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.
Keshia R says
I made this and it was very good !! I added Tabasco and took away the tomatoes
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback.
Beverly says
This was awesome! The whole family loved it!
ImmaculateBites says
Great! Thanks for the feedback!
Wendy Park says
I have to put in the idea that the tomatoes may have been mistaken for red bell peppers. I don’t know of any coon-ass (Louisianian) that uses tomatoes in gumbo. However, I have seen other “non-Louisiana” recipes with tomatoes. Bell peppers are a must have in it so I just wanted to drop my idea that others outside the state may have saw pictures but it’s not tomatoes but red bell pepper instead. This is because I was reading the other comments. Thanks for your recipe too! Personally, I like chicken and sausage gumbo and separately seafood gumbo…no okra for me or my kids either
Reeka says
I was wondering what I should use instead of tomatoes. Thanks!
ImmaculateBites says
Leave them out and it will be just fine .
Chelise Sudds says
I resent the “coon-ass” statement….I’m not personally offended, as words don’t bother me, but just know (and this is all within the realm of positivity…no shade), first of all, the term “coon” is HIGHLY disrespectful… second, half of my family is creole and using tomatoes is not unheard of in this case. It’s not unlikely for tomatoes to serve as a base for many recipes, sauces, etc (and her recipe does call for green bell peppers in addition to the tomatoes); therefore, it doesn’t take away from the taste. There’s still a great balance. Bottom line, food is food….I love dishes that maintain their cultural origins, but still… things evolve…. so if one minor ingredient is tweaked for the sake of health, flavor or availability, then it’s still fine….. but there’s absolutely no reason to label it with something as offensive “coon” or “coon-ass”. Again… no shade…. everyone’s entitled to their opinion here, and that was mine.
Lula says
Tried it today without seafood, divided it into 2 pots as my husband is allergic to seafood. .I added tomotae to his chicken gumbo but not to ours which we loaded with shrimp and crab for the last 5 minute of cooking. Both pots had okra. We all loved it!!
ImmaculateBites says
Great! Glad to hear it worked out well for you. Thanks for the feedback Lula!
mark smith says
WOW!!!this was the BEST GUMBO I have ever made. I followed your clear recipe exactly…I even made your special seasoning. It turned out GREAT. My wife said it rivaled some we had in New Orleans recently. Thank you so much. I would rate it higher than 5 star if I could.
ImmaculateBites says
OH WOW ! Thank you ! Thank you! So happy you took time out to let me know Mark. Really means a lot to me.
Beverly says
I made this today as a comforting cold weather meal. Everyone loved it! I will make this again! I couldn’t find regular crab legs, so I used king crab. Delicious!
ImmaculateBites says
Great! So happy to hear it worked out well for you. Thanks for taking the time out to provide feedback!
Hershe says
I could not find gumbo file anywhere but this recipe still turned out delicious without it! I give it Thanks for the recipe!
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! So happy to hear it worked out well for you.
Maria Cruz says
Thank you for sharing! I made my first pot of Gumbo using your recipe and it was absolutely DELICIOUS !
I look forward to exploring more of your dishes!
ImmaculateBites says
Thank you so much Maria! I really appreciate your kind words and I’m so happy you liked it . Do let me know which ones you try out ! Happy Cooking!!!
Racquel says
This sounds amazing I want to try it! If I take the cooked meat out of the crab legs when would I add them?
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks! I would add it towards the end- about 5 minutes before you turn the stove off.
Don says
I wish my grandmother was still alive to taste this!! She was from Louisiana, and made gumbo all the time growing up. I made this recipe numerous times, and family and friends want it all the time, and my grandmother would love it too!! And I’ve also made other recipes from here. This is my go to recipe site!!
ImmaculateBites says
YESS! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts with me . The best recipes are the ones that always bring us good memories.
Wishing you and yours a blessed Holiday Season.
Colandra says
Really was looking for a gumbo recipe that reminded me of my uncle’s and this was it! I subbed some items because I really wanted it to be totally seafood and sausage. I used crawfish tails instead of chicken and seafood stock instead of chicken stock. It was spot on! Thanks for the recipe!
ImmaculateBites says
Nice! Thanks for the feedback!
Phil says
I made this tonight. It was absolutely delicious.
I did not use tomato’s. In my research it’s a regional thing.- i did not miss them. I would add the browned sausage about 10 minutes before the shrimp. Since it’s already cooked and smoked I felt this might be an improvement. Thanks so much.
Phil – Boise ID
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Phil! Thank you so much for the feedback . So greatly appreciated ! Glad to hear you really liked it .
KRYSTAL says
Girrlll!!….let me tell you, this recipe right here!! Omg! Is the bee’s knees. I’m a Texas girl, born & raised. However, spending most of my summers in Louisiana, I developed a tounge for Creole flavors and have been looking for years to find a recipe to satisfy my cravings..alas! I find it!!! Thank you thank you thank you! The tomatoes are tummy, i did add okra & keep the gumbo file too. My family loved It! I’ll continue to make this dish at least 1x a week until i can no longer do it!! Thank you for this!!!
ImmaculateBites says
YASS!!! Virtual High Five Girl!!!. Thank you so much for this glowing review Krystal. So glad to hear it worked out well for you.
Ann Brown says
Can I add crab legs already cracked and steamed at the end along with the shrimp? My preference is the legs are already cooked and cracked. This recipe sounds delish will be my first time making. Will let you know how it turns out. Wish me luck. Oh I like okra can I add okra and the gumbo file both or one are the other?
ImmaculateBites says
Yes to both questions! You can gumbo file and okra together. No luck needed ! You are going to Nail it ! Happy Cooking!!!
Dan says
I’m a huge fan of gumbo. I’m have gumbo books in bought in New Orleans, and I’ve made quite a few of them and eaten even more. But it wanted to let you know that your recipe scored right up around the best I’ve had, even with the tomatoes lol. Actually it like the tomatoes, it adds alittle color and doesn’t change the taste. Just wanted to thank you for the post, it was delish!
ImmaculateBites says
Aww! That is so kind of you Dan! Am glad you are on my side with the tomatoes ! Truly honored you would label it THE best! Thanks for taking the time to let me know.