whats typically in gumbo

Traditional New Orleans cajun gumbo with shrimp, andouille sausage, and chicken with rice and hot sauce.

If you think of gumbo as synonymous with Louisiana, you’re right to. This soul-satisfying stew-and-rice dish originated in the Bayou State, but it’s a dish with a complex history that boasts multiple variations. So, what exactly is gumbo and what’s in it? And what’s the difference between gumbo and jambalaya, another famous Louisiana dish? Here, we answer your burning gumbo questions and share our best gumbo recipes.

Gumbo is a hearty stew that’s served hot over rice. Gumbo can be made with numerous combinations of fresh or smoked sausage, meat, seafood, and/or vegetables. Gumbo is a symbol of Louisiana cuisine, but its origins are varied and its history complex. As author Toni Tipton-Martin explains in Jubilee, “The word gumbo comes from gombo, the word in several West African languages for okra, which may explain why early renditions of the thick, aromatic stew contained okra, along with vegetables, meat, or seafood.” Other historians posit that gumbo has roots in Choctaw stew; some recipes still call for Native American filé powder, made from dried and ground leaves of sassafras trees, to thicken and flavor the stew. Still others believe that French influence factors in and that gumbo is a derivation of bouillabaisse, a Provencal fish stew. Later, gumbo recipes started to incorporate French and Creole influence by making a roux to thicken the dish.

Gumbo and jambalaya are both dishes with Louisiana roots and Creole and Cajun heritage. But the main difference comes down to the rice. Whereas gumbo is a hearty stew that’s served over rice, jambalaya is a protein-and-vegetable-based stew in which ingredients are cooked with the rice. As Tipton-Martin cites in Jubilee, quoting from Heidi Haughy Cusick’s Soul and Spice: African Cooking in the Americas, “The name jambalaya is pure Louisiana Creole: jamb comes from the French word for ham, ala is French or Acadian and means ‘of’ or ‘with,’ and ya is an African word for rice.”

Gumbo also often relies on making a roux to thicken the sauce, whereas jambalaya doesn’t utilize a roux. Just as there are different types of gumbo depending on historical origins, ingredient availability and family recipes, there are different types of jambalayas. Creole jambalaya, aka red jambalaya, is made with tomatoes. Cajun jambalaya, or brown jambalaya, does not contain tomatoes. Gumbo and jambalaya both rely on a mirepoix of finely diced onions, peppers and celery, which is commonly referred to as “the holy trinity.” Both gumbo and jambalaya may contain different combinations of seafood, fresh or smoked sausages (like andouille), ham, poultry, game, other meats and vegetables.

Surf and Turf Gumbo

Food Network Kitchens Surf and Turf Gumbo

Matt Armendariz, 2012, Television Food Network, GP. All Rights Reserved

This hearty, feeds-a-crowd gumbo features both meat and seafood, including sausage, chicken cooked in sausage drippings, and tender shrimp. Gumbo filé, a powder made from dried and ground sassafras tree leaves, is used to thicken and season the stew.

To make the roux for this classic gumbo, flour is cooked in andouille and chicken drippings until light golden brown. It cooks down further with the holy trinity mirepoix, okra and garlic, yielding a roux that strikes a balance between flavoring and thickening agent.

Food stylist: Jamie Kimm Prop stylist: Marina Malchin,Food stylist: Jamie KimmProp stylist: Marina Malchin

Black eyed peas and kale (or Swiss chard) anchor this hearty vegetarian gumbo. It achieves a savory depth thanks to a combination of soy sauce, smoked paprika and finely chopped onions, green peppers and celery (aka the holy trinity).

This chicken-based gumbo riff utilizes chicken drippings cooked in flour to create a dark roux that imparts a savory, toasty depth of flavor and a creamy texture. Don’t be afraid to cook the roux awhile, say 12 to 15 minutes, when it’ll start to smell like roasted peanuts.

Food Network Kitchen’s Big Batch Andouille Gumbo.

