jambalaya

American  

[juhm-buh-lahy-uh] / ˌdʒʌm bəˈlaɪ ə /

noun

1. a dish of Creole origin, consisting of rice cooked with ham, sausage, chicken, or shellfish, herbs, spices, and vegetables, especially tomatoes, onions, and peppers.

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jambalaya British  

/ ˌdʒʌmbəˈlaɪə /

noun

1. a Creole dish made of shrimps, ham, rice, onions, etc

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Etymology

Origin of jambalaya

1740–50; < Louisiana French < Provençal jambalaia, of uncertain origin

Explanation

Jambalaya is a Cajun dish with rice and a variety of ingredients. It has a little of everything, and it's very spicy. If you ever go to a Cajun restaurant or New Orleans, one dish to try is jambalaya. It consists of rice plus peppers, celery, and onions. There's also meat, which might be chicken or sausage. Sometimes jambalaya has fish in it too, such as shrimp. Like a lot of Cajun food, jambalaya is very spicy.

Example Sentences

He has described the record as a "powder keg", as "burning diesel", and even a spicy "jambalaya" – and it's certainly harder and faster than anything the band have released over the past decade.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

They held regular dinner parties for friends, colleagues and students, and Morgan was renowned for her cooking, with a repertoire that included jambalaya, French beef stew, fried chicken and shrimp étouffée.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025

During the festival, food available on site includes crawfish bread, pecan catfish meuniere and catfish almondine, cochon de lait and turducken po-boys, boudin, crawfish étouffée, jambalaya, crawfish Monica and shrimp and grits.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 24, 2024

Harris swept through the work area, past tall shelves piled high with plates and pans, stopping where Kam Winslow was stirring a giant bowl of jambalaya.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2024

And Bill sold plates of his spicy, delicious Creole dishes—gumbo, jambalaya.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey