Gumbo
Gumbo
A dark roux, the trinity, and a pot that is Creole or Cajun depending on who is stirring — not a generic chilli.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: Gumbo.
0 people cooked this in the public kitchen yet. Kitchen-tested by I Want Some Food. Not a purchased rating.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 10 min
- Total
- 1 hr 35 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- Medium heat
- Cost
- Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Gumbo starts with a roux you cook past blonde, often to chocolate, then onion, celery and green pepper, then stock and okra or filé, then chicken, sausage or shrimp. Rice on the side. This is a home pot, not a museum of every Gulf variant at once.
Ingredients
- Wheat flour80 g
- Neutral oil80 ml
- Onion2
- Celery2 stalk
- Bell pepper, green1
- Okra200 g
- Chicken (optional)400 g
- Prawn300 g
- Pork, andouille or smoked sausage150 g
- Garlic4 clove
- Rice, uncooked, to serve300 g
- Water1½ l
- Salt7.4 ml
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Stir flour and oil over medium heat until the roux is the colour of milk chocolate, 15–20 minutes. Do not burn it.
20 minStep 2
Onion, celery, pepper, garlic. Then stock, okra, chicken and sausage. Simmer 40 minutes. Shrimp in the last 5. Rice.
50 min
Adapt this recipe
The canonical recipe stays intact. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are maths, not AI.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 24 August.
Substitutions
Andouille → Any smoked sausage
Name it.
Tips
- Filé (sassafras) off the heat is the other thickener. Okra is this pot.
- A blonde roux is a different, lighter gumbo. Still a gumbo.
History & culture
Louisiana. West African okra (the name likely from ki ngombo), French roux, and the people who cooked it under conditions that should not be a fun fact.
African, French, Spanish and Native technique in one pot. Creole and Cajun versions argue about tomatoes and filé.
Regional variation
Provenance: Editorial adaptation. Original editorial adaptation for I Want Some Food. Not copied from another recipe site. Official recipe photography is pending. Photograph: Kate via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gumbo%20-%20Kate%202012.jpg
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips — not a chatbot.
How long does Gumbo take?
1 hr 35 min all in — 25 min prep, 1 hr 10 min cook. That is the time on this recipe, not a guess.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 6 pots. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Medium.
How spicy is it?
Medium heat.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Wheat, Shellfish. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Dairy-free, Nut-free.
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Dutch oven.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1½ tsp.
What can I use instead?
Andouille → Any smoked sausage. Name it.
Any tips from this recipe?
Filé (sassafras) off the heat is the other thickener. Okra is this pot. A blonde roux is a different, lighter gumbo. Still a gumbo.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
Similar dishes
Jambalaya
Jambalaya
Rice cooked in the pot with the meat — Louisiana, not paella, not a dump-and-stir rice mix.
1 hrMedium🌶️🌶️
Sinigang
Sinigang
A sour Filipino soup — tamarind, tomato, radish, greens, and pork or fish. The sour is the point.
1 hr 5 minEasyNo chilli
Black bean & meat stew - feijoada
Black bean & meat stew - feijoada from Brazil. Times were inferred from the source steps.
10 hr 48 minMedium🌶️