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This Authentic New Orleans Gumbo is made with a dark roux, vegetables, chicken, sausage, and shrimp, and served over rice. This is a beloved recipe shared with me by a native New Orleanian.
As you probably have gathered, I love making comfort food style recipes that use lots of fresh produce and real ingredients. This gumbo is no exception, and if you like this then I know you'll love Jambalaya and Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice.
We had a really fun neighbor growing up who was from New Orleans and made a fantastic homemade Gumbo! I'm so thankful my Mom took him up on his offer to teach her how to make a true, authentic Gumbo! Decades later it is a beloved recipe that has become a staple in our family and we have made it hundreds of times! It is definitely in my top favorite meals of all time! Nothing tastes better on a cold winter day.
Gumbo vs. jambalaya:
Jambalaya is primarily a rice dish (think paella) while gumbo is more of a stew that is thickened with a roux and made with chicken, sausage, and/or seafood. Both gumbo and jambalaya are often made with some similar meats and vegetables but the process of making them and flavors of the end result are completely different. Here is my favorite Jambalaya recipe!
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!
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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!
Make ahead, 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.
Consider trying these similar recipes:
- One Pan Jambalaya
- Caribbean Jerk Chicken Bowls
- Mongolian Beef
- BBQ Ranch Grilled Chicken and Veggie Bowls
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Authentic New Orleans Style Gumbo
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Roux:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, , a little more may be needed
- 2/3 cup oil, (vegetable or canola oil)
For the Gumbo:
- 1 bunch celery, , diced, leaves and all
- 1 green bell pepper, , diced
- 1 large yellow onion, , diced
- 1 bunch green onions, , finely chopped
- 1 bunch fresh chopped parsley, , finely chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 1-2 Tablespoons Cajun seasoning, *
- 8-10 cups chicken broth, *, you can add a little chicken bouillon paste to enhance the flavor of your chicken broth.
- 12 ounce package andouille sausages, , sliced into 'coins' (substitute Polska Kielbasa if you can't find a good Andouille)
- Meat from 1 Rotisserie Chicken*
- 2 cups Shrimp, , uncooked or pre-cooked
- hot cooked rice, for serving
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Add remaining 5 ½ cups of chicken broth. Add veggies, parsley, garlic and roux to the pot and stir well.
- 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. Add uncooked shrimp, if using and cook 2 minutes.
- Add meat. Add chicken, sausage, and pre-cooked shrimp, if using.
- 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
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I originally shared this recipe in 2015 but updated it in November 2017 and again in December 2019 with process photos and step-by-step instructions.
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Best Gumbo I’ve ever had. I’ve made it several times. It’s my new Christmas dinner (the last 3 years). I made two batches today for a church potluck in South Dakota (where casseroles are king) and all of it was eaten. Really great recipe. Thank you.
Best Gumbo I’ve ever had. I’ve made it several times. It’s my new Christmas dinner (the last 3 years). I made two batches today for a church potluck in South Dakota (where casseroles are king) and all of it was eaten. Really great recipe. Thank you.
This is one of my go to recipes. Yes, add your choice of things but as long as it’s followed Gumbo will be 10/10
I’m from California, raised in the Midwest, lived in the deep south and this is an awesome gumbo recipe. It came together in the time allotted, beautiful dark brown roux smooth as silk and looked like a page out of a cookbook when I was done. Added a few more seasonings, lump crab meat, and a little extra dash of chicken stock and buddy she’s singing. Thanks for a great recipe.
I was very diligent about making the roux, but it tasted burned. I fully understand that I probably caused the burned taste, but I followed the directions carefully. My verdict is that making the roux is very tricky.
Making the perfect roux can definitely be one of the trickier parts of cooking, especially when aiming for that deep flavor without crossing into burned territory. It sounds like you were really attentive to the process, which is great! The line between a deeply flavored roux and one that’s burned can be quite thin. Sometimes even a few seconds can make a big difference, depending on your stove and cookware. Don’t be discouraged; it takes practice and a bit of trial and error to get it just right. Maybe try a slightly lower heat next time or a heavier pot if you have one, as it can offer more even heat distribution. Keep at it, and you’ll master that gumbo roux in no time!
Making the Roux in the oven is the easiest way to go. It also prevents the thin line between good and burnt. Set oven to 350. Whisk equal parts oil/flour in a dutch oven and place in oven for 1-1.5 or so. Stir it every 20-30 min and when it hits the dark red color pull it out. Indirect heat keeps you from scorching it and makes it so you don’t have to stand over it stirring the whole time.
You have to cook slow and continue stirring on low-med heat or gwtting it to emulsify and bubble. Not too hot just keep a close eye on it and as you cook doun’t allow it to burn. It should be the consistancy of a smooth paste. Heat your stock up and have it ready to add to the stock and stir vigorously as you add the roux.
I’m making this.for third time. When I have ingredients on hand, it’s time and I love this recipe. I added banned tapes and jalapenos for heat. I love a crusty bread over rice but it’s all GREAT!
I decided to use butter instead of oil for the roux. Next time I need to make sure it’s unsalted. Other than that, it was great!
This is a fantastic recipe! Amazing flavor! Definetly a keeper!
After stirring the roux for almost an hour with very little change in color, I googled how to do a gumbo roux and it said to cook over medium high not medium low. It quickly turned the right color. However after I put the rest of it together, it was incredibly bitter. Not sure what went wrong. Wound up in the trash and it turned into a pizza night.
I really enjoyed this gumbo..However, I’m not a big fan of parsley, so I substituted cilantro, which tasted great. Otherwise, a recipe I’ll keep.
Just made this. I doubled the recipe except for the celery and I forgot to get the chicken. I made it anyway and can’t wait to do it again. I used family as guinea pigs and it was a major hit. The roux turned out exactly like the recipe stated and gave the gumbo a whole new level of flavor than other gumbo I’ve made. This is a keeper recipe. Thank you for sharing.
I have made this 3 times, will be the 4th this weekend. The recipe as is, is a wonderful starting point.
I offer a few ‘power-ups’…
Rather than diluting the flavor w/Chicken Broth, save the shrimp shells and let them simmer for 2 – 4 hours – notice I said SIMMER, do not let it boil (essentially this is a shrimp stock) then add this where the Chicken broth is added.
I like a little of the celery flavor but over time (as in freeing it) the celery will eventually over power all the other flavors. I put large chunks of celery in and let them cook a while then pull them out. Since the pieces are large, finding them and removing them is easy. I do the exact same treatment w/Okra, leave it large a pull it early (if you wait too long, you won’t be able to remove it).
Last but not least, when simmering the vegetables, I toss in a few Scotch Bonnets halved so that they too can be removed before they make things too interesting…
My Power Up’…
Did not like it.
I’d never had gumbo before making this recipe, so I can’t speak to its authenticity, but this was a tasty dish! Worth noting: if you’re using store-bought broth, it will probably be much more concentrated than homemade broth and I would argue you’d be fine with ~2 cups of the stuff with 3 cups of water (though this may depend on the brand).