New Orleans Gumbo with Shrimp and Sausage
My take on a hearty New Orleans Gumbo with shrimp and sausage! I’m making the roux from scratch so it’s extra flavorful! This recipe is perfect to make on the weekend and enjoy all week long as the flavor gets BETTER with time!
A biiiig ol’ pot of steaming hot New Orleans style GUMBO right here.
Talk about this being the highlight of the week! A big pot of gumbo with shrimp, sausage, and if you’re feeling extra generous, some chicken! I love making these kinds of meals on a Sunday. It’s hearty and cozy and the leftovers are enjoyed for a quick lunch all week long. Just think – a warm bowl of rice topped with a slow-simmered, tomato-based stew loaded with aromatics like onions, peppers, and celery. It’s spicy, hearty, and completely made-from-scratch. Okay, it’s basically amazing. I don’t know about you, but I LIVE for food like this.
This is for my food lovers out there that don’t mind taking a few extra minutes to make GOOD FOOD. It’s perfect to curl up with on the couch. If you’re in Texas, have the air conditioner on full blast while you pretend isn’t just shy of reading 1000 degrees. And if it happens to be cool when you’re making this, I promise you it will warm you to your bones!
Let me just say it now, THIS is a LOOOOOONG post. If you are a gumbo expert and just want a recipe, feel free to scroll to the bottom. I’m sharing all the things I’ve learned from when I was a noob.
While this was still in the recipe testing phase, I read pretty much everything on the topic. Not to mention the countless videos I sat through to make sure I learned how to make a proper roux. And though I’m not claiming I’m an expert in gumbo making or that my recipe is an authentic ‘Creole’ or ‘Cajun’ recipe, I will say I’ve picked up quite a few things along the way that can help make your pot more delicious.
Best tips for making the best gumbo:
- The cookware: The roux in this recipe requires extra special love and care and so I really suggest using a dutch oven or a heavy bottom pot. A pot that’s pretty thin, like a stockpot is not a good option for this recipe. Stockpots get super hot and you run the risk of burning the roux. But you could make the roux in a cast iron skillet, then transfer to a stock pot and continue from there.
- The Mise En Place: Basically all I’m saying is that just get your ingredients ready to go! Chopping while browning the roux is a big no-no. I highly, highly, highly suggest getting the chopping, measuring, and having all ingredients ready to go before you start making the roux. Trust me on this, it will make your life so much easier.
The secret to making the perfect roux for homemade gumbo recipe:
What is roux?
It’s basically the heart and soul of every gumbo recipe. I’ll elaborate further It’s a simple combination of oil and flour that is slowly browned to perfection. You want a nice, deep, and rich flavor that gumbo is known for. In our case, we’re using equal parts of each.
- A high heat oil. You can use corn, avocado, canola, or vegetable. I don’t suggest using olive, coconut, or any other oil that has a low smoke point. You need something that can really withstand the heat and the longer cooking time.
- All-purpose flour. I’ve only tested this recipe with all-purpose flour so sadly, I can’t say if any other type will work.
- Continuously stirring: I know, I’m asking a lot here! Okay, so yes, this needs a total of 15-20 minutes of constant stirring and constant attention. And yes, I’m asking you to drop everything. No multitasking in general but a big pot of gumbo is in your future and I promise you, you will love me a little more when you don’t have a burnt, smelly pot of caked-on flour to clean because like a champ, you listened and babied your roux.
Know the stages of a roux:
Okay. So now that I’ve stressed the importance of constant stirring and no daydreaming while roux-making, let me walk you through what to expect in terms of the roux. The timing may vary 1-2 minutes but this is a guideline to help you make sure you’re on the right track. If at any point your roux is browning too much/too little, adjust the heat slightly to help it get back on track.
- The blond roux: This is the most basic type of roux that we make. It’s what you make when preparing a béchamel sauce and it’s also what we use to make my shrimp enchiladas with poblano cream sauce. The roux is nice and light and usually requires just a quick 30 seconds -1 minute of browning the flour.
- 5-minute roux: This reminds me of the color of tahini paste. It’ll be a little deeper than the blond roux but we need to keep going. Keep in mind, as we cook the roux, it is losing its thickening power. This means that the darker the roux, the less it will thicken your gumbo.
- 10-minute roux: Almond butter-ish. It’s lighter than peanut butter but on its way there. You’ll notice that it smells a little like popcorn or similar to when you brown butter. A nice nutty smell.
- 15-22 minute roux: The color of homemade peanut butter. It’s dark and nutty and its a medium brown tone. I stopped my roux here (at 21 minutes exactly) because I still wanted a little thickness to the gumbo and a deep-dark roux is an acquired taste. If you’re new to gumbo making, i’d suggest leaving it at this stage! It will thicken the dish just enough and the flavor will be well pronounced without overpowering.
- 25+ minute roux: Dark brown roux is the color of peanut butter. You can take the roux a little further to what is considered a black roux (about 32-40 minutes), which is about the color of dark chocolate. But keep in mind that this will change the overall taste of dish and will leave it thin (a soup like consistency) and a black roux just isn’t for everyone!
Basic ingredients in gumbo:
- Oil: Is one of the two ingredients needed to make the roux.
- All-purpose flour: Is the other ingredient need to prepare the roux. It’s the first step of making gumbo.
