Gumbo Recipe (Plus Video)
Spice up your weeknight meals with the best Gumbo Recipe in town! This chicken, sausage, and seafood stew is bursting with authentic Cajun flavors from Creole Seasoning, paprika, and gumbo file. And it’s cooked in a richly-flavored broth and roux, making every spoonful of this gumbo is simply delicious and comforting.
If you’re looking for the best Louisiana Gumbo recipe, then you’ve come to the right place. (Ahem!) Many years of trial and error have finally led this gumbo lover to the perfect recipe. And now, I can proudly share this recipe with you. Not to brag, but this gumbo will surely be your new favorite! 😉
Contents…Recipe Ingredients |
Cajun Gumbo Recipe
Gumbo has always been my favorite Southern dish (along with Baked Mac and Cheese, Southern Fried Chicken, Buttermilk Biscuits, oh, the list goes on! I guess, I just love food. 😁).
This one became my favorite because it has the right amount of heat from Creole Seasoning and sweet tartness from tomatoes. It is also highly seasoned with herbs and spices, such as paprika and thyme.
And, of course, the holy trinity – bell pepper, celery, and onion, which gives the most authentic flavor to our easy gumbo recipe.
All these flavors simply blend in perfect harmony. You’ll fall in love with this fantastic dish in no time. 💖
Recipe Ingredients
Our easy gumbo recipe here requires several ingredients, but you don’t need to worry because most of them are pantry staples. And the rest are readily available in your local grocery store. Despite the long list of ingredients, this recipe is surprisingly easy to make. 😉
- Chicken – I usually go for skinless chicken thighs because it’s more tender and flavorful. Of course, you can always use any chicken cut you prefer. You could even use any poultry, like turkey or quail.
- Smoked Sausage – This adds meaty, spicy, and peppery flavors to our gumbo. I used Andouille sausage for this recipe; other choices are Kielbasa and Spanish or Mexican chorizo.
- Crab Legs and Shrimp – Their natural oceany and seafoody flavor add an iconic touch to our gumbo recipe, making it genuinely delicious. Oh yes! 😋
- Butter and Flour – We need these two to make our dark roux, which is essential to make our gumbo nice and thick while adding a sensational buttery flavor as well. While butter adds a special touch, any neutral-flavored oil will do the trick. And if you need gluten-free, try your favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour.
- Seasonings – It’s no secret that the holy trinity in cooking is the foundation of our sumptuous Southern dish. And together with garlic and onion, they add marvelous fragrance and fantastic flavor. For authentic Cajun flavors, my homemade Creole Seasoning is perfect. Oh yes!
- Tomatoes – Technically, Cajun gumbo doesn’t have tomatoes, but I’m adding them anyway. ✌ Their natural sweetness and tartness add another layer of deliciousness to our dish. Plus, it gives our gumbo broth a nice color and consistency, too.
- Gumbo File – Also known as file powder, this quintessential gumbo ingredient enhances flavor and thickens soups. Unlike other seasonings added before simmering to deepen the flavor, file powder is added to gumbo, together with green onions and parsley, just in time to serve.
How to Make Gumbo
Sear the Chicken and Sausage
- Season – Lightly season the chicken with salt and pepper. (Photos 1-2)
- Sear – Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven. Then cook the chicken until browned on both sides, remove, and set aside. Add the sausage and brown, and then remove. Set aside. (Photos 3-4)
Make the Roux
- Combine – Melt the butter and oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan, then add the flour and stir until smooth. (Photo 5)
- Stir Continuously – Cook on medium heat, stirring continuously, for about 20-30 minutes or until it turns a rich dark brown color – just like chocolate. Don’t walk away from the stove during this process, or it could burn. (Photo 6)
- Let It Cool – When you have achieved your desired color, remove the Dutch oven from the stove and let it cool.
Cook and Simmer
- Saute – Return the Dutch oven to the stove. Add the onion, garlic, green pepper, and celery, and cook for 8-10 minutes–stirring frequently. (Photos 7-8)
- Simmer – Then add chicken, sausage, crab legs, Creole seasoning, chicken bouillon or cubes, paprika, thyme, bay leaves, and let it cook for 5 minutes. Follow with the canned tomatoes and about 6 cups of chicken stock, then bring it all to a boil and simmer it for 45-50 minutes. After that, add the shrimp and simmer 5 more minutes. (Photos 9-10)
- Adjust Soup Consistency – Stir in file powder, green onions, and parsley. Adjust the soup’s thickness and flavor with broth or water and salt.
