Gluten-Free Sausage & Shrimp Gumbo

Our flavorful gluten-free gumbo recipe combines sausage, shrimp and veggies with an easy gluten-free roux and rich flavors to make a hearty dinner you won’t want to miss!

One of my FAVORITE dinners on this earth is a big bowl of gumbo. The rich texture, the delicious cajun flavors, and the combination of veggies & protein get me every time!

Traditional gumbo is NOT gluten-free because a traditional roux uses all-purpose flour (wheat flour) to thicken it. So, to stay gluten-free and celiac disease safe, gluten-free gumbo needs a little adjusting.

Our gluten-free shrimp and sausage gumbo recipe does just that! This hearty stew channels all the delicious flavor you crave into a gluten-free version that everyone can enjoy.

While I won’t claim this to be an authentic New Orleans gumbo recipe, I will say that I tried my best to honor the history and tradition of this delicious dish, which has roots in West African, French, Choctaw, and Spanish cultures. I’m so grateful to all those who paved the way for us to get to enjoy these delicious recipes!

And, other than the AMAZING flavor, one of my favorite parts about making gumbo is how delicious and simple the ingredients are. Let’s take a look…

Simple Ingredients To Start

• Sausage. The traditional sausage used for gumbo is Andouille sausage, though smoked sausage and kielbasa can also be used if that’s all that’s available or you’re serving people with an aversion to spice.
• Oil & Gluten-Free Flour. For gluten-free gumbo, you’ll use a neutral oil that’s good for high heat (such as canola oil, vegetable oil, or avocado oil) and gluten-free flour.
• The Trinity. The combination of onion, bell pepper, and celery is known as The Holy Trinity in Cajun cooking because it’s used in many traditional dishes, like gumbo, jambalaya, étoufée, and red beans and rice. It’s a delicious variation of the French mirepoix (onion, celery, and carrots). We’re making ours with onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and celery.
• Garlic. Another savory addition that adds delicious flavor.
• Cajun Seasoning. My favorite! Feel free to use a homemade Cajun seasoning, or pick up a gluten-free Cajun seasoning blend like McCormick’s Cajun seasoning. (Some popular brands like Tony Chachere’s Cajun seasoning is NOT gluten-free!)
• Salt & Pepper. Simple, but delicious! Salt really helps elevate the flavors in this gluten-free gumbo!
• Okra. I like to make my sausage and shrimp gumbo with okra. The texture of this unique veggie can be polarizing, but I LOVE it. Buy fresh okra if you can find it, otherwise frozen orka works great, too!
• Tomatoes. While you can use fresh tomatoes, I like using canned tomatoes. Fire-roasted tomatoes add a little extra smokiness and the stewed tomatoes add flavor and richness.
• Chicken Broth. I like a good-quality bone broth for extra protein and richer flavor, but you can absolutely use a homemade chicken stock, veggie stock, or seafood stock.
• Bay Leaf. A lovely addition to a pot of simmering gumbo. I like two bay leaves, but you can go as high as 3 or as low as 1.
• Shrimp. You want peeled, deveined shrimp with the tails removed for this gumbo recipe.
• Tabasco. This simple hot sauce is made from red pepper, vinegar, and salt. It’s gluten-free and adds a lovely bright kick to this sausage and shrimp gumbo. I like to add some to the stew while it cooks, but also put it out on the table for people to add to their bowls, to taste.
• Fresh Herbs. Traditional options include fresh parsley and sliced green onion, but you can also use non-traditional options like cilantro or chives if that’s all you have on hand.

How To Make Gluten-Free Gumbo, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Optional: Brown The Sausage. If desired, you can brown the sausage before starting. This is not an essential step, but does add texture & flavor that some enjoy. To brown sausage, heat a small drizzle of oil in Dutch Oven or large pot and cook sausage 8-10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sausage has browned on both sides. Remove sausage to a clean plate and set aside. (I cook this all in the same pan, but if you prefer, you can brown sausage in a separate skillet.)
2. Make The Roux. Add oil and gluten-free flour to the Dutch oven or large pot and cook 20-30 minutes over low or medium-low heat, stirring constantly until it’s well browned. The roux should be the color of milky coffee or milk chocolate. You want it to look richly browned but not burned, so you’ll need to stir patiently the entire time until you reach the milky coffee stage. If you’re using butter for your roux (an option for Creole-style gumbo), only cook the flour and butter about 3-5 minutes, until the floury smell has cooked away and the roux is smooth. If you try to cook it till browned, the butter will burn!
3. Soften The Veggies. Next, add onion, red and green peppers, and celery and cook 5-10 minutes over medium low heat, stirring regularly to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. (The vegetables will soften slightly but will not cook all the way through.) The roux may look a bit gritty or clumpy at this point–this is normal! Just keep stirring.

