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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Char says
Excellent! I made it with leftover smoked turkey and shrimp, added some okra! Delicious:)
WStorey says
I am trying hope it’s delicious looks delicious
Rebecca E Workman says
Pass…there are tomatoes in this. This is not gumbo. With tomatoes its soup
April GAINOUS says
Omit the tomatoes. When you add tomatoes it becomes a Creole Gumbo. Leave them out
May says
You don’t have to add tomatoes, there’s many types of Gumbos some call for okra and some don’t.
Elliott C. Harris says
I’m from New Orleans, La. and I have the BEST GUMBO IN THE WORLD!! I never made a gumbo in under 6 hours, I was craving a Gumbo so I gave your recipe a try 1:45 mins later WOW AMAZING!! It’s not my Gumbo but it will hold me over until Thanksgiving.. thank you for sharing.
Chelle says
This recipe is very interesting. Being from New Orleans I grew up making gumbo with my elders. It was never a dish we could make in under 6hrs. There is so much missing, and as a Creole I don’t add tomatoes to gumbo. In Louisiana there is Creole and Cajun gumbo and there is a way to get it done. Though I find this interesting… I’d have to stick to the way I was raised to make gumbo.
Chanda says
Would you share your Recipe? I wanna see the difference my mom also made gumbo nobody could ever come close to making it as good as hers. But she doesn’t have a recipe. Trying to find one like it. Hers too took along time to cook.
Chanda
Di says
I am from Tx, my parents are from Lousiana. I have to say I will have to stick with our roots with a brown roux.
Billie J Dibiagio says
All I can say is WOW! This stuff tastes amazing! I followed the recipe to the letter and it just turned out amazing.
Janece says
I made this Sunday and it was absolutely delicious and wonderful. I wish I could post a picture. I posted it on my FB page. I used snow crab legs, lump crab meat, shrimp, andouille sausage and chicken. I had a chocolate-colored rue. I sat there and stirred it for 30 minutes. Thank you soo much for this recipe. I will continue to check your recipes. I am on your list and get emails also, that’s how I saw this one.
Nooel Eli says
How to make dirty rice ?
ImmaculateBites says
Here is how to make it https://www.africanbites.com/dirty-rice-4/. Enjoy!!!
Martha says
This recipe is so delicious! It was a big hit.
My question is, should I have slit the crab legs (to allow the meat to run out) before I added them into the soup? No one got to enjoy the crab legs because they were still in the shell, and were too hot to think about cracking them from the soup. What do you recommend?
But it is so DELICIOUS and fun to make!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Martha, So happy to hear it was a big hit with your family. Next time, I would suggest splitting the crab open ,add in the outer layer and reserve the crab meat for the last 5 minutes or cooking so your family can enjoy the meaty part . Hope this helps .
David Mack says
Ha Imma
Just read how you make gumbo I about to give it a shot. Will keep you informed
imma africanbites says
Awesome! Looking forward to hear how it works for you. Happy cooking!
Cheryl says
Love your recipe ❤️ for Louisiana Gumbo I will try this recipe asap. Thank you
ImmaculateBites says
Do let us know how it works out . Thanks
maria says
Hare esta receta para navidad, sera diferente a lo que en casa se acostumbra. Gracias por compartir tus recetas!!!!
Christi Hoer says
Made this last night for our snowy Halloween. It was my first time ever making Gumbo. Everybody loved it. I will be making it again for the opening weekend of Deer Season in a couple weeks. Such a yummy comfort food.
Brielle says
I NEVER Leace reviews. Ever. And it became an absolute must after making this last night. You can literally taste the layers of flavor in this dish. The depth it has is out of this world. Not only did our house smell absolutely amazing, but my husband loved it as well. This is such a hit, you would t be disappointed
Imma says
Brielle, this is amazing! I am ecstatic that it was a hit in your home. It is indeed one of my favorites. Thank you for stopping by!
Cynthia E Turner says
Cooked this for a after trick or treat get together.
Everyone raved about this gumbo. Thank goodness I made enough! Must try it. Its a crowd pleaser for sure.
Imma says
I haven’t even thought about using this dish in relation to Halloween but that sounds great! I’m glad you enjoyed 🙂
johnnie says
I made this today and just finished eating it oh my God I deviated from the recipe a little bit out of my own will touch and I usually don’t use measuring cups which I didn’t in this case I added a few pieces of corn on the cob this was amazing OMG it was awesome.
Imma says
Those sound like great additions Johnnie! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
Johnnie Villaroel says
I’m making this happen right now and it smells amazing!!
Imma says
Oh wow, so jealous! Eat up! 🙂
Tam says
This recipe is !!!!!! Nough said!!!!!