Seafood Gumbo Recipe

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This authentic Seafood Gumbo recipe doesn’t skimp on shrimp, oysters, and crabmeat plus the broth is very flavorful and spiced up beginning with a classic roux.

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A bowl of lousiana seafood gumbo recipe on the table with a spoon in the bowl.

Seafood Gumbo Ingredient Tips

  • Roux: I use a neutral oil like vegetable or canola so it won’t change up the flavor. I don’t recommend using butter to sub out the oil since it doesn’t have a very high smoke point. Burnt roux tastes pretty terrible y’all.
  • Holy Trinity: This is a combo of onion, green bell pepper, and celery.
  • Scotch Bonnet pepper: Adjust based on your heat preference.
  • Stock: You can use chicken stock, fish stock, or a combo of both.
  • Okra: Fresh or frozen both work great here.
  • Shrimp: Buy peeled and deveined to save some time even though my mama always goes over her shrimp again just in case. 
  • Oysters: Make sure you buy these already shucked in the seafood section.
  • Crabmeat: Use claw meat and make sure you choose one that’s already picked over so you don’t have to do it.
  • Cooked rice: No substitutes here. It’s the authentic way.

How To Make Seafood Gumbo

Start Building Flavors

Flour added to oil making a roux in a large dutch oven

Step 1: Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, gradually whisk in the flour. Reduce to low and cook, stirring continuously until its medium brown and smooth (about 20-30 minutes).

Onions and peppers added to roux to make a base for gumbo

Step 2: Increase the heat to medium-high and add the onion, green onions, bell pepper, and celery. Stir until the vegetables are wilted but not browned.

Garlic and spices added to roux mixture in a large pot

Step 3: Add the garlic, chile pepper, thyme, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Turn the heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes.

PRO TIP: Use a heavy-bottomed pan and whisk constantly as you add in your flour. Watch your roux very carefully because it burns quickly. It should look like a nice rich brown color with no burnt black specks in it. If you see any specks, you gotta start over boo.

Create the broth and simmer

Broth added to a pot of gumbo cooking

Step 4: Whisk in the warm stock in batches to prevent splattering. Add the bay leaf, and bring the gumbo to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Shrimp and okra added to a pot of gumbo

Step 5: Add the okra, shrimp, oysters, and crab to the pot and simmer until just cooked.

Gumbo cooking ready to serve

Step 6: Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and let it stand for 1 hour for the flavors to mingle. Return the pot to the stove and heat just until the soup is hot again. Serve it up with hot cooked rice and garnish with parsley.

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A close up of seafood gumbo recipe in a blue bowl over rice ready to serve for dinner.

Seafood Gumbo Recipe

This generations old Seafood Gumbo Recipe is full of tender shrimp, oysters and crabmeat in a spiced broth that began with a deep roux.
4.34 from 42 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams
Course: Main Course, Soup
Servings: 10 servings

Ingredients

  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ cup all purpose flour or 3/4 cup, if you like a thicker gumbo
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped green onions about 8
  • ¼ cup chopped green bell pepper
  • ¼ cup chopped celery
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic 3 to 4 cloves
  • ½ tsp minced Scotch Bonnet pepper or to taste
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 tsp salt or to taste
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 ½ quarts chicken stock or fish stock or combo of both
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 lb fresh or frozen okra sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1 pint shucked oysters
  • 1 lb claw crabmeat picked over
  • Hot cooked rice for serving
  • ¼ cup minced fresh parsley

Instructions

  • In a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, heat the oil over medium high heat until hot, almost smoking. Gradually whisk in the flour, being careful not to splash the mixture so you don't get burned. Reduce the heat to low and cook and stir the roux continuously until medium brown and smoth, about 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Increase heat to medium high. Add the onion, green onions, bell pepper, celery and stir until the vegetables are wilted but not browned, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, chile pepper, thyme, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Reduce the heat to low and cook to allow the flavors to marry, about 20 minutes.
  • Whisk in the warm stock in batches to prevent splattering. Add the bay leaf, then bring back to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes. Taste and add salt as desired. Add the okra, shrimp, oysters, and crab and simmer until just cooked, another few minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and let stand for 1 hour for the flavors to mingle. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
  • Return the pot to medium low heat just until the soup is hot again. Spoon into serving bowls, add hot rice as desired, and sprinkle with parsley.

Notes

The quality and freshness of the seafood that you use are large factors in the outcome of your gumbo. It doesn’t have to be high-end shellfish but be sure that your choices are ones that won’t make the next morning to be rougher than it has to be. 
Making the roux requires extreme patience.  For a seafood gumbo, you will need to get to a medium brown roux.
Slow cooking allows all the flavors of each and every one of the ingredients to come together. And think of it this way, low and slow means little to no chance of burning. 
Watch the dish closely as it cooks so you avoid burning it.
Add additional flour to this gumbo if you prefer a thicker gumbo.

How to store and reheat Seafood Gumbo?

Like with many stews and braises, Louisiana seafood gumbo can actually taste better on the second day! That extra day really lets all those flavors build and develop even more.
You can add leftovers to an airtight container. You can reheat over low heat on a stovetop, stirring it often until it’s heated through.

How long will gumbo last in the fridge?

It should last for up to 3 days.

Can I freeze gumbo?

Yep boos, you can. You can freeze up to 8 months in an air-tight, freezer-safe container. When you want to reheat, just thaw in the fridge overnight.

Nutrition

Calories: 315kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 1548mg | Potassium: 593mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 622IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 151mg | Iron: 3mg
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Recipe Tips

  • Go with quality: The freshness of the seafood will completely change the quality of your gumbo. It can make all the difference. 
  • Making the roux takes patience.  You gotta take your time to get to that medium brown color. If it burns at all, it ruins everything. Toss it out and try again.
  • Add more flour to this gumbo if you prefer a thicker gumbo. It will make it more like a stew than a soup. 

Serving Suggestions

  • Classic Style: Just like etouffee or even red beans, it is best served over rice.
  • Sop it Up: I personally love to mix it up and serve it as a stew with some southern cornbread or cornbread muffins on the side. The cornbread is perfect to sop up those delish juices. 
  • New Year’s Vibes: For New Year’s, pair with Southern classics like hog maws and chittlins.
  • Mardi Gras: Get this in with some dirty rice, Hurricane drinks, and for dessert, some bananas fosters served over fresh beignets.
Close up of seafood gumbo recipe in blue bowl with shrimp, crab and okra over rice.

Recipe Help

Can I use this recipe to make shrimp gumbo?

Oh yeah! Leave out the oysters and crab and add more shrimp to the recipe instead.

Is gumbo spicy?

Yep, most gumbos are traditionally spicy. But you can change this to fit your needs. Scale back the spices if you prefer yours more mild. Guests can always throw in some hot sauce if they like it hotter.

What is the most important part of gumbo?

Definitely a roux which is made by slowing adding flour and oil together. You want to cook it until it’s a medium brown color. Be sure to cook it slowly and don’t try to rush the process for the best results.

More Seafood Recipes

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This post was originally published December 2019. It has been republished with new images and content.

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Filed Under:  Cajun and Creole Recipes, Dinner, Mardi Gras, New Year's, Seafood, Soups and Stews, Stovetop

Comments

  2. I absolutely love how flavorful and comforting this gumbo is! Any kind of seafood dish instantly gets an A in my book, but this one really knocked it out of the park. Can’t wait to make this again!

    Reply

  4. This was everything a gourmet meal should be, and then some! Easy, decadent and delicious; a beautiful recipe, indeed!

    Reply

  5. This seafood gumbo reminds me of a recipe my grandma used to make. It was so delicious I kept coming back for me.

    Reply

  6. I’m going to try this with a dry roux, where you simply brown the flour in an oven, without oil. Supposed to taste as good, without the risk of burning (you do still have to pay attention) and less oil…..which I suppose is a good thing. Shall see. Love your site. Will look for your book. I ran away from my Southern heritage as a young man to classical French and Italian, but now I’ve come back to find the inherent goodness. I guess old age brings on a certain nostalgia.

    Reply

    1. Love that idea! You’ll have to let me know how it works out. Coming back to your roots is always a good thing!

4.34 from 42 votes (21 ratings without comment)

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