Seafood Gumbo Okra Tomatoes (Printable)
Hearty seafood stew with fresh okra, tomatoes, and bold Creole flavors, perfect for a comforting meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Seafood
01 - 12 oz medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 12 oz lump crab meat, picked over for shells
03 - 12 oz firm white fish (snapper or cod), cut into bite-size pieces
→ Vegetables
04 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
05 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
06 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
07 - 2 celery stalks, diced
08 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
09 - 10 oz fresh okra, sliced (or frozen, thawed and drained)
10 - 2 large tomatoes, diced (or 14 oz canned diced tomatoes, drained)
11 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced (for garnish)
12 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
→ Roux
13 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
14 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter
→ Liquids and Seasonings
15 - 5 cups seafood or fish stock
16 - 1 bay leaf
17 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
18 - 1 tsp hot sauce (optional, to taste)
19 - 1 1/2 tsp salt
20 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
21 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
22 - 1 tsp dried thyme
23 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
→ For Serving
24 - Steamed white rice
# How-To Steps:
01 - In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and stir constantly for 8–10 minutes until the roux reaches a dark brown color resembling milk chocolate. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
02 - Add vegetable oil to the roux, then stir in onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
03 - Add sliced okra and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring often, until it starts to soften and lose its slimy texture.
04 - Stir in diced tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, paprika, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Sauté for 2 minutes to meld flavors.
05 - Gradually pour in the seafood stock, stirring continuously to fully incorporate the roux. Bring to a gentle simmer.
06 - Add Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce if using. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gumbo thickens slightly.
07 - Gently add white fish pieces and cook for 5 minutes until just opaque.
08 - Carefully stir in shrimp and crab meat. Simmer just until the shrimp turn pink and opaque, about 3–4 minutes. Avoid overcooking to prevent tough seafood.
09 - Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or cayenne as needed. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
10 - Ladle hot gumbo over steamed white rice. Garnish with thinly sliced spring onions and fresh chopped parsley. Offer additional hot sauce on the side.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- One pot feeds a crowd and somehow tastes even better when reheated the next day
- The roux technique might seem intimidating but once you nail it, youll feel like a kitchen wizard
- That combination of shrimp, crab, and white fish means every spoonful is a treasure hunt
02 -
- A burnt roux happens to everyone and there is absolutely no saving it, so start over rather than trying to mask the bitterness
- Add stock gradually to the roux, whisking furiously, or you will end up with lumpy flour dumplings floating sadly in your soup
- Seafood overcooks cruelly fast, so have everything ready before you add the shrimp and crab, then watch the pot like a hawk
03 -
- Make the gumbo a day ahead if you can because the flavors develop and deepen overnight in the refrigerator
- Prep every single ingredient before you start cooking, because once that roux begins, you need things ready to add