Louisiana Seafood Gumbo

Category, , , ,
DifficultyIntermediate

Louisiana Seafood Gumbo is a deeply flavorful, rich, and hearty Creole dish that combines a dark roux-based broth with shrimp, crab, and andouille sausage. This iconic Southern comfort food is slow-cooked to perfection and served over fluffy white rice with a side of cornbread. Smoky, spicy, and packed with layers of flavor, gumbo is a must-try dish for any Cajun cuisine lover.

SharePostSaveThreads
Yields6 Servings
Prep Time20 minsCook Time1 hrTotal Time1 hr 20 mins
For the Roux
 ½ cup vegetable oil
 ½ cup all-purpose flour
For the Gumbo Base
 1 large onion, diced
 1 green bell pepper, diced
 2 celery stalks, diced
 4 cloves garlic, minced
 1 tsp smoked paprika
 ½ tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
 1 tsp dried thyme
 1 tsp dried oregano
 1 bay leaf
 6 cups seafood stock or chicken broth
 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes (optional)
 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
 1 tsp hot sauce (adjust to taste)
For the Seafood and Sausage
 12 oz andouille sausage, sliced
 ½ kg shrimp, peeled and deveined
 ½ kg crab meat (or 4-6 whole blue crabs, cleaned)
 ¼ kg okra, sliced (optional, for thickening)
 ½ tsp salt
 ½ tsp black pepper
 1 tsp filé powder (optional, for thickening)
For Serving
 3 cups cooked white rice
 Chopped green onions and fresh parsley
 Cornbread (optional)
 Extra hot sauce on the side
Make the Roux
1
  • Heat the Oil:
    • In a large Dutch oven, heat ½ cup vegetable oil over medium heat.
  • Whisk in Flour:
    • Slowly whisk in ½ cup flour, stirring constantly.
  • Cook Until Dark Brown:
    • Stir continuously for 15-20 minutes, until the roux turns a deep brown (chocolate color).
    • Be careful not to burn it—if it smells burnt, start over.
Build the Gumbo Base
2

  • Add the Holy Trinity (Onion, Bell Pepper, Celery):
    • Stir in onions, bell pepper, and celery, cooking for 5 minutes until softened.
  • Add Garlic and Spices:
    • Stir in garlic, smoked paprika, cayenne, thyme, oregano, and bay leaf.
  • Deglaze and Simmer:
    • Pour in seafood stock (or chicken broth), Worcestershire sauce, diced tomatoes (if using), and hot sauce.
    • Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and let cook for 30 minutes.

Cook the Seafood and Sausage
3
  • Add the Andouille Sausage:
    • Stir in sliced andouille sausage and cook for 10 minutes.
  • Add the Okra (Optional):
    • Stir in sliced okra and let cook for 5-10 minutes.
  • Add the Seafood:
    • Gently add shrimp and crab meat.
    • Cook for 5-7 minutes, until shrimp is pink and fully cooked.
  • Season and Thicken:
    • Stir in salt, black pepper, and filé powder for added thickness.
Serve and Garnish
4
  • Ladle Over Rice:
    • Serve the gumbo over white rice.
  • Garnish:
    • Sprinkle with chopped green onions and fresh parsley.
  • Pair with Cornbread:
    • Serve with warm cornbread for a Southern-style meal.
  • Offer Extra Heat:
    • Provide extra hot sauce on the side for those who love spice.
Pro Tips
5
  • For a Thicker Gumbo: Add more filé powder or let the roux cook a little longer.
  • Make it Extra Flavorful: Use homemade seafood stock for the best taste.
  • Spice Levels: Adjust cayenne and hot sauce to taste.

 

Ingredients

For the Roux
 ½ cup vegetable oil
 ½ cup all-purpose flour
For the Gumbo Base
 1 large onion, diced
 1 green bell pepper, diced
 2 celery stalks, diced
 4 cloves garlic, minced
 1 tsp smoked paprika
 ½ tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
 1 tsp dried thyme
 1 tsp dried oregano
 1 bay leaf
 6 cups seafood stock or chicken broth
 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes (optional)
 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
 1 tsp hot sauce (adjust to taste)
For the Seafood and Sausage
 12 oz andouille sausage, sliced
 ½ kg shrimp, peeled and deveined
 ½ kg crab meat (or 4-6 whole blue crabs, cleaned)
 ¼ kg okra, sliced (optional, for thickening)
 ½ tsp salt
 ½ tsp black pepper
 1 tsp filé powder (optional, for thickening)
For Serving
 3 cups cooked white rice
 Chopped green onions and fresh parsley
 Cornbread (optional)
 Extra hot sauce on the side

Directions

Make the Roux
1
  • Heat the Oil:
    • In a large Dutch oven, heat ½ cup vegetable oil over medium heat.
  • Whisk in Flour:
    • Slowly whisk in ½ cup flour, stirring constantly.
  • Cook Until Dark Brown:
    • Stir continuously for 15-20 minutes, until the roux turns a deep brown (chocolate color).
    • Be careful not to burn it—if it smells burnt, start over.
Build the Gumbo Base
2

  • Add the Holy Trinity (Onion, Bell Pepper, Celery):
    • Stir in onions, bell pepper, and celery, cooking for 5 minutes until softened.
  • Add Garlic and Spices:
    • Stir in garlic, smoked paprika, cayenne, thyme, oregano, and bay leaf.
  • Deglaze and Simmer:
    • Pour in seafood stock (or chicken broth), Worcestershire sauce, diced tomatoes (if using), and hot sauce.
    • Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and let cook for 30 minutes.

Cook the Seafood and Sausage
3
  • Add the Andouille Sausage:
    • Stir in sliced andouille sausage and cook for 10 minutes.
  • Add the Okra (Optional):
    • Stir in sliced okra and let cook for 5-10 minutes.
  • Add the Seafood:
    • Gently add shrimp and crab meat.
    • Cook for 5-7 minutes, until shrimp is pink and fully cooked.
  • Season and Thicken:
    • Stir in salt, black pepper, and filé powder for added thickness.
Serve and Garnish
4
  • Ladle Over Rice:
    • Serve the gumbo over white rice.
  • Garnish:
    • Sprinkle with chopped green onions and fresh parsley.
  • Pair with Cornbread:
    • Serve with warm cornbread for a Southern-style meal.
  • Offer Extra Heat:
    • Provide extra hot sauce on the side for those who love spice.
Pro Tips
5
  • For a Thicker Gumbo: Add more filé powder or let the roux cook a little longer.
  • Make it Extra Flavorful: Use homemade seafood stock for the best taste.
  • Spice Levels: Adjust cayenne and hot sauce to taste.

Notes

Louisiana Seafood Gumbo
Visited 1 times, 1 visit(s) today

Leave A Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *