Name: Shrimp Gumbo Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 110 min
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon olive oil; 12 ounces andouille sausage (sliced into ¼ inch slices); ½ cup peanut oil (or vegetable oil); ½ cup flour; 1 medium bell pepper (chopped); 1 medium onion (chopped); 1 medium celery (stalk chopped); 3 cloves garlic (chopped); 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (or more to taste); Salt and pepper to taste; 6 cups seafood stock (or use chicken or vegetable stock); 1/2 pound fresh okra (sliced); 4 tablespoons chopped parsley + more for serving; 1 pound shrimp (peeled and deveined); 1 tablespoon filé powder (or to taste if desired (for thickening)); For Serving: Cooked white rice (if desired), hot sauce on the side.

This shrimp gumbo is made with a rich and flavorful roux, then loaded up with succulent shrimp and smoked andouille sausage, the perfect comfort food.

The Best Shrimp Gumbo Recipe

We're cooking up a big pot of Shrimp Gumbo today in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen, my friends. Would you care for a bowl?

I am absolutely in love with a good bowl of gumbo, and I'll take it any way I can get it. There are many ways to make gumbo, with different meats like chicken and andouille, with game meats, with loads of seafood, even with heaps of greens.

This recipe focuses on the flavor of succulent shrimp, which is perfectly paired with satisfying smoked andouille sausage, a mainstay of Cajun cuisine.

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do.

Let's talk about how to make shrimp gumbo, shall we?

Shrimp Gumbo Ingredients

Andouille Sausage. You can use other smoked sausage if needed.
Peanut Oil. Or vegetable oil.
All Purpose Flour.
Vegetables. Onion, bell pepper, and celery. The Cajun Holy Trinity. Also, garlic.
Cajun Seasonings. Try my homemade Cajun seasoning recipe.
Seafood Stock. You can also use chicken or vegetable stock.
Fresh Okra. Frozen is good, too.
Chopped Parsley.
Shrimp. Peeled and deveined.
Filé powder. If desired, for thickening your gumbo.
For Serving. Cooked white rice (if desired), hot sauce.

Bay leaves are also a popular addition.

How to Make Shrimp Gumbo - the Recipe Method

Brown the Andouille. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven to medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil and heat. Add the sliced andouille. Cook a couple minutes per side until browned. Set aside until ready to use.

Browning andouille sausage to make Shrimp Gumbo

Make the Roux. Add ½ cup peanut oil to the pot and heat to medium heat. Add flour and stir. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, cooking and stirring, until the roux browns to the color of light chocolate.

See my recipe on How to Make a Roux for more detailed instructions.

Cook the Vegetables. Add green peppers, onion, celery and garlic. Stir and cook about 5 minutes, covered.

Cooking vegetables in roux to make Shrimp Gumbo

Add the Seasonings. Add reserved andouille, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. Stir and cook for 1 minute to let the spices bloom.

Add the Stock. Add seafood stock. Scrape up the brown bits from the bottom. Bring to a boil.

Looks like a I got a bit of steam rising up!

Steaming Shrimp Gumbo simmering in a pot

Simmer the Gumbo. Reduce heat and simmer on medium-low heat for 1 hour to thicken. You can simmer longer if you’d like.

Add the Okra. Stir in okra and parsley and cook 15 minutes. The okra will help to thicken up the gumbo.

Cook the Shrimp. Add the shrimp and tuck into the gumbo. Simmer 6-7 minutes, or until the shrimp is cooked through.

Thicken, if Desired. Remove from heat and stir in filé powder, if using, for extra thickness. Or serve filé powder on the side.

Serve Your Shrimp Gumbo! Serve into a bowl, over white rice if desired, and garnish with extra parsley. Don't forget the hot sauce! Serve it on the side.

Spicy Shrimp Gumbo in a bowl with loads of succulent shrimp

Boom! Done! Your shrimp gumbo is ready to enjoy. Doesn't it look amazing? This is pure comfort food in a bowl. I can't wait to dig in. I love shrimp gumbo.

Recipe Tips & Notes

The Roux. I prefer a roux the color of light chocolate, but you can cook longer for a darker roux, to your preference. It’s also very good with a lighter roux the color of peanut butter, for a thicker gumbo.
Creole Gumbo. Use Creole seasonings and add 1-2 cans of diced tomatoes to the dish when you add the stock for more of a Creole style shrimp gumbo.

Storage

Shrimp gumbo will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. To enjoy again, gently reheat it in a pot and serve.

You can also freeze it for 3 months in freezer containers

A bowl of Shrimp Gumbo with lots of shrimp and andouille

That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my favorite shrimp gumbo recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear if you enjoyed it!

Cookbook Recommendation

If you enjoy Louisiana Cajun and Creole cuisine, I recommend the following cookbook. It has a lot of great recipes.

Louisiana Real and Rustic, by Emeril Lagasse (affiliate link, my friends!)

Products Used For This Recipe

Amazon Affiliate links, my friends!

Buy Gumbo Filé Powder - File powder is made with ground sassafras tree leaves, used in traditional Louisiana style dishes for flavor and thickening, like stews and sauces.

Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes

Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.

Shrimp Gumbo Recipe

This shrimp gumbo is made with a rich and flavorful roux, then loaded up with succulent shrimp and smoked andouille sausage, the perfect comfort food.

Save Recipe

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: andouille, roux, shrimp

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 1 50

Calories: 462kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Servings:

Tap or hover to scale

5 from 5 votes

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Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil
12 ounces andouille sausage sliced into ¼ inch slices
½ cup peanut oil or vegetable oil
½ cup flour
1 medium bell pepper chopped
1 medium onion chopped
1 medium celery stalk chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning or more to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
6 cups seafood stock or use chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 pound fresh okra sliced
4 tablespoons chopped parsley + more for serving
1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon filé powder or to taste if desired (for thickening)
For Serving: Cooked white rice (if desired), hot sauce on the side.

Instructions

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven to medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil and heat. Add the sliced andouille. Cook a couple minutes per side until browned. Set aside until ready to use.
Add ½ cup peanut oil to the pot and heat to medium heat. Add flour and stir. Cook for 20-30 minutes, constantly stirring, until the roux browns to the color of light chocolate*.
Add peppers, onion, celery and garlic. Stir and cook about 5 minutes, covered.
Add reserved andouille, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. Stir and cook for 1 minute to let the spices bloom.
Add seafood stock. Scrape up the brown bits from the bottom. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer on medium-low heat for 1 hour to thicken. You can simmer longer if you’d like.
Stir in okra and parsley and cook 15 minutes. The okra will help to thicken up the gumbo.
Stir in shrimp and tuck into the gumbo. Simmer 6-7 minutes, or until the shrimp is cooked through.
Remove from heat and stir in filé powder, if using, for extra thickness. Or serve filé powder on the side.
Serve into a bowl, over white rice if desired, and garnish with extra parsley.

Notes

The Roux. I prefer a roux the color of light chocolate, but you can cook longer for a darker roux, to your preference. It’s also very good with a lighter roux the color of peanut butter, for a thicker gumbo.

Nutritional information estimated without rice.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 462kcal Carbohydrates: 18g Protein: 18g Fat: 36g Saturated Fat: 9g Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g Monounsaturated Fat: 16g Trans Fat: 0.1g Cholesterol: 49mg Sodium: 1251mg Potassium: 688mg Fiber: 3g Sugar: 3g Vitamin A: 2329IU Vitamin C: 40mg Calcium: 131mg Iron: 3mg

Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.