I scanned through quite a few recipes for this, as I typically do when attempting something new. Many people claim their recipe is ‘authentic’, but I am always skeptical. One thing I’ve come across, though, especially in Louisiana-style cooking, is the amount of different ways there are to make the same dish. Recipes like gumbo are meant to be customized, and therefore everyone will have their own spin on it.

That being said, there was one recipe that really stood out. This gumbo recipe from Immaculate Bites seemed like a great starting point, as it had pretty much everything I wanted. Once I tried it, I was pleased that there were so few changes I made. The pictures were very helpful and it had a lot of great information.

What gumbo tastes like

Gumbo is one of those foods that is hard to describe the taste of. It is rich in flavor, but has so many tastes melded together that you can’t really put your finger on just one thing. The meat you use does play a part in it, as a seafood gumbo will have a different flavor profile than one made with chicken and sausage.

Gumbo

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

A unique, hearty dish from the South.

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Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp. avocado oil
• 1/3 cup flour
• 4 tsp. gumbo file, separated
• 4 cups broth/water

Vegetables

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced

Meat

• 10 oz. chicken andouille sausage
• 1 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs

Seasonings

• 1/2 Tbsp. smoked paprika
• 1/2 Tbsp. paprika
• 2 tsp. thyme
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1/4 tsp. adobo powder
• 1/4 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. basil
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne 
• 3 bay leaves
• Salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and sausage into rounds. Dice vegetables and mince garlic. Set aside.
2. Heat a cast iron skillet to medium-high (6-7). Once hot, lightly spray with avocado oil. Brown sausage then chicken in batches, as needed. Remove and set aside.
3. Heat a large pot to medium-low (3) and add avocado oil and flour to make a roux. Stir frequently until caramel in color and fragrant, ~10 minutes.
4. Once roux is done, add onion, bell pepper, and celery. Sauté 7-10 minutes until vegetables are soft, stirring often.
5. Add garlic, seasonings, chicken, and sausage. Stir for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add broth/water, bay leaves, and 2 tsp. gumbo file. Give seasonings a preliminary adjustment as needed, careful not to add too much salt. Cover and let simmer over medium-low (3) heat for at least 30 minutes, stirring often.
7. At the end of cooking, stir in remaining 2 tsp. of gumbo file and add salt, as needed. Remove from heat.