Gumbo Recipes: 14 Cozy Pots, Starting With the Creole Queen Who Inspired Princess Tiana

Gumbo recipes are the best reason to light up the stove when the nights turn cold, and nobody made gumbo more famous than Leah Chase. For more than 70 years she ran the kitchen at Dooky Chase’s in New Orleans, where civil rights leaders, presidents and neighbors all came to eat. People called her the Queen of Creole Cuisine, and Disney based Princess Tiana on her. Below are her famous green gumbo, the classic chicken and andouille, a seafood pot, a turkey gumbo for Thanksgiving leftovers and a slow cooker version, plus the roux tricks that make them all work..

Gumbo Recipes Start in Leah Chase’s Kitchen

Before she became the real woman behind Disney’s Princess Tiana, Leah Chase was the cook who kept a New Orleans dining room full for decades. She won the James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016 and cooked until she was in her 90s. She passed away in 2019 at 96, and her restaurant still serves her gumbo. Start with this big Creole pot inspired by hers..

You will need: 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup flour, 1 onion, 3 celery ribs, 1 green bell pepper, 4 cloves garlic, 1 lb smoked sausage, 1/2 lb ham (cubed), 1 1/2 lb chicken wings or thighs, 10 cups chicken stock, 1 tbsp paprika, 1 tsp thyme, 1 lb shrimp, 1/2 lb crab meat, 1 tsp filé powder, parsley, rice.

How to make it: 1. Brown the sausage, ham and chicken in a big pot and set them aside. 2. Make a dark roux with the oil and flour. 3. Add the onion, celery, pepper and garlic and cook 5 minutes. 4. Whisk in the stock, return the meats and add the paprika and thyme. 5. Simmer 1 hour, then add the shrimp and crab for 5 minutes. 6. Off the heat, stir in the filé and parsley and serve over rice.

Gumbo z’Herbes, Leah Chase’s Holy Thursday Pot

Once a year, on Holy Thursday before Easter, Leah Chase made her famous green gumbo, and people lined up for it. Gumbo z’herbes is made with a big mix of greens cooked down until silky, and her version also had meat in it, like smoked sausage and ham. It is one of the oldest gumbo recipes in New Orleans, and folks used to say you should use an odd number of greens for good luck. How many kinds of greens would you dare to add?

You will need: 1 bunch each collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens and spinach, 1 small cabbage, 1 bunch green onions, 1 bunch parsley, 1 lb smoked sausage (sliced), 1/2 lb ham (cubed), 1 onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1/4 cup oil, 1/4 cup flour, 8 cups water or stock, 1 tsp thyme, cayenne, salt.

How to make it: 1. Wash and chop all the greens, then simmer them in the water for 30 minutes. 2. Drain, save the cooking liquid, and chop or blend the greens fine. 3. Brown the sausage and ham in a big pot and set aside. 4. Cook the oil and flour into a medium brown roux, then add the onion and garlic. 5. Stir in the greens, meat, thyme and 6 cups of the saved liquid. 6. Simmer 45 minutes, season with cayenne and salt, and serve over rice.

Gumbo Recipes Start Here: Chicken and Andouille

If you only learn one, make it this one. Chicken thighs stay tender in the long simmer, and smoky andouille sausage gives the whole pot its deep flavor. The base is the holy trinity of Louisiana cooking: onion, celery and green bell pepper. Of all the gumbo recipes in Louisiana, this is the one most families make on a Sunday, and it tastes even better on Monday. Do you like your gumbo thick like stew or thin like soup?

You will need: 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup flour, 1 large onion, 3 celery ribs, 1 green bell pepper (all chopped), 4 cloves garlic, 2 lb boneless chicken thighs, 1 lb andouille sausage (sliced), 8 cups chicken stock, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp Cajun seasoning, green onions, cooked white rice.

