Creole Seafood Gumbo Okra (Printer-friendly)
A rich Creole stew with seafood, smoky sausage, and tender okra in a flavorful, spiced broth.
# What You'll Need:
→ Seafood
01 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 1 lb lump crabmeat, picked over for shells
03 - 1 lb firm white fish (snapper or catfish), cut into chunks
→ Vegetables
04 - 2 cups okra, sliced
05 - 1 large onion, diced
06 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
07 - 2 celery stalks, diced
08 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
09 - 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes with juices
10 - 2 green onions, sliced
11 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
→ Meats
12 - 8 oz andouille sausage, sliced
→ Roux
13 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
14 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
→ Liquids and Seasonings
15 - 6 cups seafood stock or chicken stock
16 - 2 bay leaves
17 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
18 - 1 tsp hot sauce
19 - 2 tsp Creole seasoning
20 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
21 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
22 - Salt and black pepper to taste
→ To Serve
23 - Cooked white rice
# How to Prepare:
01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Gradually whisk in flour to create a roux. Cook, stirring constantly, until roux reaches a deep chocolate brown color, approximately 15–20 minutes.
02 - Add onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic to the roux. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables are softened and fragrant.
03 - Stir in sliced andouille sausage and cook for 3 minutes to render some fat and incorporate flavor.
04 - Add diced tomatoes with juices, sliced okra, seafood stock, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, Creole seasoning, thyme, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
05 - Add fish chunks to the simmering gumbo and cook for 5 minutes until fish begins to firm.
06 - Gently stir in shrimp and crabmeat. Cook until shrimp turn pink and opaque, about 3–4 minutes. Avoid overcooking to prevent tough seafood.
07 - Taste gumbo and adjust seasonings as needed. Remove bay leaves before serving. Ladle hot gumbo over cooked white rice and garnish with sliced green onions and fresh parsley.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The combination of shrimp, crab, and white fish creates layers of sweet seafood flavor that deepen as they simmer.
- That dark chocolate roux adds an indescribable smoky depth that you just cannot achieve any other way.
- Okra acts as a natural thickener while adding a lovely grassy note that balances the rich broth.
02 -
- That roux will continue cooking and darkening even after you add vegetables, so pull it off the heat when it reaches milk chocolate color if you are nervous.
- Overcooking the seafood makes it rubbery and sad, add the fish and shellfish only in the final minutes.
- Gumbo actually tastes better the next day as the flavors have more time to marry and develop.
03 -
- Pat the seafood dry with paper towels before adding it to the gumbo, this helps it sear rather than steam.
- Let guests add their own hot sauce at the table so everyone can control their preferred heat level.