4. Layer With Flavor. Then, add garlic, Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir to cook 1 minute more, until fragrant. Next, add the sausage, okra, tomatoes, and broth and stir to combine. Tuck the bay leaves into the stew.
5. Simmer. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for at LEAST 45-60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so, until the veggies are tender, the gumbo has thickened, and the rich flavors have had a chance to meld. I recommend simmering at least a full hour if you can, though you can cook it as long as 2-3 hours on a low simmer!
6. Finish. Taste the gumbo and add additional Cajun seasoning, salt, pepper, or Tabasco to taste. Right before serving, stir the raw shrimp into the gumbo and cook just 1-3 minutes, or until the shrimp are fully cooked through and look plump and pink. Sprinkle with fresh parsley, sliced green onions, or even cilantro (for a non-traditional option).
7. Serve & Store. Scoop the gumbo into shallow bowls and serve with fluffy white rice and Tabasco. Store leftover gumbo in an airtight container in the fridge 3-4 days, or freeze up to 2 months. Keep in mind the shrimp’s texture will be impacted by freezing.

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Gluten-Free Gumbo

Use The Right Gluten-Free Flour For Your Roux! To keep this gumbo recipe gluten-free, use a gluten-free 1:1 or measure-for-measure flour blend like King Arthur Measure-For-Measure flour. Do NOT use alternative flours, like almond flour, coconut flour, or oat flour here. They will not thicken or dissolve properly and will give this gumbo a coarse, gritty texture. Not good.

Use The Right Oil! You can ONLY use neutral oil with a high smoke point here. Lighter oils, like olive oil, will burn and smoke.

Butter. If you prefer to use butter instead of oil in the roux, use 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter and see the different instructions in step 2. You won’t want to cook it as long, or the butter will burn!

Want Thicker Gumbo? To thicken this gumbo to suit your preferences, you can use less broth, add 1-2 teaspoons file powder, or simmer uncovered to reduce the gumbo.

More Cajun-Inspired Recipes You’ll Love

Cajun Sausage & Rice Skillet

Instant Pot Red Beans & Rice

Cajun Smothered Green Beans

Recipe Card

Gluten-Free Sausage & Shrimp Gumbo

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Emily Dixon, One Lovely Life
• Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
• Yield: 10 cups gumbo 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

This flavorful gluten-free gumbo recipe combines sausage, shrimp and veggies with an easy gluten-free roux and rich flavors to make a hearty dinner you won’t want to miss!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 12 ounces Andouille sausage, sliced*
• 1/2 cup canola oil, vegetable oil, or avocado oil*
• 2/3 cup gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend*
• 2 cups diced onion (1 large onion)
• 1 cup diced red bell pepper (1 red pepper)
• 1 cup diced green bell pepper (1 green pepper)
• 1 cup diced celery (3–4 stalks)
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning* (or more, to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (14 ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• 10 ounces okra, sliced (fresh or frozen works!)
• 4 cups chicken broth (I like bone broth)
• 2–3 dried bay leaves
• 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled, de-veined, and tails removed
• Tabasco (or your favorite hot sauce)
• Fresh parsley or sliced green onions, for serving
• Cooked white rice, for serving

