New Orleans Style Gumbo

August 10, 2022

An authentic gumbo starts with a dark roux, then adds in veggies, chicken, sausage, and/or shrimp and simmers for 45 minutes for the perfect dish! No need to travel to New Orleans if you can make this at home. So hearty and delicious! Serve this over rice as a way to pick up the gumbo.

I’ve always wanted to travel to New Orleans just for the food. There’s so much to try! King Cake, Red Beans & Rice, Calas, and many more. Since it will probably be a very long time before I go, I would make a New Orleans dish right in my own kitchen. I searched for gumbo file, which is a spice consisting of ground sassafrass leaves and other herbs just to make it a perfect authentic gumbo. The main component that makes a good gumbo is the dark roux. The roux is cooked for about 15 minutes, then changes colors. You want the roux to have a milk to dark chocolate color, the consistency of a soft cookie, and the smell of nutty coffee. The proteins are up to you. You can make a seafood gumbo including crawfish, shrimp, crab, and/or oysters, or a chicken and sausage gumbo, then add some shrimp to it. I chose to add shrimp to mine since I love shrimp.

How to make New Orleans Style Gumbo

It’s best to prep a day ahead of making this. Allowing the gumbo to simmer is absolutely necessary. Traditional gumbo requires patience and time. And a dark roux! (Full ingredient amounts and complete instructions are available in the recipe card down below).

Andouille Sausage: If you can’t find this sausage or it’s unavailable, kielbasa is a perfect substitution.
Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: Chicken thighs don’t dry out as quickly as chicken breasts when boiled. It’s better to use thighs, or you can use a rotisserie chicken. If you are using a rotisserie chicken, skip the cooking step, then add the chicken when adding the garlic mixture.
Canola or Veggie Oil: You can use avocado oil for a healthier option, but this is used for cooking the roux and raw chicken thighs, if using.
Unsalted Butter: Unsalted butter makes it easier to control the salt content of a dish.
Flour: This is for the roux. You can easily substitute regular flour for gluten-free flour.
Celery Stalks: You want the leaves and all. Try to trim off the tops while keeping the leaves. The bottoms you always want to chop off. Be sure to wash the celery first!
Yellow Onion
Green Bell Pepper
Garlic Cloves
Parsley: You will need a good amount for this. Buy a bunch of parsley since you need half, then use the rest later for something else! I recommend making a parsley pesto or chimichurri.
Gumbo File: A spice that is made up of sassafrass leaves and other herbs. This will give the gumbo an herbal note and will thicken the gumbo slightly. If you can’t find it, then it’s completely ok to omit it from the recipe. You’ll still get a ton of flavor from the other ingredients!
Cajun Seasoning: Try to find seasoning that doesn’t have salt in it. If you can’t, then you can make your own or use the regular cajun seasoning. Just be sure to taste if you decide to add more salt.
Bay Leaves
Thyme: Fresh or dried works.
Cayenne Pepper: Adjust to your spice tolerance.
Worcestershire Sauce: This offers a great umami flavor. I personally love adding Worcestershire sauce to dishes.
Okra: This is optional since not a lot of people are familiar with this veggie. If you choose to use fresh okra, add it with the garlic mixture. If you use frozen okra, add it 5 minutes before the gumbo is done.
Chicken Broth: Low-sodium is a preferred option. I always use reduced sodium. It’s much easier to control the salt when seasoning.

In a large, heavy-bottomed stock pot, brown the sausage for 5 minutes until charred on medium-high heat. Remove from the pot, then add 1 tbsp of oil and the chicken thighs. Season with salt, pepper, and 1 tsp of cajun seasoning. Cook until the chicken is browned. Remove from the pot and transfer to the same plate as the sausage. Turn down the heat to medium, and add the remaining oil and butter, then allow the butter to melt and the oil to heat. Add the flour then whisk to create a roux. Cook the roux for 10-20 minutes, whisking every 30 seconds so it doesn’t burn. You want a milk chocolate color, soft cookie consistency, and a nutty coffee smell. Do not turn your back from this. This takes a watchful eye. Increase the heat to medium-high, then add the celery, onions, and bell pepper. Stir to coat in the roux, then cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic, herbs, seasonings, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir frequently and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken broth, sausage, chicken, and any accumulated juices. Stir to mix. Increase the heat to high, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer on medium-low heat. Simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the bottom doesn’t burn. Serve over rice with scallions and tabasco sauce.

Tips & FAQs

Where did gumbo originate? This popular South Louisiana dish originated in West Africa. West Africans used okra as a thickener in their version of the dish, which is what I did as well. The original West African gumbo has been described as stew-like, thickened with okra, and containing fish and shellfish.
What is gumbo? Gumbo is a dark stew made with a roux base, holy trinity veggies (bell peppers, onions, celery), and proteins ranging from andouille sausage to chicken to seafood. Andouille sausage and chicken are traditional to Cajun gumbo. I decided to add shrimp to mine.
Storage: This will keep in an airtight container for 3 days. The roux can be made 3-5 days in advance and stored in a large resealable bag in the fridge. Freezing: This recipe makes quite a lot but it also freezes really well. To freeze, allow it to cool completely and store it in a freezer-safe container, without the rice, for 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
The roux takes patience and time. If you ignore it, it will burn and you will need to start over because there’s no salvaging it. As tempting as it might be to crank up the heat to move the process along, it’s best to maintain consistent medium heat and let the roux cook steadily and slowly until it reaches your desired color. If you notice that the roux seems to be browning too quickly or starts to smell subtly burnt, immediately turn down the heat a bit. If there are black bits and the roux smells burnt, you will need to start over. Do not ignore the roux.
Make ahead: Gumbo can definitely be made ahead and even tastes better the day after it’s cooked. Cool then refrigerate the entire pot, covered, for up to 2 days. Reheat over low heat.

Want the recipe? Click print below! Let me know how it came out for you by tagging me on Instagram (@missravenskitchen) and using #missravenskitchen! Follow my Facebook page for updates as well! Let me know if I need to tweak anything.

Servings 8

Author Dani Bayer

Prep time

15 Min

Cook time

1 H & 10 M

Total time

1 H & 25 M