Recipe Variations
- Seafood Delight – Enjoy our gumbo packed with more seafood such as oysters, mussels, crawfish, and squid. Seafood Gumbo has never been this tasty! Oh yes!
- Heat-Seeker – More heat and more fun for heat rebels like me. Oh yes! Throw a flame-throwing party with Scotch bonnets, serrano peppers, jalapenos, or habaneros. Or a dash of cayenne adds a kick of heat that’s not too overpowering.
- Vegetarian Gumbo – Replace meat with more veggies, like mushrooms, cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, and potatoes, for a more nutrition-packed gumbo. Yay! (Or just throw in some sliced okra like this Okra Gumbo.)
- Low-Carb and Keto-Friendly Gumbo – Enjoy a gluten-free gumbo thickened with chopped okra instead of roux. Guilt-free yet equally delish! 👌
Tips and Tricks
- There is no shortcut to a good roux. Take your time and cook your flour-fat mixture until it’s beautifully dark and smooth.
- Keep your eye on the roux and stir continuously when cooking it because it burns quickly. If available, use a wooden spoon to mix your roux.
- If using okra to thicken the soup base, chop the okra and add it to your gumbo 10 minutes before it’s done.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Oh, you bet our gumbo here tastes even better the next day. So, if you want to save time before the big event, cook the gumbo the day before and reheat it when you’re ready to serve. Relax and enjoy!
If making ahead, don’t add the shrimp just yet because they tend to get rubbery and tough when overcooked, which may happen while reheating. So I highly suggest cooking the shrimp separately and adding them just before serving.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Good thing our classic gumbo recipe here freezes well, so leftovers are not a problem, too. So make a big batch, and you’ll never need to worry about your sudden cravings. Woohoo!
- Store – Transfer the gumbo into a clean and dry airtight container once cooled. And if you’re planning to freeze it, I highly suggest transferring it into heavy-duty freezer-safe resealable bags in individual portions for easy thawing and reheating. Perfect for a small family or to satisfy sudden cravings. 😉
- Refrigerate – It will stay fresh in the fridge for up to three days.
- Freeze – It’s good for up to 6 months in the freezer if properly stored.
- Reheat – Heat thawed gumbo to a deep pot on medium-low, covered, when ready to serve. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching, adding more broth or water as needed. If reheating a small portion, you can reheat it in the microwave instead.
Tip: Reheat leftovers the same way. To be safe, reheated leftover gumbo should be eaten the same day, and any leftover leftovers should be discarded.
FAQs
Gumbo is a popular dish in Louisiana featuring various kinds of meat such as seafood, chicken, and pork cooked in a thick broth with fantastic flavors from the holy trinity of cooking – onion, bell pepper, and celery. Some use a brown roux to thicken their soup base, while the others use okra or gumbo file. It all comes down to what you like most. 😉
Roux is made with equal parts of oil and flour, then carefully cooked to eliminate the raw flour taste. And in the case of gumbo, it takes about 22-25 minutes of continuous stirring to achieve its gorgeous dark brown color.
You can check out this post about how to make roux and learn about different types of roux and their uses.
You have to have either okra or gumbo file (or both) to be true gumbo. Otherwise, it’s not authentic. Sorry guys! That said, homemade seafood stock, hands down, makes the best gumbo ever.
Gumbo filé is usually available in the ethnic section of your local supermarket. I know Amazon has it if you can’t find it where you are.
What Goes Well with Gumbo
Serving gumbo topped with a cup (or more!) of steaming hot rice will always be my favorite pairing. But sometimes, I also love wiping my bowl clean with these delicious bread recipes below to go with my favorite gumbo recipe.
More Southern Comfort Food to Try
Watch How to Make It
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Gumbo Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (907 grams) chicken thigh, skinless
- salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup (2 ounces) canola oil
- 8 ounces (227 grams) smoked sausage
- ¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (64 grams) flour
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons (12 grams) minced garlic
- 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup (about 3 sticks) chopped celery
- ½ pound (227 grams) crab legs
- 1 tablespoon (12 grams) Creole Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon (or 1 cube) chicken bouillon powder
- ½ tablespoon (7 grams) smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon (4 grams) thyme, fresh or dried
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 14- ounce can tomatoes, chopped
- 6 cups (1.5 liters) chicken stock or substitute with water
- 1 pound (454 grams) shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon gumbo file
- 2 green onions , chopped
- ¼ cup parsley. chopped
Instructions
- Lightly season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven. Then cook the chicken until browned on both sides, remove, and set aside. Add the sausage and brown, and then remove. Set aside.