- The holy trinity: This is a combination of yellow onions, celery, and bell peppers. Keep in mind that I used a colorful array of peppers, however, just green bell peppers would also work for this recipe
- Garlic: you can use as much or as little as you like, I use 6 cloves for that perfect flavor!
- Bay Leaves:
- Sausage: Andouille sausage is most commonly used when making gumbo. I
- Seasonings: You’ll need cajun or creole seasoning, Louisiana hot sauce, and cayenne pepper to add some heat.
- Tomatoes:
- Chicken broth: we’ll need a quart. Homemade chicken stock is best because it allows you to control the sodium in the recipe. But you can also use a carton of store-bought or dissolve a few cubes of bouillon in water and use that.
- Shrimp: I like to use shrimp in my homemade gumbo but I have seen all sorts of other additions like oysters and crab legs in a seafood gumbo.
- Filé Powder: or gumbo filé as it’s sometimes called is a spicy herb made from dried and ground sassafras leaves.
- Ingrdients for serving: I like to have some chopped scallions and fluffy white rice to serve. Gumbo can also be served in a bowl like a soup.
You’re still here! I was afraid I might have scared you off! Honestly, it’s not difficult to make, it just requires some attention. After you make it for the first time, you’ll be able to tell exactly how long it takes to get your roux to that perfect sweet spot. From then on making gumbo will be a breeze. Possibly even a midweek affair?
Oh, two more things! My recipe uses stewed tomatoes, if you can’t find stewed tomatoes, diced tomatoes can be used. Also, some people don’t believe in adding tomatoes to their gumbo recipe and I’m actually loving the way that tomatoes taste in this! Authentic or not, it’s delicious! I also chose not to use okra in this recipe, as I’m not the biggest fan of it. I’m a texture girl and something about it just doesn’t sit right with me.
A pot full of this stuff was slow simmering last Friday, all morning long. For lunch, hubby and I ate like king and queen. A bowlful of this stuff really made me miss the short time we spent in the French Quarter a couple of years back. I didn’t even have to call when lunch was ready, the smell of slow-simmered, home-cooked stews have their way of getting everyone together at the table.
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New Orleans Gumbo with Shrimp and Sausage
My take on a hearty New Orleans Gumbo with shrimp and sausage! I'm making the roux from scratch so it's extra flavorful! This recipe is perfect to make on the weekend and enjoy all week long as the flavor gets BETTER with time! I highly suggest reading the post once all the way through before starting the recipe. I provide lots of tips to get the perfect roux color which will help make this process much easier.
Ingredients
roux:
- ½ cup high heat oil, such as canola, corn, or vegetable
- ½ cup all purpose flour
gumbo:
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 bell peppers (I used ½ of each red, green, yellow, orange - see note), diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 bay leaves
- 8 ounces andouille sausage, sliced (I used Tofurky)
- 2 tablespoons EACH: cajun seasoning AND tabasco sauce (more or less to taste)
- 1 tablespoon cayenne (omit if you want it mild)
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 (14.5 ounce can) stewed tomatoes and juices, roughly diced
- 1 ½ pounds raw shrimp
- 2 teaspoons gumbo filé
- sliced scallions + white rice or quinoa, for serving
Instructions
ROUX:
- Heat the oil in a large dutch oven or a heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour until combined and smooth. Switch to a wooden spoon and continuously stir for 15-22 minutes or until the roux darkens to just past a deep peanut butter color. Do not let the roux burn! (if you smell it burning, you will need to throw is out, clean the pot, and start over, unfortunately there's just no saving burnt roux!)
- Once the roux reaches that deep rich brown color, stir in the onions, bell peppers, and celery and continue to cook, stirring as needed so the vegetables don't stick. About 8-10 minutes or until the veggies soften. Add the garlic, andouille sausage (if using tofurky, do not add yet), and bay leaves. Continue to cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until the garlic is nice and fragrant.
- Add the cajun seasoning, tabasco sauce, and cayenne along with the chicken broth and stewed tomatoes and bring to a high simmer before lowering the heat to medium-low, covering and simmering for 15-20 minutes.
- IF USING TOFURKY: Add a teaspoon of oil to a skillet over medium high heat. Add the slices and cook for a quick 90 seconds (turning half way) just to sear the outside before adding to the gumbo.
- Add the shrimp and tofurky (if using) to the gumbo, give it a stir and allow to continue to simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the shrimp is opaque and the veggies have softened. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Add the gumbo filé and stir. Remove bay leaves before serving.
- TO SERVE: Serve warm with white rice or quinoa with sliced scallions on top.
Notes
- You don't have to use all the colors for the bell peppers. I just really enjoy the taste that they bring to the party! You can use 1 green and 1 red bell pepper and still achieve a similar flavor.
- Tofurky is a sausage that's completely meatless. You can use the Andouille variety, which is a little difficult to find or the Kielbasa which most grocery stores carry.
- 1 (14.5-ounce can) diced tomatoes can be used in place of the stewed tomatoes as they can be hard to find sometimes.
- Gumbo filé - available in the ethnic food aisle near where they keep the cajun seasonings. It's basically ground leaves from the sassafras tree.
- Also, please keep in mind that this recipe has not been tested with any other ingredients than what is written. For best results, I suggest following the recipe as is (with the exception of spices to taste).
I just made this…YUMMY!! It’s the first gumbo recipe that I really liked. I couldn’t find file, I used beef andouille and “Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning” (It comes in Original & Hot Blend, I used the original). I will make this again!
