Cajun Gumbo
This authentic Cajun Gumbo is made with a dark roux, holy trinity, and lots of meaty goodness. Serve it over rice. A perfect meal for a cozy weeknight or a special event!
As you might probably guess, I love eating and making comfort food recipes that are loaded with fresh produce and quality ingredients. This gumbo is certainly no exception.
Y'all, this Authentic one-pot Cajun Gumbo recipe is bursting with flavor. A native Louisianian shared this beloved recipe with me. It begins with a deeply rich roux base, holy trinity, sautéed aromatics, and a lot of meaty goodness. Comfort food at its finest!
I have never made or eaten anything like the aroma that rises from the pot of simmering Cajun gumbo! No matter how much I eat gumbo, how well it meets my cravings for comfort food, or how delicious it is, it always seems to taste a little bit different.😋😉
Jambalaya vs. Gumbo
Jambalaya is essentially a rice dish, whereas gumbo is a stew thickened with roux and containing sausage, chicken, and/or seafood. While the ingredients for both jambalaya and gumbo can be somewhat the same, the preparation method and the final product's flavors are very different. Here's my favorite jambalaya recipe!
How To Make Cajun Gumbo?
Making Cajun Gumbo is easy but requires enough time, dedication, and patience. But, here I compile all the basic steps with lots of pro tips to make authentic Cajun gumbo so that you get flavorful and delicious gumbo every time. So, let's get started!
Cut up your veggies and have these ready. You do not want to be doing this during the next step. I typically chop all of my veggies into 1/4" squares, give or take, for a gumbo.
Make the roux. If you've never made a traditional roux, be prepared as this can take 30-60 minutes depending on your heat. I set my burner to medium. Get the 1c of oil pretty warm and whisk in the 1.5c flour. Make sure everything is combined well. DO NOT LEAVE THE POT. A burned roux is a sad thing and very easy to do. You need to keep stirring and get some Maillard reaction going on. For my gumbo, I like a mid-dark roux(roughly the shade of an old penny), but this isn't required. anything tan to dark is okay, but any differences will make a noticeable change in the end result. If you mess this up—- throw it out and start over. — Just remember that the lighter the roux, the more thickening power it has, so make changes as necessary.
Add the vegetables to the roux. Once the roux has reached the color you are comfortable with, add the chopped vegetables to the roux and mix well. This stops the browning of the roux and wilts the vegetables. Cook this over medium heat for 15 minutes or so, stirring everything around every 5 minutes or so.
Prep the sausage and chicken. While the vegetables are cooking, you can start chopping your sausage and getting your chicken ready. If you opted for a whole chicken, quarter it. If you bought pieces, just place them in with the sausage. I personally remove as much skin as possible from the chicken here. Also, the sausage you use will make a huge difference in the end result. Hillshire farms, Bryan, etc. just do not make a sausage of good enough quality to use here. Splurge and find a good smoked sausage, preferably an andouille if accessible. My two personal favorite brands that are easy to find (In Louisiana at least) are Richards and Veron.
Add the chicken and sausage. Once the vegetables have wilted, toss in your chicken and sausage. The steps are the same here as they were for the vegetables. Stir every 5 minutes, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot while stirring. Sausage and chicken will start browning on the bottom of the pot here. Browning is good, burning is not. I typically do this for 15-20 minutes to get good browning going.
Now you can start adding your stock. I highly recommend starting slowly, adding a cup or so at a time to make sure it's completely incorporated before adding more. This will make sure the roux is perfectly mixed with the broth so you don't have any clumps lingering around. Add around 3-4 quarts total. Volume depends on the consistency you would prefer for your gumbo. I personally used 4 quarts here, half chicken and half beef stock.
Bring everything to a simmer/soft boil and add some seasoning. I added some crabby Cajun seasoning here to get things started. Let this roll for around 1 hour, lid on, then come back and spoon off the oil that has accumulated at the top of the gumbo.
Pull out the chicken, remove the meat from the bones, and add it back to the pot.
Add bay leaves and crabby Cajun seasoning to taste. You can add some fresh basil or thyme here if you'd like. I liked it, so I did. Cook for another hour, lid off.
Give it one last taste test before serving. It's okay to slightly over season your gumbo since it will be served over steamed rice, but be careful to not go overboard.
Serving Suggestions
Traditionally, Cajun Gumbo is eaten with cooked long-grain rice. However, if you wish to go all out, serve it with a side of homemade potato salad on the side or right in the center of your gumbo bowl.
Leftovers Storage Guidelines
The leftover Cajun Gumbo taste even better the next day as the flavors get some chance to meld. Gumbo can be kept refrigerated for 3-4 days in airtight containers.
This Cajun Gumbo recipe yields a good amount, and it freezes pretty nicely too. To freeze, let it cool fully before storing it for two to three months in a freezer-safe container (apart from the rice). Reheat the leftover Cajun Gumbo on the stovetop or in the microwave after thawing overnight in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Difference Between Creole And Cajun Gumbo?
The stylistic variations of gumbo, according to Louisianans', are the only real distinction between the two cuisines. While Cajun gumbo comprises meat or seafood and is normally made with a darker roux and no okra, Creole gumbo is typically made with okra, tomato, and sometimes a combo of meat and seafood.
What Does Cajun Gumbo Taste Like?
Cajun Gumbo has a flavor that is similar to the proteins, aromatic vegetables, and dark roux that you use. But some gumbos don't have a roux; instead, they derive flavor from other ingredients like seafood, tomatoes, and okra.
Who Invented The Gumbo?
Louisiana gumbo's origins can be traced back to West Africa when enslaved Africans transported okra (or gombo as it is termed in regional tongues) to the Caribbean and the South US.
