Creole Seafood Gumbo Okra (Printable)
A flavorful Creole dish featuring shrimp, crab, sausage, and okra in a spiced, savory broth.
# What You 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
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:
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 diced onion, green bell pepper, celery, and minced 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 fat and develop flavor.
04 - Add diced tomatoes with juices, sliced okra, seafood stock, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, Creole seasoning, dried thyme, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
05 - Add white fish chunks to simmering gumbo and cook for 5 minutes.
06 - Gently stir in shrimp and crabmeat. Cook until shrimp turn pink and are cooked through, approximately 3–4 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Remove bay leaves before serving.
07 - Ladle hot gumbo over cooked white rice. Garnish with sliced green onions and chopped fresh parsley.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The roux creates an incredible depth of flavor that you just cant get from shortcuts
- Its a one pot meal that feeds a crowd and tastes even better the next day
- The combination of shrimp, crab, and fish makes every bite feel luxurious without being fussy
02 -
- A burnt roux tastes bitter and cant be saved, so stay patient and keep that whisk moving
- Adding seafood too early makes it tough, so time it carefully for the last minutes of cooking
- The gumbo will continue to thicken as it sits, so dont panic if it seems thin at first
03 -
- Cold roux added to hot liquid prevents lumps, but here were building it in the same pot
- Taste your gumbo before adding more salt, as the seafood and sausage bring plenty of natural seasoning