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Louisiana style Instant Pot Gumbo with chicken, Andouille sausage & shrimp is an extremely flavorful, intense and bold stew that's hard to resist. The dark roux known as Gumbo Roux Recipe is the heart and soul of today's New Orleans style Instant Pot Chicken and Sausage Gumbo.
You'll love this Southern comfort food at it's best like no other that's packed with the "Holy Trinity" veggies, a good dose of Creole seasoning & uber delicious flavors.
Instant Pot Chicken Sausage Gumbo
The irresistible aroma of hot Gumbo wafting from my Instant Pot as soon as I release its pressure always sends us to food coma 😀
Packed with smokey Andouille sausages, fresh colossal tiger prawns, tender chicken, okra, the holy trinity set of veggies, lots of creole seasoning and garlic and the mystic dark roux is what todays Instant Pot Gumbo is all about.
If you love Cajun or Creole cuisine with strong rich flavors you will definitely love my Instant Pot Gumbo recipe which I learned from my kindhearted Louisianian neighbor.
Many thanks to her!
Now, let's talk about the recipe a little more....
Traditional style Gumbo is labor intensive and requires lots of babysitting and simmering (3 to 24 hours).
However, this easy Gumbo recipe gets ready much quicker, it surprisingly has all the good characteristics of a Kick-ass Gumbo minus the time and baby sitting part 😀
It's pretty close to the authentic slow simmered Traditional Gumbo if not the same.
What is Gumbo?
Gumbo is a rich strongly flavored stew, the official state cuisine of Louisiana, a southern comfort food often consisting of chicken, sausage, shrimp or seafood and a holy trinity of vegetables like bell peppers, onions and celery, seasoned with lots of cajun or creole seasoning.
The heart and soul of any Gumbo recipe is a dark roux which acts as a thickener and a base.
Some people also use okra in addition to roux and few others choose Gumbo file (dried and ground Sassafras leaves).
What is the difference between Gumbo and Jambalaya?
The main difference between Gumbo and Jambalaya is that Gumbo is a rich flavored stew often packed with proteins like sausages, chicken, shrimps or seafood.
Gumbo is relished with rice.
Whereas, Jambalaya is a rice dish packed with proteins like sausages, chicken and shrimp. It is similar to Spanish Paella or Pilaf and makes a meal all by itself.
Both are entirely different dishes made with different set of ingredients and uses different methods of preparation.
Instant Pot Gumbo with Rice Ingredients
Dark Roux
Dark Roux acts as the base, thickener and flavor developer of a Gumbo dish. It's flour browned in fat (oil) until it reaches a gorgeous dark brown color resembling chocolate.
I made a separate and a very detailed post on Gumbo Roux Recipe which covers everything you need to know about dark Roux.
The post is loaded with tons of handy tips and will guide you with a step by step method and a short video.
Don't miss it because a Gumbo always begins with a good roux 🙂
You really want to build a rich dark roux for Cajun or Creole Gumbo.
Needless to mention a Gumbo Roux Recipe is labor intensive, time consuming and requires a good amount of patience.
You rush the process and you burn the roux. You loose patience and you end up with a light roux which will indefinitely alter the flavor of the rich Gumbo.
Okra
I used fresh chopped okra. It acts as a thickener and also adds depth of flavor to an Gumbo dish. Stewed okra becomes mucilaginous, that is slimy.
The slimy nature of the okra helps thicken the cooking liquid in a good way and also adds tons of complexity to the dish.
We love the slimy texture of okra and wonderfully enjoy the marvelous texture it lends to the Instant Pot Gumbo recipe. Hence, we added raw chopped okra directly to the pot.
If you totally hate okra take the file powder route and add this brown green powder once the Gumbo is all done and you turn off the flame.
File powder loses its thickening power when simmered, so its added as a garnish and mixed in with the Gumbo.
This dried and ground sassafras leaves powder shall add a distinct herbal vibe to the dish, it
Foodies Terminal Pro Tip
If you despise slimy okra oven bake the chopped okra, or skillet roast them or deep fry them until lightly golden around the edges. This process will help kill the slimy texture of okra.
The Holy Trinity
The Holy Trinity of vegetables consists of bell peppers, onions and celery.
That's how Louisianians call the great combo and this base of veggies also acts as the base for a good many cajun and creole recipes as well.
I added roughly chopped garlic to the dish.
Tomatoes
Cajun Gumbo doesn't include tomatoes however, Creole Gumbos consists tomatoes.
We love the flavor of fire roasted tinned tomatoes and Jalapeno tinned tomatoes in todays recipe.
They give such great flavors and lends the Gumbo a slight tang and builds great depth of flavors.
Seasoning
Lots of Creole seasoning is what I used for todays Instant Pot Gumbo recipe.
Protein
Andouille Sausage, frozen or fresh de-shelled and de-veined shrimps, boneless and skinless chicken chunks (chicken breasts or thighs). That's what I used in my Gumbo.
