Seafood Gumbo Recipe

It's time for Seafood Gumbo, my friends. Gumbo is one of my very favorite things on this entire planet, and I'll take it any way I can get it, whether we're talking chicken and sausage gumbo, extra spicy gumbo, vegetarian green gumbo, whatever!

I just want gumbo!

When we visit New Orleans, we enjoy gumbo every day. Every person makes it a little different, but you still get that "gumbo" essence, which is one of its outstanding qualities.

This is my seafood version, and I love it so much it made it into my cookbook, Flavor Madness (page 135). It starts with a toasty roux and the holy trinity, then simmers in seafood stock with a bottle of amber beer for a malty depth you won't find in most gumbos. I finish it with shrimp, white fish, lump crab and smoked oysters, which add a subtle smokiness.

You can make it your own, too. Especially with seafood.

What Is Seafood Gumbo?

Seafood gumbo is a Louisiana stew made with a cooked roux of flour and fat, the holy trinity of onion, bell pepper and celery, and a flavorful seafood stock. Shrimp, crab, oysters and fish go in near the end so they stay tender, though you can use whatever seafood you prefer. It's thickened with roux plus okra, filé powder, or both, and served over rice.

Cajun versions usually skip tomatoes, while Creole versions often include them. Mine leans Cajun, but I'll show you how to go either way.

Let’s talk about how to make seafood gumbo! Excited!

Seafood Gumbo Ingredients

• FOR THE GUMBO
• Oil. Use ¾ cup vegetable oil. Peanut oil is great here.
• Flour. Use ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• Vegetables. Use 1 large onion, 1 large green bell pepper, 2 jalapeno peppers (optional), 2 celery stalks, 4 cloves garlic, and 2 cups okra.
• Liquids. Use 12 ounces amber beer and 5 cups seafood stock. Use 4-6, depending on how thin you’d like your finished gumbo. You can also skip the beer and just use more stock.
• Seasonings. Use 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning blend or more, 1 tablespoon cayenne powder, for more heat, ½ teaspoon dried thyme and bay leaf, plus salt and pepper to taste.
• Extras. 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon hot sauce or more to your preference, and ½ cup freshly chopped parsley.
• FOR THE SEAFOOD
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 pound white fish - use red snapper, grouper, catfish, whatever is available to you
• 1 pound lump white crab meat
• ½ pound smoked oysters Or use freshly shucked if you can get them.
• FOR SERVING
• Cooked white rice fresh chopped parsley, spicy chili flakes, spicy chili oil, extra hot sauce

How to Make Seafood Gumbo - the Recipe Method

Start with a Roux. First, heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add flour and continually stir until the flour is incorporated, forming a roux.

Constantly stir the roux for 20-30 minutes (or longer), ensuring nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot, or it may burn. The roux will darken to a peanut butter color to a light chocolate color, then to a dark roux the color of chocolate. I like to take my roux for seafood gumbo all the way to a dark chocolate color.

*See my notes below on making a roux. Learn more here about How to Make a Roux.

Add the Vegetables. Add in onions, bell peppers, celery, garlic and okra. Stir the mixture often, about 5 minutes, until the okra is no longer slimy.

The Liquids. Stir in beer, seafood stock, Cajun seasonings, cayenne pepper, salt, thyme, bay leaves, Worcestershire and hot sauce.

Simmer at Least One Hour. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low heat and simmer for at least 1 hour. 1.5-2 hours will develop more flavor. 

Add the Seafood. When nearly ready to serve, add the seafood in stages so nothing overcooks* (See my NOTES below about your seafood options). Add the fish first and cook 4-5 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook 3-4 minutes, until pink. Stir in the crab and oysters for the last 2 minutes, just to heat through.

Serve the Seafood Gumbo. Stir in the fresh parsley. Serve the seafood gumbo into bowls with rice and top with fresh chopped parsley or green onions, spicy chili flakes, spicy chili oil, and extra hot sauce if desired.

Try it with potato salad!

About the Roux

Your roux will darken the longer you cook it. It starts out very white from the raw flour, but as you cook, stirring constantly, the flour darkens to a light brown and gets darker, to the color of copper and eventually very dark, like chocolate.

Lighter, or blonde, roux is thicker and will result in a thicker gumbo. Darker roux is thinner or soupier.

I like a dark chocolate roux for seafood gumbo for the deepest, toastiest flavor, though you can cook it to your own personal preference.

Learn how to make a roux - includes a video recipe.

Gumbo Seafood Options

I used shrimp, red snapper, crab and smoked oysters for my seafood gumbo. I just love the combination of those ingredients. However, you can use pretty much any seafood that you'd prefer.

Famous Cajun chef Emeril Lagasse uses gumbo crabs in his seafood gumbo, but they aren't easily found where I live. You can use pretty much any type of fish. Catfish is good here. Try any whitefish, really. 

Okra vs. Filé Powder

Both thicken gumbo, and you can use one, the other, or both.

• Okra. I cook it with the trinity right after the roux, stirring until it's no longer slimy. It thickens the gumbo as it simmers and adds a gentle, earthy flavor. Fresh or frozen both work.
• Filé powder. Filé powder is ground sassafras leaves. Stir it in off the heat at the very end, or sprinkle it into individual bowls. Don't boil it, or it can turn stringy.

