Gumbo Recipe
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Gumbo makes a delicious meal any time of the year. Get this wonderful recipe, along with the quick-fix version for an amazing Gumbo you’ll love to make!
This easy recipe makes a delicious, flavorful, and amazing gumbo recipe. While not a classic gumbo recipe, it is always a crowd-favorite recipe.
Table of Contents
How to Make Easy Gumbo Recipe
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
For this recipe, you’ll need a whole chicken, butter, onion, celery, bell pepper, okra, garlic, smoked sausage, smoked ham, diced tomatoes, diced tomatoes with peppers, navy beans, Ole Bay seasoning, bay leaves, chicken stock, raw shrimp, and cooked white rice.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Place the chicken into a large Dutch oven. Cover with water plus about 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for about 2 hours. Remove chicken from water and set aside to cool. Add butter, onion, celery, bell pepper, okra, and garlic to chicken stock.
- Pull the chicken from the bone and add back to the stock. Add in the sliced Polish sausage, and ham. Cook for about 10 minutes to allow all the juices to be incorporated.
- Pour in diced tomatoes and diced tomatoes with peppers. Smash Navy beans with a fork while in the can and then pour them into the Dutch oven along with Ole Bay seasoning and bay leaves.
- Bring to a boil and stir in additional chicken stock. Cook for 10-15 minutes and then stir in shrimp. Cook until shrimp has turned pink, about 5 more minutes.
- Remove bay leaves from the Dutch oven and Dutch oven from the heat. Serve over rice (optional) or by itself.
Recipe Variations
Shorten the cooking time. I’ve included cooking the whole chicken for this recipe. That causes the recipe cooking time to be over 2 hours. However, don’t shy away from this recipe because of that. To make this recipe more quickly, switch out rotisserie chicken and take a look at the notes section of the recipe card for the changes in how to prepare it. It takes this recipe from the two-plus hours down to about 30 minutes!
You may also want to try my quick shrimp and sausage gumbo recipe. It is delicious, too!
Here’s our Gumbo recipe. I can’t wait to hear how you like it.
Gumbo Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (2-3) pound whole chicken
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 medium onion, diced
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 2 bell pepper, deseeded and diced
- 2 cups sliced okra
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1-inch slices
- 1 cup diced smoked ham
- 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, , with juices
- 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes with peppers, , with juices
- 1 (10-ounce) can Navy beans
- 2 tablespoons Ole Bay seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups chicken stock or broth,
- 1 pound raw small shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cleaned
- 4 cups cooked white rice, optional
Instructions
- Place chicken into a large Dutch oven. Cover with water plus about 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for about 2 hours. Remove chicken from water and set-aside to cool. Add butter, onion, celery, bell pepper, okra, and garlic to chicken stock.
- Pull chicken from the bone and add back to the stock. Add in Polish sausage, and ham. Cook for about 10 minutes to allow all the juices to incorporate.
- Pour in diced tomatoes and diced tomatoes with peppers. Smash Navy beans with a fork while in the can and then pour into the Gumbo along with Ole Bay seasoning and bay leaves.
- Bring Gumbo to a boil and stir in additional chicken stock. Cook for 10-15 minutes and then stir in shrimp. Cook until shrimp has turned pink, about 5 more minutes.
- Remove bay leaves from the Gumbo and the Dutch oven from the heat. Serve Gubmo over rice (optional) or by itself.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
EXCELLENT
Memories! My grandma would make Gumbo all the time, she even won a cook off contest in Louisiana, I am trying this one because it has no roux! Since the gallbladder came out I can’t do Roux. Thanks for sharing!
ooops, typos, sorry…
I meant to say;
I was also curious as to when to add the Old Bay seasoning and bay leaves, but I figured it best to add them just before adding the shrimp. Worked just fine.
A note to comment #1 Leah, I recommend making the full recipe. I believe it to be more economical. Simply divvy out the leftovers into two or three freezer safe containers and freeze for later meals. I can just about guarantee it will be even better after the flavors all marry up in th freezer.
Reheat by dropping the frozen chunk into a boiler, cover and simmer on low heat stirring occasionally. Or if you have a food saver with boil safe bags, simply plop a bag into boiling water.
I’ve always avoided, though have been curious of adding maters to my gumbo recipes, and never considered adding beans. But this recipe and article pushed me over the edge. I did it and I loved it.
I was also curious as to when to add the seasoning and bay leaves, but I figured it best to add when I added them just before adding the shrimp. Worked just fine.
I have to say, even though it’s an awesome dish, I consider it a stew instead of gumbo. Sorry, but gumbo just ain’t gumbo without th roux. 🙂
Can’t wait to try this out.When should I throw in the bay leaves and the old bay ? Thanks .
you have Old Bay seasoning in the ingredient list and, unless I’m blind, I’m not seeing when you add it to the pot. I assume it goes with the water the chicken cooks in.
You’re right about the Old Bay Seasoning. She also doesn’t say what to do with the garlic or the Bay Leaves. I threw it all in with the water and the chicken. Crazy that no one else picked this up. Obviously no one intended to make it! I’m making it and I hope it’s good, or certainly worth the effort.
Look at 3. I the instructions and you will find what ur looking for.
sounds interesting and will try it, but can’t imagine gumbo without a roux.
I make one that is very similar, minus the ham and tomatoes. Looks delicious!!
Yum, this looks so mouth-watering! I can’t wait to try this, it looks so satisfying!
Mmmmm. I want to swan dive into that pot!