There are SO many ways to make a soul-warming, homemade Gumbo, but this recipe is the one I always make for my family. I use andouille sausage, chicken thighs, and the Cajun holy trinity of vegetables (onion, celery, and bell pepper) to build layers of deep flavor. It’s comforting and, best of all, budget-friendly! But the real heart of any good gumbo? The roux. It needs to be brown, like the color of dark milk chocolate, and just right…rush it, and you lose that signature flavor. Burn it, and you’ll have to start over. But don’t worry! I’ll walk you through exactly how to make the perfect roux every single time.
Gumbo is a seriously flavor-packed stew that originated in Louisiana and brings together all the different cultures and culinary influences of the region. I love making it when I want something rich, hearty, and made for sharing. And while there are many variations of this recipe out there, this easy and budget-friendly version is my go-to. I skip the okra and filé powder (ground sassafras leaves) to keep things simple and to my taste, but feel free to toss in some okra at the end if you’d like.
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Gather all of your ingredients.
Prep your ingredients: Start by dicing 1 green bell pepper, 3 ribs of celery, and 1 yellow onion. You should also mince 4 cloves of garlic so it’s all ready to go. Set the vegetables to one side for now.
Slice the 14 oz. package Andouille sausage into ½-inch rounds and set it aside. Now, cut 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces (about ½-inch pieces). Season the diced chicken with 1 ½ tsp creole seasoning and ¼ tsp garlic powder. Set the chicken aside.
Brown the sausage and chicken: In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 Tbsp cooking oil and the sliced Andouille sausage. Cook for about 5 minutes until the sausage is browned on all sides. Carefully transfer the browned sausage to a plate.
In the same skillet (with the fat from the sausage!), add the chopped and seasoned chicken thighs. Cook the chicken until browned and cooked all the way through, stirring often. This will take about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to the same plate with the sausage and cover it with foil. Set the plate aside.
Make the roux: Heat a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-low heat and add ¾ cup cooking oil and ¾ cup all-purpose flour. Cook and stir the roux with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring constantly until the roux starts to change color. We eventually want it to resemble dark milk chocolate, but it will take time! This step is a labor of love.
After about 20 minutes, the roux will be a light brown color. Keep stirring it often, and don’t walk away or turn up the heat, or it could burn.
After another 10-20 minutes, the roux will start to resemble the color of milk chocolate, which is what we want. This entire process took me about 30-40 minutes total.
Make the gumbo: When your roux is the correct color, turn the heat up to medium and add the diced bell pepper, celery, onion, and garlic. Mix to combine them with the roux and cook for 4-5 minutes until the veggies start to soften.
Add 1 Tbsp creole seasoning, ½ tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp dried thyme, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, and 6 cups chicken broth to the pot. Stir to evenly combine the seasonings.
Now, add your browned sausage slices, cooked chicken thighs, and 3 bay leaves to the pot. Stir to combine and bring it up to a gentle boil. When it starts boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer (without a lid) for 30 minutes. Be sure to stir it occasionally.
Finish and serve: Once it has simmered, taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking. I personally didn’t add any other seasonings as I liked it how it is! Serve with sliced green onions on top and a serving of cooked white rice.
The roux is a very important part of gumbo. I like to brown the sausage and cook the chicken in a skillet, then make the roux in a separate pot. This is because the browned bits that are left after cooking the meat can sometimes burn if cooked in the same pot as the roux. If the roux burns at all or has a burnt taste to it, it’ll ruin the whole dish.
Here are some more tips for success to help you out (even if it’s your first time making a dark roux!)
I see this question pop up every so often, so I thought I’d give a brief explanation. Both dishes are staples of Cajun and Creole cuisine, but they’re quite different in how they’re prepared. Jambalaya is a one-pot rice dish where the rice cooks with the other ingredients, soaking up all the flavors. Gumbo, on the other hand, is a thick, stew-like dish made with a dark roux as a base and served over rice rather than cooking it all together. Both recipes feature the holy trinity of onion, celery, and bell pepper, as well as different proteins, but it’s really their preparation and serving style that set them apart!
Gumbo is traditionally served with white rice, just as I do in this recipe. I also sprinkle a few sliced green onions on top to finish my bowl off. It’s already very filling and hearty all on its own, so I don’t usually add any more sides. However, I know some people love to serve a creamy Cajun potato salad on the side. A slice of French bread or garlic bread would also be great for dipping into the broth!
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Let them cool to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container. This recipe also freezes well for longer storage and can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge and bring it to a gentle boil on the stovetop to ensure it’s heated thoroughly.
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