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    Home » Entertaining

    Cajun Shrimp Gumbo

    February 21, 2020 by Patti Estep 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    Bowl of shrimp gumbo soup

    This Cajun shrimp gumbo recipe is perfect for celebrating Mardi Gras. It's a delicious seafood dish made with authentic New Orleans flavor. Made in one pot for an easy meal that feeds a crowd.

    Bowl of Cajun shrimp gumbo.

    Mardi Gras, the celebration of food before the Lenten season, conjures up all kinds of delicious dishes. I've shared a delicious seafood jambalaya already and today I'm sharing my version of Cajun shrimp gumbo.

    Chopped onion, celery and green peppers
    aka and the Cajun holy trinity

    Cajun Shrimp Gumbo Recipe

    This yummy gumbo recipe is made with a traditional Cajun Holy Trinity, but it is not made with filé powder. Filé powder is hard to find and though it does gives some flavor it's mostly used as a thickening agent.

    Roux made in a dutch oven

    However, I did make a nice medium colored roux. Using roux in a gumbo will also make the broth thicker and is something that my husband always does when making gravy at Thanksgiving.

    This roux has a nice caramel color and took me about 5 minutes to make. However, some people like to make it even darker which takes even longer to make.

    Gumbo simmering in dutch oven

    I also used okra in my gumbo recipe. Okra has a natural thickening ability and I really like the way it tastes.

    Raw shrimp on plate

    Shrimp is the main protein in this gumbo. Many people use andouille sausage in their gumbo and/or chicken but I wanted to make this more of a seafood dish. This way you can eat it during lent too.

    Can You Use Frozen Shrimp in Gumbo?

    Yes. I do it all the time. Just make sure that it's frozen raw shrimp, not pre-cooked frozen shrimp.

    Bowl of Cajun shrimp gumbo soup

    Do You Cook the Shrimp before Adding it to Gumbo?

    Definitely not. You want to add your shrimp in just a few minutes before you are ready to serve. It will cook and turn pink in about 3 minutes or so. Cooking shrimp too long will make it tough.

    Spoonful of shrimp gumbo

    What's the Difference Between Gumbo and Jambalaya?

    To me, jambalaya is more of a rice-based dish or stew with little liquid, whereas gumbo is more like a thick soup.

    Try this yummy shrimp gumbo soup for your Mardi Gras celebration or any time of year. It's a nice savory, hearty dish the whole family will love.

    Patti signature

    More Shrimp Recipes

    • One-Pot Shrimp Boil
    • Shrimp and Tomato Pasta
    • Quick and Easy Steamed Shrimp
    Bowl of shrimp gumbo with spoon.
    Spoonful of shrimp gumbo

    Cajun Shrimp Gumbo

    This Cajun shrimp gumbo recipe is perfect for celebrating Mardi Gras. It's a delicious seafood dish made with authentic New Orleans flavors.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 40 mins
    Total Time 1 hr
    Course Soups and Stews
    Cuisine Cajun
    Servings 10
    Calories 95 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1/4 cup 1/2 stick of butter
    • 1/4 cup flour
    • 1 cup onion diced
    • 2 large celery ribs diced 1 cup
    • 1 cup diced green pepper
    • 2 cloves of garlic diced
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
    • 1 teaspoon thyme
    • 1 teaspoon hot paprika
    • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 quart 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
    • 12 oz bag of cut okra
    • 1.5 pounds raw shrimp

    Instructions
     

    • Make a roux by melting 1/4 cup of butter in a large pot on low-medium heat.
    • Sprinkle 1/4 cup of flour on top and use a high heat spatula to stir well.
    • Continue to stir the roux until it cooks the flour and turns a nice light brown color. This will take about 5 minutes or more. Make sure to keep stirring so that the mixture does not burn.
    • Next add the onions, celery and green pepper and saute for a few minutes.
    • Add the spices, stock, okra, and tomatoes next.
    • Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes or until the mixture thickens.
    • Add the shrimp and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the shrimp is pink and cooked through.
    • Serve with rice.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 95kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 11gFat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 724mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4g

    Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although attempts have been made to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    About Patti Estep

    Patti is the creator of Hearth and Vine, a home and garden blog filled with projects to inspire your creative side. She loves crafting, gardening, decorating and entertaining at her home in Pennsylvania. When she is not working on a project at home or searching for treasures at nurseries and thrift stores with her girlfriends, you’ll probably find her with family and friends, at a restaurant, or home party enjoying new and different food adventures.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Marie Holmes

      February 21, 2020 at 7:14 am

      My Grandma was a transplanted Michigander to Mississippi. She made awesome gumbo. Just seeing this recipe makes my mouth water. I really need to try to make this.

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        February 21, 2020 at 7:51 am

        Thanks Marie, I hope you like and make it your own.

        Reply

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