Gluten-Free Gumbo -It's a big bowl of something warm that makes my belly full and my heart happy. It's also as healthy as it can be for my family and my growing girls. For flavor, for your health, and for all your comfort food cravings, you just gotta try it!
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And, if you're in the mood for other comfort food classics, I've got some treats for you!
Try my One-Pot Chicken and Rice, Beef Pot Roast, or my Braised Pork Shoulder!
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Gumbo is an all-time comfort food recipe that everyone loves. It's full of wonderful ingredients, that when combined, come together to make a cozy, stick-to-your-ribs hero.
This version is lightened up and made gluten-free for those who have issues with the pesky glutens. I have close friends and family that have issues with it, so I came up with this recipe using cassava flour. It's a fantastic option and makes a phenomenal roux.
Serve this gumbo to family on a evening when you need something cozy and comforting. It's a fantastic as a casual dinner party dish. My people love seafood and anytime I mention gumbo when we all get together, its a resounding, "yes!".
What You'll Need
Butter and Cassava Flour - The base for the roux. You can also use regular ap flour or your favorite GF blend here
Onion, Celery, Green Bell Pepper - The trinity. You have to use this. If you don't a Cajun loses its wings.
Garlic, Bay Leaf, Cajun Seasoning, Dried Thyme - The seasonings. Use your favorite Cajun seasoning blend or make it from scratch.
Chicken or Beef Broth, Crushed Tomatoes - For the liquid. You can use any broth you like, just make sure you buy a good quality one.
Okra, Andouille Sausage, Lump Crab Meat, Shrimp - I think you have to use okra in gumbo. The sausage and seafood you can do as you please. Chicken would even be great!
Cookware
I am not a fan of a ton of gadgets in the kitchen. What I do prefer is basic, good quality equipment.
For this gluten-free gumbo, I highly suggest using a heavy duty, cast iron braiser. It is a workhorse in the kitchen and I use mine all the time.
The size is fantastic and because it's heavy, it will retain the heat you need to not only cook the roux, but maintain that heat so that cooking the sauce and the remaining simmer happens evenly.
How To Do It
While this gluten-free gumbo recipe is very simple and straightforward, it does take some time because of the roux. I'll give you a brief rundown here, but the specifics will live in the recipe card below.
- Make the roux.
- Add the veggies.
- Add the seasonings, tomatoes, sausage, and broth.
- Simmer.
- Add the okra, shrimp, and crab.
- Serve and enjoy!
What Is A Roux?
So, let's talk about the roux. A roux is nothing more than a classic thickening agent in cooking. This step is what makes gumbo, gumbo. Cooking a fat and flour until it's a deep golden brown adds to the flavor and thickens the dish. It takes a few (or 30ish) minutes to prepare, but it's really easy and worth every second. Promise. Rufus don't lie.
I use cassava flour to make the roux which makes this version gluten and grain free. It works wonderfully and tastes amazing. You can definitely use regular flour, no problem.
Melt butter and add the flour and whisk almost constantly for around 30 minutes. You do NOT want this to burn. It'll smell bad, and more importantly, it'll taste bad. We don't do bad tasting things around here.
Your roux will be ready when it turns into a deep caramel color.
An Important Word About Okra
Important to note, you need to precook the okra before you just dump it in the gluten-free gumbo. If you cook it directly into your current mixture, you'll be left with a very off-putting, stringy, snot-like thing that nobody wants. It won't be nice.
Just roast it in the oven at 425° for about 20 minutes while the veggies and sausage simmer. Add it into the gumbo when you add the shrimp and crab at the end.
Serving Ideas
I serve gluten-free gumbo over white rice for Blake and the girls. I used cauliflower rice, and it was amazing. We all went back for seconds. And, this makes enough for leftovers for the next day, which might just taste even better!
It's also a popular thing to serve gumbo with potato salad. I have a fantastic recipe. Click here to see it!
You can also serve is with a simple green salad and a slice of easy beer bread!
Variations and Substitutions
- Use whatever seafood you love for this gluten-free gumbo recipe. Just be mindful of the cooking time.
- If you don't like seafood, you can substitute with chicken!
- Use any kind of sausage you like.
- If you like a spicy gumbo, add cayenne to your taste. I also love serving this with a little bit of Louisiana hot sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use an gluten-free AP flour instead of cassava flour?
Absolutely! Use whatever GF flour you love. They make some fantastic blends now, so experiment and let me know what you come up with!
How do I store this recipe?
Gluten-free gumbo will stay good in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. You can freeze this recipe for up to 3 months. Simply let it thaw out in the fridge, then slowly reheat on the stove top.
Recipe
Gluten-Free Gumbo Recipe
Ingredients
Gumbo
- 8 tablespoon butter, salted
- ½ cup cassava flour
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 6-8 cups chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoon cajun seasoning
- 1 12 oz package Andouille sausage, sliced
- 1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cups fresh okra, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1½ lbs shrimp, shelled and deveined
- 8 oz can lump crab, drained
Cajun Seasoning
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 2 tsp granulated onion
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
Gumbo
- In a large dutch oven, melt the butter on med-low heat. Add the flour and begin to whisk. Continue to whisk often for about 30 minutes until the roux develops into a deep, golden brown. Don't let this burn. Take your time with the step.
- Add in the diced onion, celery, green pepper, and minced garlic. Add in broth and whisk to combine. Reserve a cup or two of broth in case the mixture becomes too thick later on.
- Add in sliced sausage, tomatoes, bay leaf, cajun seasoning, and thyme. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer on this low for about an hour.
- Roast the okra while the gumbo simmers. See note below.
- To finish, add shrimp, crab meat, and roasted okra. Cook until the shrimp is just done.
- Ladle into bowls over your choice of rice. Enjoy!
Cajun Seasoning
- Mix all ingredients together and store in a jar.
Notes
Nutrition
If you guys make this Gluten-Free Gumbo Recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I absolutely love to hear from you all and always do my best to respond to each and every one of your comments!
Thank you!
I am so incredibly happy that you are here! I hope you try my Gluten-free Gumbo recipe and fall in love with it. If you make this recipe, please share and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or YouTube! And, please leave a comment or star rating below. I absolutely love seeing each and every one of your kitchen masterpieces. It makes my heart so happy! And, as always, if you ever have any questions about any of my recipes, please don't hesitate to contact me!
Happy Cooking!
-Rufus
Rufus for Real is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. I may earn a commission, with no additional cost to you, if you purchase through those links.
Rufus for Real is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
For another easy recipe, try my Healthy Chicken Burrito Bowls or. my Quick and Easy Pastina!
Elliot says
We love this lightened up version! I have celiacs so it’s a welcome treat to enjoy something that I usually can’t have. Thanks!
Rufus says
I'm so very glad to hear you liked it!