Gumbo Recipe

This Authentic New Orleans Gumbo is made with a dark roux, vegetables, chicken, sausage, and shrimp, and served over rice. This is a beloved recipe shared with me by a native New Orleanian.

As you probably have gathered, I love making comfort food style recipes that use lots of fresh produce and real ingredients. This gumbo is no exception, and if you like this then I know you’ll love Jambalaya and Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice.

We had a really fun neighbor growing up who was from New Orleans and made a fantastic homemade Gumbo! I’m so thankful my Mom took him up on his offer to teach her how to make a true, authentic Gumbo! Decades later it is a beloved recipe that has become a staple in our family and we have made it hundreds of times! It is definitely in my top favorite meals of all time! Nothing tastes better on a cold winter day.

Authentic New Orleans Style Gumbo

This Authentic New Orleans Gumbo is made with a dark roux, vegetables, chicken, sausage, and shrimp, and served over rice.

Prep: 20min

Total: 80min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 464 kcal, Carbohydrate 5 g, Protein 12 g, Fat 29 g, Saturated Fat 3 g, Cholesterol 116 mg, Sodium 1303 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 1 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 heaping cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup oil ((vegetable or canola oil))
• 1 bunch celery (, diced, leaves and all)
• 1 green bell pepper (, diced)
• 1 large yellow onion (, diced)
• 1 bunch green onion (, finely chopped)
• 1 bunch fresh chopped parsley (, finely chopped)
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1-2 Tablespoons cajun seasoning (*)
• 6-8 cups Chicken broth (*)
• 12 ounce package andouille sausages (, sliced into ‘coins’ (substitute Polska Kielbasa if you can’t find a good Andouille))
• Meat from 1 Rotisserie Chicken*
• 2 cups Shrimps (, pre cooked)
• cooked white rice (for serving)

Instruction:

1. Make the Roux*: In a large, heavy bottom stock pot combine flour and oil. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring constantly for 30-45 minutes. This part takes patience–when it’s finished it should be as dark as chocolate and have a soft, “cookie dough” like consistency. Be careful not to let it burn! Feel free to add a little more flour or oil as needed to reach this consistency.
2. Brown the sausage. In a separate skillet on medium-high heat place the sausage slices in one layer in the pan. Brown them well on one side (2-3 minutes) and then use a fork to flip each over onto the other side to brown. Remove to a plate.
3. Cook the vegetables in broth. Add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth to the hot skillet that had the sausage to deglaze the pan. Pour the broth and drippings into your large soup pot.
4. Add remaining 5 1/2 cups of chicken broth. Add veggies, parsley, garlic and roux to the pot and stir well.
5. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables are slightly tender. (Skim off any foam that may rise to the top of the pot.) Stir in cajun seasoning, to taste.
6. Add meat. Add chicken, sausage, and shrimp.
7. Taste and serve. At this point taste it and add more seasonings to your liking–salt, pepper, chicken bullion paste, garlic, more Joe’s stuff or more chicken broth–until you reach the perfect flavor. Serve warm over rice. (Tastes even better the next day!)

Classic Cajun Gumbo

This humble Southern stew represents the marriage of cultures, subtleties of tradition, local ingredients, and, above all, community.

Prep: 1800sec

Total: 7200sec

Serving Size: Serves 8

Nutrition Facts: Saturated Fat 10.2 g, unSaturated Fat 0.0 g, Carbohydrate 34.6 g, Sugar 1.6 g, servingSize Serves 8, Protein 24.0 g, Fat 32.4 g, calories 524 cal, Sodium 927.8 mg, Fiber 1.9 g, Cholesterol 0 mg

Ingredients:

• 1 medium green bell pepper
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 3 stalks celery
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1/2 bunch fresh parsley (optional)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons salt-free Cajun seasoning (see Recipe Notes), divided
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more as needed
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or 1 rotisserie chicken
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 14 ounces andouille sausage
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil, such as canola or vegetable, divided
• 6 cups (48 ounces) low-sodium chicken broth, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons filé powder (optional, see notes below)
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 bunch medium scallions
• 3 cups cooked white rice
• Crystal or Tabasco hot sauce

Instruction:

1. Cut the vegetables: Prepare the following, placing each in the same medium bowl as you complete it: Trim and dice 1 medium green bell pepper (1 1/2 cups), 1 medium yellow onion (1 3/4 cups), and 3 celery stalks (1 1/2 cups).
2. Prepare the remaining aromatics: Prepare the following, placing each in the same small bowl as you complete it: Mince 6 garlic cloves; coarsely chop the leaves from 1/2 bunch fresh parsley, if using, until you have about 1/2 cup; add 2 tablespoons of the salt-free Cajun seasoning, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 2 bay leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper; stir to combine.
3. Cut the chicken: If using raw chicken, dice 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, and the remaining 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning. If using rotisserie chicken, pick the meat and shred (about 4 cups); discard the skin and bones. (No need to season the rotisserie chicken meat.)
4. Cook the sausage: Cut 14 ounces andouille sausage crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Cook in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the sausage is browned all over and releases its fat, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate.
5. Brown the chicken: If using raw chicken, add 1 tablespoon of the neutral cooking oil and the chicken to the pot. Cook, stirring often, until the chicken is browned all over, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to the plate of sausage. (Skip this step if using rotisserie chicken.)
6. Cook the roux: Reduce the heat to medium. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, the remaining 1/4 cup neutral oil, and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour. Cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pot with the wooden spoon, until the roux resembles the color and texture of melted milk chocolate, 10 to 20 minutes. It will go from smelling like flour to toasted popcorn to nutty coffee. Don’t turn your back on the roux or it will burn!
7. Add the aromatics and meat: Increase the heat to medium-high and add bell pepper mixture. Stir to coat in the roux. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic mixture and return the sausage and chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Simmer: Add 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until the gumbo is thickened slightly and the flavors have melded, 35 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, thinly slice 1/2 bunch scallions and cook white rice for serving if desired.
9. Serve: Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed. (You’ll likely need to add more salt if starting with rotisserie chicken.) The gumbo can be served immediately or the day after (which is when it tastes best). Serve with a scoop of cooked white rice, scallions, a dash of Crystal hot sauce, and filé powder as desired. Filé powder adds herbal notes and thickens the gumbo a bit.