I’ve heard soooo many people say that seasoning is great, i’ll have to give it a try! Happy to hear you enjoyed it, thanks Janis!
“Slap Ya Mama” Seasoning was great in it- if you love HEAT! Which I do… but I think when I make it again, I will either omit the cayenne or cut the “Slap ya Mama” in half. It was delicious but I was having to put my bowl down every other bite to give my mouth a moment to cool down. 5 Stars for this recipe though!
IF USING TOFURKY: add a teaspoon of oil to a skillet over medium high heat. Add the slices and cook for a quick 90 minutes (turning half way) just to sear the outside before adding to the gumbo.
Is it really 90 minutes or is it a typo? Just wondering I can’t wait to try and make this gumbo, it looks delicious thank you so much for your recipe
Sincerely a fan
Omg! Yes, definitely a typo. It’s 90 seconds! Thanks for catching that. Hope you enjoy the gumbo 🙂
If I want to let this simmer all day to develop the flavors, do I add everything except the shrimp? I do not cook much but I am learning!!
Yes, everything but the shrimp and i’d let it simmer on low rather than medium-low. Also, keep an eye on the consistency, if it starts getting too thick, you made need to add a little water to get it back to a stew-like consistency! 🙂
This looks delicious and I appreciate the sharing, however I’d like to add that Gumbo is described as “everything that’s good from the Gulf” for a reason. Shrimp is a standard ingredient. If your gumbo doesn’t have shrimp, it isn’t gumbo.
Can you use shrimp stock instead of chicken stock
absolutely!
YUMMY!!! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe! It is full of flavor and was a huge hit at dinner time!!
So glad to hear it! Thank you for taking the time to comment 🙂
Your recipe sounds yummy, but I have to point out that in order for a Gumbo to be Gumbo, it has to have orka in it.
Hi Jean,
I made this and I like you believe Gumbo should have Okra. I added it to mine and it still turned out very good!
My husband is a big fan of it!
Made it!! Super yummy!!
I am making this now If i wanted to make it larger would i just add to the trinity
Hi Clinton! If you wanted to make a larger batch, I suggest increasing all the ingredients. You can multiply the quantities by 1.25, 1.5 or simply doubling everything in the recipe if you need to serve a crowd. I don’t suggest just adding to the holy trinity ingredients as this would significantly change the recipe.
Made this yesterday and it was a big hit!!!!
This is definitely yummy goodness! Especially with snow outside
Flavor was great no salt needed. We like mushrooms so I added a few for what tha heck. I could have had it a little thicker so next time I will try more roux.
Used this recipe to make gumbo for the first time ever! I wish I had fresh shrimp to use in it, but that wasn’t an option at my store, so I had to use pre-cooked frozen shrimp (the kind the have for shrimp cocktails) and those actually worked really well and still tasted great. I cooked the roux for 20+ minutes, and it turned out a little darker than I would have liked. Not sure if I did it wrong, but it had a very strong over powering flavor. It was a nice red color though. All things considered it was still a delicious meal! Thanks for the detailed instructions!
Wow amazing I will be putting this in my cook book to make on a regular basis thank you very much <3
This was amazing. My hubby had Gumbo at Cheesecake Factory and I loved it so much I wanted to try and make it. I found your recipe and my hubby thought your recipe was even better than the restaurants. Thanks so much.
So glad to hear that it was a hit! Thank you for taking the time to comment! 🙂
I collect Cajun recipes and have a cook book called River Road from La. It has the best Shrimp Creole recipe I have ever tasted. For an extremely tasty rioux try using bacon grease. Not the healthiest one to use but the taste is worth an occasional use of bacon grease. Has anyone ever tried making this with chicken instead of shrimp and if so did it turn out good. Used to live on coast and thoroughly enjoyed all types of seafood but have developed an allergy that can kill me so I have to find substitutes. Sometimes still use my shrimp creole recipe but use chicken and it’s good, its just not shrimp.
Thanks for your input Margaret! I’ve tested the recipe with shrimp + chicken before and we really enjoyed it that way too. I would suggest pan frying the chicken until its about half way cooked through and adding it to the gumbo towards the end. Oh, also, I seasoned the chicken with an extra pinch of cajun seasoning so it had some flavor. Hope you enjoy it!
Congratulations on making your first gumbo! Im a New Orleans native and if you can make a gumbo from scratch you are a pretty good cook! Id just like to say from the looks of the pictures and the recipe I think you would really enjoy shrimp etouffee since you included tomatoes and made it more of a red gravy instead of the usual brown gravy!
Loved this blog and all of the extra info for making this gumbo. It’s 12midnight and I plan to buy the ingredients tomorrow so that I can make it within the next couple of days. I am a pretty good cook and love all of the ingredients in this recipe. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
After reviewing many gumbo recipes, I’m happy to say I hit the jackpot when I used this recipe. The result was so delicious. I browned 3 chicken thighs, which I shredded at the end of cook time. I used fresh tomatoes from the garden and added fresh okra from the farmers market. Definitely a keeper!
I made this today and it was my first time making gumbo, and the recipe was very easy to follow. My family loved it!! Next time I am going to add okra and chicken.
