This rich, hearty Seafood Gumbo is perfect for a special dinner. Packed with bold Southern flavors, it brings together seafood and meat in a comforting stew that celebrates Creole cooking.
Gumbo traces its roots to West African and Louisiana Creole traditions. The combination of seafood and meat in one pot is reminiscent of West African stews such as African okra soup and egusi soup, and over time gumbo has evolved into many regional variations.
Table of Contents
- About Gumbo
- Ingredients for Seafood Gumbo
- How To Make Seafood Gumbo
- Recipe FAQs
- Serving Suggestions
- More Hearty Stews and Soups To Try
- Seafood Gumbo Recipe
About Gumbo
Gumbo is a classic dish of Louisiana Creole and Cajun cuisine. Influenced by West African, French, Spanish, and Native American ingredients and techniques, gumbo has been adapted in many ways. Traditional elements include a flavor base often called the “holy trinity”—onion, bell pepper, and celery—plus a roux for richness and depth. While “gumbo” originally referred to okra, today some recipes use ground sassafras (gumbo file) instead of, or alongside, okra to thicken and flavor the stew.
Ingredients for Seafood Gumbo
Key ingredients for a flavorful seafood gumbo:
- Holy trinity: onions, green bell pepper, and celery.
- Shrimp: large shrimp, peeled and deveined.
- Crab legs: snow crab or similar.
- Andouille sausage: sliced; substitute another smoked sausage like kielbasa if needed.
- Chicken: boneless, skinless thighs for extra flavor and body.
- Gumbo file or okra: ground sassafras (file) or sliced okra (fresh or frozen) to thicken.
- Garlic, Creole seasoning, bay leaves, black pepper: for seasoning.
- Chicken broth: provides the cooking liquid; adjust salt according to the broth’s sodium.
How To Make Seafood Gumbo
Follow these steps for a robust, satisfying gumbo.
Step 1: Dice the onion, bell pepper, and celery and set aside.
Step 2: Make a roux by heating oil in a heavy pot, adding flour, and stirring constantly. Cook slowly until it reaches a dark chocolate brown; this can take about 20 minutes. Patience here develops the gumbo’s signature depth.
Step 3: Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and celery to the roux and sauté until the vegetables soften and begin to sweat, about 5 minutes.
Step 4: Stir in the garlic, then add the chicken broth, bay leaves, cooked or roasted chicken pieces, and sliced sausage. Bring to a simmer and let everything meld for about 20 minutes.
Step 5: Add the shrimp and crab legs and simmer until the seafood is cooked through, a few minutes depending on size.
Step 6: Stir in sliced okra and/or gumbo file and simmer an additional 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt only if needed.
Step 7: Serve warm over boiled rice, with grits, or alongside crusty French bread.
Recipe FAQs
Seafood gumbo typically includes shrimp, crab, chicken, andouille sausage, and the holy trinity of onions, bell pepper, and celery, all simmered in a seasoned broth thickened with roux, okra, or gumbo file.
The roux is essential—made from equal parts flour and oil cooked slowly until deeply browned—which gives gumbo its distinctive flavor and color.
Common variations include chicken gumbo, seafood gumbo, and sausage gumbo, though many regional versions exist.
Serving Suggestions
Gumbo is traditionally served with boiled white rice, but it also pairs well with grits, crusty bread, or mashed potatoes. Garnish with chopped green onions or parsley for freshness.
- Boiled rice
- Grits
- French or crusty bread
- Buttermilk mashed potatoes
More Hearty Stews and Soups To Try
- Lentil Stew
- African Okra Soup
- Quick Chicken Noodle Soup
- Cameroon Fish Pepper Soup
Enjoy this Seafood Gumbo recipe! If you try it, consider leaving feedback or a rating to share your experience.
Seafood Gumbo
Ingredients
- 1 cup corn oil (or other neutral oil)
- 1 cup flour
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 64 oz chicken broth (I used two 32 oz cartons)
- 3 bay leaves
- 12 oz andouille sausage, sliced (or substitute kielbasa)
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tbsp Creole/Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 cups sliced okra (frozen or fresh)
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 lb crab legs
- Chopped green onions for garnish
- Boiled rice for serving
Instructions
Prepare the chicken.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly oil it.
- Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces, season with a pinch of salt and 1 tsp Creole seasoning, and mix to coat.
- Arrange the chicken in a single layer on the baking sheet and roast 15–20 minutes until golden.
Make the roux.
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven or cast-iron pot over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes, then reduce to medium. Whisk in the flour until smooth, then switch to a wooden spoon and stir constantly until the roux turns a dark chocolate brown, about 20 minutes. Do not rush this step.
Sauté the vegetables.
- Add the diced onion, celery, and bell pepper to the roux. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables soften and sweat, about 5 minutes.
Make the gumbo.
- Add the minced garlic and cook 1–2 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth, add bay leaves, the roasted chicken, and the sliced sausage. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes.
- Stir in black pepper, shrimp, crab legs, and Creole seasoning. Simmer until the seafood is cooked through, about 5–10 minutes.
- Add the sliced okra (or sprinkle in gumbo file if using) and simmer another 10 minutes. Taste and adjust salt as needed—if your broth is low sodium, add salt to taste.
Serve.
- Serve the gumbo hot over boiled rice. Garnish with chopped green onions or parsley if desired.
Notes
2. Parsley is an optional garnish that brightens the dish.
3. If you prefer less slime from okra, use frozen sliced okra, or briefly fry fresh okra in oil until the slime cooks off before adding it to the gumbo. Alternatively, use gumbo file at the end of cooking.
4. If using gumbo file, add it just before turning off the heat to avoid over-thickening.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 24 g |
Protein: 36 g |
Fat: 46 g
This post contains affiliate links.