Okra Gumbo

Gumbo is a hearty stew-style soup that’s a mainstay of Creole cuisine, and this okra gumbo recipe is a delicious variation of that beloved Louisiana fare. Made with a roux (a mixture of fat and flour that’s browned over heat), this recipe calls for all the must-haves in a traditional gumbo. Serve it with warm buttery cornbread and a dessert of peach pie for the kind of comfort meal that makes Southern cuisine so loved.

Ingredients for Okra Gumbo

• Broiler chicken: You’ll be boiling the chicken as the first step, which allows for a nice broth flavor.
• Bacon drippings: If you don’t have any bacon fat on hand, you can use canola oil.
• All-purpose flour: The flour and bacon fat are used to make the roux, or the base of the creamy gumbo.
• Vegetables: For this okra gumbo recipe, you’ll be using onions, celery, green pepper, garlic, canned tomatoes, green onions and, of course, fresh or frozen okra.
• Spices: The gumbo gets a lot of its flavor from the spices. You’ll be using bay leaves, dried basil, salt, pepper and parsley.
• Hot pepper sauce: Creole cooking is known for its burst of spicy flavor. You can leave this out if you must, but your gumbo won’t have the same traditional flavor.
• Rice: This is to be served on the side, although you can spoon your gumbo over the top of it, if you like. You’ll need to make this separately.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the chicken

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Place the chicken and water in a large soup kettle, then cover it and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, then cover and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes or until the chicken is tender.

Step 2: Process the chicken

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Remove the chicken and reserve the broth. Set the chicken aside until it’s cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and cut it into cubes. Set the meat aside.

Editor’s Tip: You can save the bones to make a healthy homemade bone broth later.

Step 3: Make the roux

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In a soup kettle, combine the bacon fat or oil and flour until smooth. Cook it over medium-high heat for about five minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to medium, then cook and stir for an additional five minutes or until the mixture is reddish-brown. Turn the heat to high again and stir in 2 cups of the reserved broth. Bring this to a boil, then cook and stir for two more minutes or until thickened.

Step 4: Add the vegetables and seasonings

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Add the onions, celery, green pepper and garlic, then cook and stir for five minutes. Next, add the tomatoes, okra, bay leaves, basil, salt, pepper and pepper sauce. Cover and simmer for one hour. Add the chicken cubes and heat through.

Step 5: Garnish and serve

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Discard the bay leaves. Garnish your gumbo with green onions and parsley, and serve it with rice.

Okra Gumbo Variations

• Add veggies: Don’t be scared to add whatever you’d like to the pot—that’s the beauty of Creole cooking. Toss in mushrooms, sweet potatoes, carrots or even a variety of leafy greens. You really can’t mess this up.
• Vary the meat: Swap out the chicken for pork if you want a deeper meat flavor.

How to Store Okra Gumbo

You can store your okra gumbo in its soup pot, with the lid on, in the fridge. It also freezes well; pour the gumbo into a freezer-safe container and enjoy it whenever you like.

How long does chicken gumbo with okra last?

For best results, we recommend consuming okra gumbo within three to four days. If it’s frozen, enjoy it within two to three months.

Okra Gumbo Tips

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How can I make okra gumbo vegetarian-friendly?

You can make this okra without the chicken and bacon fat if you’d like a vegetarian option. To do so, simply leave out the chicken and sub canola oil for the bacon fat. For the broth in this recipe, you can sub your favorite pre-made vegetable broth. This will help give it a flavor boost too.

Should I fry okra before putting it in the gumbo?

Don’t be scared of slimy okra. Here’s the deal: Okra is an excellent thickener, and that “slime” really does add to the creamy goodness of the gumbo. We recommend just tossing the okra in. You won’t notice any sort of slime that people often associate with okra.

Can I make okra gumbo in a slow cooker?

Yes. You’ll still want to pre-boil the chicken, but after that step, toss everything in a slow cooker and cook on low for six to eight hours, or high for four to five hours.