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’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!!!