Seafood Gumbo

Classic Cajun Seafood Gumbo is intensely rich, yet delicate, and perfect for a chilly day. Chock full of shrimp, crab and oysters, this gumbo recipe sings with flavors from the sea. It makes a big batch, too, so you can share it or freeze it for later.

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 30

Servings servings

Calories 323kcal

Ingredients

4 tablespoons flavorless oil
3 large yellow onions about 3 ½ cups chopped
5-6 celery stalks about 2 ¼ cups chopped
3-4 large bell peppers about 2 ½ cups chopped
4 garlic cloves minced
1 cup chicken stock *or seafood stock*
4 qts. water (1 gallon)
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon Tony Chachere's Salt-Free Creole Seasoning
Black pepper to taste
16 oz. dark roux (2 cups)
2 lbs. shrimp peeled
1 lb. crab clawmeat
½ lb. crab claws
1 lb. fresh shucked oysters + brine

Garnishes

Green onions chopped
Parsley chopped
Gumbo file

Instructions

Make a dark roux, if you’re making one, and set it aside. (You need 16 oz. or 2 cups of roux to make this recipe. If you are going to make your own roux, please read how to make a dark roux.)
Prep the ingredients. This means chop the veggies. Peel your shrimp. Measure out your water and stock. Find a pot large enough. (It needs to fit 17 cups liquid plus 4 ½ lbs. seafood.)
Saute the veggies. Heat the oil in your gumbo pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the chopped veggies. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until softened.
Add the liquid. Pour in the water and the stock, and bring to a boil. You can turn up the heat to high at this point, but it’s still going to take 15-20 minutes or so to bring this amount of liquid to a boil.
Season the liquid with salt and salt-free Creole seasoning.
Add the roux. When the liquid has reached a rolling boil, measure in the roux, stirring consistently to help the mixture break down into the boiling water.
Simmer for at least 30 minutes. You can simmer it for longer if you so desire to let the flavors meld.
Twenty minutes before serving, add the shrimp to the gumbo liquid.
Fifteen minutes before serving, add in the oyster and crab, stirring occasionally to cook. It is important to add the seafood at the very end so that it doesn’t overcook and get tough!
Give the gumbo a taste, and add extra seasonings, if necessary.
Serve immediately with rice and your favorite garnishes.

Notes

The quality of the seafood matters in this recipe. If you can’t find fresh seafood, consider purchasing frozen or ordering the items from a shop that will ship them to your doorstep. Whatever you do, do not use imitation or canned ingredients.

If you can't find one of the seafoods, consider adding proportionate amounts of the other two. (So if you can't find crab, add 3/4 lb. of both oyster and shrimp in addition to what the recipe calls for below.)

Because of the price tag that comes with keeping seafood fresh, this recipe is a special one and is pricier than other gumbo recipes.

How to make gumbo ahead of time for entertaining: Saute the veggies, add the liquid (plus seasonings) and cook until the roux is completely broken down. Chill and refrigerate. The next day, heat the mixture, and once boiling, add the seafood, as instructed in the recipe. Serve immediately.

How to find seafood for this recipe:

If you don’t live near an ocean, finding quality seafood might be challenging! Here are some tips and tricks of how to find these ingredients near you:

Visit a high-end grocery store. If the store has a fish counter, that’s a great place to start. They might also have frozen seafood that you can choose from, too.
Find a specialty seafood shop in your town. This has been my go-to since living in Dallas. If you give them a heads up, you can have them special order the ingredients you need, too.
Order it online. There are online companies that will ship fresh or frozen seafood to your doorstep.

Nutrition