Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

Gumbo is a New Orleans classic and a favorite of anyone who enjoys Creole and Cajun cuisine. The thick, flavorful stew is made using a base of the “holy trinity,” onion, celery, and bell pepper, and roux, a cooked flour and fat mixture. Roux is made by cooking flour and butter or oil until the paste turns your desired shade of brown. Gumbo is often made using a relatively dark roux for deeper flavor.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound andouille sausage, or another smoked sausage, sliced
  • 1/2 cup plus 5 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, or green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups sliced okra, fresh or frozen and thawed
  • 1 teaspoon Creole or Cajun seasoning
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 to 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • Saltto taste
  • Freshly ground black pepperto taste
  • 1 teaspoon file powder, optional
  • 2 cups cooked rice, hot, for serving
  • Fresh parsley, or green onion tops, chopped. optional

Method

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo ingredients
  2. In a skillet over medium heat, brown the sliced sausage in 2 to 3 teaspoons of vegetable oil; remove the sausage to a plate and set aside.

    Brown sliced sausage in skillet
  3. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, combine the chicken broth and tomatoes. Place the pot over medium heat to bring to a simmer.

    Combine chicken broth and tomatoes in Dutch oven
  4. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, combine the 1/2 cup of oil and the flour. Cook, whisking constantly, until the roux is medium to deep brown. This will take about 10 to 20 minutes. Keep stirring to keep the mixture from burning.

    Cook roux until brown
  5. To the skillet with the roux, add the chopped onion, celery, and bell peppers. Cook, stirring constantly with a spoon, until the vegetables are softened.

    vegetables cooking with the roux in a pan
  6. Stir the vegetable and roux mixture into the simmering tomato and broth mixture.

    Add roux and vegetable mixture to tomato mixture
  7. Put the skillet back over medium heat and add 2 more teaspoons of oil. Add the okra and cook, stirring, until lightly browned and not stringy or sticky.

    Cook okra in skillet
  8. Transfer the cooked okra to the simmering pot along with the Creole or Cajun seasoning, bay leaf, and cooked sausage. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.

    Add okra to the simmering pot with spices
  9. Add the prepared shrimp and cook for about 5 minutes longer, until the shrimp is cooked through.

    Add shrimp to gumbo mixture
  10. Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed. If desired, add file powder or serve on the side.

    Finished gumbo with sausage and shrimp
  11. Serve the gumbo over a mound of hot boiled long-grain white rice. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley or green onions.

    Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo served over rice

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