How to make it: 1. Season and brown the chicken in a heavy pot, then set aside. 2. Brown the sausage and set aside. 3. Add the oil and flour and stir over medium-low heat for 30 to 40 minutes until the roux is the color of chocolate. 4. Stir in the onion, celery, pepper and garlic and cook 5 minutes. 5. Slowly whisk in the stock, then add the chicken, sausage, bay leaves and seasoning. 6. Simmer 1 hour, shred the chicken and serve over rice with green onions.

How to Make a Dark Roux for Gumbo Recipes

Almost all gumbo recipes begin the same way: flour and fat stirred in a heavy pot until they turn dark brown. Cooks in Louisiana call it the color of chocolate or an old penny. The secret is low heat and patience, about 30 to 45 minutes of stirring. If you see black specks or smell something bitter, it burned, and you have to start over. Have you ever burned a roux?

You will need: 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or bacon fat), 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, a heavy pot (cast iron or enameled), a flat wooden spoon or whisk, your chopped onion, celery and bell pepper ready next to the stove.

How to make it: 1. Warm the oil in the pot over medium-low heat. 2. Whisk in the flour until smooth. 3. Stir constantly, scraping the bottom and corners. 4. Watch it go from blond to peanut butter to milk chocolate, about 20 to 30 minutes. 5. Keep going to a dark chocolate color if you like a deep, nutty gumbo. 6. Add the chopped vegetables right away to stop the cooking.

Gumbo Recipes From the Coast: Shrimp and Crab

On the coast, gumbo often means seafood. Shrimp and lump crab go in at the very end so they stay sweet and tender. Leah Chase’s famous Creole gumbo at Dooky Chase’s mixed seafood with sausage and chicken, which shows there is no single right way. Use the shrimp shells to make a quick stock and your gumbo will taste twice as rich. Shrimp, crab or both?

You will need: 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup flour, 1 onion, 2 celery ribs, 1 green pepper (chopped), 4 cloves garlic, 8 cups seafood or shrimp-shell stock, 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp thyme, 2 lb shrimp (peeled), 1 lb lump crab meat, green onions, cooked rice.

How to make it: 1. Make a medium-dark roux with the oil and flour. 2. Add the onion, celery, pepper and garlic and cook 5 minutes. 3. Whisk in the stock, then add the tomatoes, bay leaves and thyme. 4. Simmer 45 minutes. 5. Add the shrimp and cook 3 minutes, then gently fold in the crab. 6. Turn off the heat, add green onions and serve over rice.

Okra Gumbo, the Old-School Thickener

Many people believe the word gumbo comes from a West African word for okra, and okra has been part of the dish for a very long time. Cooked okra helps thicken the pot naturally. To keep it from getting slimy, fry the slices in a little oil first until the strings disappear. Older gumbo recipes lean on okra, and it is a great way to use the last okra of the season. Do you love okra or avoid it?

You will need: 1 lb fresh or frozen okra (sliced), 3 tbsp oil, 1/3 cup oil and 1/3 cup flour for the roux, 1 onion, 2 celery ribs, 1 green pepper, 3 cloves garlic, 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, 8 cups chicken stock, 1 lb smoked sausage, 1 lb shrimp, Cajun seasoning, rice.

How to make it: 1. Fry the okra in 3 tbsp oil for 15 minutes, stirring, until no longer stringy. Set aside. 2. Make a medium-brown roux with the rest of the oil and the flour. 3. Add the onion, celery, pepper and garlic and cook 5 minutes. 4. Stir in the tomatoes, stock, sausage, okra and seasoning. 5. Simmer 45 minutes. 6. Add the shrimp for the last 3 minutes and serve over rice.

Filé Gumbo and the Sassafras Secret

Filé is a powder made from dried, ground sassafras leaves, and it is the third way to thicken gumbo besides roux and okra. It has an earthy flavor, a little like thyme and root beer. The rule is simple: stir it in at the end, off the heat, or sprinkle it on each bowl, because boiling makes it stringy. Many gumbo recipes from Cajun country call for it, and families keep a little jar on the table, like salt.