You can omit the shrimp from the recipe and slightly increase the amount of Andouille sausage and chicken.
I would not recommend that you replace the Andouille sausage with any other kind of sausage.
Andouille sausage lends the dish with a deep smokey and rich flavor.
A Gumbo with any other kind of sausage will lack the distinct flavor and will taste quiet different.
Herb
Bayleaf. Don't miss this. A true Louisianian Gumbo always contains Bayleaf 😉
Instant Pot Gumbo - Foodies Terminal Tips
- Best Gumbo secret: Begin with a good dark Gumbo Roux first. A dark roux is the most important thing that makes the best ever Gumbo. Don’t miss my detailed post – Dark Roux Recipe (covers everything you need to know).
- Fresh ingredients: Add fresh ingredients instead of frozen like bell peppers, celery, chicken, sausage, shrimps and okra. Fresh stuffs taste way better than frozen ones.
- Best time to add roux: Never add the roux at the end. Add roux to the pot either before sautéing the veggies or just after sautéing them.
- Best shrimp: Colossal, Jumbo or Tiger shrimps tastes the best. Small shrimp won't contribute any flavor to the recipe. Avoid them also avoid using cooked shrimp from the supermarket (the pink ones).
- Best sausage: Our top picks are spicy andouille sausage, Zatarain's Cajun or hot Creole sausage. Do not use any other variety.
- Roux hack: For lesser work prepare the roux before hand and keep it ready. (you can find all details of storing and preserving Gumbo Roux in my Roux post).
- Okra: Okra adds a subtle vegetal flavor and so much character to the Gumbo, it also helps thicken the Gumbo (no need of Gumbo file). Add it if you can. If you despise slimy okra just fry it or oven roast it.
How to make Instant Pot Gumbo? Step by Step
Step #1 Brown the Sausages
Browned Andouille sausages taste extraordinary in Gumbo and make the dish outrageous.
Brown the Andouille both sides in olive oil in the Instant Pot set on SAUTE at HIGH.
Step #2 Saute the aromatics
The sausage drippings or fat is enough to saute the set of Holy Trinity (veggies) and garlic.
Dump all at once into the inner pot of the Instant Pot and saute on HIGH or NORMAL for 1-2 minutes.
Step #3 Add dark roux
Pour the dark gumbo roux over the veggies and mix well.
Step #4 Add proteins, liquid, seasonings, tomatoes
Now everything goes back to the pot like sausages, chicken, Colossal tiger prawns (you can add them later too), tomatoes, creole seasoning, bay leaves, stock.
Give everything a good mix gently and de-glaze the pot very well with the help of a spatula so that there are absolutely no bits and crumbs stuck at the bottom of the inner pot.
Step #5 Pressure Cook Gumbo until the flavors have melded and proteins are tender
CANCEL the SAUTE mode and press the PRESSURE COOK button and set it on HIGH.
Pressure cook the Gumbo for 6 minutes followed by a 10 minutes Natural pressure release.
Enjoy it with rice and if you can resist save for next day 😀 Tastes the BEST.
Instant Pot Chicken Sausage Shrimp Gumbo - FAQs
What is Gumbo supposed to taste like?
Gumbo is supposed to taste like a very rich, strongly flavored stew with a distinct earthy taste. Just imagine an extremely flavorful, strongly seasoned stew that has quiet a zing but won't overwhelm you.
How do you add flavor to Gumbo?
You can add flavor to Gumbo by making an excellent Dark Roux and using fresh ingredients like chicken, shrimp and sausage. Also the holy trinity of vegetables, the herbs and the seasonings greatly contribute to the rich flavor of Gumbo.
Does Gumbo taste better next day?
Yes, Gumbo tastes better the next day. The flavors marry together to give an uber intense, rich and complex taste to the Gumbo.
Why does Gumbo spoil so quickly?
Gumbo might spoil quickly if it's left outside on the counter-top for longer hours. Storing any left overs in the fridge immediately will prevent the Gumbo from spoiling.
Why is my Gumbo slimy?
Gumbo with okra tends to be slimy if the raw or frozen okra is added directly to the pot, this is because okra when stewed becomes mucilaginous.
Is Gumbo supposed to be soupy?
No, Gumbo is not supposed to be soupy, it's much denser than a normal soup and that's because of the dark roux, okra or Gumbo file (dried sassafras leaves).
How dark should roux be for Gumbo?
Gumbo Roux should be dark brown in color resembling chocolate color.
What is Gumbo File?
Gumbo file is dried and ground Sassafras leaves that is added to Gumbo as a garnish to thicken it. File is a powder with a distinct green brown color and tea-like taste. Imagine matcha.
Is Gumbo file a thickener?
Yes, Gumbo file acts as a thickener.
How long does Gumbo last?
Instant pot chicken sausage shrimp Gumbo will last for 5 days in the fridge. You can freeze it for 2-3 months. Whereas, a seafood Gumbo consisting of shell fish, crabs will last for only 1-2 days in the fridge and for 2-3 months in the freezer.
