Hey, I am Elena, and this gumbo recipe is my cold night cure and my show off dish when family drops by unannounced. You get deep flavor, tender seafood, and that slow cooked magic we all chase. Yes, you can make it on a weeknight if you start early. I do, and I still have time to wash the pot before bed. We start with a dark roux that smells nutty, then fold in peppers, onion, and celery. The steam hits your face, and you know dinner is going to be good. Shrimp go in near the end, crab joins the party, and andouille brings a little fire. One spoon tastes like the coast and the porch and the stories that go long. You can take this seafood gumbo recipe easy and keep it simple, or you can slide the same base into a gumbo recipe crockpot plan for busy days. Want a healthy gumbo recipe idea? Use light oil and extra okra. Cooking for a friend who does not do meat? Try my vegetarian gumbo recipe notes. Craving a cajun gumbo recipe that stays close to home and reads like an authentic gumbo recipe? We are on the same page.
Table of Contents
- 1 Key Takeaways
- 2 Easy Louisiana Seafood Gumbo Recipe
- 3 Ingredients for Louisiana Seafood Gumbo
- 4 How to Make Louisiana Seafood Gumbo
- 5 Tips for Making Louisiana Seafood Gumbo
- 6 Making Louisiana Seafood Gumbo Ahead of Time
- 7 Storing Leftover Louisiana Seafood Gumbo
- 8 Try these Main Course next
- 9 Louisiana Seafood Gumbo
- 10 Nutrition
1 Key Takeaways
I am Elena from Elena Cooks and I cook this Louisiana Seafood Gumbo often. The pot brings a warm perfume. The spoon finds rich stock and tender seafood. The bowl goes quiet because we eat. The main idea stays simple. Build a dark roux. Layer the trinity of onion pepper and celery. Add stock and let time round the edges. Finish with okra shrimp and crab. Serve with rice.
The gumbo recipe works on a calm weeknight or on a Sunday that runs long. I have made it fast when the day felt crowded. I have made it slow when I needed calm. Either path gives comfort. The method gives control. The flavor gives soul.
Use good stock. Keep the roux moving. Season in small steps and taste often. Hold back the shrimp until the end. Rest the pot before serving. Rice waits in warm bowls. We gather and we eat. That is the point.
2 Easy Louisiana Seafood Gumbo Recipe
I keep this gumbo recipe close. Gumbo recipe lovers like a bowl that tastes deep yet feels light on the spoon. Gumbo recipe cooks want steps that read clean and clear. I hear both sides and I cook with both in mind. When I want dinner to hug the table and not steal the night I reach for this pot and start whisking.
We begin with oil and flour that turn the color of milk chocolate. The smell turns nutty and toasty. I toss in onion pepper and celery and listen to the soft sizzle. Garlic goes in. Thyme and paprika wake up. Bay leaves drift. The stock joins in small pours. The surface goes glossy and smooth. I add tomatoes for lift and andouille for a gentle spark.
Okra brings body and a clean earth note. Shrimp slide in near the end and turn pink. Crab follows and melts into the broth. I cut the heat and stir in filé. Steam rises and fogs the kitchen window. We taste and we nod. This easy plate fits a busy life. It reads like a recipe for gumbo that knows what matters most. It also bends to tools like a gumbo recipe crockpot plan when time runs tight.
3 Ingredients for Louisiana Seafood Gumbo
Neutral oil I use a cup in the roux. The oil holds steady heat and gives the flour room to brown without sharp notes.
All purpose flour The partner for the oil. The flour toasts and thickens the broth. The color guides you from pale to deep.
Onion Dice one large onion. It brings sweetness as it softens and balances the roux.
Green bell pepper Dice one. The pepper adds a fresh snap that keeps the bowl lively.
Celery Three ribs diced. The celery gives an herbal bite and helps the trinity hold shape.
Garlic Four cloves minced. The garlic blooms fast so it goes in after the trinity softens.
Dried thyme A teaspoon gives a woodsy base that tucks under the seafood.
Bay leaves Two leaves bring a gentle tea note that warms the broth.
Smoked paprika A teaspoon adds color and a soft smoke trail.
Kosher salt Season in layers to keep the flavor clear.
Black pepper Fresh ground wakes up the surface of the broth.
Cayenne A teaspoon if you like a playful kick. I do.
Warm stock Six cups seafood stock make a coastal bowl. Chicken stock works too when that is what you have.
Diced tomatoes One can drained. The tomatoes add gentle acid and color.
Andouille sausage One pound sliced. The sausage adds round spice and a tender chew.
Shrimp One pound peeled and deveined. The shrimp cook fast and go in at the end.
Lump crabmeat One pound picked over. The crab melts into the stock and leaves sweet flavor.
Okra Two cups sliced. Okra brings body and a clean garden taste for a healthy gumbo recipe feel.
Filé powder Two tablespoons stirred off the heat for a silky finish.
Scallions A bunch sliced for a fresh snap at the end.
Parsley A handful chopped for color and cool flavor.
