Cajun/Creole · main

Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo reads umami 6.8, salinity 4.9 and richness 4.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Cajun/Creole main, about 1 hr 43 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.6 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.5 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 0.8 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 4.1 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.9 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.8 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.8 · Salinity 4.9 · Richness 4.7 · Allium 4.2 · Smoke 3.7 · Marine & Briny 3.1 · Warm Spice 2.4 · Sweetness 2.3 · Herbaceous 2.1 · Heat 1.8 · Earthy 1.5 · Bitterness 1.1 · Floral 0.8 · Sourness 0.7 · Fruity 0.7 · Nutty 0.6

What's in it (16)

• vegetable oil — 163 g
• all-purpose flour — 91 g
• andouille sausage — 454 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• green bell pepper — 100 g
• celery — 80 g
• garlic — 12 g
• chicken broth — 1420 g
• frozen okra — 454 g
• creole seasoning — 10 g
• smoked paprika — 5 g
• bay — 2 g
• salt — 7 g
• shrimp — 454 g
• green onions — 330 g
• white rice — 710 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 43 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 152 kcal, 5.2 g protein, 7.2 g fat, 17 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Heat the oil and flour together in a heavy Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat, whisking constantly. Cook, adjusting the heat as needed, until the roux turns a deep mahogany brown, the color of dark chocolate, 25-30 minutes — if you see black flecks or smell scorching, it's burnt; start over rather than push through.
2. Add the sausage to the hot roux and cook, stirring, until it browns at the edges and releases some fat, about 4 minutes.
3. Stir in the onion, bell pepper, and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and the onion turns translucent, 6-7 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
5. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth until the roux is fully smoothed in, then stir in the bay leaf, Cajun seasoning, and smoked paprika. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the broth thickens slightly and tastes deeply of the roux, 45 minutes.
6. Stir in the okra and salt; simmer until the okra is tender and no longer slick, 15 minutes.
7. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until they turn pink and opaque and reach 145F internally, 4-5 minutes; discard the bay leaf.
8. Taste the gumbo and add more salt if it needs it.
9. Ladle the gumbo over bowls of rice and scatter the green onions on top before serving.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Gumbo — Southern
• One-Pot Jambalaya — Cajun/Creole · Cajun
• Jambalaya — Cajun/Creole
• Shrimp Etouffee — Cajun/Creole · Cajun
• Corn and Shrimp Chowder — American

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.