Yield: 10 servings
Authentic Cajun Gumbo Recipe
This Cajun Gumbo is made with a deep, smoky roux and your choice of proteins, becoming more flavorful the longer it cooks. One spoonful of this hearty and rich gumbo, and you’ll feel like you're in the heart of Louisiana!
Ingredients
For the Roux
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
For the Gumbo
- 1 large white or yellow onion, diced
- 1 large green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 ½ cups diced celery
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 to 10 cups low-sodium seafood or chicken broth, or water
- 16 oz frozen sliced okra
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, or fire roasted diced tomatoes, do not drain
- 3 tablespoons garlic powder
- 3 to 5 tablespoons cajun seasoning, can also add cayenne pepper for more heat
- Tabasco sauce, to taste
Protein Options
- 2 to 3 lbs andouille or smoked sausage, chicken, or alligator, chopped into bite size pieces and seared in a hot skillet with oil
- 3 lbs raw shrimp, deveined, heads and tails removed
- 1 lb lump crab meat, drained
- 8 oz oysters, rinsed and drained
For Serving
- white rice
- green onions, sliced
- Tabasco sauce
- crackers
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Instructions
- In a large heavy bottomed pot, I use a 7-qt dutch oven, over medium-high heat, add the flour and oil. Cook the roux, continuously stirring with a whisk, until it reaches a dark reddish brown color, about 20 minutes. You cannot walk away or stop stirring, otherwise the roux will burn and you will have to toss it out and start all over again.
- After you have gotten your roux to the desired color, add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook, stirring often, until wilted about 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Turn the heat down to low and slowly add broth to the roux, 2 cups at a time. Bring gumbo to a very low simmer, but not a boil. You can decide how much broth you would like to add, but I recommend starting with 8 cups broth. A traditional gumbo should be a little less thick than a bisque style soup. Remember the gumbo still has a while to cook, so you can always add more broth to thin it out later in the process!
- Now, in a separate pan, sauté the okra with oil until it is soft, about 12 minutes. Add the okra to the gumbo. If you are worried about "okra slime" you can place the sautéed okra on a serving plate lined with napkins. Place more napkins on top and lightly press with your hand to remove majority of the oil.
- Add the tomatoes, garlic powder, cajun seasoning, and about 3 tablespoons Tabasco (adding more later to taste). Bring the gumbo back up to a low simmer (bubbling, but not boiling).
- Place the lid on the pot and simmer for an hour (or up to 2 hours), over low heat, stirring occasionally. During the last 20 minutes of your simmer time, add the sausage, alligator, or chicken if using. The longer you let your gumbo simmer, the richer and deeper in flavor it becomes. Remember you can add more broth if your gumbo becomes too thick.
- Add the shrimp, crab meat, and oysters and place the lid back on the pot. Turn off the heat and let the gumbo sit until the seafood is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Taste your gumbo and adjust seasonings, as needed, adding extra broth if your gumbo is a little too thick. Serve gumbo over white rice, as desired, with sliced green onions on top. If your gumbo is salty enough and only needs more heat, add more hot sauce or cayenne pepper. Cajun seasoning has a lot of salt in it, so be careful!
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Notes
- Store: Transfer leftover cooled gumbo to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. The flavors only get better over time, so this is a great make-ahead dish for hosting dinner or keeping warm in a crockpot for a potluck!
- Freezing: Gumbo freezes beautifully. Allow it to cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe containers or zip-top bags. Remember to leave a little room in each container for the soup to expand as it freezes. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Reheat gumbo on the stovetop over low heat until warmed through or in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring often. If it's too thick, add a splash of water or broth to loosen it up. If reheating from frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight before warming it up for best results.
- Filé Powder: My granny never used filé, but it is common in some families to add it to their gumbo. Filé powder, ground up sassafras leaves, slightly thickens the gumbo and also adds an herbal, earthy flavor. Add up to 2 to 3 teaspoons when you add the other seasonings.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 bowl, Calories: 781kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 44g, Fat: 54g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 19g, Monounsaturated Fat: 18g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 260mg, Sodium: 2642mg, Potassium: 875mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 2140IU, Vitamin C: 33mg, Calcium: 185mg, Iron: 4mg