Turn the Instant Pot onto sauté mode and add olive oil and sliced smoked sausage. Cook until the sausage develops a nice color on the outside. Remove the sausage from the pot, leaving the fat in the bottom.
Add diced onions, bell peppers, and celery to the pot. Season with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, Old Bay, and Tony Chachere’s. Sauté the vegetables until they are soft, which should take around 5-10 minutes.
Once the vegetables are soft, add chopped garlic, Better than Bouillon Roasted Garlic, Better than Bouillon Chicken, and butter. Once the butter melts, add flour and stir to create a simple roux. Continue to cook and stir for 3-4 minutes, making sure not to stop stirring to avoid burning the roux.
Add in stewed tomatoes, water, and the cooked smoked sausage to the pot. The amount of water depends on the size of the pot; aim for about 4 cups below the max line.
Stir in bay leaves and taste the mixture, adjusting seasoning if needed. Keep in mind that the flavors will adjust as the stew cooks, so add seasonings gradually.
Place the lid on the Instant Pot and close the vent valve. Set the Instant Pot to stew mode for 10 to 30 minutes, depending on your time constraints.
Once done, release the pressure and remove the lid. Place the Instant Pot on keep-warm mode. Add in the peeled and deveined shrimp and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The shrimp are done when they turn pink.
Taste the liquid again and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
Serve the stew over white rice, topped with green onions, and accompanied by a side of French bread.
Notes
This recipe makes a pretty large batch. You can half the recipe and be just fine.