Shrimp & Sausage Gumbo

This easy seafood gumbo recipe features shrimp and sausage and starts off with an extremely flavorful roux.

Prep: 20min

Total: 1h20min

Yield: 4 serving(s)

Nutrition Facts: calories 634 Calories, Fat 39 g, Saturated Fat 16 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 262 mg, Sodium 1597 mg, Carbohydrate 28 g, Fiber 4 g, Sugar 5 g, Protein 42 g

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp. butter
• 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 small yellow onion
• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 12 oz. andouille sausage, sliced into 1/2″ pieces
• 1 tbsp. cajun seasoning (without salt)
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (15-oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 4 c. low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 green onions, sliced
• cooked white rice, for serving

Instruction:

1. In a large, deep skillet over medium-low heat, melt butter, then add flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until dark caramel colored, about 10 minutes.
2. Add onions, peppers, and celery, and stir until softened, about 5 minutes more. Stir in garlic and sausage, then season with Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir in bay leaf, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.
3. In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add shrimp. Once shrimp is pink and cooked through, taste and adjust seasonings. Stir in green onions, reserving some for garnish.
4. Serve spooned on top of white rice.

Authentic Cajun Gumbo Recipe

You’ll love this delicious authentic Gumbo recipe jam-packed with chicken, andouille sausage, and okra in a homemade chicken stock.

Prep: 25min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 449 kcal, Carbohydrate 19 g, Protein 16 g, Fat 35 g, Saturated Fat 9 g, Trans Fat 0.3 g, Cholesterol 59 mg, Sodium 592 mg, Fiber 3 g, Sugar 4 g, unSaturated Fat 25 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• pound Whole chicken
• 1 gallon water
• 2 large peeled small diced yellow onions
• 1 ½ pounds andouille sausage cut into ¼” thick slices
• ¾ cup vegetable oil + 3 tablespoons
• 4 ribs small diced celery
• 1 seeded and small diced red bell pepper
• 1 seeded and small diced green bell pepper
• 5 finely minced cloves of garlic
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasonings
• 2 bay leaves
• 1- pound thick cut sliced fresh or frozen Okra
• gumbo file for garnish
• cooked long grain rice for garnish
• optional potato salad for garnish
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Instruction:

1. Add the whole chicken to a large pot and cover it with 1 gallon of water and simmer on low to medium heat for 75 to 90 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked.
2. In the meantime, add some 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil to a large pot over medium heat and sauté the sausage slices for 5 to 6 minutes, or until they have sear marks. Set them aside in a bowl or on a plate.
3. Add the onions to the pot and cook over low heat until very well caramelized, which usually takes 45 to 60 minutes.
4. Next, add the celery and bell peppers and sauté over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until the vegetables are a little brown and tender.
5. Stir in the garlic and cook just until it’s fragrant, which takes 45 to 60 seconds.
6. Set the sauteed vegetables to the side on a plate or in a bowl and then return the pot to the burner but do not turn the heat on just yet.
7. Go Back to the pot with chicken and carefully remove the chicken and set it to the side on a large plate. Cool it slightly.
8. Strain the chicken stock through a chinois or fine-mesh strainer. Return the chicken stock to the cooktop and keep it warm over low heat.
9. Remove the skin from the cooked whole chicken and then remove as much meat as possible from the breasts, wings, thighs, and drums. Roughly chop the pulled chicken and set it to the side.
10. Next, go back to the pot where the trinity vegetables were cooked and add in the oil over low to medium heat and heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
11. Slowly sprinkle in the flour while continuing to whisk until combined.
12. Frequently whisk or stir the roux in the pot until it reaches the dark roux stage. It should be the color of a dark penny. This will take around 30 minutes to achieve.
13. Add back in the cooked vegetables and stir until combined. Sprinkle in the Cajun seasonings and stir to combine.
14. Pour in 2 to 3 ladles of warm chicken stock into the pot and mix it with the vegetables, spices, and roux until it becomes dark and creamy.
15. Now pour in all the chicken stock along with the roughly chopped chicken and seared sausage slices. Next, add in the bay leaves and sliced okra and stir it well.
16. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat to help activate the roux to help thicken the stock. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low medium and on a lid and cook it for 1 hour.
17. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Serve, store, or keep it warm over low heat

How To: Make Chicken and Sausage Gumbo with Isaac Toups

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