Seafood Gumbo Recipe

4.94 from 16 votes

The best seafood gumbo recipe with loads of shrimp, white fish, crab and oysters, all with plenty of Cajun seasonings. It's heaven in a bowl.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 30

Total Time1 50

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gumbo, recipe, seafood, shrimp, spicy

Servings:

Calories: 452kcal

¾ cup vegetable oil peanut oil is great here
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 large onion chopped
1 large bell pepper chopped
2 jalapeno peppers chopped (optional)
2 celery stalks chopped
4 cloves garlic chopped
2 cups okra chopped
12 ounces amber beer (optional - you can use extra stock instead)
5 cups seafood stock use 4-6, depending on how thin you’d like your finished gumbo
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning blend or more, as desired
1 tablespoon cayenne powder optional, for more heat
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce or more to your preference, use your favorite!
½ cup freshly chopped parsley

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

Cooked white rice fresh chopped parsley, spicy chili flakes, spicy chili oil, extra hot sauce

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Swirl in the 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. *See my NOTES above on making a roux.
Add the onion, peppers, celery, garlic and okra. Stir the mixture often, about 5 minutes, until the okra is no longer slimy.
Stir in the beer, seafood stock, Cajun seasonings, cayenne pepper, salt, thyme, bay leaves, Worcestershire and hot sauce.
Bring the pot to a quick boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for at least 1 hour. 1.5-2 hours will develop more flavor.
When nearly ready to serve, add in the shrimp, fish, crab and oysters* (See my NOTES above about your seafood options). Cook another 10 minutes, or until all the seafood has cooked through.
Stir in the fresh parsley.
Serve the seafood gumbo into bowls with rice and top with fresh chopped parsley, spicy chili flakes, spicy chili oil, and extra hot sauce if desired.

Serves 8-10 (or more with rice). Calories calculated without rice.

Heat Factor: Mild, though there are plenty of spices for great flavor.