It’s not a secret that I love to travel. My love of travel sparked my curiosity about food and desire to pursue a degree in nutrition and sensory science. You can learn so much about the culture and history through local food so anywhere I go, I try to do a local cooking class or food tour to learn more about the region’s cuisines. When we visited New Orleans last fall, I knew I needed to learn about Cajun and Creole cooking and that gumbo would be a part of it. A local chef taught us how to make authentic gumbo (along with a trick to making a roux that takes gumbo from good to great). Once I learned how to make this, I knew Live Eat Learn needed a vegetarian gumbo. So, I’ve taken what I learned in New Orleans (THE place to be for Cajun or Creole cooking) and applied it to my own gumbo. Needless to say, I’m so excited to share with you what I’ve learned and to teach you how to make the ultimate vegan gumbo too!
Why you’ll love it
Streamlined is what I like to call my version of gumbo because I’ve paired down the steps to exactly what you need to do to have the absolute best flavor. Spicy and flavorful is what all Louisiana cooking is known for. Nothing lacks heat or salt and this soup is no exception. A great Sunday dinner that doubles as meal prep thanks to how well it keeps in the fridge and can be reheated.
Ingredients for vegan Gumbo
Gumbo uses mostly pantry staple ingredients and although the list may be a bit longer than other recipes here, each ingredient serves a specific purpose. Let me explain!
Roux
Flour: Flour is how the roux is thickened. You can probably use a 1:1 gluten-free flour replacement if needed, but the texture may be gritty. Oil: A roux emulsifies flour and fat so for a vegan roux, I chose to use oil. This could be any type of vegetable oil or olive oil.
Holy Trinity
Oil: Whatever type of oil you are using for the roux, can also be used to saute the vegetables in. White onion: These add sweetness and are easy to find in-store. White onion is always preferred but a yellow onion could be used in a pinch. Celery: I know celery can seem like a weird ingredient to use as an aromatic, but its natural bitterness plays off of the sweetness of the bell pepper and onion. Green bell pepper: Most of the sweetness comes from the pepper. Green bell peppers have just enough sweetness as opposed to their counterparts, orange, yellow, and red bell peppers. Garlic: Please please please use fresh garlic! I promise it will add SO much flavor!
Fillings
Button mushrooms: These are the most common type of mushroom found and their texture makes them a great substitute for the traditional shrimp in gumbo. Vegan sausage: There are a variety of vegan sausages on the market now. We found using Kielbasa style was the most similar to meat sausage because of how much seasoning they already have. Vegetable broth: You can make your own or use store-bought. Just don’t use low sodium because salt enhances flavors, and I chose quantities for regular vegetable broth (full-sodium). Kidney beans: These also help to beef up the gumbo in place of the shrimp. I prefer to use kidney beans as opposed to other varieties because they are larger and hearty, holding up better to the long cooking time. Optional okra: This is typical of authentic gumbo but it’s not very common in stores. If you can find it, it also helps to thicken the soup.
Seasonings
How to make Gumbo Vegan
Making gumbo is super simple to do but there are quite a few ingredients and some special tricks to it. To make this recipe fool proof, I recommend reading through the steps first and preparing the ingredients before starting to cook.
More about roux
A roux is a staple of French cooking that uses flour and fat to thicken soups, sauces, and more. It’s French roots also show in Cajun cooking since some of the earliest settlers to Louisiana were French. Roux can be made in 3 main styles, all of which use the same steps but take different times:
Blonde Roux
takes 3-5 minutes blonde color good for gravy and soups, lacks complex flavor
Light Brown Roux
takes 10-15 minutes light brown in color also good for gravy and soups but has more flavor than a blonde roux
Dark Brown Roux
takes 20-40 minutes dark brown or milk chocolate brown in color perfect for gumbo!
Storage
Leftovers will keep in the fridge in a sealed container for 5 days. Or, it can be frozen for up to 3 months, just let it thaw before reheating. To reheating, slowly heat on the stove.
Variations
Gumbo is great because you can mix up the fillings to match your taste or what you have on hand. Here are a few simple ideas.
Okra can be added to the gumbo for a more authentic flavor and to help thicken the sauce even more. Other vegan sausages like andouille or spicy, even Italian, can be used for another flavor profile. If you can’t find vegan sausage, try using seitan crumbles, soy curls, or even cauliflower chunks. However, cauliflower will change the cooking time and yield less protein overall.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes, you can use a 1:1 gluten free flour replacement but the texture may be slightly gritty in the roux.
My roux burned, what can I do?
Unfortunately, if you roux burns you will have to start over. This is why it’s so important to keep the heat low and slowly develop flavor, stirring constantly to prevent it from burning. The good news is that once the roux is done, you can store it in the fridge for up to a month to use in a variety of dishes!
Can I make this in advance?
As I noted above, the roux can be made in advance but the entire gumbo is best eaten the day of. Making the roux in advance can save you up to 40 minutes and makes this gumbo ready in under an hour! Plus, if you get easily distracted, making the roux separately can help ensure it doesn’t burn. You can also dice and prepare all of your vegetables and spices in advance to save on prep time.
What type of rice should I serve with gumbo?
A medium or long grain white rice, like jasmine rice, is preferred with gumbo because it has SO much flavor already. And topping with green onions add a nice crunch and fresh flavor!
what to eat with gumbo
Gumbo is delicious over rice and with your favorite side dish. Here are a few of my favorite pairings to serve with gumbo.
Classic Panzanella Toscana Recipe is an Italian staple salad with bread but it also pairs perfectly with spicy gumbo! Vegetarian Wedge Salad has a creamy dressing and crunchy topping that can quickly be prepared while the gumbo cooks. Air Fryer Blooming Onion adds a crispy element to your dinner with hearty gumbo.
And for another New Orleans-inspired recipe, you’ll love our Cajun chickpeas!
