Easy Shrimp Gumbo
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Classic comfort food stew simmered to perfection, filled with andouille sausage + shrimp. So cozy and just so darn good.
Featured Comment
This sausage and shrimp gumbo has been made on repeat all winter long. And I really do mean all winter long. Because there’s truly nothing better than walking into the house with the aroma of this oh-so-cozy gumbo simmering for the past 2 hours, waiting to be devoured in the dead of winter with all the crusty bread.
why i love this recipe
- Rich, cozy, comforting goodness
- Easy, simple recipe to follow (and perfect for beginner cooks)
- Family-favorite and a huge crowd-pleaser
- Leftovers taste even better
- Makes for the best freezer meal
What is gumbo?
Gumbo is a Southern stew typically made with a dark roux (a mixture of fat and flour), a medley of vegetables known as the “holy trinity”, and various proteins such as chicken, sausage and seafood. Gumbo is typically served with rice and hot sauce.
Creole gumbo vs. cajun gumbo
While both are iconic Louisiana gumbo dishes, creole gumbo will generally include tomatoes with a light colored roux whereas cajun does not have tomatoes and typically calls for a darker roux for richer, deeper flavors.
What is the holy trinity?
The holy trinity is a blend of vegetables including bell peppers, onions and celery.
tips and tricks for success
- The dark roux is key here. Do not rush the dark roux, the key to a great gumbo recipe. It requires a bit of stirring and patience but the efforts will be well worth it (rushing over high temperatures will lead to a burnt roux). The finished roux will resemble the color of a Hershey’s chocolate milk bar and will be savory, rich, hearty and just so darn good.
- Use good-quality stock. The better quality your stock, the better your gumbo. Many brands love to pack in the salt so always opt for unsalted or a lower-sodium variety. Homemade stock is even better.
- Know your shrimp size. Shrimp size is calculated on number of shrimp per pound. The smaller the number, the larger your shrimp. There are about 40-50 medium shrimp per pound.
- Buy frozen shrimp. For superior quality and freshness, using frozen shrimp is ideal (but avoid the bags with freezer burn), opting for a quick thaw under cold running water.
- Use your favorite protein. This recipe specifically uses andouille sausage and shrimp, but you can also try an andouille sausage and chicken combination instead.
- Make ahead of time. Gumbo is one of those dishes that tastes better as it sits, which means the leftovers are the absolute best. Make this ahead of time up to 2 days in advance, storing in the fridge in an airtight container and reheating over low heat until warmed through.
- Serve with crusty bread. Serve with all the homemade crusty bread for dipping, sopping and dunking!
- Freeze as needed. Gumbo is also a very freezer-friendly dish, keeping in the freezer for up to 3 months. Freeze the gumbo separately from the rice to preserve texture and to prevent sogginess.
what to serve with easy shrimp gumbo
Tools For This Recipe
Dutch oven
Easy Shrimp Gumbo: Frequently Asked Questions
Gumbo is a very popular stew in Louisiana made with a dark roux, the holy trinity of vegetables (onion, bell pepper, and celery), and a combination of seafood, andouille sausage, and chicken, typically served hot over cooked rice.
A roux is equal parts fat and flour. And the dark roux here takes patience (and the base for a very good gumbo recipe!). The roux requires constant stirring to prevent burning, and the color should resemble dark brown, or the color of milk chocolate.
Absolutely! But because dried herbs are often more potent/concentrated than fresh herbs, you need less when using dry. The correct ratio is 1 tablespoon fresh herbs to 1 teaspoon dried herbs.
You can omit the okra or substitute with other vegetables such as zucchini, green beans or broccoli florets.
You can thaw frozen shrimp overnight, transferring it from the freezer to the fridge the day before. For a quick thaw, you can run them under cold water until completely thawed, about 5-10 minutes. Pat them dry as thoroughly as possible to remove any excess moisture (so they can brown nicely and evenly).
Gumbo is traditionally served hot with cooked white rice, scallions and hot sauce on the side.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Yes! You can freeze the leftovers in individual freezer bags for up to 3 months, thaw overnight, and reheat on the stovetop (adding a tablespoon of water as needed).
Easy Shrimp Gumbo
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 5 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 (12.8-ounce) package smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 ribs celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 ½ cups frozen sliced okra
- 1 ½ pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
Equipment
Instructions
- In a large saucepan of 2 cups water, cook rice according to package instructions; set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches, add sausage, and cook, stirring frequently, until sausage is lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes; set aside.
