New Orleans Gumbo Recipe (Seafood Gumbo)

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This New Orleans Gumbo recipe is made with spicy smoked andouille sausage, crab, shrimp, oysters, okra and vegetables, all served over steamed white rice. Plus, this Gumbo recipe is ready in under an hour!!

This recipe was originally published in February 2018. It has been updated for content and photos.

I fell in love with gumbo many, many years ago. With it’s dark flavorful roux, fresh seafood, smoked sausage and fresh okra, New Orleans Gumbo is the ultimate comfort food.

And while you may thing that it takes hours and hours to get a good gumbo, it doesn’t. This gumbo is ready in under an hour, even less if you have made the roux in advance (recommended). 

Delicious the first day, but even better the next, gumbo is the perfect make-ahead meal that is sure to impress guests. They’ll think you slaved for hours and hours to get that deep, rich flavor. 

And if seafood is not really your thing, check out this Chicken and Sausage Gumbo from Jessica Gavin. 

The Ingredients for New Orleans Gumbo

The key is to have a good dark roux. Follow my step by step instructions on How to Make a Roux. I’m not going to lie, making a dark roux can be a little time consuming (it will take 30-40 minutes to make a dark roux), but I swear it’s totally worth it. I make mine ahead of time and freeze it in batches so it’s ready when I need to make a recipe.

While I recommend making your own roux, you can also buy it. I included a link to buy it in the recipe card if you prefer to go that route. But it won’t be as good. 

Other ingredients should be easy enough to find at your local grocery. I’ve also included links in the recipe card to buy them on Amazon if you’d like (affiliate links).

• Shrimp or crawfish (or a mixture of both)
• Andouille sausage – a smokey, slightly spicy pork sausage
• Oysters – I highly recommend fresh oysters. I don’t love the flavor of the canned oysters. If you can’t get fresh, leave the oysters out.
• Crab pieces or small blue crabs
• Dark roux – Learn How to Make a Roux
• Seafood broth – this can be shrimp, fish, lobster – anything seafood based. I use Better Than Bouillon Fish base for convenience.
• Green pepper
• Onion
• Okra – I recommend fresh sliced okra, but frozen will work as well for convenience.
• Diced tomatoes
• Bay leaf
• Worcestershire sauce
• Sugar
• Cajun seasoning
• Gumbo file – Gumbo file thickens and adds flavor to gumbo. It is made with ground sassafras leaves, among other herbs.

Why This Seafood Gumbo Recipe Works

1. A dark roux is used, which adds a deep, intense flavor to the gumbo;
2. Fresh seafood adds to the flavor of the broth, while okra helps to thicken it;
3. Simmering on low heat for 30 minutes is all it takes for this gumbo to be ready;
4. It works perfect as a make-ahead meal as it tastes even better the second day.

How to Make New Orleans Gumbo

If you already have roux, heat it in a large dutch oven over medium heat. If you haven’t made your roux yet, see below for instructions, or read more details about How to Make a Roux. 

Once the roux starts to sizzle (be sure you are stirring it constantly so it doesn’t burn), add the onion and green peppers. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.

Add the Andouille sausage, tomatoes, bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and Cajun seasoning and mix together. Then slowly add the seafood broth while mixing constantly. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the okra and crab claws and simmer another 10 minutes. 

Add the shrimp/crawfish and oysters and remove from heat. Mix the shrimp and oysters in – the heat from the gumbo should cook them through. Cooking them this way prevents them from getting tough.

Serve the gumbo in bowls with steamed rice, garnished with green onions.

How to Make Dark Roux

Combine 1/2 cup of flour with 1/2 cup cooking oil in a heavy bottomed pot and cook over medium heat. Whisk continuously until the roux turns a very dark brown, dark chocolate color. This should take about 30 minutes.

**Always be sure to continuously stir the roux to prevent it from burning.

Read this post for a complete Guide to Cooking Roux. 

