This New Orleans gumbo is a taste of Louisiana packed with juicy sausage, tender chicken, and shrimp simmering in a dark roux. You’ll love this Southern classic!
If you love comfort-food style one pot meals try this crockpot jambalaya and slow cooker seafood stew, next!
Why I Love This Recipe
- Authentic flavor: This chicken and sausage gumbo is made with homemade roux, a “holy trinity” of veggies, fresh meat, seafood, and Cajun spice for authentic taste.
- One-pot comfort food: This gumbo recipe is so good served over hot over white rice with some Red Lobster cheddar bay biscuits!
Substitutions and Variations
- Use a variety of different colored bell peppers. Green bell pepper, red bell pepper, yellow, orange, or a combination of all of them for color.
- If you like a little extra heat, add some cayenne pepper or hot sauce to taste. Or you could just have it at the table and allow whoever wants to add it to their dish.
- Other meats that can be added are turkey, duck, and lump crabmeat.
- If you don’t like the subtly smokey fire-roasted tomatoes, you can swap them with tomato sauce instead.
How to Make New Orleans Gumbo
In a large pot or Dutch oven, slowly whisk the flour into the heated oil over medium-low heat. Making a dark roux takes much longer than a light roux, it takes a bit of patience. You’ll be mixing for about 20 minutes until it turns a dark brown color with a nutty aroma.
Stir the onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic into the roux and cook for about 5-7 minutes until the vegetables have softened. Add the sausage and chicken. Cook, rotating the chicken pieces, 5 to 7 minutes, or until the chicken is browned on all sides
Stir in the tomatoes, broth, and all the seasoning. Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the shrimp, okra, and Worcestershire sauce and simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes. Serve with white rice.
Add the shrimp, okra, and Worcestershire sauce and simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes. Serve with white rice.
Making Ahead and Freezing Instructions
Keep leftovers of gumbo in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It’s great for making ahead and having dinner leftovers for days!
To freeze, allow the gumbo to cool completely and keep it frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw gumbo in the fridge overnight then reheat on the stovetop or microwave.
More comforting southern recipes we love include these New Orleans beignets, sweet cornbread and biscuits and gravy!
More Comfort Food Recipes
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Gumbo Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil , or bacon grease
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large onion , finely diced
- 1 bell pepper , finely diced
- 2 celery stalks , finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 pound andouille sausage , sliced
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs , cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 (14-ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1-3 teaspoons cajun seasoning , adjust to your spice level
- Kosher salt , to taste
- Ground black pepper , to taste
- 1 pound shrimp , peeled and deveined
- 1 cup okra , sliced (fresh or frozen)
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- Cooked white rice , for serving
- 4 green onions , thinly sliced, for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour slowly and whisk constantly until it turns a rich brown color (about 20 minutes). Continue stirring being careful not to burn it. This is the roux and you want it to be a thick consistency.
- Stir in the diced onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened.
- Add the sausage and chicken. Cook, rotating the chicken pieces, 5 to 7 minutes, or until the chicken is browned on all sides. Alternatively you can brown the meat with some oil in a separate skillet and add in.
- Stir in the tomatoes, broth, thyme, bay leaves, Cajun seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes.
- Stir in the shrimp, okra, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the shrimp are cooked through and the okra is tender.
- Remove the bay leaves from the pot. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, black pepper, and Cajun seasoning, if desired.
- Serve gumbo warm over cooked white rice and topped with sliced green onions.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is also the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook. Here you will find easy family-friendly recipes for every occasion.
Um no, tomato does not go in gumbo. This is not authentic gumbo. Y’all just be calling anything gumbo.
OMG this was sooooo good! We didn’t have any leftovers!
This meal takes me to New Orleans!! It’s bursting with flavor, hearty, & so yummy!!
This turned out amazing! So flavorful. My whole family loved it.