Matt Armendariz, Copyright 2015

It takes a little extra prep work, but this big batch gumbo pays dividends in soul-satisfying suppers, especially if you freeze extras in easy-to-thaw-portions. In addition to andouille sausage, this gumbo features okra, which helps thicken the soup.

Food Network Kitchens Slow-Cooker Freezer-Pack Gumbo, as seen on Food Network.

This short-cut gumbo recipe skips the time-consuming roux step and pulls in a small amount of rice that thickens the stew as it cooks low and slow with the other ingredients, including a Cajun spice blend. Serve over hot rice or with crusty bread for dipping and mopping.

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What Is In Gumbo?

Gumbo is a hearty stew made from combinations of seafood, meat (such as andouille, chicken and ham) or vegetables that’s served hot over cooked rice. Gumbo can be thickened with okra, file, or a roux, a French and Creole method of cooking equal parts flour and fat. There are different schools of thought on how long the roux should be cooked, and therefore how dark it gets.

Gumbo can be made with near-endless protein combinations. Two well-known types of gumbo are seafood gumbo, which often includes shrimp, oysters and crabs, and chicken-and-sausage gumbo, made with andouille sausage. Okra gumbo utilizes okra to thicken the stew; common varieties include shrimp-and-okra or chicken-and-okra gumbo. Gumbo z’herbes, also called green gumbo, is made with a variety of greens and vegetables. It is often vegetarian and traditionally served during Lent in Louisiana’s Catholic communities, but it can also be made using ham, sausage or meat-based stock. At her New Orleans restaurant, Dooky Chase’s, the late chef Leah Chase (aka “Queen of Creole Cuisine”) made her gumbo z’herbes with collard, mustard, and turnip greens, spinach, romaine, green cabbage, and beet and carrot tops, among other ingredients.

Many gumbo recipes call for making a roux, which is responsible for either thickening the stew or adding a creamy texture and a deep toasty flavor. A roux is made by cooking equal parts flour and fat, such as butter, oil, lard, rendered fat such as bacon, or pan drippings, which creates an extra flavorful roux. Many gumbo recipes call for a dark roux, which imparts more flavor but doesn’t thicken the stew as much. To learn more about the different types of roux and how to make them, check out our How to Make a Roux guide.

Easy gumbo recipe – authentic gumbo recipe

FAQ

What is in gumbo in New Orleans?

What are the three types of gumbo?

What ingredients are in gumbo?

Most gumbos however, have a sweetness from the Holy Trinity, a combination of onion, bell pepper, and celery used to flavor a soup base. There’s more than one way to make gumbo, but the essential gumbo ingredients are: 1. The Holy Trinity: The Cajun Holy Trinity recipe calls for one part white onion, one part green bell pepper, and one part celery.

Gumbo vs Jambalaya: Which is healthier?

Gumbo is made using roux or okra where as jambalaya is made without roux but at times cornstarch is used as thickener. In both of these rice is served. In Gumbo rice is served but the rice is cooked in a separate pot and stew is served alongside. Where as Jambalaya is cooked with two parts of liquid to one part of rice, it is cooked until the liquid cooks down. Jambalaya should turn out dry, it should not be watery or mushy. Compared to Gumbo, Jambalaya is healthy as it is low in fat. Regular consumption of Gumbo may result in overweight and life style related complications.

What makes gumbo so special?

Gumbo, with its rich, soulful flavors, is more than just a comforting stew—it’s flavors are a nod to Louisiana’s rich history, blending Creole and Cajun traditions with influences from the West African, French, Spanish, and Native American folks who made this place their home.

What are the different types of gumbo?

Today, different regions of the country have their own styles of gumbos, which have evolved to capture readily available ingredients from those regions. This is why you’ll see gumbos ranging from an okra thickened gumbo and tomato-filled Gullah gumbo to a seafood and tomato Creole one to a greens-filled gumbo z’herbes.