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Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

Shrimp and sausage gumbo with a deep chocolate-brown roux for a rich, velvety broth. Loaded with the Cajun Holy Trinity, okra, and tender shrimp, then served over fluffy steamed rice.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Southern
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Shrimp
  • 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Andouille sausage
  • 1 lb andouille sausage, sliced
Vegetables (Holy Trinity and okra)
  • 1 cup green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup celery, diced
  • 1 cup onion, diced (the Cajun Holy Trinity)
  • 2 cup okra, sliced
Aromatics and seasonings
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
  • 1 tsp filé powder (optional) Optional; add after simmering
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 0.1 salt and pepper to taste Season at the end
Roux and broth
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup vegetable oil
  • 6 cup shrimp or chicken broth
Serving
  • 0.5 cup Steamed rice, parsley, and green onions for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the dark roux
  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat and whisk in the all-purpose flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 30-35 minutes until the roux turns deep chocolate-brown and looks smooth.
Build the gumbo base
  1. Add the green bell pepper, celery, and onion (the Cajun Holy Trinity) to the roux and cook for 5 minutes. Stir often so the vegetables soften without scorching.
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Keep stirring until fragrant.
  3. Gradually pour in the shrimp or chicken broth while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Add the andouille sausage, Cajun seasoning, and bay leaves as you finish the broth.
Simmer and finish
  1. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes. Keep the heat steady so it bubbles gently.
  2. Add the sliced okra and cook for 15 more minutes. It should turn bright green and begin to thicken the broth.
  3. Add the peeled and deveined large shrimp and cook for 3-5 minutes until pink and just cooked through. Turn off the heat as soon as the shrimp curl.
  4. Stir in filé powder if using. Add it off the boil and mix until smooth.
  5. Remove the bay leaves and season the gumbo with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot over steamed rice with parsley and green onions.

Notes

For the darkest roux without burning, keep the Dutch oven over steady medium heat and stir constantly until the flour goes from blond to deep chocolate-brown. Gumbo keeps 3-4 days in the fridge in a covered container and reheats well; freeze up to 2 months (shrimp can soften a bit after thawing). For a lighter option, use low-sodium broth and reduce the Cajun seasoning slightly while still seasoning at the end.