to the oven uncovered and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the cabbage is tender with caramelized edges and the shrimp are fully cooked.
- Drizzle fresh lemon juice over the Cajun shrimp and sausage cabbage bowls. Spoon the buttery juices from the baking dish over each serving and serve hot.