I don’t use file as it doesn’t reheat well, tends to make the gumbo gummy. I use roux and okra for thickening
As someone from Louisiana who learned to make gumbo from a few older ladies who’ve lived there their whole lives I’m impressed! Most “gumbo” recipes aren’t gumbo at all! My only recommendation is the best Cajun seasoning there is and the only one most Louisiana residents use is Tony Chachere’s. You won’t need the extra hot sauce if you use Tony’s. It gives you a flavor heat instead of just a spicy heat. I usually add chicken to mine, but really you can do any meat you desire. One of the best I ever ate had fresh blue crab I it. And okra is definitely optional since it’s not for everyone!
I made this last night and it was *killer*! I think it gave me street cred as a cook among my family. I used butter instead of oil for the roux and as an okra lover, used okra instead of tomatoes since you said they were optional. So good. Next time I might use both tomato and okra. Question about the file- I bought and used, but had never heard of it. Does it give flavor? Or texture?
That’s awesome! File is used in gumbo recipes to give it an earthy flavor and help thicken it (although I don’t think our tiny amount is actually doing much thickening). Glad you’ll be giving it a go with the tomatoes next time! 🙂
I’m happy to come across your gumbo recipe, just made it this morning. My husband loves it that he ate 2 bowls for early lunch :), will be making it again.
So glad to hear that Jo-Ann! Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment! 🙂
Hi Marzia. Thank you for taking time to reply and for this recipe. I have made this gumbo recipe twice again. My husband came down with a cold yesterday and requested this recipe for his comfort food.
Excellent….we absolutely loved it
Loved it but got to have the okra
Absolutely ?
OMG! I freaking LOVE Gumbo! This is the very first time I made Gumbo and I stumbled upon your assistance and NAILED it! Thank you so much Spice in a Jar! (Insert hand clapping with standing ovation).
Fellow Gumbo friends… follow your pallet with these amazing directions.
Exquisite Roux directions. Follow, Follow, Follow!
I am very impressed.
Happy New Year!
I could only find frozen ready to cook raw shrimp – if this ok to use? So excited to try and make it.
Yes, that’s fine! I just suggest that you allow them to thaw before using them in the gumbo.
Absolutely awesome! This is definitely a keeper. In the middle of an arctic blast in Michigan right now so this was an awesome find!
Thanks for sharing.
Made the gumbo for my husband and daughter and they love it. My daughter took the leftovers to work and everyone there loved it I had to rewrite the recipe for them and my daughter copied it for the rest. One of the employees made it for his wife but instead of putting the tobasco sauce in it they put it in themselves individually his wife doesn’t do spicy. Thanks for the recipe
This looks so good! Thank you for posting. I will be craving this all day now 🙂
I never write reviews and I had to come back to say this was DELICIOUS! I was so intimidated by making Gumbo but this was the first time and it was so stinking tasty!! If your on the fense about making this, just do it!!
Seriously everything I’d hoped it would be! So delicious an satisfying! You know how you often cook a meal and everyone else thinks it’s great but by that stage you’re less than impressed. Something to do with smelling it and tasting it over and over. This was different, I couldn’t get enough! I’m looking forward to sampling it over and over again over the next couple of days. Not sure what I did different but my roux was ready in about 10 minutes on a very low heat. I suspect the bottom of the pot was thinner than I thought. Still, I didn’t burn it 🙂 yay me! I haven’t had many gumbos but this recipe will be a regular for me.
followed your recipe step by step it turned out amazing I put andouillu sausage, shrimp and crab meat in mine it was amazing!! I will definitely be making this again in my near future.
This is an awesome recipe. Unfortunately I did not have the file, but none the less the recipe was simple, easy to follow and the meal turned out delicious!
You show cilantro rice with this, How about the recipe for that, linked in this blog….thanks.
Sure looks good. can’t wait to try it.
Hey there! It’s just plain, par-boiled rice that I prepared and dusted with chopped cilantro for pictures. Hope you enjoy the gumbo! 🙂
I made this for Fat Tuesday dinner. My family loved it and said we need to make it again. The only thing I did different was not to add cayenne pepper which would have made it to hot for us. Also the roux only took me 11 minutes to get to the rich color. I cooked it in as cast iron pot which maybe cooked it faster. Great dish!
This was such an awesome recipe! We used hamburger meat instead of shrimp and it was still super tasty! My husband is super picky and he ate 3 bowls!
I have never made a gumbo but I am so glad that I made this one. So yummy! The spice level was perfect! I did use all the ingredients except for the cayenne pepper and the gumbo file. I used andouille sausage and added frozen chopped okra. I didn’t want to have to stir the roux for 15-20 minutes continuously so I did a little research and found Alton Brown’s gumbo recipe and chose to cook the roux the way he does. Which is cooking it in the oven and it turned out beautifully. Then I finished cooking on the stove top. This is a recipe that I will be cooking again and again!
I have often seen Cajun seasoning as an ingredient. Is there a specific brand or do you make it from scratch.
Looking forward to trying your recipe.
I usually just use a store-bought Cajun seasoning. Tony’s is a popular brand that I use often and remember off the top of my head but there are plenty of others you can try as well 🙂
I added okra to this recipe and came out wonderful. Well seasoned and easy to follow instructions
When did you add the okra? How much did you add?
I used okra, as well. I added it with the celery, onion, and bell peppers. It worked well as a thickening agent since I was out of file.
I just tried this recipe for a potluck. It was very good. My husband wanted me to leave it and take another dish. So, I guess I will be making g this again very soon. Thank you for the recipe.
This has become a family favorite, even to the point of helping cut and prep everything for me to cook!
Do you happen to know what the serving size is for each serving? 1 cup of gumbo? 1/2 cup?