Want more awesome Instant Pot Recipes form FOODIES TERMINAL, here are some blockbuster Hits from us to you 😀
Instant Pot Gumbo
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Ingredients
Proteins
- 1 cup chicken diced into 1.5" pieces (skinless and boneless chicken thighs or breasts, we prefer thighs in Gumbo.)
- 1 cup sliced Andouille Sausages (dice them into circles or half moons.)
- 1 cup colossal tiger shrimps (de-shelled, de-veined and headless.)
Holy Trinity set of Veggies
- ⅓ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
- ⅓ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- ⅓ cup finely chopped onion
- ⅓ cup finely chopped celery
Thickeners
- ½ cup chopped fresh okra (or frozen okra)
- ⅓ cup Gumbo Roux (check out our GUMBO ROUX RECIPE.)
Seasonings and Herbs
- 2 tbsp Creole Seasoning (heaped)
- 2 Bay leaf
Other ingredients
- ¾ cup canned tomatoes with jalapeno (you can use normal canned diced tomatoes)
- ¾ cup canned fire roasted tomatoes
- 1.5 tbsp garlic roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ¾ cup low sodium chicken stock or vegetable stock
- Salt (to taste)
Equipment Used
Instructions
Brown the Andouille Sausages
- Note that you can dice the Andouille sausages according to your preference, dice them into circles, half moons or wedges.
- Set the Instant Pot on SAUTE and keep it on HIGH. Add olive oil and when the oil is hot add the sausages and brown them on both sides. There will be brown bits and crumbs stuck at the bottom of the inner pot of the Instant Pot but that's just fine we will be de glazing the pot really well after adding the stock. Set aside the browned sausages.
Saute the aromatics & mix dark roux
- Do not drain the sausage fat or drippings we will be using it to saute the veggies.
- Add the veggies along with the garlic and saute for 1-2 mins.
- Stir the dark roux before pouring it into the instant pot. Add the roux and mix in very well with the veggies.
Add proteins, stock, seasonings, tomatoes & pressure cook
- Add the proteins (chicken, sausage and tiger shrimps), creole seasoning, bay leaves, tomatoes and stock to the pot. Give everything a good stir and de-glaze the pot very well with the help of a spatula so that there are no bits and crumbs stuck at the bottom of the inner pot of the instant pot.
- Close the lid, seal the valve and CANCEL the SAUTE mode. Press the PRESSURE COOK button and set it on HIGH for 6 minutes.
- When the cooking cycle is over the Instant Pot will begin to beep. Wait for 10 ,minutes natural pressure release and than release the remaining pressure manually.
- Open the pot and enjoy the Gumbo with rice, Louisianian style!
Notes
- Measuring Units used, 1 cup = 240 ml & 1 teaspoon = 5 ml.
- Something about the stock: ¾ stock will lend a perfect consistency to your Instant Pot Gumbo. However, sometimes the chicken and shrimps releases lots of extra juices. If that is the case simmer the Pressure cooked Gumbo on SAUTE kept at LOW for a few minutes until you receive the desired consistency.
- Hate slimy okra do this: Deep fry, skillet roast or oven bake the fresh chopped okra until the turn golden around the edges. Add these to the pot and the okra won't turn slimy.
- Want to skip okra totally? Increase the amount of proteins slightly and use Gumbo file to thicken the Gumbo. Add file powder once after pressure cooking and before serving the Gumbo. File loses thickening power when simmered.
- You may increse the amount of roux slightly, however, ⅓ cup dark roux is perfect for us as we do not prefer super thick Gumbo. It's never meant to be too thick.
- If you have jumbo or medium shrimps on hand, add them to the pot once the pressure cooking is done. Simmer for 2 mins on SAUTE kept at LOW. Fresh Colossal Tiger Shrimps are very meaty and take more time to cook through hence, I added them along with the other proteins.
- Do not swap ANDAOUILLE SAUSAGE with any other variety.
- Do not over saute the veggies.
- Do not add roux at the end.
- You can swap the Tinned tomatoes with jalapeno with normal chopped or diced tinned tomatoes. The amount remains the same.
Carol says
This was absolutely delicious! Definitely spicy but great with cornbread! Made it exactly as the recipe stated!
This is going in my recipe box!
Foodies Terminal says
So glad you enjoyed this recipe Carol 🙂 Thanks so much for the amazing feedback, appreciate it. - Meghna.
Amanda Irons says
I made this recipe for the first time last month and it was incredible. I did make a few subs based on what I had: added already cooked chx and some crab claw meat at the end with raw large shrimp. I also used a milder sausage (i know, im sorry, but i was afraid the andouiile would be too spicy for my 4 year old)Im making it again next week (with andouille this time) and the only thing I'll do differently is add extra okra (we love it) and use raw chicken as recipe says. My only problem was with the dark roux which never darkened. I wound up throwing it away after a couple of hours (!!!) and making it in the oven which worked perfectly. Thank you!