No visit to Southwest Louisiana is complete without a mouthwatering, savory, flavorful bowl of gumbo. While this Louisiana staple is the perfect way to warm up on a chilly winter day it remains a delicious favorite year-round. Gumbo is a type of mild or spicy stew made from a rich roux and typically served with a side of rice. The rice is prepared separately and added at the time of serving. 

There are many variations of gumbo all determined by the consistency of the roux and the additional ingredients. Roux can be made from scratch or purchased premade from the grocery store. Popular dish variations include chicken and smoked sausage and a seafood style with crab and shrimp. Other popular spins on the stew include okra and insertions of wild game like duck and rabbit.

small dish of shrimp gumbo with a side of rice
Seafood Gumbo from Pats of Henderson

Gumbeaux Gator's Gumbo

Cooking gumbo is a labor of love. Prep and cook time in many recipes requires at least three hours as the ingredients need time to simmer in the pot. The freshest ingredients make for the best batch! For a time-saving guide (don't tell Mama!) check out Gumbeaux Gator's tried and true recipe.

Ingredients

(Serves 8)

  • 1 large pre-cooked rotisserie chicken (not lemon pepper)
  • 2-3 lbs. smoked sausage
  • Small jar of dark roux
  • 3 bell peppers, fresh
  • 1 Vidalia sweet onion or regular white onion
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1 bunch of green onions
  • 1 bunch of celery
  • Tony's seasoning
  • Garlic powder and filé

Instructions

  1. Fill a large stock pot half full with water and heat it to a boil. Then add a tablespoon more roux than the jar instructions indicate. While your water is heating to boil, chop up your smoked sausage and brown it in a cast-iron skillet. Remove skin and bones from the rotisserie chicken.
  2. Add sausage to boiling water and pour excess grease into a safe container, leaving a light layer in the skillet. Add the chicken to the pot.
  3. Skin onions using an apple corer to remove the hearts. Hand chop or use a food processor to coarse-grind onions. Cut off ends of celery stalks and green onions, then chop the stalks into approximately 1/8 inch slices. Chop ends off the three bell peppers, then using a spoon, scrape out seeds and insides and discard. Chop or use a food processor to slice cleaned peppers into small pieces.
  4. Add vegetables to grease in skillet. Heat and stir until onions are clear. Add veggies to the pot and cover to allow the gumbo to simmer.
  5. Season with Tony's Creole seasoning, filé, and garlic powder to taste. Bring everything in the stock pot to a rolling boil until the chicken starts to fall apart. (Add chicken stock if you choose). Remove from heat and let gumbo cool uncovered or slightly covered.
  6. Serve over rice with a side of potato salad and amaze your friends and family!

For a visual enjoy the step-by-step video with Chef Scott Landry below!

How to Make A Gumbo with Chef Landry

Gumbo Around Town

If you're in town for Mardi Gras don't miss the week-long celebrations centered around music, culture, and delicious cuisine including gumbo! Events like the Chicken Run or Courir de Mardi Gras held in Iowa, LA occur year after year. The tradition centers on the preparation of gumbo dating back to Medieval France. Present-day Mardi Gras celebrators, often in costumes, travel from house to house collecting ingredients for their gumbo by performing dances and chasing a chicken. 

Plan the perfect date night or evening with friends and book a gumbo-making class at the Golden Doors Event Center. Chef Carolyn will guide you to the perfect pot of gumbo, complete with lovable anecdotes of her time as a professional chef to the stars. After making your own gumbo, enjoy a delicious bowl and a glass of wine in the breathtaking event center to celebrate your success!

 

Strapped for time or just visiting the area? No problem! Southwest Louisiana is home to numerous restaurants that have perfected the savory staple! Many of these family-owned restaurants use their secret recipe passed down for decades. So, when you’re in town, ask a local where their favorite gumbo is from and check out the Creole & Cajun page for more delicious eats throughout Louisiana's Playground!