It’s been a while since I’ve made this one but I think it’s roughly 1½ cups.
Perfect gumbo!! I’m not a huge fan of bell peppers so I reduced those by half, but that’s just my personal taste. Wonderful!!
Oh my god, will be banking this recipe for sure. I made it tonight and it was absolutely amazing. I halved the tobasco and only one tea spoon of cayenne and was just the right heat for my family. Too hot for my 6 year old but she got points for trying. Will definitely be making this again x
I was so intimidated to make this but it was pretty easy and it turned out so well! I love the flavor and the spice of the dish. Will definitely be making it again!!
Loved it! Super spicy but I love spice
Amazing! I dont like celery so I used carrots instead. I also used the Tony’s bold creole seasoning made it a little more spicy but we love spicy so it was all good!
I made the gumbo for the very first time. My boyfriend is true Cajun and he said it is good!! So two thumbs up for the recipes!!
My mother was a Cajun from Bayou county in Louisiana and she never used tomatoes in her gumbo. Neither do I. Most Cajuns do not use tomatoes either. The recipe looks awesome but I would definitely leave out the tomatoes.
Different strokes for different folks. I’m also from the bayou and we always use tomatoe in our gumbo.?
Creole gumbo has tomatoes in it.
I followed the recipe and it turned out great. The stages of roux are very well explained. You can tell at every moment at what stage the roux is.
Thank you for the recipe :*
P.s i prefer it the next day when the flavours combine completely and the gumbo thickens up a bit more
Made this the other night and it was absolutely delicious! I did use creole seasoning instead of cajun seasoning on accident, but I’m sure it tastes just as wonderful with the cajun seasoning. Everyone loved it. Will definitely be making it again!
This is not a difficult recipe to make and well worth the effort. I had a nice dark brown roux in half the time stated. Everything was chopped and measured before beginning, so it flowed really well. I did cut the Cayenne by a 1/4 as it sounded like a lot and it turned out perfect for my taste. I also added quite a bit of filet powder at the end, as I like my gumbo thicker rather than soupy. This was a perfect weekend recipe, and now I don’t have to cook until Monday, as I will probably be eating it for lunch and dinner all weekend, it was that good! Thank you for sharing!
DIRECTIONS WERE PERFECT. DELICIOUS RECIPE. A WEE BIT TOO HOT FOR ME BUT MY OTHER HALF ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT.
DELICIOUS!! The recipe was super easy to follow and this is going in my official recipe book for things I am going to make over and over again!
I made this recipe and it was incredible! Easy to follow and so good. So that was about 6-8 months ago and I was craving it again so I went to my Pinterest board to remake it and I lost it! I thought I was doomed forever. I loved the detail this one had about the roux and it helped me so much. Well I stumbled upon it by accident and I cannot wait to make this tomorrow!! I will forever save this recipe! Thank you!!
Thank you for the detailed instructions and cautions! I am an experienced cook but have never made a roux. Your descriptions were spot on and I had my veggies all ready to go. Delicious recipe!
Hello my name is joshua and i love this recipe. i want to know how much other stuff i need cause i am making a big batch and have four pound of chicken thighs, two pounds of shrimp, a pound of krab abd almost two pounds of sausgae. should i just double the rest of the ingredients?
Hi there! I’m glad you like the recipe and would like to make a large batch! According to all the protein you’re planning on using, you’ll need to at least quadruple all the other ingredients. Also, just wanted to point out that depending on the size of the pot you’re using and your heat source, your cooking times may vary a bit.
This was THE BEST gumbo me and my boyfriend have ever had… and we live in Texas and eat Cajun food all the time. It was better than any Cajun restaurant. Directions were perfect! Thank you so much for this. Can’t wait to make it again!!!
I’m making this today!! Before I lived 4 years in Ms., I only had gumbo at restaurants, but while living in Ms., many of my neighbors were Cajuns, so under their guidance, I learned to make gumbo like a pro! Sadly, it’s been many years since I’ve made this, but I’m ending that today! I’ll be using okra, which I understand some people tend to stay away from because they either don’t care for it (I love it!) or the slime factor, which I have a remedy for. I place the okra in a colander, (fresh or frozen) and pour apple cider vinegar (white works well too) over it and then toss it around a bit and then leave it for a couple of minutes. Then, I rinse with cold water and allow it to drain and then viola! slime is gone! Thanks for posting this recipe, I have lost mine and though I roughly remember the steps, I needed a refresher course and your recipe seemed very similar if not spot on, to mine.
This was seriously the best Gumbo I’ve EVER had. My boyfriend and I went crazy over this!! I did make a few changes, however. I used half sausage and half chicken, rather than just sausage. I cooked them together before hand, I cooked them in oil, Cajun and garlic seasoning. I also added okra when I added the shrimp. We did not add the gumbo file because we went to, two grocery stores in town and could not find it in any brand. This meal was fantastic and I highly recommend it to anyone!
My husband loved this and ate 3 bowls! This was my first time making gumbo. I did add okra and cooked shrimp but I followed everything else. I love that you explained the stages of roux so well. I am pretty new to roux, besides making bad gravy lol I don’t like gumbo but my family does and this will be my forever recipe for it 🙂
I have made this twice and this will now be a part of my repartoire! It is delicious and family loves it. I substituted Keilbasa sausage as could not locate andouille and it worked great! Roux was not that difficult but requires patience 🙂
This gumbo is the fact I make it all the time!???
