Easy Gumbo Recipe

Take a trip to the Big Easy with this Easy Gumbo Recipe!

This big pot of love is filled with hearty ingredients that are so filling and satisfying! Bet you can’t have just one bowl!

This easy gumbo recipe is one you’ll treasure. Made from scratch and with simple ingredients, this recipe comes together quickly for easy prep and wonderful tasting gumbo. Adjust yours to be as spicy or mild as you like it and you’re sure to love it.

This famous dish from Louisiana has been a favorite for centuries because it’s a great way to use up odds and ends in the kitchen. Long-simmering times and a mix of meats and veggies are what make this tomato-based dish a perfect meal option.

What Is Gumbo?

Gumbo is a hodgepodge of ingredients that work harmoniously together to create a satisfying and flavorful dish. Gumbo is one of those hearty dishes that will hold almost anything. You can throw in chicken, shrimp, a variety of sausages, crawfish, firm, white fish, and a whole bunch of veggies and still call it gumbo.

A good gumbo starts with an oil-based roux. I used extra virgin olive oil that I whisked together with flour to create a deep, rich, ultra-flavorful base for this gumbo recipe. The robust olive oil has a full-bodied flavor that works perfectly as the first layer of this dish. It is low in acidity yet has a spicy, bitter character that works well with the mild okra and seafood in this dish.

Ingredients you’ll need for gumbo:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Flour
• Frozen Carrots, Onion, and Pepper Mix
• Ground Thyme
• Salt
• Cayenne Pepper
• Black Pepper
• Hot Sauce
• Minced Garlic
• Tomato Pasta
• Chicken Broth
• Diced Tomatoes
• Frozen Chopped Okra
• Andouille Sausage
• Crab Meat
• Shrimp
• Freekeh or Rice

For the exact measurements needed, please see the recipe card below.

How to Make Easy Gumbo Recipe

1. Place a large pot over medium heat on the stove and add in your olive oil.
2. Whisk in the flour continually until the mixture is thickened and has darkened to the color of a peanut.
3. Stir in your veggie mix and then the seasonings (thyme, cayenne, salt, and pepper).
4. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste.
5. Add in the chicken broth and tomatoes, stir to combine.
6. Stir in the okra and sausages.
7. Bring the mixture to a low boil and allow the gumbo to cook for 30 minutes.
8. Add in crabmeat and shrimp.
9. Cook for another 5 minutes.
10. Serve with cooked freekeh or rice.

FAQs

Can I Let Gumbo Cook All Day?

While some people feel that gumbo tastes better the longer it cooks, this recipe just asks for a simple 30-minute simmer. That said, you can let it simmer longer if desired, but I wouldn’t simmer for too long after adding in shrimp or crabmeat because they’ll turn out overcooked and chewy, so simmer in the earlier steps and then follow along with the recipe.

Do You Cook Gumbo Covered or Uncovered?

Unless otherwise specified you should assume most recipes want you to simmer a pot of soup uncovered. This simple gumbo recipe is no different. We want you to simmer your soup with the lid off.

Is Gumbo Soupy or Thick?

It’s a little bit of both, but thicker than a soup. Thanks to the roux created, your gumbo is about as thick if not thicker than a hearty chower. this is great because when you serve it alongside your freekeh or rice, the mixture will actually sit on the rice and not run off as a clear broth would.

What To Serve with Gumbo

Traditionally, gumbo is served with a heaping spoonful of rice that is stirred into the gumbo upon serving. Since this is a hearty dish and I love keeping things healthy and light I added Freekeh. Freekeh is a sturdy, “ancient grain” that is essentially wheat that has been harvested young. It is a nutritional powerhouse as it is low in fat but high in protein and fiber. It holds up to the brothy gumbo and all its abounding seafood.

This gumbo feeds a crowd, no doubt, but everyone in that crowd will walk away full and happy! Love this recipe? Then you should try my Cajun Shrimp Mac and Cheese or Cajun Chicken and Sausage Cassoulet.

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Yield: 6

Easy Gumbo Recipe

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This easy gumbo recipe is filled with veggies and seafood; it's a real crowd pleaser!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup frozen, carrots, onion, and pepper mix
• 1 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Dash of hot sauce (optional)
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 32 oz chicken broth
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup frozen chopped orka
• 8 oz sliced andouille sausage
• 8 oz lump crab meat
• 1 lb shrimp
• Cooke freekeh or rice

Instructions

1. Heat a stock pot or large deep skillet over medium heat.
2. Add oil, followed by flour and whisk continuously until mixture is thick and darkens (about the color of peanut butter).
3. Stir in veggie mix. Season with thyme, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
4. Stir in garlic and tomato paste.
5. Add chicken broth and tomatoes to the veggie mixture; stir. 
6. Add okra and sausage.
7. Bring mixture to a low boil. Allow gumbo to cook for 30 minutes. 
8. Add crabmeat, and shrimp, cook another 5 minutes. 
9. Serve with freekeh or rice.

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 346Total Fat 21gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 14gCholesterol 63mgSodium 1550mgCarbohydrates 25gFiber 4gSugar 8gProtein 16g

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