- Melt the butter and oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan, then add the flour and stir until smooth.
- Cook on medium heat, stirring continuously, for about 20-30 minutes or until it turns a rich dark brown color – just like chocolate. Don't walk away from the stove during this process, or it could burn.
- When you have achieved your desired color, remove the Dutch oven from the stove and let it cool.
- Return the Dutch oven to the stove. Add the onion, garlic, green pepper, and celery, and cook for 8-10 minutes–stirring frequently.
- Then add chicken, sausage, crab legs, Creole seasoning, chicken bouillon or cubes, paprika, thyme, bay leaves, and let it cook for 5 minutes.
- Follow with the canned tomatoes and about 6 cups of chicken stock, then bring it all to a boil and simmer it for 45-50 minutes. After that, add the shrimp and simmer for 5 more minutes.
- Stir in file powder, green onions, and parsley. Adjust the soup's thickness and flavor with broth or water and salt.
Tips & Notes:
- There is no shortcut to a good roux. Take your time and cook your flour-fat mixture until it’s beautifully dark and smooth.
- Keep your eye on the roux and stir continuously when cooking it because it burns quickly. If available, use a wooden spoon to mix your roux.
- If using okra to thicken the soup base, chop the okra and add it to your gumbo 10 minutes before it’s done.
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Do you have a cookbook?
Not at the moment. Definitely by the end of the year.
It’s the end of the year….cookbook? Lol. Trying this gumbo Wednesday night!
Oh my! LIFE! It got to me. Just couldn’t bring myself to accomplish this. Keeping my fingers crossed for 2018. Happy Cooking !
Wishing you all the best of 2018.
My only comment is….there is no mention of chicken stock as part of the ingredients needed. Had to go back out to get it. Once I got to the part where is says add 6 cups. 🙁
So sorry about the confusion . Hope you enjoyed it .
This gumbo looks so good! I’m definitely going to try it. Do you shred the chicken or leave it whole?
I leave it whole. At the end the chicken is falling apart- depending on the size of chicken.
I am drooling at this gumbo. I need to make this soon.
You are going to love it chi-chi!!!
Hello. Got all the ingredients but couldn’t find the gumbo file. But from reading the comment and your responses you said sub with okra. No one in my household don’t like orkra. So what can I do if I don’t have either one.
Just make the gumbo without the file. If you are including everything else it’s still going to be fabulous!
Happy Holidays!!!
Ok. Thanks.
Thanks for clarifying that your recipe is for Gumbo Filé and not a straight gumbo. The powdered sassafras leaves give it a distinctive flavor and texture. I keep some on hand for times that I wish to make the variation. In my house, and for my money, if a gumbo doesn’t have okra and a roux – it isn’t gumbo. It’s just a soup or stew.
Thanks for taking the time to share with us.
Do you cook or steam the crab legs first before you add or do you just add them uncooked?
Also, why do you have to let the roo cool?
So everything should be at the same temperature. Not a Biggie though. It works just fine without letting it cool.
I just add them. No steaming required.
I want to try this, my family is from Louisiana, and it’s hard to get that gumbo that I’m used to, the real deal, this seems pretty close, minus the tomatoes. Anyway, my question is- since we don’t like the crab, and only because it requires wrk breaking through the shell for the meat. I was thinking of real lump crab meat (not the canned stuff) instead. So by using that, would I still need to add it in at the last minute, or can it cook along with the other ingredients?
Thanks
Hi Michelle! Add it at the last minute- about 5 minutes towards the end.
This gumbo was delicious!! Even my extremely picky husband said it was good. This was my 4th recipe and I haven’t been disappointed yet. I am trying 2 more tonight. I am looking forward to it.
Thank you so much for sharing your recipes.
This was Sooooooooo delicious! I made it twice in two weeks! I added scallops and it was a hit! Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure! Nice touch with the scallops.