I have never rated a recipe but had to on this one. I’m not a super experienced cook but this recipe was so easy to follow and it turned out delicious! One of my favorite recipes now. I made a pot of this for lunch for the week and will definitely be doing it again! Thanks for the awesome recipe.
Just made this with okra instead of file (also added twice the amount of tomatoes by accident). It’s soooooo good, thank you so much!
Just finished making this recipe for dinner and it’s super yummy!..I did leave out the file cause I couldn’t find it at my local grocery store, I also put it creole seasoning instead of Cajun…will this make a huge difference?
Made this without the gumbo file; amazing! Husband loved it too! So good! Surprised that I didn’t burn the roux; highly recommend this recipe!
So delicious!! I only had 1 Tbsp of Tabasco and omitted the extra cayenne and it was the perfect amount of spice for me. This will definitely be part of the regular dinner rotation 🙂
Easy to make and tastes yummy. Made recipe as is but quickly found while eating that it is to spicy. Will adjust the Tabasco next time.
Can it be frozen? I’m thinking about doubling it.
Yes, you can freeze leftover gumbo! Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
I have made this recipe twice it serves 8-10 people my son both times ate the whole pot by himself.
He said” he wants me to bring a pot to his wedding it’s just that good!!!!!)
Did a GF version… awesome ! 15 minutes for the roux, used and followed the recipe using stewed tomatoes.
This is definitely a five star recipe. Used okra which is never used before and local store made kielbasa. Mmmmmmm
What gf substitute did you use?
DELISH! making this for supper. Added okra to the recipe is the only thing I changed. Will be my go to gumbo recipe, so easy and quick! Thank you!
I want to add okra but have never used it before, especially fresh okra! When did you add the okra and how much did you use? Thanks
I was wanting to sub chicken breast for the shrimp (it’s what I have on hand). When would I add the chicken? Or do I cook it separately and just stir it in at the end?
Love it! First stone I made it, I took some leftovers to my sister as we would never finish them and my freezer didn’t have space to store. She ended up calling me for the recipe because her friend and her ate all of it before it even made it to the fridge for later. They then both asked me for the recipe.
I made it again and my daughter who hates spicy now asks when I’m making it.
I made a double batch a few months ago and took it to work for my employees. They raved I’m the next manager ever.
Now I’m making it again tomorrow don work on Monday since I had an employee request me to make it.
I like the okra added. Thinking of adding crab meat. We lived in NOLA for years and crab meat was always a part of gumbo when served in restaurants there
This was amazing!! Having everything pre chopped and ready to go made a world of difference. I subbed arrowroot powder dissolved in water for the file and it worked great. Next time I will add only 1 tbsp of Tabasco instead of the full 2 because it was a bit spicy for my husband’s liking. Omitting the cayenne entirely was definitely the right call. Definitely going into our meal rotation!
This recipe was so easy to follow and I took all advice to heart regarding prepping before starting. It was delicious! I Have been scared to make gumbo because of the roux but with your guidelines, it was a breeze. Made in my large cast iron skillet and served with Zataran’s yellow rice. So good!
Listen, I went to NOLA once and had gumbo and wanted to try it at home. It’s intimidating at first once you hear how you won’t have food as good as that unless you are in New Orleans. However this recipe, was delicious! My 11 year never had it before today’ and has requested I make it again! Directions were easy to follow! Roux took a little less time than stated but it might be the pot I used, or temperature. No biggie! Yummy ?
I have now made this about 5 times and my husband, 3-year-old, and 7-year-old are obsessed! Too bad Texas does not give us the best “gumbo weather”. But we do it anyway! I personally do one tablespoon of Cajun seasoning and void the hot sauce just because the kids eat it with us. I add a bag of frozen okra and crab meat. It’s amazing! I have made a homemade recipe from a friend who is from Baton Rouge and this recipe blows hers out of the park and requires WAY LESS work. Your roux instructions are fool proof. My dad said it’s the best gumbo he’s ever had! Thank you!
I love your okra and crab meat additions! So glad to hear you found the instructions for the roux helpful!
I just made Gumbo for the first time using this recipe and WOW! My husband loved it as did I but next time I think I’ll cut out the cayenne. Wonderful flavor but the cayenne is kicking my booty and we love spicy anything.
Just made this and it tasted superb.
There were, however, a few differences from the recipe on this page.
My roux wasn’t perhaps as dark as the recipe calls for. I made it from equal weights of general purpose flour and butter and although it did brown quite a bit I wouldn’t describe it as particularly dark. I’m used to making bechamel sauce with a white roux and was probably too worried about burning it. Still, I tasted it and there was a slightly nutty taste to it, and it did help thicken the finished article quite substantially- as did the gumbo filé which i was surprised to find on sale at my local farmers’ market.
Rather than using chicken broth I made a stock from the shells left over from peeling the prawns- as well as some whole prawns, vegetables and a glass of white wine. This resulted in a fishy stock that tasted a bit like a prawn bisque.
I couldn’t find Andouille sausage here so replaced it with a good Mexican chorizo instead. Not very Cajun but it tasted fine in the finished product.
I added a couple of teaspoons of fennel seed with the Cajun spice as I think it goes well with fish, and I used a generic Louisiana hot sauce rather than Tabasco. I omitted the cayenne pepper as my family prefers their food on the slightly milder side. Personally I like it hot and spicy, but then I’d end up having to eat the whole pot on my own.
