Shrimp Gumbo with Andouille Sausage

By David Tanis

Published November 6, 2012

  • Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
About 1 hour
Rating
5(2,238)
Comments
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Most cooks agree that gumbos must have the vegetable trinity of chopped bell pepper, onion and celery, and that they should be highly seasoned. Some gumbos do contain sausage, shrimp and chicken, but there are humbler ones that are made with only salt pork, onions and greens. Finally, there is the filé powder camp. These cooks use copious amounts of the stuff, which is made from finely powdered sassafras leaves. Added at the last minute, it thickens the soup while imparting a flavor that’s earthy and herbal. I confess to using all three — a roux, okra and filé powder — in my own gumbo, which I hope is not sacrilegious. Not having grown up in gumbo territory, I based mine on a number of visits to New Orleans.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 1 pound medium shrimp in the shell

  • Salt and pepper

  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

  • 6 garlic cloves, minced

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 ½ cups diced onion

  • 1 cup diced red or green bell pepper

  • ½ cup diced celery

  • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste

  • 1 teaspoon paprika

  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne

  • 1 cup diced ripe tomato, fresh or canned

  • 6 ounces smoked andouille sausage, in 1-inch-thick slices

  • 6 cups shrimp broth or chicken broth

  • 2 cups chopped okra

  • 1 tablespoon filé powder

  • ½ cup chopped scallions for garnish

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

26 grams carbs; 145 milligrams cholesterol; 397 calories; 12 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 21 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 1180 milligrams sodium; 28 grams protein; 8 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Peel and devein shrimp. Reserve shrimp shells for broth. Season shrimp with salt and pepper, thyme and ½ teaspoon garlic. Cover and refrigerate. Make the shrimp broth.

  2. Step 2

    Make the gumbo base: In a heavy-bottomed soup pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and celery and cook briskly, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle in flour and stir to combine. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes, stirring, until flour-vegetable mixture is well browned. Add tomato paste, paprika, cayenne and remaining garlic. Cook for 1 minute, stirring well, then add diced tomato and andouille sausage and cook for about 2 minutes. Season mixture generously with salt and pepper.

  3. Step 3

    Stir in shrimp broth and reduce heat to medium. With a wooden spoon, scrape bottom of pot to dissolve any browned bits. Simmer for about 25 minutes, until gumbo base thickens somewhat. Taste and adjust salt. (You may prepare gumbo base up to this point several hours ahead; bring it back to a brisk simmer before continuing.)

  4. Step 4

    Add okra and let cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add shrimp and cook for 2 minutes more. Turn off heat. Stir in filé powder. Serve immediately, sprinkled with scallions, along with steamed rice or cornbread if desired.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
2,238 user ratings
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Comments

Jorge Nunez

There is one key issue with this recipe. There is no roux! Every person in Louisiana will tell you that what makes gumbo gumbo is the roux. For this recipe I would 1/2 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of butter or vegetable oil. You have to cook the roux for a while, about 40 minutes on very low heat until it has gone from pale to a dark chocolate color. Keep stirring the whole time (it is a labor of love) and make sure it does not burn.

Boyd

Don't add the shrimp right away. Peel & refrigerate them; wrap the shells in cheesecloth and tie it up into a bag. Simmer the gumbo with the bag in it for c. 1/2 hour; remove & toss it, and add the shrimp. Cook until just pink and cut off the heat. Let sit until the kettle is cool and refrigerate overnight. RIght before it's time to eat, heat the gumbo through and correct the seasonings. The shrimp will have infused it with their flavor, but they won't be tough or mushy

Elan

I had several problems with the recipe and there just wasn't as much flavor as I wanted/expected.

Making the roux with the vegetables just didn't work. I had a gloppy mess that couldn't possibly brown in the pot. I'll use a traditional approach next time.

1" slices for the sausage was WAY too thick--impossible to eat and too few slices in the pot. Other recipes call for 1/2" which seems more practical.

Katy H.

Like others, I decided to do the traditional roux for this, which I started before chopping the vegetables and sausages. I also chose to do quarter-round andouille sausage instead of the 1/2 in rounds and browned them in the dutch oven, removed them and then sauteed the vegetables. I also roast the okra in the oven after slicing it into discs since I don't like the overly mushy okra and I think it adds depth to the gumbo. Overall, this is a good "guide recipe", and my gumbo was amazing.

Deborah

Made without sausage; cooked roux separately to medium brown color w 1/2 oil and 1/2 butter and it took 13 mins stirring once a min in a 8 inch cast iron seasoned pan and sauté the onion celery and pepper in a separate (larger pan) then followed recipe adding 1 T of Wochestershire Sauce w shrimp at the end. Served w rice.

Jo E

How many cups of broth? Looks like the number was deleted from the ingredients list.

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