Did you com the scallops first before you added them? I love this recipe and I think scallops would be great in it!
I did not use scallops here. If using scallops I would add it at the very end- about 3-4 minutes , before turning the stove off.
Is gumbo traditionally served with gritz or rice and is meant to be spicy with the creole seasoning?
It’s traditionally served with rice. And it’s slightly spicy . Not overwhelmingly hot. Served with rice you can barely feel the heat.
I love this dish ,not only is it delicious it also healthy. Thanks Imma
Imma, I just bought the ingredients that I didn’t have for this gumbo today. Couldn’t find the file powder so will try World Market tomorrow. Can’t wait to make this, it’s going to be my weekend project. Looks yummy in the pictures. Thanks in advance, I love gumbo and this sounds just wonderful!
Hi Nina! Hope you found the gumbo powder. It truly is packed with flavor . You are definitely going to enjoy it. Happy Cooking!!!
Delicious
How much does this make?
It serves about 5-6 depending . More or less.
This is a great recipe and easy to follow. I have made gumbo two different ways (including Imma’s version) and both are delicious!
I made a few substitutes. Since I had every bell pepper color except green, I primarily used red with a few slivers of yellow and orange. I also used chicken breasts instead of thighs. I also used brown jasmine rice.
The ingredients were fairly inexpensive except for the shrimp because I was too lazy to peel and devein the shrimp. Plus I wanted colossal shrimp. Don’t judge me! lol
Overal great dish that was an absolute hit!
YES!! Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with us.
I am SO EXCITED I came across this recipe! I will definitely be making it for game day! ❤
Awesome!! Glad you liked it.
After the butter and flour mixture cool down do I cook the garlic onions peppers and celery with it or separate?
You cook the garlic, onion, peppers and celery with it.
Do I leave the juices from the chicken and sausage when I cook the roux??? I am making it now.
Leave it out . Then add when you add the chicken.
Where do I get gumbo file? Is there a recipe for the herbs and spices to grind?
In the Super Market depending on location located at in the spice section- Check your local walmart or on line at Amazon. Sorry there is no recipe for it.
This was Fabulous, I added some Okra and File. Only had 4 Cups chicken stock so added 1 Cup White Wine and water. One layer at a time. Thank you, will watch for more of your recipes
Best
Catherine
I ,love this. Gumbo, after going to New Orlreans
I was hook on it i had to buy a cook book witn 3 different recipes on this and i take a, litte of ea, 1 of the recipes.
And i find i have to have orka in ea,
1 but didn’t know it was used as a thickner?
I put orka in other recipes i just love it,
I never had of it till i was in New Orlleans,
I have seen a recipe where they keep rinseing it & rinceing it to get the slime out?
I don’t think it wouldn’t taste the slime off i wouldn’t like it? Also when in.
New Orleans, we ate a fabulas sandwich called Muffaulada,
It was great we bought a jar of there olive spread on it we asked what was the meat and cheese in it they told us when we come home for the longest time we could’t find some of the cheese & meat to make it and we couldn’t find the kind of roll for the sandwich!
So we iponprovised it was ok but the olive salad made it taste it better we even ate the olive salad on other sandwich!
When i ran out of the olive relish i looked on the jar & they put some of the recipe but not all of it so i experaminted & just abt, got it to taste like the real stuff,
I even used the olive relish in my potato salad,
Well someone told us abt a Italian store opening up, so we drove there to see if they had any of the meat & cheese we needed to make the mufalada! Well low & behold they not only had all the meat & cheese they even had the rolls,
We bought the meat cheese & the rolls!
And even had a little spot in the back where u could sit @ a table and chairs, & u can have a sandwich and even had a hat bar where there was hot food,
Like soups, red beans & rice! And other stuff we had the red eans and rice it was not like i made it but ok!
But buy suprised they even had a mufalada sandwich?
It was close to what we had in New Orleans,
I think mine tasted better lol,
But @ least we could buy the meat & cheese we needed!
Well untill about a week ago they closed the Italian store or sm.
Deli/ Resturant now we have to drive 60 miles to ee if we can find some place we can find the meat , cheese & rolll we need !
I know how to make the olive salad myself,
I live in a very sm town, so we have to go to a larger town,
I appreciate the personal experience you’ve shared with us Rose! And hope you’ll let us know what you think of this recipe after you try this out!