Southern Gumbo Recipe: Seafood, Sausage, and Roux Made Simple
A good pot of Southern Gumbo feeds more than hunger. It gathers people. The rich roux, the tender seafood, the smoky sausage, the bowl of rice on the table.If you have been unsure about making a dark roux or how to layer the flavors, this Southern Gumbo Recipe will walk you through it in clear, simple steps. It is flexible, forgiving, and built for family life.
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Calories: 1862kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup Flour
- ⅔ - 1 cup Avocado Oil (or your preferred oil)
Gumbo Base
- 2 tablespoons Paprika
- 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 1 tablespoon Onion Powder
- 1 tablespoon Dried Thyme
- 1 tablespoon Black Pepper
- 2 teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
- Real Salt , to taste
To Serve
- Rice , white or brown as preferred
Instructions
Make the Roux
- Set a heavy stockpot over medium-low heat. Add the oil, then the flour. Cook it as if you were making flour gravy.
- Stir and scrape constantly with a flat wooden spoon or whisk. Do not walk away especially at the last stages, you will have to stir it continuously. Watch it carefully, at this stage it will burn if you don’t keep it stirred.
- The roux will move from blonde to peanut to brown to dark chocolate. Stop at dark chocolate. You want the texture of moist, soft cookie dough.
- Once you have the consistency, remove from heat.
- Whisk in 11 cups of the chicken broth, holding back 1 cup for deglazing the skillet. Whisk until silky with no lumps.
Roux asks for patience. Don’t attempt any other task while you are making the Roux! Learn from my mistake on this one and save yourself from starting over. Plan for 30 to 45 minutes at the stove with steady, constant stirring at the last stage. It is worth it.
Adjust with a splash of oil or a sprinkle of flour to get the right consistency.
The darker the roux, the deeper the flavor. If it smells scorched, toss it and start again. Burnt roux will make the whole pot bitter.
Build the Pot
- Brown the sausage. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the sliced sausage 3–4 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
- Sauté the trinity. In the same skillet, add onion, celery, and garlic. Cook until tender but not browned. Be sure not to let your garlic brown, just get them good and hot.
- Deglaze. Pour in the reserved 1 cup chicken broth, to the skillet and scrape the bottom it well to get all the bits and pieces from the sausage incorporated.
- Then slide everything into the roux pot.
- Add all the other ingredients to the pot. Stir in bell pepper, okra, clams, crab, crawfish, and shrimp. Return the sausage to the pot.
- Now for the seasonings! Add paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, black pepper, cayenne, and Real Salt. Note: The amounts of these seasonings can be adjusted to suit your tastes. I tweak them to our taste after the gumbo has simmered for a while. These are just the starting points.
- Simmer. Bring just to a gentle simmer. Cook 30–45 minutes to meld flavors. Taste and adjust salt and heat.
- Cook the Rice. While you wait for the gumbo to simmer, cook your rice. You can use whichever rice you prefer, we tend to use brown rice as a health choice and use Lundberg brand.
- Serve your finished Southern Gumbo over hot rice and enjoy!
Notes
- Make-ahead roux: Cook the roux up to 5 days in advance. Store it in a glass bowl with a tight lid in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. Heat it up and follow the above instructions.
- Fridge: Store up to 4 days in a covered container. I make it one day, and we eat a bowl for lupper (our second meal of the day between lunch and supper since we only eat two meals a day). On day three, I divide the remaining gumbo into meal portions in freezer-safe containers and freeze for later use.
- Freezer: Portion into meal-size containers and freeze 3 to 4 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat slowly on the stove
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Southern Gumbo Recipe: Seafood, Sausage, and Roux Made Simple
Amount per Serving
Calories
1862
Calories from Fat 1350
% Daily Value*
Fat
150
g
231
%
Saturated Fat
18
g
113
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
22
g
Monounsaturated Fat
103
g
Sodium
25
mg
1
%
Potassium
786
mg
22
%
Carbohydrates
122
g
41
%
Fiber
14
g
58
%
Sugar
3
g
3
%
Protein
18
g
36
%
Vitamin A
8745
IU
175
%
Vitamin C
7
mg
8
%
Calcium
191
mg
19
%
Iron
15
mg
83
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.