You’re going to love my family’s authentic Louisiana gumbo recipe with a simple, nutty blonde roux, shrimp, sausage, okra and yes, even a few Creole tomatoes. Loaded with layers of deep flavor and served over a spoon or two of extra tasty green chile rice, this is one pot comfort food you’ll love no matter where you live!
I am excited for you to start this recipe because I know your house is about to fill with the wonderful smells of what we fondly call around here “big pot food.”
Big pot food is warm and comforting, cooked up in a large pot with a wooden spoon and enough to share. And it always begins with beckoning aromas that call family and friends in from all corners. It’s what I like best about cooking!
And this recipe never disappoints. It’s one of our treasured family favorites. We enjoy it whenever a little extra flavor and comfort is what the day calls for. Not to mention, an especially big pot makes a required appearance for Christmas dinner every year. There’s no better way to welcome everyone together!
But like all deeply regional comfort food recipes, most families claim their own treasured versions. As a native Louisianan, here are a few things you should know about making authentic gumbo:
- This is a Creole gumbo recipe, not a cajun gumbo recipe. This dish has a butter-based roux, okra and tomatoes, and is crazy delicious + simple.
- A roux is really easy to make. It’s just canola oil or vegetable oil (this recipe uses butter instead) + flour, whisked together in the bottom of a pan and cooked until it turns brown. It’s just like making gravy (for all my southern friends).
- This recipe makes a light (or blonde) roux instead of a dark one. That just means we don’t brown it as much because it’s butter based, and it can burn. Use oil and brown it more by cooking it longer, if you like. Some recipes brown it all the way to a chocolate color.
- Okra is a must. Okra is a traditional gumbo ingredient in Creole gumbo and is used as a natural thickener in the recipe. It is one of the ingredients that sets gumbo apart from dishes like jambalaya and étouffée. You can use fresh okra or frozen, depending on what is available to you.
- Tomatoes are ok. Highly debated, but the acidity is nice in such a rich, savory dish, and it’s a legitimate Creole addition to lots of classic Louisiana recipes.
- You can make great gumbo no matter where you live! The ingredients are simple and can be found just about anywhere. If a little taste of home is what you’re missing, this recipe is just what you need.
Recipe Ingredients & Overview
I’ll walk through an overview of ingredients & steps in these next sections along with helpful tips!
Look for specifics at the end of the post in the recipe card.
- butter
- all-purpose flour
- onion, celery, green bell pepper (In Louisiana, onion, celery, and bell pepper are called the holy trinity of vegetables. They make up the aromatic base for most of our regional dishes.)
- minced garlic
- chicken broth (or stock)
- diced tomatoes with green chilies
- smoked sausage (I use andouille sausage or a spicy smoked beef sausage.)
- okra (frozen or fresh)
- bay leaves, Italian seasoning
- ground coriander, cumin, cayenne pepper
- salt & black pepper
- large shrimp, no tail, peeled and deveined (fresh or frozen, whichever you have access to)
- fresh parsley
Recipe Variations: Add 2 shredded chicken thighs or breasts (a great use for any leftover rotisserie chicken) for extra protein or ½ pound crab meat or 1 pound of crawfish tails for more seafood!
You can also brown the sliced sausage in a skillet before adding it to the gumbo for a nice seared flavor to the meat. But when you do this, you lose all of your meat drippings and a ton of robust flavor that the sausage adds when cooked in the dish.
How To Make My Gumbo Recipe
Make the simple roux. In a large stockpot or large dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour. Cook for 5-10 minutes, whisking constantly until roux is a golden brown (like peanut butter) and has a really gorgeous nutty aroma.
Create a good base. Add onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook until onion is translucent, stirring frequently. (The roux will coat the veggies and continue to brown while the veggies cook.)
Whisk in about ½ of the chicken broth, whisking until all of the flour is incorporated and the base of the gumbo is smooth.
Layer in the flavors. Add the rest of the broth, diced tomatoes & green chiles, bay leaves, and all of the spices. Bring to a low boil over medium heat.
Add in the okra and smoked sausage. Reduce to medium-low heat and let simmer until okra is completely cooked.
