Creole Gumbo Recipe
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 40 mins
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Servings
12
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Course
Main Course, Soup
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Cuisine
American
Creole Gumbo Recipe
Description
The Creole Gumbo Recipe features chicken breast or thighs browned with sliced andouille sausage, then combined into a roux made from peanut oil and flour cooked to a peanut butter color. This roux forms the base and thickener of the stew. Bell pepper, onion, celery, and garlic soften in the roux before adding chicken, sausage, crushed tomatoes, and Creole seasoning. The mixture simmers for an hour to develop depth. Shrimp and crab meat are folded in last and cooked through in a few minutes, preserving their texture. Fresh thyme, bay leaves, and parsley add herbal aromas. Filé powder is offered as an optional thickener and flavor enhancer at serving.
This gumbo has a classic Creole flavor—smoky, spicy, and hearty—with a moderate spice level adjustable by cayenne pepper. The chicken and sausage lend meatiness, while the seafood adds a briny contrast. It pairs well with white rice or can be enjoyed alone as a stew. Including okra in the vegetable base is customary and adds its own texture and flavor.
For variations, okra can be introduced with the other vegetables to incorporate its thickening properties and traditional taste. The dish requires attention during roux preparation to avoid burning and achieve the desired color for flavor depth.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 pound chicken breast or thicken thighs, chopped
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1 pound andouille sausage sliced into ¼ inch slices, amount unspecified (ounces
- 3/4 cup peanut oil or vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1 bell pepper chopped, medium
- 1 onion chopped, medium
- 1 celery chopped, medium stalk
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 28 ounce crushed tomatoes 2 14-oz cans
- 2 tablespoons creole seasoning
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional, for extra spicy
- 6 cups chicken stock or use seafood stock
- 3 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon thyme fresh
- 1 pound Shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 pound crab meat
- 4 tablespoons parsley chopped, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon file powder optional, for thickening, or to taste
Instructions
- Heat a pan to medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil and heat.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to the pan along with the sliced andouille. Cook a couple minutes per side until browned. Set aside until ready to use.
- Add the peanut oil to a large pot and heat to medium heat. Add flour and stir. Cook for 15-20 minutes, constantly stirring, until the roux browns to the color of peanut butter. You can go lighter or darker (chocolate brown) if you’d like.
- Add peppers, onion, celery and garlic. Stir and cook about 5 minutes.
- Add chicken and andouille. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Add crushed tomatoes, Creole seasoning, cayenne, and chicken stock. Scrape up the brown bits from the bottom.
- Add bay leaves and thyme and cook at medium-low heat for 1 hour to thicken.
- Stir in shrimp and crab and tuck into the gumbo. Simmer 6-7 minutes, or until the seafood is cooked through.
- Stir in fresh parsley and serve into bowls with filé powder on the side for thickening, if desired. Garnish with extra parsley.
Notes
- Serve gumbo over cooked white rice or enjoy it as a standalone stew.
- Okra is a traditional addition; chop and add it along with bell pepper, onion, and celery if desired.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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