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Instructions

1. Optional: Brown The Sausage. If desired, you can brown the sausage before starting. This is not an essential step, but does add texture & flavor that some enjoy. To brown sausage, heat a small drizzle of oil in Dutch Oven or large pot and cook sausage 8-10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sausage has browned on both sides. Remove sausage to a clean plate and set aside. (I cook this all in the same pan, but if you prefer, you can brown sausage in a separate skillet.)
2. Make The Roux. Add oil and gluten-free flour to the Dutch oven or large pot and cook 20-30 minutes over low or medium-low heat, stirring constantly until it’s well browned. The roux should be the color of milky coffee or milk chocolate. You want it to look richly browned but not burned, so you’ll need to stir patiently the entire time until you reach the milky coffee stage. If you’re using butter for your roux (an option for Creole-style gumbo), only cook the flour and butter about 3-5 minutes, until the floury smell has cooked away and the roux is smooth. If you try to cook it till browned, the butter will burn!
3. Soften The Veggies. Next, add onion, red and green peppers, and celery and cook 5-10 minutes over medium low heat, stirring regularly to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. (The vegetables will soften slightly but will not cook all the way through.) The roux may look a bit gritty or clumpy at this point–this is normal! Just keep stirring.
4. Layer With Flavor. Then, add garlic, Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir to cook 1 minute more, until fragrant. Next, add the sausage, okra, tomatoes, and broth and stir to combine. Tuck the bay leaves into the stew.
5. Simmer. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for at LEAST 45-60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so, until the veggies are tender, the gumbo has thickened, and the rich flavors have had a chance to meld. I recommend simmering at least a full hour if you can, though you can cook it as long as 2-3 hours on a low simmer!
6. Finish. Taste the gumbo and add additional Cajun seasoning, salt, pepper, or Tabasco to taste. Right before serving, stir the raw shrimp into the gumbo and cook just 1-3 minutes, or until the shrimp are fully cooked through and look plump and pink. Sprinkle with fresh parsley, sliced green onions, or even cilantro (for a non-traditional option).
7. Serve & Store. Scoop the gumbo into shallow bowls and serve with fluffy white rice and Tabasco. Store leftover gumbo in an airtight container in the fridge 3-4 days, or freeze up to 2 months. Keep in mind the shrimp’s texture will be impacted by freezing.

Notes

Ingredient Notes:

• Sausage. If you can’t find andouille or it’s too spicy for your family, you can use kielbasa sausage or smoked sausage, and add additional Cajun seasoning, to help bring up the flavor. 
• Oil. You can only use neutral oil with a high smoke point here. Olive oil will burn. If you prefer to use butter, use 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter and see the different instructions in step 2. 
• Flour. To keep this gluten-free, use a gluten-free 1:1 or measure-for-measure flour blend like King Arthur Measure-For-Measure. Do NOT use almond flour, coconut flour, or oat flour here. They will not thicken properly and will give this gumbo a coarse, gritty texture. 
• Cajun Seasoning. Some popular brands (like Tony Chachere’s) are NOT gluten-free, so double-check before using here! We like McCormick’s Cajun seasoning, which is gluten-free. 

Variations:

• Add Chicken. For an extra meaty gumbo, feel free to add 1-2 cups of rotisserie chicken meat along with the tomatoes and broth.
• Skip The Shrimp. If you have a seafood allergy or don’t like shrimp, you can leave it out. Instead, you can add chicken (see above) or add 1/2 pound more sausage to the gumbo.

Cooking Tips:

• Want Thicker Gumbo? To thicken this gumbo to suit your preferences, you can use less broth, add 1-2 teaspoons file powder, or simmer uncovered to reduce the gumbo. 
• Roux Tips. Always use caution when working with hot oil! Stir CONSTANTLY and patiently for a full 20-30 minutes on LOW or MEDIUM-LOW heat, or until the roux is a milk chocolate or milky coffee brown color. That deep brown color = flavor! (If using butter, see tips above to adjust the recipe.)

• Prep Time: 35 minutes
• Cook Time: 2 hours
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cup gumbo
• Calories: 297
• Sugar: 3.9 g
• Sodium: 547.9 mg
• Fat: 17.7 g
• Saturated Fat: 2.9 g
• Carbohydrates: 15.5 g
• Fiber: 3.2 g
• Protein: 19.1 g
• Cholesterol: 95 mg

Want to learn more about Cajun & Creole cooking? There’s SO MUCH to love! I recommend anything from the award-winning late great Leah Chase (The Queen of Creole Cooking, who inspired Princess Tiana!), or you can explore Louisiana bloggers, like Ashley from Pink Owl Kitchen & Marisa from Risa’s Kitchen!