- Reduce heat to low; add butter and remaining 4 tablespoons vegetable oil to the Dutch oven, stirring until butter has melted, about 1-2 minutes.
- Whisk in flour until dark brown, about 20-25 minutes.
- Increase heat to medium; add onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 6-8 minutes.
- Stir in chicken stock, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven. Stir in sausage, tomatoes, Worcestershire, thyme and bay leaves.
- Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until reduced and flavors have blended, about 2 hours.
- Stir in okra until heated through, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in shrimp; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pink and cooked through, about 3-5 minutes.
- Remove from heat; discard bay leaves and stir in parsley.
- Serve immediately with rice and hot sauce, if desired.
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I love gumbo and lucky to have a Cajun momma who made shrimp & crab gumbo on weekends . People, made the recipe with all the ingredients, okra makes gumbo …gumbo is okra. . Momma substituted Rotel canned tomatoes to bring a Texas spice. She also used the shrimp shells to make stock, not chicken broth. I’ve never seen roux made with butter, vegetable oil is authentic, withstands the long browning process. She also browned sausage separately then added. This is good stuff!
You are absolutely correct! Okra’s name is gumbo.
I’m terrible at adding “salt to taste”. Could you readers tell me how much you used? Thanks so much!
Yummy! This is an excellent recipe! The only minor changes I made was I added 1 Tb Creole seasoning and I didn’t add okra, I didn’t have it on hand. We served it with rice. Everyone enjoyed it! This is such a delicious gumbo dish! I highly recommend it! Thank you so much!
We do not like okra. What could be substituted
Is it possible to see the answers to people’s questions? There seems to be quite a few that don’t like okra, myself included, so one answer would help us all.
Hi Barbara! You can omit the okra or substitute with other vegetables such as zucchini, green beans or broccoli florets. This is also listed above within the post. Hope that helps!
Looks delicious. Can I omit the okra ?
You can omit the okra or substitute with other vegetables such as zucchini, green beans or broccoli florets.
I’m going to make this! Recipe looks wonderful. We have one family member that is allergic to shrimp. Im wondering if i could brown chicken early on in the recipe and then right before i add the shrimp put some aside for them and then add shrimp. Do you think it would be good with both shrimp and chicken ?
Absolutely, sounds like a winning combo!
Sure, you can substitute something for the okra, but okra is really what gives it the taste. The okra cooks in and you don’t see it unless like us we use 2 bags of okra one that blends in and one at the end to have that wonderful taste. I was allergic to shrimp for a long time in my youth. I have made gumbo without the shrimp and just doubled the chicken.
Looks great, and I look forward to making it. But no Cajun or Creole spices?
No Cajun seasonings and no okra, why cook it? You just took everything that makes it gumbo out. It will be as bland as bland can be. Be adventurous. Make it the way they give it, and you will love it.
Thanks, Mike.
Like so many of your recipes, this looks like another winner and I’m going to give it a try soon (especially since we just happen to be at the Gulf coast vacationing the next few weeks so access to fresh shrimp will be an added bonus).
One question about the frozen okra … can you tell me what the equivalent number of 12 oz. bags will be needed to get to the 2-1/2 cups called for? Might not be a bad idea to add that info along side the 2-1/2 cups in the ingredient list. Thanks.
Following up to my own question. Made this recipe with a few modifications (including using store bought dry roux (Kary’s) mainly because I was lazy … but it worked quite well) and it was great.
As an FYI … a 12 oz. bag of frozen sliced okra is just about 2-1/2 cups (as the recipe calls for).
Can you suggest any substitution for the okra. I just can’t….
This does look delicious, but I’m a little apprehensive about the okra. What’s its texture after being cooked this way? I’ve never eaten or cooked with it, as I’ve always been put off by reports of its “sliminess.”
You can omit the okra or substitute with other vegetables such as zucchini, green beans or broccoli florets.
I have a question about okra. My family does not care for it. What is another substitute.?
You can omit the okra or substitute with other vegetables such as zucchini, green beans or broccoli florets.
Can this recipe be frozen, except for the okra and shrimp which could be added in the reheat?
Yes! You can freeze the leftovers without the shrimp and okra (or else they will get mushy) in individual freezer bags, thaw overnight, and reheat on the stovetop, adding freshly cooked shrimp, okra and rice when serving.
I make a lot of gumbo. You can freeze everything. I make about 2-8 gallon pots a month. I get 8 containers per pot and freeze all of it except what we need for a meal.
Cajun Mike