Seafood Gumbo

About Gumbo

Gumbo is a meal native to the Creole/Cajun people of Louisiana, a Southern state in the United States. It is believed to have been developed by West African slaves who settled in the city of New Orleans in Louisiana years ago!

Gumbo is also said to have been influenced by French settlers in New Orleans. So this is food fusion at its best! Just like Jamaican Jerk chicken, this is a meal that tells a lot about the history of black people.

Gumbo literally means okra. In Cameroon, the French-speaking call okra soup Gumbo. That’s why the main ingredient in Gumbo, is okra.

However, over the years the way the dish is made has evolved and some people make it this day without okra, using gumbo file instead.

Gumbo file is a powder made out of ground sassafras leaves and if you can’t find it in a store near you, you could purchase it on Amazon.

Ingredients for Seafood Gumbo

1. The holy trinity: Onions, bell pepper, and celery are often referred to as the holy trinity of Cajun/Creole cooking.

2. Shrimp: Big shrimp are preferable because they stand out and make the Seafood Gumbo enticing. Also, get wild-caught shrimp if you can because they taste way better than farm-raised!

3. Crab legs: we used snow crab legs!

4. Andouille Sausage: For an authentic Creole flavor and for meatiness, use andouille sausage but if you can’t find Andouille sausage then use any other smoked sausage. Kielbasa is a great option.

5. Chicken: We use boneless skinless chicken thighs because they are so flavorful and they provide meatiness to the gumbo.

Crab legs, sliced andouille sausage, baked boneless skinless chicken thighs, and large shrimp

6. Gumbo file: This is a powder made out of ground sassafras leaves and can be found on Amazon or in grocery stores. You can use okra instead of the file or use both.

7. Okra: You could use either frozen or fresh sliced okra in Gumbo.

Okra and gumbo file

8. Garlic: Lots of it is needed because garlic lends great flavor.

9. Creole seasoning: You need creole seasoning for that authentic Creole taste.

10. Bay leaves: Simmering bay leaves in gumbo adds lots of flavor!

Creole Seasoning and bay leaves

11. Chicken broth: We used regular chicken broth here so we didn’t add any salt. If you use low-sodium chicken broth be sure to add salt to your dish as needed.

How it comes together

Here are the steps for making Seafood Gumbo together with images showing the process. Follow these steps for a really tasty stew!

Step 1: Dice the onions, celery, and bell peppers then set aside.

Step 2: Heat up oil in a cast iron pot then add flour and stir consistently to make a roux.

Expert tip: Making a roux takes time and requires patience. The flour will start off white, turn a pale brown then eventually become dark like chocolate. This process takes about 20 minutes so do not rush it.

Step 3: Saute the onion, celery, and bell pepper. This builds the flavor base for the stew.

Step 4: Saute the garlic then add the chicken broth, sausage, bay leaves, chicken sausage, black pepper, and creole seasoning. Let everything simmer for several minutes.

Step 5: Add the seafood and let it simmer for a few minutes.

Step 6: Add the okra and/or gumbo file and let it simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Step 7: Serve warm with boiled rice, grits, French bread, or any side of your choice.

Recipe FAQs

How to serve it

Apart from rice, you could also serve gumbo with:

• Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
• Garlic Butter Rolls
• SWEET FRIED PLANTAINS
• EASY CORNBREAD RECIPE
• SWEET DINNER ROLLS RECIPE

• Yield: 8 servings
• Prep: 20 minutes
• Cook: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Total: 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup corn oil, or other flavorless 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, we used 2 32oz boxes
• 3 bay leaves
• 12 oz Andouille sausage – chopped into 1 inch slices, we used pork but you could use chicken or another type. Substitute with Kielbasa or other smoked sausage
• 1 pound skinless boneless chicken thighs (1/2 kg)
• 1 tablespoon Cajun/Creole seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups sliced okra, we used frozen okra
• 1 pound large shrimp (1/2 kg), peeled and deveined
• 1/2 pound crab legs
• Chopped green onions for garnishing
• Boiled rice for serving

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil then rub some oil on the foil.
3. Cut chicken into about 1-inch pieces. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt (see Note 1) and 1 teaspoon of Creole seasoning and mix well to ensure that the seasoning gets to every part of the chicken.
4. Place the chicken on a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Place in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is golden brown.
5. Place oil in a dutch oven/cast iron pot and let it heat up on high heat for about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium.
6. Add the flour to the oil whisking as you add the flour. Continue whisking until there are no lumps. Keep the whisk aside then use a wooden spoon and continue stirring the flour. The mixture will turn from white to light brown, to peanut butter brown to chocolate brown. Once it is chocolate brown, proceed to the next step. It takes about 20 minutes to make the roux so don't rush it.
7. To the pot, add the diced onion, celery and bell pepper. Keep stirring and let the vegetables cook until they sweat. About 5 minutes.
8. Add the minced garlic to the pot and stir for about 2 minutes. Then add all the chicken broth, the bay leaves, the chicken and the sausage. Cover the pot and bring to a simmer for about 20 minutes.
9. To the pot, add the black pepper, shrimp, crab legs and Creole seasoning. Let them simmer together for about 20 minutes.
10. Finally, add the sliced okra and let it simmer with the okra in for about 10 minutes. Taste to ensure that the seasoning is perfect. Note that we didn't add salt because our chicken broth was salty enough and made the dish sufficiently salty. If you use a low sodium chicken broth, be sure to adjust the salt as needed.
11. Serve your Seafood Gumbo warm over boiled rice or with any side you like. Garnish with chopped green onions if desired.