New Orleans Shrimp Sausage Gumbo

Watch Recipe Video Above. New Orleans Shrimp Sausage Gumbo has an intense, complicated flavor that comes from making a patiently toasted roux, cajun spices, shrimp stock and finally okra which makes this thick, rich stew even better. This is a weekend project that's totally worth the time you'll spend on it because a big pot of this will bring the best kind of satisfaction.

Course Soups

Cuisine Creole

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings Portions

Calories 463kcal

Author Richa

Ingredients

¼ cup Canola Oil
3 tablespoons Butter
½ cup All Purpose Flour
1 Bayleaf
1 cup White Onions finely chopped
1 cup Celery finely chopped
1 cup Capsicum finely chopped (green bell pepper)
1 teaspoon Garlic
4 cups Low sodium Shrimp Stock
½ cup Crushed Tomatoes / tomato puree
½ cup Homemade Cajun Seasoning see Note 6 below
5-6 Andouille Sausages diced diagonally
2 cups Okra diced
15-20 Shrimp medium
Salt to taste
Parsley chopped (for garnishing)

Instructions

Start by preparing the roux. Heat oil and butter in a dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot and add flour. Cook the flour while stirring fairly regularly on a medium flame for 20 minutes till it gradually deepens in color to the color of peanut butter. It's important to keep stirring so that the flour doesn't stick to the bottom or burn (watch the video above to see how the flour changes color as it cooks).
Once the roux has reached the desired color, add the bayleaf, onions, celery and capsicum and stir for two to three minutes till the onions are tender. Add garlic and slowly start adding shrimp stock while stirring continuously till the mixture thickens a little and comes to a boil.
Stir in crushed tomatoes or tomato puree, cajun seasoning and salt (if using) along with sausages and okra. Mix this well and bring this to a boil. Once the stew starts boiling, reduce the flame and cover and let it simmer for 15 minutes or till the okra is cooked and not slimy anymore.
Add shrimp to the pot, simmer for 8-10 minutes and turn off the flame. (if using smaller or larger sized shrimp, cooking time will vary slightly). Top with chopped parsley and serve hot. This gumbo keeps for days and leftovers taste even better!

Video

Notes

Don't burn the roux: If you don't have a heavy bottomed pot, make the roux in a cast iron skillet or heavy bottomed pan and then transfer it to a regular soup pot. The key is to keep the flour from burning or sticking to the bottom.
Green Bell Peppers: I love the taste and flavor that green bell peppers add. They add a sharpness without being spicy. Avoid using yellow or red bell peppers because they are sweeter in taste.
Sausages: My favorite sausages to use in gumbo are andouille but if you can't get your hands on them, use any variety of pork sausages you like.
Shrimp Stock: Shrimp stock makes this gumbo really flavorful. Its best made at home and is really easy to make. Just cook shrimp heads and tails in water and then strain them and reserve the liquid.
Okra: If you plan to skip the okra, your gumbo will not be as thick. If your okra is over ripened, it will take longer to cook.
Cajun Seasoning: We use homemade cajun seasoning without the salt so that its easy to adjust salt in the recipe. However, if you are using store bought seasoning, reduce the cajun seasoning to 2 tablespoons, taste and then add more.

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