Cooked white rice Warm bowls wait for the ladle.
Hot sauce Set a bottle on the table for folks who like extra heat.
4 How to Make Louisiana Seafood Gumbo
Step one Whisk oil and flour in a heavy pot over medium heat. Keep the spoon moving until the mix turns chocolate brown. The roux smells nutty and looks glossy. The base for this classic gumbo bowl now stands ready.
Step two Stir in onion pepper and celery. Cook until soft. Add garlic thyme paprika bay salt black pepper and cayenne. The pot smells warm and inviting.
Step three Pour warm stock in small waves and whisk smooth. Add the drained tomatoes. Let the pot simmer and relax. The surface turns silky.
Step four Add andouille and okra. Simmer until the okra softens and the broth thickens. Taste and season.
Step five Slide in shrimp. When the shrimp turn pink and firm add the crab. Cut the heat and stir in filé. Rest the pot for a few minutes.
Step six Spoon the gumbo over warm rice. Top with scallions and parsley. Pass hot sauce at the table. This reads like a simple gumbo cooking guide that still hits deep flavor.
5 Tips for Making Louisiana Seafood Gumbo
Keep the roux moving. I whisk with a relaxed wrist and watch the color. If the smell turns sharp I lift the pot and keep whisking off the heat. The mix calms and I return to the burner. A steady hand saves the base.
Salt comes in layers. A small pinch in the roux after the trinity softens and again near the end. The stock may bring salt too. Taste and adjust. The goal is clear flavor that lets seafood shine.
Save the shrimp for the finish. Shrimp turn rubbery if they sit too long. They need only a few minutes. Crab likes the same gentle touch. If you want a seafood gumbo recipe easy path prep and measure everything before you turn on the stove.
6 Making Louisiana Seafood Gumbo Ahead of Time
I build the base ahead of time when guests come over. I cook the roux trinity spices stock tomatoes and sausage. I stop there. I cool the pot and chill it. The day feels lighter because the heavy lifting is done.
Before dinner I warm the base and add okra. When the broth thickens I add shrimp and crab. The seafood stays tender. The timing stays calm. This approach fits a gumbo recipe crockpot plan as well. Make the base on the stove then move it to the slow cooker set on low. Finish with seafood right before you serve.
For a healthier swing I use less oil in the roux and add extra okra. That small change gives a healthy gumbo recipe take without losing comfort. The bowl still feels rich. The spoon still finds depth.
7 Storing Leftover Louisiana Seafood Gumbo
Leftovers taste even better the next day. I chill the pot fast. I cool on the counter for a short spell then move to shallow containers. The fridge keeps the flavor steady for three days.
Reheat on low in a pot and stir now and then. Add a splash of stock if the broth feels tight. Rice warms in a covered bowl. The table fills again and no one complains. For a freezer plan skip the seafood and freeze the base. Add shrimp and crab after you thaw and reheat.
Crave a short cut phrase for search. Try shrimp gumbo when you want a quick reference or crab gumbo when you shop for seafood or okra gumbo when summer markets look full. Each path points back to this same pot and the same cozy table.
8 Try these Main Course next
9 Louisiana Seafood Gumbo
Elena’s Louisiana Seafood Gumbo Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup neutral oil
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 3 ribs celery diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne optional
- 6 cups seafood or chicken stock warm
- 1 can diced tomatoes drained
- 1 pound andouille sausage sliced
- 1 pound medium shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 pound lump crabmeat picked over
- 2 cups sliced okra fresh or frozen
- 2 tablespoons filé powder
- 1 bunch scallions sliced
- 1 handful parsley chopped
- Cooked white rice for serving
- Hot sauce for serving
Instructions
- Make the roux. In a heavy pot whisk oil and flour over medium heat, keep whisking until the color turns the shade of chocolate. Be patient and do not stop whisking.
- Stir in onion, pepper, and celery, cook until soft. Add garlic, thyme, bay, paprika, salt, black pepper, and cayenne.
- Ladle in warm stock a little at a time, whisk smooth, then add tomatoes. Simmer until the flavor rounds out and the pot smells toasty.
- Add andouille and okra, simmer until okra is tender and the broth thickens.
- Stir in shrimp and crab, cook just until shrimp turn pink and firm.
- Turn off the heat, stir in filé powder. Taste and adjust salt and heat.
- Serve over hot rice. Top with scallions and parsley. Pass hot sauce at the table.
10 Nutrition
One cup serving with rice holds about four hundred twenty calories. Protein lands near twenty eight grams. Fat sits near twenty two grams with about six from saturated fat. Carbs reach near twenty four grams with three grams of fiber. Sodium can climb near nine hundred eighty milligrams based on your stock and sausage. These numbers shift with your choices and your bowl size. I share them as a guide for peace of mind and planning.
This piece appears on Elena Cooks found at https://www.elenacooks.com and it reflects how I cook at home. The main phrase appears here one last time for search help gumbo recipe. I hope it leads you to a warm bowl and a happy table.
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