The finishing touch! Stir in the shrimp. Cook for 5-8 min. until the shrimp are pink and firm. Stir in the chopped fresh parsley, and you’re ready to serve!
Are Louisiana Gumbo and Jambalaya the Same Thing?
Jambalaya and gumbo share some of the same delicious flavors, but they definitely aren’t the same dish.
- Gumbo has the consistency of a stew and is served over rice or with rice. Jambalaya, on the other hand, is a rice dish.
- Okra is one of the veggies included in gumbo and is used as a thickener. Okra isn’t included in jambalaya.
- Louisiana étouffée is similar in flavor too, but again, is it’s own separate deal made with a single shellfish protein and served as a smothering sauce.
How to Serve Louisiana Gumbo
I always serve our gumbo over this Green Chile Rice . Super easy, it takes white rice to a whole new level! Make sure to cook it while letting your gumbo simmer so that everything is ready to serve at the same time.
Tip: Use Minute Rice. It’s parboiled so it’s easier, faster and virtually foolproof.
But you can also serve gumbo over potato salad! It takes more time, and I would definitely make my potato salad the day before, but this Southern Deviled Egg Potato Salad recipe 100% hits the spot.
Last, but not least, don’t forget to remove the bay leaves before serving and to offer some Louisiana hot sauce on the table. A generous dash or two right finishes off a bowl of gumbo just right!
Here is my complete Gumbo Party Menu:
- Deviled Eggs
- Marinated Olives & Cheese
- Sweet Potato Cornbread
- Louisiana Gumbo
- Green Chile Rice
- Potato Salad
- Best Ever Pecan Pie Bars
Make it Ahead of Time
You can easily make this recipe the day before. The flavors actually deepen as the dish sits. Allow it to cool completely, cover, then refrigerate. Reheat on the stove top over medium low heat.
Storage and Freezing
Store leftover gumbo in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave or the whole pot on the stove top over medium low heat, stirring occasionally.
Gumbo freezes well for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat using the above instructions.
Easy Shrimp & Sausage Gumbo
Equipment
- 8 Qt. Dutch Oven (or stock pot)
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter (1 stick)
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 1 large green bell pepper diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 4 cloves garlic)
- 64 ounces chicken broth (8 cups)
- 2 cans diced tomatoes with green chilies (14.5 ounces each)
- 1 ½ pounds smoked sausage sliced
- 2 cups cut okra frozen or fresh
- 3-4 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 pounds large shrimp peeled and deveined
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Green Chile Rice
Instructions
- In a large stockpot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour. Cook for 5-7 minutes, whisking constantly until roux is a golden brown (like peanut butter) and has a nutty aroma.
- Add onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook until onion is translucent. (The roux will coat the veggies and continue to brown while the veggies cook.)
- Whisk in about ½ of the chicken broth, whisking until all of the flour is incorporated and the base of the gumbo is smooth.
- Add the rest of the broth, diced tomatoes & green chiles, bay leaves, and all of the spices. Bring to a low boil over medium heat. Add okra and smoked sausage. Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer until okra is completely cooked.
- Stir in shrimp. Cook for 5-8 min. until they are pink and firm. Stir in the chopped fresh parsley, and you're ready to serve!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Updated from 2018
This is a beautiful bowl of Gumbo, that I can’t wait to try! Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday. Hope you have a great St. Patrick’s Day and come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen
Thank you, Miz Helen! I hope you have a great St.Paddy’s too. As always, you are a marvelous hostess. I look forward to Thursdays with you!
My husband would love this! Thanks for sharing on Foodie Friday!
Julie, you are welcome! Thanks for hosting. I am so glad I found you. Can’t wait for more awesome Fridays!
Thank you for the awesome recipe as it is perfect due to my time restraints. Your photos and directions are detailed and informative. You welcome your readers into your world.
Hi, Deborah! Thank you so much! You truly made my day!
Very easy and tasty! I invited my brother and sister in law over to enjoy this dish since they love it and also me! Will recommend it to all my friends who enjoy fine dining!
Hi, Osvaldo! Thank you so much! I am so glad you all enjoyed it!