Gumbo Quart Recipe

Make a dark roux

In a heavy-bottomed 3–4 quart saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat, combine the vegetable oil and flour. Whisk constantly. The mixture will first turn sandy, then light brown, then peanut-butter colored. Continue whisking and cooking until it reaches a deep brown color similar to milk chocolate, about 12–18 minutes. Reduce heat as needed to prevent burning. Remove from heat briefly if the roux smokes heavily, then continue to cook to desired color.

Sauté the holy trinity

Once the roux is dark, add the diced onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Return to medium heat and stir into the roux, cooking until the vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, about 5–7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.

Brown sausage and combine

Add the sliced andouille or smoked sausage to the pot and stir to combine, cooking 3–4 minutes to release some fat and warm through.

Deglaze and build the broth

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Pour in 1 cup water to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Then add the chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, Creole seasoning, dried thyme, bay leaf, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

Simmer and fold in chicken

Bring the gumbo to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low and partially cover. Simmer gently for 20–25 minutes to deepen flavors, stirring occasionally. After 10 minutes of simmering, add the shredded cooked chicken to heat through so it takes on the gumbo flavor without overcooking.

Finish seasoning and optional seafood

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or hot sauce. If adding shrimp or crawfish, stir them in during the final 5 minutes of simmering (for raw shrimp, add with 5–6 minutes remaining; for pre-cooked crawfish, add just to warm for 2–3 minutes). If using, sprinkle file powder just before serving and stir once to incorporate.

Hold and serve

Remove and discard the bay leaf. Keep gumbo hot and stirring occasionally if holding to-go. Portion into a quart container when ready, leaving room for rice on top or underneath per packaging preferences.

Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch. Combine the rinsed rice, 1 3/4 cups water, and 1/4 tsp salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a low simmer, cover tightly, and cook 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

For plating to-go: Spoon about 1 cup cooked rice into the bottom of the quart container (or on top if preferred), then ladle gumbo over the rice, leaving container headspace for sealing.

Top the gumbo with chopped green onions and parsley. Include lemon wedges on the side if serving with shrimp. Pack hot, sealed for to-go service.

Refrigerate within 2 hours. To reheat, transfer gumbo to a saucepan and warm over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until simmering. Add a splash of water or stock if thickened. Reheat rice separately in a microwave or on the stovetop with a few drops of water to prevent drying.