Broccoli New Orleans & Cheese Gumbo Recipe

Trim broccoli into bite-sized florets and set aside. Finely dice the onion, celery, and green bell pepper (classic 'holy trinity' of New Orleans). Mince the garlic. Shred the cheddar and grate the Parmesan. Slice and cook sausage if using.

Sauté aromatics

In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt 2 tbs butter over medium heat. Add diced onion, celery, and green bell pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Make roux

Push the vegetables to the side, add the remaining 2 tbs butter to the center of the pot and melt. Sprinkle the flour over the butter and vegetables and stir continuously with a wooden spoon or whisk to form a blond roux. Cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until the raw flour smell is gone and the mixture turns a pale golden color.

Add liquids

Gradually whisk in the chicken stock and whole milk, a ladle at a time, making sure to smooth out any lumps. Add the heavy cream, Creole seasoning, dried thyme, bay leaf, black pepper, and kosher salt. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.

Simmer

Add the broccoli florets to the simmering soup. Cook uncovered for 8–10 minutes until broccoli is tender but still bright green. If using sliced sausage, add it to the simmer now to heat through.

Temper and add cheese

Lower the heat to low. Remove the bay leaf. To prevent cheese from seizing, ladle about 1 cup of the hot broth into a heatproof bowl with the shredded cheddar and stir to temper. Gradually add the tempered cheese mixture back into the pot, stirring constantly until smooth. Stir in the grated Parmesan and Worcestershire sauce. If the soup seems too thick, stir in up to 1/2 cup additional stock or milk to reach desired consistency.

Adjust seasoning

Taste and adjust seasoning with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, lemon juice, and optional hot sauce. Stir in chopped fresh parsley and remove from heat.

Ladle the gumbo into bowls over a scoop of cooked white rice if desired. Garnish with sliced green onions and an extra sprinkle of shredded cheddar or Parmesan. Serve with crusty bread on the side. Leftovers will thicken when chilled; reheat gently over low heat with a splash of milk or stock.