Quick & Easy Allergy-Friendly Skillet Jambalaya: A 30-Minute Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Meal for Busy Families

Experience the vibrant flavors of the South with this incredible one-skillet jambalaya, thoughtfully crafted to include everything you need for a complete and satisfying meal: hearty meat (or a vegan alternative), nourishing beans, fluffy rice, and a generous kick of spice! Our special homemade spice blend is the secret to unlocking the perfect Cajun zest, without any worry about hidden thickeners or binders like wheat, often found in pre-made mixes. Whether you choose to include sausage or opt for a plant-based version, this incredibly flavorful dish comes together in under 30 minutes, making it an ideal solution for busy weeknights. This Allergy-friendly Skillet Jambalaya is conscientiously free of common allergens, including gluten, dairy, egg, soy, peanuts, and tree nuts, and proudly offers a delightful vegan option to ensure everyone at your table can enjoy it.

Embracing Southern Flavors: A Craving for Cajun Cuisine

Lately, I’ve found myself irresistibly drawn to Louisiana-inspired dishes. Perhaps it’s the lingering festive spirit from Mardi Gras, or maybe it’s the Creole heritage within my husband’s family – whatever the reason, the call of Cajun food has been strong! There’s something undeniably comforting and exciting about these bold, flavorful recipes, and I couldn’t wait to bring that authentic taste into our kitchen, adapted for our allergy-friendly lifestyle.

Dedication to Allergy-Friendly Meals: Behind the Scenes

For those who might have missed my Insta Story, let me share a little secret about the passion that goes into creating these recipes. As many allergy families can relate, dining out is a rare treat for us. So, when my husband received a well-deserved promotion – a huge congratulations to him for all his hard work! – we naturally wanted to celebrate with a special meal out. You might think, “Finally, Megan gets a break from cooking!” But alas, the call of this delicious jambalaya was too strong.

In a moment of pure dedication (some might call it culinary obsession!), I whipped up this skillet jambalaya in the afternoon, even before we left for our celebratory dinner. My sole motivation was to capture these beautiful photos and share this fantastic recipe with all of you. It’s a testament to how much I believe in this dish and how eager I am for you to experience its incredible flavor. Consider it a labor of love, a spicy, Cajun-infused embrace from my kitchen to yours! You’re absolutely welcome!

Why This Skillet Jambalaya is a Weeknight Winner

One of the many reasons I adore this easy dinner recipe is its inherent compatibility with an allergy-friendly diet. It’s naturally free of gluten and dairy, meaning there are no complicated substitutions needed. Just pure, unadulterated spices and an abundance of flavor! Beyond its delicious taste, this jambalaya is packed with wholesome vegetables. If your children are anything like mine, they’ll likely welcome the colorful bell peppers. In fact, my kids were so excited when I only used half of each color, knowing they could snack on the remaining halves. For an extra boost of “veggie power,” I’ve also successfully made this recipe with mushrooms, which adds a wonderful earthy depth – truly a treat for any fun guy (or fungi, if you catch my drift!).

The Commitment to Sharing: Capturing Culinary Awesomeness

You might have caught glimpses on my Insta Stories of the lengths I go to just to get the perfect photo. Our tiny kitchen doesn’t boast abundant natural light, so my workaround involves opening the back door wide to let in enough illumination. This can be quite the chilly endeavor, especially during the depths of winter! My family often endures a temporary freeze while I meticulously capture the dishes, but honestly, some food is just too good not to share, and worth every frosty moment.

Empowering Allergy Families with Delicious Dinners

As an allergy mom myself, I deeply understand the daily challenges. While I truly, truly adore creating allergy-friendly baked goods, what we often need most are practical, easy, and undeniably delicious meals that can nourish the entire family without stress. My ongoing mission is to continually develop and share more dinner ideas, providing you with reliable, safe, and flavorful options that simplify your meal planning and bring joy back to the dinner table.

I sincerely hope you enjoy this Allergy-friendly 30-Minute Skillet Jambalaya. Despite being free of the top common allergens, I promise you won’t feel like it’s lacking in flavor or heartiness in any way. It’s a complete meal that truly delivers on taste and convenience.

Join Our Allergy-Friendly Community

As a friendly reminder, my husband and I host a lively, no-holds-barred “Ask Us Anything” live Q&A session every Monday at 9 PM MST on both Instagram and Facebook. These sessions are a fantastic opportunity to get your burning questions answered and connect with a supportive community. You can catch up on past sessions on my Facebook page or subscribe to my new YouTube channel. If you have a question you’d like us to address, be sure to tune in live to participate, or feel free to send it to me beforehand, and we’ll do our best to answer it in the next session if you can only watch the replays.

We look forward to seeing you next Monday! In the meantime, dive into making this wonderfully easy, allergy-friendly dinner. It’s a true lifesaver for busy weeknights and conveniently makes plenty of delicious leftovers for the following day, simplifying your meal prep even further!

Allergy-friendly Skillet Jambalaya

Yield:
4-5 servings

Prep Time:
10 minutes

Cook Time:
20 minutes

Total Time:
30 minutes

A one skillet meal that has everything you need: meat, beans, rice and plenty of spice! A homemade spice blend (so now worrying if there’s wheat as a thickener or binder!) gives just the right amount of canjun pop to this southern dish. Serve with or without the sausage for a filling meal that’s on the table in less than 30 minutes. This Allergy-friendly 30 Minute Skillet Jambalaya is free of: gluten, dairy, egg, soy, peanut & tree nuts. It also has a vegan option!

Ingredients

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 red onion, diced
2 medium carrots, cut into half moons
1/2 of a red, yellow and orange bell pepper
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
15-ounce can diced, fire-roasted tomatoes
1 and ¼ cups white rice
2 and ½ cups chicken broth (or 2 and 1/2 cups water + bouillon
2 chicken cajun sausages, diced (or omit, if you’d like this to be vegan/vegetarian)
15-ounce can black-eyed peas
hot sauce, for serving if desired
chopped fresh parsley for garnish, optional
if you like, mushrooms are also an excellent addition!

Instructions

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil to medium and add the onions, celery, bell pepper and carrots. Stir until they’re soft. Next, add the garlic and stir until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the spices, the whole can of diced tomatoes, rice, sausage and broth. Bring to a boil, place a lid on it and turn it down until it’s a low simmer.
Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
Stir in your drained black eyed peas to warm them, taste and adjust salt and pepper to your liking.
Garnish with fresh parsley if so desired and serve.
Leftovers keep well for up to 2 days, in an air-tight container.

Notes

Adapted from: Taste, Love & Nourish

Updated 7/16/2025: I omitted the two celery stalks and pinch of cayenne as my kids don’t prefer them, so we never use them and don’t miss them. Feel free to reintroduce them if they suit your taste!

DON’T FORGET TO PIN IT, SO YOU DON’T LOSE IT! BE SURE TO ALSO CHECK OUT MY OTHER ALLERGY-FRIENDLY PINTEREST BOARDS for more delicious recipes and tips.

Explore More 30-Minute Allergy-Friendly Dinner Ideas

In search of other fantastic 30-minute dinner solutions that cater to food allergies? Here are some of my top recommendations for quick, delicious, and safe meals:

30 Minute Moo Goo Gai Pan (Gluten, dairy, egg, peanut & tree nut free–soy free options suggested)

30 Minute Sausage & Peppers (GF, DF, Egg, Soy, Peanut & Tree nut Free; Top 8 Free)

Allergy-friendly 30 Minute Salsa Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner