Gumbo Recipe

Prepare ingredients

Dice onion, pepper, and celery (the 'holy trinity'), mince garlic, slice sausage, and cut chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces. Measure out spices and stock.

Make the roux

In a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat, combine 3/4 cup vegetable oil and 3/4 cup all-purpose flour. Whisk or stir constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula. The roux will go from tan to peanut-butter color to medium-brown; this will take about 15–25 minutes. Monitor carefully to avoid burning — lower heat if it browns too quickly. You want a rich brown roux (color of milk chocolate) for deep gumbo flavor.

Soften the vegetables and brown sausage

Once the roux reaches desired color, quickly add the diced onion, green bell pepper, and celery to the roux (it will sputter). Stir and cook 5–7 minutes until vegetables soften. Add minced garlic and sliced andouille sausage and cook 3–4 minutes until sausage begins to brown and releases fat.

Add chicken and seasonings

Stir in the chicken pieces and cook 3–4 minutes to lightly brown exterior. Add 1 tablespoon tomato paste and cook 1 minute, then add 6 cups chicken stock while stirring to incorporate any roux lumps. Add bay leaves, 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Simmer gumbo

Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for 35–45 minutes to meld flavors and tenderize chicken. Skim any excess fat from surface if desired. Taste after 30 minutes and adjust salt, Cajun seasoning, or cayenne for heat.

Finish with file powder

Remove and discard bay leaves. Stir in 1 teaspoon file powder toward the end of cooking (or sprinkle at serving) to thicken and add traditional flavor. If you used file, add only just before serving to avoid gummy texture.

If adding shrimp or crawfish (+6): In the last 6–8 minutes of simmering, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet and quickly sauté 1 lb shrimp (or crawfish tails) about 1–2 minutes per side until just opaque. Alternatively, you can add raw shrimp directly to the gumbo and simmer 3–5 minutes until cooked through. Stir cooked seafood into the gumbo in the final 2–3 minutes to combine. Adjust seasoning and heat as needed.

Serve gumbo over hot cooked long-grain white rice (about 1 cup rice per serving if serving family-style; see servings below). Ladle gumbo into bowls over rice.

Garnish each bowl with sliced green onions and chopped parsley. Offer hot sauce at the table for additional heat.

Leftovers: Cool to room temperature, refrigerate in airtight containers up to 3–4 days. Gumbo often improves after a day — reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of stock if too thick.