You will need: 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup flour, 1 onion, 2 celery ribs, 1 green pepper, 3 cloves garlic, 8 cups chicken stock, 1 1/2 lb chicken thighs, 1 lb smoked sausage, 1 lb shrimp, 1 tsp thyme, 2 bay leaves, 1 to 2 tsp filé powder, green onions, rice.

How to make it: 1. Make a dark roux with the oil and flour. 2. Add the vegetables and garlic and cook 5 minutes. 3. Whisk in the stock and add the chicken, sausage, thyme and bay leaves. 4. Simmer 1 hour and shred the chicken. 5. Add the shrimp and cook 3 minutes, then take the pot off the heat. 6. Stir in the filé powder, or pass it at the table to sprinkle on each bowl.

Gumbo Recipes for Thanksgiving Leftovers: Turkey and Sausage

In Louisiana, the day after Thanksgiving means turkey gumbo. Boil the carcass for a rich stock, then use the leftover meat in a big pot with smoked sausage. It is one of the smartest gumbo recipes of the year, because it turns one holiday dinner into a whole second meal, and it feeds a crowd for very little money. Freeze a few containers for busy December nights. What do you usually do with the turkey bones?

You will need: 1 turkey carcass, 12 cups water, 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup flour, 1 onion, 3 celery ribs, 1 green pepper, 4 cloves garlic, 1 lb smoked sausage (sliced), 4 cups leftover turkey (shredded), 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp Cajun seasoning, green onions, rice.

How to make it: 1. Simmer the turkey carcass in the water for 2 to 3 hours, then strain to get about 8 cups of stock. 2. Brown the sausage in a big pot and set aside. 3. Make a dark roux with the oil and flour. 4. Add the onion, celery, pepper and garlic and cook 5 minutes. 5. Whisk in the stock, add the sausage, bay leaves and seasoning, and simmer 45 minutes. 6. Stir in the turkey, heat through and serve over rice.

Easy Gumbo Recipes: Slow Cooker and Instant Pot

You still need a roux for flavor, but the long simmer can happen without you. Make the roux on the stove, then let the slow cooker do the rest while you are at work. In an Instant Pot, sauté the vegetables, add the roux and stock, and pressure cook for 15 minutes. Either way, you come home to a pot of gumbo that tastes like it took all day.

You will need: 1/3 cup oil, 1/3 cup flour, 1 onion, 2 celery ribs, 1 green pepper, 3 cloves garlic, 6 cups chicken stock, 1 1/2 lb chicken thighs, 1 lb andouille sausage (sliced), 1 cup sliced okra, 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, 1 tsp Cajun seasoning, 2 bay leaves, rice.

How to make it: 1. Make a medium-brown roux on the stove. 2. Stir in the onion, celery, pepper and garlic and cook 3 minutes. 3. Whisk in 2 cups of stock until smooth. 4. Pour into the slow cooker with the rest of the stock, chicken, sausage, okra, tomatoes and seasoning. 5. Cook on LOW 6 to 8 hours or HIGH 4 hours. 6. Shred the chicken, remove the bay leaves and serve over rice.

The Oven Roux Shortcut

Scared of standing at the stove for 40 minutes? Try an oven roux. You whisk the flour and oil in a heavy oven-safe pot and bake it, stirring every 15 minutes or so, until it turns dark brown. It is much harder to burn, and your hands are free to chop the vegetables. Some cooks make a big batch and keep it in the fridge for weeks, ready for all their gumbo recipes.

You will need: 2/3 cup vegetable oil, 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, a heavy cast iron or oven-safe Dutch oven, a whisk, oven mitts. For storage: a clean glass jar with a lid.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F. 2. Whisk the oil and flour in the pot until smooth. 3. Bake uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring every 15 to 20 minutes. 4. Take it out when it is the color of milk chocolate or darker. 5. Use it right away, adding your vegetables carefully because it is very hot. 6. Or cool it and keep it in a jar in the fridge for up to a month.