I did consider adding some ancho chilli powder instead of cayenne since it’s milder and I like the smoky taste, but with the chorizo already in there I figured I had already headed as far towards Tex-Mex as I wanted to go. I use smoked paprika when I make Cajun spice mix, so I should probably have added some more heat. A combination of smoked and hot paprika in the spice mix would probably be a better idea in future.
That said there was plenty of spice in the finished dish, but it didn’t overwhelm the flavour of the shrimp or the sausage.
Anyway, thanks for the recipe. My family loved it served with lime and coriander (cilantro) rice and cheesy focaccia bread. It has now been added to the list of ‘things that will get made again because everyone seems to like them.’
My son turned me on to this recipe. Wife and I LOVE this. Only real variance I do is double the shrimp ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Go glad! Extra shrimp is never a bad idea 😉
I also add extra stewed tomatoes
I have made this recipe many times. It’s my favorite gumbo recipe by far! Everyone I cooked it for, family and friends, have read about it. I will be using this recipe for many years to come.
So glad to hear it has been a hit for you! Thanks for taking the time to come back and comment, Julia!
Delicious! It was even better the next day. Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
I agree; we always enjoy it more on day 2! Thanks for commenting, Rebecca 🙂
As a beginning food blogger (just getting started), I’m getting used to spending hhhoouurrsss -instead of, say, the 20 minutes or whatever I used to do- researching ingredients, dishes, preparation methods etc each time I go to put a new recipe together. I must say – yours is the single most straight-forward yet comprehensive guide on gumbo I found after reading many recipes and articles and watching many videos (all the way down to looking up the culinary origins of okra!). Your post does a great job of hitting the important points an absolute gumbo beginner (as I was two days ago haha) would need to get started and build confidence, without having to dedicate tons of time to their own research. So if you ever do or have worried that you’re ~just another food blog~ don’t! I also appreciate that you acknowledged the liberties you took with the traditional recipe, but also didn’t apologize for them. You have a new follower!
WOW!! My first time making gumbo and it was AMAZING. I used avocado oil and King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure flour to make it allergy friendly (nut, egg, soy, dairy, wheat free) and it was AWESOME. Thank you!! Fri-YAY indeed.
Thank you for sharing that it works with GF flour, Kimmi!
I used butter for the ROUX and Root Beer to replace the file’. Added Okra as a matter of course. this recipie is great and a family favorite.
How interesting! I’ve never heard of that as a replacement, thank you for sharing Jeff!
Great recipe! I make it all the time 🙂
I’m so glad to hear that, Elizabeth! Appreciate you circling back to leave a comment 🙂
Okra?
So this was delicious. I changed a couple things. I had way less cook time on the roux , maybe my pot has a thin bottom.
I cooked the shrimp and scallops in a pan separately then added for 5 minutes.
The Cayenne was a lot, if you are making this, leave it out if you don’t like spice!
Overall a GREAT gumbo. I love the tomatoes.
Thank you!!!
Very nice recipe. Taste excellent.
Trying this recipe this week and I’m excited!
I know this post is years old, but I have made this recipe like once a month since I found it in 2016. It’s still my favorite to make and take for lunches at work.
This is one of our favorites! Gives me a chance to use a few techniques.
This is THE BEST gumbo I have ever had! I sometimes add shredded chicken and/or scallops. And it freezes very well! It’s actually even better after it’s been frozen!
Yum! Your additions sound delicious, Holly! Thanks for sharing!
This is great! How would you recommend reheating it? I want to make it for Thanksgiving, and microwave doesn’t seem particularly classy!
Hi Olivia! I’d remove it from the refrigerator an hour before you’re planning on serving. Leave in a Dutch oven and just reheat over stovetop until warmed through. I usually warm it over low heat so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot, and stir it every 5 minutes or so until heated through!
The gumbo was a big hit at our house. It was delicious and got better with age.
We made a double recipe. The pot we used was too small for double the ingredients so we left off the 2nd portion of chicken stock. It turned out great and worked well with less liquid.
We definitely we be having the gumbo again.
Thank you
This is the BOMB!
my boyfriend from louisiana and he almost passed out when you mentioned using tomatoes, lol i made this without it and he loved it!!
Hi Tanisha! Glad to hear your boyfriend enjoyed it! Thanks for circling back to leave a comment 🙂
This gumbo was a smash hit in my house tonight, my dad said that it was better than his “lazy, roux free” version. He seemed shocked that his fifteen-year-old daughter could top the meal that he loves to make. I was so glad I came across this recipe, as it’s going to help me with my culinary arts class I’m taking at the moment. The lengthy prep time barely phased me, the final product was totally worth the wait. Can’t wait to make this again 🙂
Hi Da’Bria! I am so glad to hear you gave the recipe a try and that it was such a hit with your family! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment! 🙂
I’ve made this multiple times now, and it is consistently delicious. Thanks for sharing, definitely a keeper!
My first Gumbo recipe that I have tried. I thought it was good! Meaning really tasty. 3nd, my husband approved. Always says remember that time you made that Gumbo soup. … anyway. This recipe is totally good enough to not want to try any others. Thank you.
This will be my 1st time making the red gumbo,I grew up making the brown jumbo with all the ingredients listed here,but because my son wants red gumbo i will give it my best.I am from Slidell Louisiana 45minutes from New Orleans,Now living in Georgia. Thank you for your recipe change is good.I did not make this recipe.
