Good New Orleans Creole Gumbo

New Orleans-style gumbo is a true taste of Southern tradition. This boldly flavored stew is bursting with fresh, filling ingredients like bell pepper, sausage, stewed tomatoes, and crabmeat. Hot sauce ad Cajun seasonings add a kick that makes this Lousiana dish a favorite amongst our community of home cooks. Learn how to make the best homestyle gumbo right here.

I am going to give you my Creole gumbo recipe. I learned to cook from my mother and grandmother who were born and raised in New Orleans and really knew how to cook. Most of the time, you could not get them to write down their recipes because they used a “pinch” of this and “just enough of that” and so on. This recipe is a combination of both of their recipes which I have added to over the years. Serve over hot cooked rice.

The key to this recipe is the Roux!

A “roux” is made with two ingredients; flour and oil,  and it’s the key to any great gumbo recipe!  The flour and oil are cooked and stirred together for about 30-45 minutes until it becomes dark brown almost like mud, or chocolate and the consistency of dough.  The roux is what adds the deep, rich flavor to the gumbo, and it gives it it’s thick texture. Make a good roux is a labor of love, but but one that totally pays off, and you can make it ahead of time!

Step-by-step Authentic Gumbo:

1. Make the roux. in a large pot, combine flour and oil and cook, stirring constantly on medium low heat.  You have to be careful to stir it constantly, on medium low heat, so that you don’t burn it. It’s easy, but takes patience. The darker the roux, the richer the flavor!

Chop the veggies.  When you’re ready to make your gumbo, start by chopping celery, onions, bell pepper, parsley.   I love the freshness from the green bell pepper, onion, celery and parsley. You can also add okra, if you want. Add it at the same time as the other vegetables.

Brown the sausage.   Spread the sausage in a single layer on a hot, large skillet.  Once  browned, flip each one over individually, to make sure they all get nice and brown on both sides.

Add to large pot.  Add chicken broth veggies, parsley, and roux to the pot and stir well.  (Skim off any foam that may rise to the top of the pot.) Stir in cajun seasoning, to taste.

Add meat.  Add chicken, sausage, and shrimp and taste.  Add more seasonings to your liking–salt, pepper, chicken bullion paste, garlic, more Joe’s stuff or more chicken broth–until you reach the perfect flavor.

Serve warm over hot cooked rice. This recipe tastes even better the next day as the flavors have a chance to blend. If you’re really wanting to go all out, serve it with a side of homemade potato salad!

Storing and Freezing Instructions:

Store Gumbo covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.  The roux can be made 3-5 days in advance, stored in a large resealable bag in the fridge.

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 (separate from the rice) for 2-3 months.  Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove or in the microwave.

Servings: 10

Calories: 462

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 1hour

Total: 1hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

1. Make the Roux*: In a large, heavy bottom stock pot combine flour and oil. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring constantly for 30-45 minutes. This part takes patience–when it’s finished it should be as dark as chocolate and have a soft, “cookie dough” like consistency. Be careful not to let it burn! Feel free to add a little more flour or oil as needed to reach this consistency.
2. Brown the sausage. In a separate skillet on medium-high heat place the sausage slices in one layer in the pan. Brown them well on one side (2-3 minutes) and then use a fork to flip each over onto the other side to brown. Remove to a plate.
3. Cook the vegetables in broth. Add ½ cup of the chicken broth to the hot skillet that had the sausage to deglaze the pan. Pour the broth and drippings into your large soup pot.
4. Add remaining 5 ½ cups of chicken broth. Add veggies, parsley, garlic and roux to the pot and stir well.
5. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables are slightly tender. (Skim off any foam that may rise to the top of the pot.) Stir in cajun seasoning, to taste.
6. Add meat. Add chicken, sausage, and shrimp.
7. Taste and serve. At this point taste it and add more seasonings to your liking–salt, pepper, chicken bullion paste, garlic, more Joe’s stuff or more chicken broth–until you reach the perfect flavor. Serve warm over rice. (Tastes even better the next day!)

Notes

Rice is not included in nutritional information.

Roux: The roux can be made 3-5 days in advance, stored in a large resealable bag in the fridge.

Okra: you can add chopped okra, if you want. Add it at the same time as the other vegetables

Cajun seasoning: My preferred brand is Joe’s Stuff Cajun Seasoning but I can usually only find it online. You could use any brand, but may need to adjust the amount added, to taste. You can also make your own cajun seasoning.

Chicken and broth:The best way to make this gumbo is by buying a rotisserie chicken–removing all the chicken, and using the carcass to make homemade chicken broth. Then make the gumbo using the chicken and homemade broth. You can use store-bought chicken broth, but homemade is way better! Here’s a tutorial for making it from scratch.

Storing Instructions:  Store Gumbo covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Freezing Instructions: This recipe makes quite a lot, so save leftovers for another day!  To freeze gumbo, allow it to cool completely and store it in a freezer safe container (separate from the rice) for 2-3 months.  Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove or in the microwave.

Nutrition

Calories: 462kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 35g, Fat: 30g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 166mg, Sodium: 1073mg, Potassium: 390mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 928IU, Vitamin C: 19mg, Calcium: 59mg, Iron: 2mg