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Hearty gumbo is the true melting-pot dish that will transport you straight to New Orleans after just one bite. Originating in Louisiana, this dish combines the cuisines and ingredients of several cultures including West African, French, German, and Choctaw. This recipe draws inspiration from Cajun and Creole styles of gumbo, but mainly follows the Creole style with the inclusion of fire-roasted tomatoes and shrimp. It’s a top-notch comfort food stew centered around a flavorful roux and the holy trinity of Southern cooking: aromatic onions, celery, and bell peppers. If you're looking to perfect this classic dish, keep reading for all of my top tips on how to do it:
What People Are Saying:
“The flavor of this recipe far exceeds expectations. It looked good so I decided to try it, but this recipe turned out to probably be in my top 5 recipes ever. Be patient with the roux, it is one of the most important steps.” - adventure_sow
“This recipe is easy to follow and very delicious!! I have made it 4 times in the last month, and my family often requests it!!” - BlueSubmarine
First, we need to make the star of the show and the base of our gumbo: the roux. First, you’ll melt the butter in a deep skillet over medium-low heat, then add the flour.
In this recipe, we’re cooking the roux until it has a golden color, which can take about 10 minutes. My top tip? During this time, you should be stirring almost constantly. It’s very easy to burn a roux, and if you do, then you have to start over. If that happens, that’s okay! It takes a while to perfect a roux—follow our guide for how to make a roux for even more tips.
Once it reaches a dark caramel color, add in your onions, pepper, and celery, and give everything a stir to fully combine and coat. Cook, stirring as you do, until they are softened and tender.
Then, add in the sausage, chopped garlic, and Cajun seasoning. Give everything a mix, then season well with salt and pepper. No need to be shy here, but also err on the side of caution—you can always add more later.
Then, stir in the broth, tomatoes, and add the bay leaf. Stir, then bring the pot to a boil. Once it’s boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer while stirring occasionally until thickened. This should take around an hour, but keep an eye on it until it reaches your desired thickness.
Once the stew has almost finished cooking (in the last 6 minutes), add in the shrimp. Once the shrimp is pink and cooked through, give the stew a taste. Now is your chance to adjust the seasonings, adding more salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning as needed. Once it’s to your liking, add in the scallions, making sure to reserve some for the garnish. Once you add them, you’re ready to serve! Divide cooked rice among your bowls, spoon the gumbo over, and top with reserved scallions.
The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.
Gumbo is often traditionally served spooned over rice, and we chose to top our bowls with our reserved scallions. If you’re looking for side ideas, you can’t go wrong with fried okra, collard greens, cheese grits, or sweet potato tots.
Since there is seafood in this dish, I don't recommend refrigerating gumbo for more than 2 days. You can also freeze your gumbo for up to 6 months. The cooked rice can be stored separately in the fridge for up to 2 days, and frozen separately for up to 1 month.
unsalted butter
all-purpose flour
small yellow onion, chopped
medium green bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
stalks celery, finely sliced
andouille sausage, sliced into 1/2" rounds
cloves garlic, finely chopped
Cajun seasoning (without salt)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
low-sodium chicken broth
(15-oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
bay leaf
medium shrimp, peeled, deveined
scallions, sliced
Cooked white rice, for serving
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