We LOVE this recipe! We use King Arthur Gluten Free flour for the roux to make it allergen friendly (our kids are severely allergic to nuts, eggs, soy, dairy, and sensitive to wheat). It is delicious!! We double that veggies, too, and then double batch to stick in the freezer for cold days when we want something comforting and delicious to enjoy. Thank you!!
I’m so glad to hear it worked out well with gf flour! Thanks for sharing!
I made this last night to serve tonight for New Year’s Eve (gonna add shrimp at the last minute). The flavors are delicious and my roux was the perfect color. The problem came after I added the tomatoes and stock – the entire concoction separated with a couple of inches of oil on the top.
Ignoring the advice of the purist Internet gumbo “experts” that I should toss out the whole thing (painstakingly chopped trinity, homemade chicken stock, and a pricey kielbasa), I managed to fix my broken gumbo! I skimmed off all the fat (got more than a cup of oily sludge) and whipped up a new roux, using a 60-40 ratio of flour to oil, in a separate cast iron pan. I brought the remaining stock/trinity mixture to a boil and added the cooled roux in a slow steady stream. It emulsified and thickened up beautifully – I even had to add more stock because it was too thick.
I’m giving this recipe 4 stars instead of 5 because I have a feeling that adding the can of tomatoes and stock all at once may have caused the separation. Also, there are lots of vegetarian sausages that are much better than Tofurky. But I appreciate the absence of okra and the addition of the stewed tomatoes. The taste is wonderful.
I actually had this problem of the oil separating pretty badly too. I just pulled it out, but do you think preparing the roux separately and adding it after everything else was combined would do the trick in the future?
I’ve made this recipe multiple times, and absolutely love it! I get compliments every time. It is even great leftover, maybe even a bit spicier.
I want to make this but I want to add fresh oakra. How would I cook and add the oakra? Thanks…
First attempt at roux. Came out perfect. I skipped the okra but did add a small can of diced tomatoes. Word of advice. Have everything prepped and at hand, the roux is slow to start then peanut butter .
My wife can’t stand any kind of peppers! Other than celery, your suggestions, please? I love all peppers, so suffer without!
Just made this recipe it’s delicious I added a bit of tomato sauce ( a few tablespoons ) to help get that red color my husband prefers and I omitted the gumbo filee bc my store didn’t have it. It’s still amazing thx so much for this recipe
Wow, really really good! Easy to make. I cut recipe in half, because it was just for me. What a mistake, I’ll need to make more. Thanks for sharing
Wonderful recipe. Love it.
I make this all the time for my family and for my coworkers. It really is delicious and is even better the next day.
I’m in GA so sometimes I add okra for an extra veggie.
I will add the only grocery store I can actually find gumbo file is Whole Foods.
Added okra (because I like it) and also added old bay seasoning to the shrimp and let it hang out in the fridge for a while. Followed the roux instructions and stopped after 18 minutes for fear of burning.
End result was quite awesome.
Very quick & easy ! Will make again ty!
WAs my first time making and it turned out great!!My family enjoyed and I will definitely make again!!
AMAZING! I followed step by step! Better than Cheesecake Factory!! Thank you will be adding to my list!
This is my first time ever commenting on recipe blog.
Just made it tonight and it smelled and tasted very very very amazing!
I added some other veggies (mushroom & baby corn), I used smoked beef sausage, chicken and wild caught shrimps. Everything was just heavenly!
Thank you!
This recipe is pretty similar to what my dad made! He lived in Gonzalez Louisiana and stayed with a Cajun family. Pretty sure they’d roll in their graves if they knew my dad started adding tomatoes but we love it that way. I will say, adding some Worcestershire sauce adds some depth of flavor that I can’t live without. Agree with another commenter, Tony’s are perfect seasoning for gumbo.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. This was a first for me making Gumbo.
I followed your recipe and directions, which were awesome by the way, as you wrote them and added chicken.
We loved it! Do you know if this works freeze well?
Thank you
Hi Joan! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the gumbo! Yes, the recipe freezes just fine for up to 3 months. I suggest placing it in a freezer-safe bag or an air-tight container.
I added chicken and replace Andouille Sausage with Chorizo links – sliced
it was also a little thin so I defaulted and added cornstarch paste.
I made this gumbo and it was delicious.
OMG, this was so darn good, We thought we was at New Orleans restaurant. Please keep sharing the recipes. Thank you so much
This was a great recipe. I’m surprised I nailed it on the first try. I’ve never made a roux and followed the directions but I went to YouTube for a visual . This recipe will go into the dinner party rotation.
I made this and, wow. I was reminded how little spices we typically use for western cooking. It was spicy, as in spices, but not hot spicy to me. I have a high spice tolerance. We will see if it gives hubby the hiccups and then we will know that it is also hot spicy!
I used coconut oil for the roux which is just what I had on hand (and definitely messed the roux up because I accidentally added the onions and garlic to the oil and just figured what the hell, I’ll just add the flour and see what happens).
I made my own cajun seasoning and it came out very good and gave me a chance to clear out some older spices. Note that there is salt in this spice recipe.
I also used spicy chicken sausage to keep it healthier and lower fat. I used fire roasted diced tomatoes which added a nice charred flavour.
Thank you for sharing and inspiring!
Best yet!!! Thanks so much!!
Amazing. ❤️ Only Gumbo recipe I use now.
You will cook it all the time. I used to only come this in the winter , but I cook it all year long .