How to Make Sausage and Shrimp Gumbo

I love to eat so learned to cook over the years. I also enjoy sharing the little I know with interested others.

Flavorful and Hearty Sausage and Shrimp Gumbo

This recipe makes a flavorful pot of hearty gumbo. It’s not too spicy, but you can adjust that to your liking if spice is your thing. This is the perfect dish to serve over rice for a cozy winter warm-up—or you might even serve it at a rockin' summer social. Either way, it’s sure to be a hit with all your family and friends, and I’m betting they’ll ask you to make it again and again.

This sausage and shrimp gumbo recipe is super easy to make, too, particularly if you follow these few words of advice:

Pro Tip: Prep Everything First!

Prepare (cut, chop, mince, measure, etc.) all your ingredients first. If you start off making a roux and then turn away to chop celery, onions and green peppers, you might just end up with a do-over on the roux. When the recipe says to stir the roux constantly, you need to stir the roux constantly, meaning there won’t be time to turn away and chop veggies and sausage at that point. Additionally, once the roux is cooked to perfection, you’ll want to add the cut-up ingredients immediately . . . remember to gather and prepare (cut, chop, mince, measure, etc.) all your ingredients first!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 package smoked sausage, bias cut, 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 can diced tomatoes, mild
• 1 pound shrimp, frozen, peeled, deveined, tail-on
• 1 small bag okra, frozen (optional)
• 1 small container mushrooms, sliced (optional)
• 2 cups basmati white rice, cooked

Instructions

1. Prepare your ingredients. Dice the onion, chop the bell pepper and celery, mince the garlic (I personally buy and use minced garlic in a jar, but nothing beats freshly minced garlic, so, your call). Finally, bias-cut the smoked sausage into slices approximately ¼-inch thick. Set all these ingredients aside in bowls and other appropriate containers so they are ready to use when you’re ready to use them.
2. Make a roux. In a large Dutch oven or other pot, add melted butter and flour and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until roux starts to turn a light, nutty brown color. This will take at least 5-10 minutes.
3. Add the onions, celery, bell pepper to the roux and stir. Continue to cook over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes, or until the vegetables start to soften and become lightly translucent.
4. Next, add the smoked sausage and stir until everything is mixed together.
5. Add chicken broth, garlic, red chili flakes, Old Bay seasoning, bay leaves, salt, pepper and Rotel tomatoes. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated. If you are going to use mushrooms, now is the time to add them to the liquid stew in the pot.
6. Bring the gumbo to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer on low heat for 1 hour, and add shrimp and frozen okra (again, if you are going to use okra) about 15 minutes before serving.
7. Serve over prepared basmati rice and enjoy!

Step-by-Step Photo Guide

1. Prepare your ingredients. Dice the onion, chop the bell pepper and celery, mince the garlic (I personally buy and use minced garlic in a jar, but nothing beats freshly minced garlic, so . . . your call). Finally, bias-cut the smoked sausage into slices approximately ¼-inch thick. Set all these ingredients aside in bowls and other appropriate containers so they are ready to use when you’re ready to use them.

2. Make a roux. In a large Dutch oven or other pot, add butter and flour and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until roux starts to turn a light, nutty brown color. This will take at least 5-10 minutes.

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3. Add the onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic to the roux and stir. Continue to cook over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes, or until the vegetables start to soften and become lightly translucent.

Note: sometimes you have to make do with what you have. On this day, I didn't have any peppers in the house, so I just went without...and so it goes.

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4. Next, add the smoked sausage and stir until everything is mixed together.

5. Add chicken broth, garlic, red chili flakes, Old Bay seasoning, bay leaves, salt, pepper and Rotel tomatoes. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated. If you are going to use mushrooms, now is the time to add them to the liquid stew in the pot.

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6. Bring the gumbo to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer on low heat for 1 hour, and add shrimp and frozen okra (again, if you are going to use okra) about 15 minutes before serving.

7. Serve over prepared basmati rice and enjoy!

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© 2020 greg cain

Comments

greg cain (author) from Idaho, USA on December 21, 2020:

Hi Fran - great! Yes, we had this once again just last night when my son came home from university for the holiday break. Yummy!

Hope you have a wonderful holiday season yourself, Fran. Be well and be safe.

fran rooks from Toledo, Ohio on December 20, 2020:

Can't wait to try this. Sounds delicious. Thank you.

Alnajda Kadi from Tirana Albania on December 18, 2020:

I will for sure, especially now on holidays.☺️

greg cain (author) from Idaho, USA on December 18, 2020:

Alnajda - oh my, indeed! Hope you get to give it a try one day soon. Be well and be safe.

Alnajda Kadi from Tirana Albania on December 18, 2020:

Oh My!

greg cain (author) from Idaho, USA on December 18, 2020:

Thanks, Louise! Hope you get opportunity to enjoy it one day soon. Be well, be safe and enjoy the holiday season.

Louise Powles from Norfolk, England on December 18, 2020:

I'm hungry now. That looks lovely!

greg cain (author) from Idaho, USA on December 18, 2020:

Thanks, Peggy! We love it, too and, indeed, are going to have gumbo made with this recipe for our dinner tomorrow evening. Hope you have a wonderful holiday season, as well. Be safe, and be well.

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on December 18, 2020:

Like Bill, we love gumbo. About time to make more of it! Thanks for the reminder and your recipe.

greg cain (author) from Idaho, USA on December 18, 2020:

Bill - you're definitely all over it, man! It seems like I only just hit publish on this!

I lived in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama for a time in each of four different decades. In addition, my mom and dad both learned to make gumbo when we lived in Louisiana, and they passed along their love of this wonderful dish to all three of us kids in my family.

Hope you one day get a chance to enjoy this dish with your bride. I hope also, very sincerely, that you have a wonderful holiday season. We all need it after this insane year, wouldn't you say?

Bill Holland from Olympia, WA on December 18, 2020:

I'm all over this recipe. I love gumbo. I spent six months in New Iberia Parish, Louisiana, back in the early 70's, and fell in love with gumbo there. Thanks for the reminder and recipe, my friend, and Happy Holidays to you and your family.