Expert Tips for New Orleans Gumbo

1. Stir your roux constantly while making it to ensure it doesn’t burn;
2. Add the seafood broth slowly while stirring – this helps keep lumps from forming and aids in a uniform, rich soup/stew;
3. Crawfish or shrimp can be used in this recipe – a mixture of both works incredibly well;
4. I buy cut up crabs, but any crab pieces will work, as long as it is crab in the shell. The juices from the shelled crab is what adds flavor to the gumbo;
5. I highly recommend only using fresh oysters. Canned oysters do not impart the same flavor. If you can’t get fresh, I would just leave the oysters out;
6. If you absolutely can’t find Andouille sausage, any spicy smoked sausage can be substituted.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does gumbo get better the longer it cooks? Yes and no. Cooking longer does help the flavor meld better, but also causes seafood to get tough and vegetables to break down. To get full flavor, I recommend making the gumbo using this quick recipe, and leaving it overnight to let the flavors meld. Eating it leftover will result in amazing flavors. 
2. Is gumbo Creole or Cajun? Well, it depends. This particular recipe is more of a Creole version because it has tomatoes, dark roux and shellfish. Cajun gumbo typically has no tomatoes, a lighter roux and is made with chicken
3. What is the difference between gumbo and jambalaya? Gumbo is a soup or stew that is typically served over rice, while jambalaya is a rice dish that is cooked in one pot (more like a casserole).
4. Can roux be made ahead of time? Totally! I actually recommend it so this recipe is even easier to make. I make a batch of roux and freeze it in 1/2 cup quantities so I can use it when I need it without going through the trouble of making it from scratch. 
5. Can you freeze gumbo? Gumbo can be frozen in an airtight container and store for up to 3  months. I recommend freezing it in single serving sizes for convenience.
6. Can you make gumbo in advance? Gumbo is actually better made in advance in my opinion. It gives the flavors time to meld. Store it in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze it per the above instructions. 
7. How thick should the roux for gumbo be? To make this New Orleans Gumbo (Creole Gumbo), we use a dark roux which is much less thick than a lighter roux. While the dark roux does have some thickening qualities, it is mainly used for it’s deep flavor. The okra in this gumbo helps to thicken it.

Favorite Cajun/Creole Recipes

• Crawfish Pie;
• Cajun Remoulade Sauce (i.e. the best sauce EVER);
• Cajun BBQ Shrimp;
• Cajun Blackened Catfish;
• Chicken Etouffee;
• Browse all the Cajun Recipes!

Most Popular Soup/Stew Recipes

• Creamy Crawfish Bisque;
• Instant Pot Ramen;
• Vietnamese Beef Pho;
• Singapore Laksa;
• Browse all the Soup Recipes!

Did you make this New Orleans Gumbo? rate the recipe and leave a comment to let me know how it turns out!

New Orleans Gumbo Recipe

This New Orleans Gumbo recipe is made with spicy smoked andouille sausage, crab, shrimp, oysters, okra and vegetables, all served over steamed white rice.

4.2 from 10 votes

Print Rate

Course: Main Course, Soup/Stew

Cuisine: Cajun/Creole

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 356kcal

Author: Danielle Wolter

Ingredients

• 1 lbs. crawfish or shrimp
• 1/2 lbs. andouille sausage sliced
• 8 oz. fresh oysters
• 1/2 lbs. crab claws or small whole crabs
• 1 cup dark roux
• 4 cups seafood broth (fish, shrimp, crab, etc.)
• 1 green pepper diced
• 16 oz. okra sliced
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 onion diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1-2 tbsp. Cajun seasoning to taste
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 tbsp. gumbo file (optional)
• Green onions for garnish
• White rice for serving

Instructions

• Heat the roux in a dutch oven over medium high heat.
• Add the diced green pepper and onion; cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the andouille sausage, seafood broth, Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes, bay leaf, sugar  and Cajun seasoning and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add the okra and crab claws and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add the shrimp/crawfish, oysters and gumbo file and simmer for 5 minutes, or until seafood is cooked through.
• Garnish with green onion and serve over rice.

Expert Tips:

1. Stir your roux constantly while making it to ensure it doesn't burn;
2. Add the seafood broth slowly while stirring - this helps keep lumps from forming and aids in a uniform, rich soup/stew;
3. Crawfish or shrimp can be used in this recipe - a mixture of both works incredibly well;
4. I buy cut up crabs, but any crab pieces will work, as long as it is crab in the shell. The juices from the shelled crab is what adds flavor to the gumbo;
5. I highly recommend only using fresh oysters. Canned oysters do not impart the same flavor. If you can't get fresh, I would just leave the oysters out;
6. If you absolutely can't find Andouille sausage, any spicy smoked sausage can be substituted.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 205mg | Sodium: 1253mg | Potassium: 507mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1952IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 155mg | Iron: 3mg

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