This delightful Seafood Gumbo is full of shrimp and crab and it has a nice spicy kick. There’s nothing like a warm bowl of gumbo, and I especially like a seafood gumbo.

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Seafood Gumbo

Making a big pot of gumbo is a little labor intensive, but it lasts for days and only gets better with time. It’s perfect for a lazy afternoon spent at home. Build a nice fire in the fireplace and put your biggest pot on the stove.

Seafood Gumbo with shrimp and crab

The most time-consuming part and the most important part is making the roux. It is a process that should not be rushed. It forms the base of the flavor and you really want to take the time and develop a deep, robust flavor. Making roux can take some practice. Turn the heat up too high and it will burn and you will have to start again.

In addition to shrimp and crab, this Seafood Gumbo is also flavored with the Holy Trinity- (onions, bell pepper, and celery), lots of garlic, a bottle of beer, thyme, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, and lots of Cajun seasoning. Plus there’s a pound of andouille sausage for some meatiness.

Equipment Needed

  1. 6 to 7-quart Dutch Oven– It’s important to use a Dutch oven with a thick, heavy bottom so the roux doesn’t burn. This Dutch Oven is perfect.
  2. Fine-Meshed Sieve– for straining the shrimp stock. This set of 3 strainers is very useful in the kitchen.
Seafood Gumbo with shrimp and crab

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Seafood Gumbo

4.87 from 102 votes
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 2 hours 10 minutes
Total: 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10
This delightful Seafood Gumbo is full of shrimp and crab and it has a nice spicy kick. 
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Ingredients

  • 2 pounds unpeeled fresh large shrimp
  • 1/2 cup butter, divided
  • 2 (32-ounce) cartons chicken broth
  • 1 pound andouille sausage,, sliced
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups finely chopped yellow onion
  • 1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
  • 1 cup finely chopped celery
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 (12-ounce) bottle amber beer
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 cup green onion tops
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 pound lump crabmeat
  • Cooked rice for serving

Instructions 

  • Peel and devein shrimp, placing shrimp shells in a large pot. Refrigerate shrimp until needed.
  • In a large pot, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat. Add shrimp shells and cook until pink. Then add broth.
  • Bring broth to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm until needed.
  • In a large Dutch oven, cook sausage until browned. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  • Add oil and remaining 1/4 cup butter to Dutch oven. Heat over medium heat until butter is completely melted.
  • Add flour and stir with wooden spoon until smooth.
  • Reduce heat to medium low and cook, stirring frequently until roux is a dark caramel color. This will take 30 to 40 minutes.
  • Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Add green pepper and celery and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring often.
  • Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
  • Add beer and stir in well.
  • Pour shrimp stock through a fine-meshed sieve into Dutch oven. (I like to add it in 3 separate additions, mixing well between additions.
  • Add Cajun seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaves, plus the reserved andouille sausage. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
  • Add green onions, parsley, and shrimp. When shrimp are pink, remove from heat and stir in crabmeat.
  • Serve with white rice.

Notes

Recipe Source: adapted slightly from Taste of the South Magazine

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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198 Comments

  1. Bob says:

    Very detailed and comfortably recipe.

  2. Hope C Mayer says:

    This recipe is amazing.. I like using bonus game like using boneless skinless chicken thighs And Dungeness crab. My family loved it!

  3. Renard M Jennings says:

    It was my first time making this and everyone loved it

  4. Satin says:

    I’ve added double the amount of creole seasoning and a little bit of Louisiana hot sauce, but it was delicious!

  5. Caron Robideau says:

    This was so delicious. My whole family loved it.

  6. Richard says:

    Delicious , I added calamari, mussels, clams, shrimp and lobster and it was Devine.

  7. Patricia Gillyard says:

    Very good for cool evening, l will make it again. I gave this recipe two thumbs up

  8. ALOTHA JENE MAYES says:

    It was restaurant quality! Thank you for sharing!

  9. Peter Lawrence says:

    labor intensive, but worth the time and effort

  10. Ray says:

    Followed this recipe almost exactly. I made my roux in the oven the day before (much easier that way). I also added 1 pound of de-slimed okra. After adding the sausage and seafood, it still tasted pretty bland. Salt, pepper and another tablespoon of cajun seasoning helped.
    Pretty good in the end, but it’s still missing ‘something’ that I can’t figure out.

    1. ALOTHA JENE MAYES says:

      I added a TBS of Old Bay Seasoning.