Seafood Gumbo Recipe
I caught a craving for seafood gumbo after listening to one of my favorite YouTubers talking about how she was preparing it for her husband during a video.
I’m Haitian, and while we prepare plenty of soups, my creole brothers and sisters have a lock on this flavorful bisque. I had to take to TikTok to find an easy gumbo recipe. So glad I did! I took my time, and it came out amazing.
I can say, in terms of difficulty, making gumbo isn’t complicated. The most labor intensive was creating the roux. Making the roux involves a lot of mixing. For me, it took a good 25 minutes of mixing before I got the beautiful, deep brown color.
All-in all, not only did I enjoy it, but the 14-year-old enjoyed it as well. In the cold season, I’ll make gumbo at least once a month. Gumbo pairs quite nicely with rice.
See below for the recipe.
How to Make Seafood Gumbo – The Recipe
Start with a Roux:
First, heat the oil in a large pot over low heat. Add flour and continually stir until the flour is incorporated, forming a roux.
Stir, stir, STIR!
Again. this is the most labor intensive. You’ll probably end up stirring for 20- 30 minutes. You’ll need to ensure that 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 achieve a deep chocolate color for my seafood gumbo.
Add your vegetables:
Add in onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic. Stir the mixture often, about 5 minutes.
Add Liquids:
Stir in beer, seafood stock, Cajun seasonings, cayenne pepper, salt, thyme, bay leaves, Worcestershire and hot sauce.
Simmer:
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 in the shrimp and crab.
Cook another 10 minutes, or until all the seafood has cooked 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.
Bonne Appetit!
