Savor this tasty, simple gumbo recipe, a Southern tradition.
Soup season is upon us! It’s one of my favorite parts of cool weather. You can set up a slow cooker full of comfort food or cook up soups and stews to feed many folks for days. Gumbo is a Louisiana staple, favored for its use of seasonal ingredients. You can make this your own by using ingredients you love or local seasonal ingredients, or you can follow the recipe as is. Either way, you won’t be disappointed by the full flavor of this Southern dish.
Ingredients
- 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced into coins
- 8 cups chicken stock or bone broth
- 1 small bundle green onions, diced
- The “Holy Trinity”: 1 bunch celery, 1 medium yellow onion, 1 green bell pepper, all diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 bundle parsley, diced
- 4 to 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
- 2 cups precooked shrimp
- Hot rice for serving
- Filé powder for serving
Roux
- 1 heaping cup all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup olive oil
Directions
- Make the Roux: In a large stockpot, combine the flour and oil. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring constantly for 30 to 45 minutes. When it’s finished, it should be as dark as chocolate and have a soft, cookie-dough-like consistency. Be patient and careful not to let it burn! Feel free to add a little more flour or oil as needed to reach this consistency.
- Brown the sausage: In a separate skillet on medium-high heat, place the sausage slices in the pan. Brown them well on both sides (2 to 3 minutes). Remove to a plate.
- Cook the vegetables: Add 1/2 cup of the chicken stock to the hot skillet to deglaze the pan. Pour the broth and drippings into the stockpot.
- Add remaining chicken stock, vegetables, and herbs to the stockpot and stir well.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the vegetables are slightly tender. Skim off any foam that rises to the top. Stir in the Cajun seasoning to taste.
- Add sausage, chicken, and shrimp. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes over medium-low heat.
- Taste test and adjust seasonings as desired.
- Serve gumbo warm over rice, and top with filé to taste.
Hannah McClure is an old soul and mother of four from Ohio. In her spare time, she enjoys sewing, gardening, raising chickens and seasonal hogs, and baking and cooking from scratch. With a love of good food, she enjoys using high-quality, locally sourced or homegrown ingredients in her recipes, including goat milk and cheeses. Find Hannah on Instagram @MuddyOakHennHouse.
Originally published in the November/December 2025 issue of Grit magazine and regularly vetted for accuracy.
