Easy one-pot Creole gumbo made with shrimp and sausage. This homemade version starts with a butter-and-flour roux and is brimming with fire-roasted tomatoes, okra, celery, onions, green pepper and Cajun seasoning. It’s hearty, comforting, and simple to make with everyday ingredients.
This gumbo resembles a thick stew or soup and shares roots with other Louisiana classics like jambalaya. While similar in ingredients and flavor profile, gumbo uses a roux and is typically served over rice, whereas jambalaya cooks the rice directly in the dish.
Key ingredients
- Butter — for flavor and to form the roux.
- Flour — all-purpose flour to thicken the gumbo.
- Vegetables — onion, green pepper, celery, garlic, okra and fire-roasted tomatoes.
- Protein — shrimp and andouille sausage provide classic Creole flavor.
- Seasonings — Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.
- Bay leaves — add during simmering and remove before serving.
- Broth — low-sodium chicken broth works best to control saltiness.
Variations
- Switch proteins — use shredded rotisserie chicken, crawfish, or leftover shredded beef.
- Skip the okra — omit if you don’t care for its texture.
- Adjust the heat — add cayenne, jalapeño or hot sauce for more spice, or reduce Cajun seasoning for a milder dish.
- Serve over pasta — try elbow, shells or spaghetti in place of rice.
- Vegetarian — omit the meat and add extra vegetables or plant-based sausage.
- Low-carb — serve over cauliflower rice.
- Try other vegetables — zucchini, cabbage, carrots or spinach work well.
How to make one-pot Creole gumbo with shrimp and sausage
1. Make the roux. Melt butter in a large nonstick pot, add flour and stir constantly until the roux reaches a golden-brown color.
2. Saute the vegetables. Add onion, green pepper and celery; cook until softened, then add garlic until fragrant.
3. Add sausage and seasonings. Stir in sliced andouille, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper and cook briefly to release flavors.
4. Add liquids and simmer. Pour in low-sodium chicken broth, fire-roasted diced tomatoes and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
5. Finish with okra and shrimp. Stir in frozen okra during the last 15 minutes. Add peeled and deveined shrimp in the final 5–8 minutes, cooking until opaque and just done.
6. Serve. Remove bay leaves, ladle gumbo over boiled rice and enjoy.
What to serve with this gumbo
- Corn — grilled, boiled or creamed corn pairs nicely.
- Salad — a light green salad balances the richness.
- Bread — cornbread, rolls or breadsticks are great for soaking up the sauce.
Tips and techniques
- Shrimp prep — peeled and deveined shrimp are easiest to eat; shells add flavor but can be removed before serving.
- Watch the shrimp — remove them as soon as they turn opaque to avoid toughness.
- Adjust consistency — thin with more broth if too thick, or simmer uncovered to reduce if too thin.
- Add delicate ingredients late — add okra and shrimp near the end to prevent them from becoming mushy.
- Control salt — use unsalted butter and low-sodium broth and a salt-free Cajun blend if possible.
- Use a nonstick pot — it helps prevent burning, especially when making the roux.
- Don’t burn the roux — stir constantly and watch for a golden-brown, almost caramel color.
Recipe FAQs
A roux is a mixture of fat and flour cooked together to thicken sauces and soups. Melt the butter, stir in flour, and cook while stirring until it reaches the desired color and aroma, then whisk it into the liquid.
Gumbo uses a roux and is typically served over rice, often includes okra and tomatoes. Jambalaya cooks the rice in the dish so it absorbs the juices and color directly.
Cajun and Creole cuisines overlap but have regional and ingredient differences. Creole dishes more commonly include tomatoes and a wider range of ingredients, while Cajun food tends to be simpler and earthier. Usage varies and the terms are sometimes used interchangeably.
Storage
- Refrigerate — store in a sealed container for up to 2 days.
- Freeze — keep in an airtight container for up to 1 month; thaw in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat — warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through.
More one-pot sausage recipes
- Oven Roasted Sausage and Vegetables (One Pan)
- Instant Pot Sausage and Peppers
- Instant Pot Sausage and Potatoes
- Sausage Stuffing (One Pot)
- One Pot Italian Sausage Pasta
Recipe
One Pot Creole Gumbo (With Shrimp and Sausage)
Abeer Rizvi
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 12 oz andouille sausage, sliced into ½-inch rounds
- 1–1½ tablespoons Cajun seasoning (use a blend without salt if possible)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1–1½ cups frozen sliced okra
- 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
Instructions
- Heat butter in a large nonstick pot over medium-high heat.
- Add flour and stir constantly until the roux is golden brown.
- Add onion, green pepper and celery; cook until softened.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Stir in sausage, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper; sauté for about 1 minute.
- Add chicken broth, fire-roasted tomatoes and bay leaves. Mix and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
- In the final 15 minutes, stir in the okra and continue to cook covered.
- In the last 5–8 minutes, add the shrimp. Cook until shrimp are opaque and cooked through. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Discard bay leaves.
- Serve gumbo over boiled rice and enjoy.
Notes
- If the gumbo is too thick, add more broth. If it’s too thin, simmer uncovered until it reaches the desired consistency.
- To avoid excess salt, use unsalted butter, low-sodium broth and a salt-free Cajun seasoning if available.
- Add okra and shrimp near the end so they don’t become overcooked or mushy.
- For best flavor, simmer low and slow for the full hour to let the flavors meld.
- Use a nonstick pot and keep a close eye on the roux so it doesn’t burn.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 19 g
Protein: 20 g
Fat: 35 g
Saturated Fat: 15 g
Sodium: 1832 mg
Fiber: 3 g
Sugar: 7 g
An automated tool calculated these values; they are estimates and may not be exact.
Leave a comment or rate the recipe.