If okra isn't your thing, skip it and lean on filé at the table, or skip both and enjoy a looser gumbo. It's still delicious.

How to Make Seafood Stock

You can use a store bought seafood stock, or even use chicken or vegetable stock, but you can make your own seafood stock fairly easily.

I save shrimp shells, crab shells and lobster shells, things you might normally throw away. I keep them in the freezer for meals like this.

Simply add the shells to water, bring to a boil at medium-high heat, then simmer for an hour or so, or longer. The flavor from the shells seeps into the water and becomes a rich and flavorful stock.

It is quite delicious and a great way to make use of those shells.

NOTE: If you don't want to spend the time making a seafood stock, substitute it with chicken broth and you'll still have an incredible pot of Cajun seafood gumbo.

Make It Ahead

Gumbo tastes even better the next day, and seafood gumbo is easy to prep ahead without overcooking the seafood.

1. Make the gumbo base through the long simmer, but don't add the seafood.
2. Cool it, then refrigerate up to 2 days. It also freezes very nicely.
3. When you're ready to eat, bring the base back to a simmer, then add the seafood in stages and cook just until done.

The seafood stays tender, and dinner is on the table in about 15 minutes.

Heat Level: Make It Spicier

My recipe card calls this one mild, with plenty of spices for big flavor. Here's how to dial it up, my friends.

• Mild. Skip the jalapenos and the extra cayenne, and use a mild Cajun seasoning.
• Medium. Use both jalapenos and the full tablespoon of cayenne, plus extra hot sauce.
• Hot. Swap one jalapeno for a habanero or Scotch bonnet, cooked with the trinity.
• At the table. Set out Louisiana hot sauce, spicy chili flakes and chili oil so everyone can make their own bowl hotter.

Serving Suggestions

• Rice. Serve it over long-grain white rice, the classic way.
• Bread. Crusty French bread or jalapeño cornbread for soaking up every drop.
• Potato salad. A scoop of potato salad on the side, or right in the bowl, Louisiana style.
• Garnishes. Chopped parsley or green onions, plus hot sauce, chili flakes and chili oil.

Storage & Reheating

• Refrigerator. Store leftovers (without the rice) in a sealed container for 3-4 days.
• Freezer. Freeze up to 3 months. The gumbo base freezes beautifully, but shrimp and fish can soften a bit, so for best results freeze the base on its own and add fresh seafood when you reheat.
• Reheating. Warm it gently over low heat on the stovetop, stirring now and then, just until hot. Boiling it hard makes the seafood rubbery.

That's it, my friends! I hope you enjoy your seafood gumbo! It's one of my favorites ever!

Patty's Perspective

I love a good seafood gumbo. All that tasty seafood floating around in a big bowl of tastiness. Mike has been making different types of gumbo for years, and I have yet to turn one down.

I love his gumbos. He's made this with catfish as well and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I really hope you try this recipe out.

It's a keeper for sure.

Check Out My Other Gumbo Recipes

If you love gumbo, check out some of my other gumbo recipes.

• Cajun Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
• Creole Gumbo
• Creole Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
• Gumbo Z’Herbes – “Green Gumbo”
• Southwest Style Chicken Gumbo
• Mike’s Spicy Gumbo, made with ghost peppers
• Okra Gumbo
• Shrimp Gumbo
• Turkey Gumbo
• Learn More with How to Make Gumbo – a Guide
• Green Chili Stew with Shrimp and Sausage

More Cajun and Creole Recipes to Try

• Oyster Stew
• Low Country Boil
• Crawfish Boil
• Creole Tomato And Shrimp Stew
• Crawfish Etouffee
• Shrimp Creole

FAQs

What seafood is best for gumbo?

Shrimp is the classic, and I love it with lump crab, a firm white fish like red snapper, grouper or catfish, and oysters. Crawfish tails and gumbo crabs are great too. Use what's freshest where you live.

Can I use frozen seafood?

Yes. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, pat it dry, and add it at the end just like fresh. Frozen shrimp works great here.

How long does it take to make seafood gumbo?

Plan on about 2 hours: 20 to 30 minutes for the roux, 1 hour or more to simmer, then about 10 minutes for the seafood.

How do you thicken seafood gumbo?

The roux does most of the work, along with the okra. For more body, simmer it uncovered a bit longer, or stir in filé powder off the heat. Remember that a lighter roux thickens more than a dark one.

Is seafood gumbo spicy?

It's well seasoned more than hot. My version is mild with the option to go hotter with jalapenos, cayenne and a habanero. See the Heat Level section above.

Can I make seafood gumbo with just shrimp?

Absolutely. Use 2 to 3 pounds of shrimp in place of the mixed seafood, or try my Shrimp Gumbo Recipe.

Can I make it ahead?

Yes. Make the base through the simmer, refrigerate it, and add the seafood when you reheat. See Make It Ahead above.

How long does seafood gumbo last, and can I freeze it?

It keeps 3-4 days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer. For the best texture, freeze the base without the seafood.

Got any more questions? Ask away in the comments and I'll add them here.