Weeknight Gumbo Recipes: Smoked Sausage and White Beans

This is the 45 minute gumbo for a busy Tuesday. Smoked sausage brings big flavor fast, and a can of white beans makes it hearty without much work. Use a quick medium roux instead of a dark one to save time. It is cheap, filling and kid friendly, and it is a nice change from chili on a cold night. Would your family try beans in gumbo?

You will need: 1/3 cup oil, 1/3 cup flour, 1 onion, 2 celery ribs, 1 green pepper, 3 cloves garlic, 14 oz smoked sausage (sliced), 2 cans (15 oz) white beans (drained), 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, 6 cups chicken broth, 1 tsp Cajun seasoning, 1/2 tsp thyme, green onions, rice.

How to make it: 1. Brown the sausage in a pot and set aside. 2. Cook the oil and flour for about 12 minutes to a peanut butter color. 3. Add the onion, celery, pepper and garlic and cook 5 minutes. 4. Whisk in the broth, then add the tomatoes, beans, sausage and seasoning. 5. Simmer 25 minutes. 6. Top with green onions and serve over rice.

Gumbo With a Scoop of Potato Salad

Here is a Louisiana habit that surprises a lot of people: a scoop of cold potato salad right in the hot gumbo, or on the side. Many families swear it is the only way to eat it, no matter which of their gumbo recipes is on the stove. The creamy, tangy salad cools each spoonful and soaks up the broth. Have you tried it? A) Yes, always B) Never, rice only C) I would try it D) No way

You will need: 2 lb red potatoes, 3 hard-boiled eggs (chopped), 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 tbsp yellow mustard, 2 tbsp sweet relish, 1 celery rib (minced), 2 green onions (sliced), 1/2 tsp paprika, salt and pepper.

How to make it: 1. Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. 2. Drain, cool a little and cut into cubes. 3. Mix the mayonnaise, mustard and relish. 4. Fold in the potatoes, eggs, celery and green onions. 5. Season with salt and pepper and dust with paprika. 6. Chill 1 hour and serve a scoop in or next to each bowl of gumbo.

Make It Ahead: Gumbo Tastes Better Tomorrow

Ask anyone from New Orleans and they will tell you gumbo is better on day two, after the flavors settle overnight. That makes gumbo recipes perfect for holiday weeks and busy schedules. Cool it quickly, skim off any fat from the top, and freeze it without the rice. Leave the shrimp out if you plan to freeze it, and add fresh shrimp when you reheat.

You will need: 1 big pot of finished gumbo (without rice or shrimp), shallow containers for cooling, freezer-safe containers or zip bags, labels, fresh shrimp and rice for serving day.

How to make it: 1. Divide the hot gumbo into shallow containers so it cools fast. 2. Refrigerate within 2 hours. 3. Skim off the fat that firms up on top. 4. Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. 5. Thaw overnight in the fridge. 6. Reheat gently on the stove until it simmers, add fresh shrimp for the last 3 minutes and serve over fresh rice.

What to Serve With Gumbo

Rice in the bowl is a must with all gumbo recipes, but the sides make it a meal. Crusty French bread is perfect for dunking, and a pan of cornbread is the cozy choice. Add a simple green salad or that scoop of potato salad. For the full Dooky Chase’s experience, read Chowhound’s story on Leah Chase and Princess Tiana, and for more Louisiana flavor see these Cajun dinners that bring the Big Easy to your kitchen. Which side wins? A) French bread B) Cornbread C) Potato salad

You will need: For the rice: 2 cups long-grain white rice, 3 cups water, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp butter. For garlic French bread: 1 loaf French bread, 1/2 cup soft butter, 3 cloves garlic (minced), 2 tbsp chopped parsley.

How to make it: 1. Bring the water, salt and butter to a boil and stir in the rice. 2. Cover and cook on low for 18 minutes, then rest 5 minutes and fluff. 3. Heat the oven to 400 F. 4. Mix the butter, garlic and parsley. 5. Split the bread, spread it with the garlic butter and bake 10 minutes. 6. Serve a scoop of rice in each bowl with the bread on the side.