What to Serve with Gumbo - Here Are The Options - EatDrinkRabbit (2024)

FAQs

What should gumbo be served with? ›

While there are some regional variations, the dish typically includes broth, seafood (like shrimp) and/or meat, andouille sausage, a combination of vegetables known as the "holy trinity" (celery, bell peppers and onions) and is thickened either by a toasted roux, fresh okra and/or gumbo filé powder.

Gumbo is traditionally served with rice. A third, lesser-known variety, the meatless gumbo z'herbes, is essentially a gumbo of slow-cooked greens.

Cornbread

A southern staple, this side dish complements the soupy and zesty gumbo. The dense, dry texture of the bread helps absorb all the liquid from the gumbo and make the bread more delicious.

The Secret Ingredient To Amazing Gumbo Is Chicken Stock, Several Friends Say. When you are going to make a delicious chicken and sausage gumbo, several friends swear by chicken stock as being imperative to making your gumbo great.

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables – are the simplest appetizer. Fruits are good appetizers because they give an attractive appearance, fragrance, appealing taste and delicious flavor. For example, you could serve a platter of thinly sliced cucumbers, chunks of red bell pepper and baby carrots.

Common Types of Gumbo

Traditional favorites usually include seafood gumbo, sausage gumbo, and chicken gumbo, but it's incredibly versatile.

Add chicken, sausage, and shrimp and taste. Add more seasonings to your liking–salt, pepper, chicken bullion paste, garlic, more Joe's stuff or more chicken broth–until you reach the perfect flavor. 6. Serve warm over hot cooked rice.

Gumbo is really a soup or stew that's often served over a little rice, while jambalaya is made with the rice cooked into the dish, making the grain an integral part of it.

What are the two types of gumbo? ›

There are two main varieties of gumbo, Creole and Cajun and both are typically served over rice.

What Is Gumbo? Gumbo is a dark stew made with a roux base, holy trinity veggies (bell peppers, onions, celery), and proteins ranging from andouille sausage to chicken to seafood. Andouille sausage and chicken are traditional to Cajun gumbo.

While most people enjoy gumbo as a soup, it also goes great on top of your mashed potatoes. This is another excellent way to use mashed potatoes because they offer a comforting base for gumbo.

The one thing that really defines it, though, is the way it is thickened. Gumbo is much denser than a simple soup; the broth has a thick, almost viscous consistency. And that characteristic is most commonly created by making a roux, cooking flour and oil together until they thicken and darken.

The acidity of tomatoes complements seafood, which might be why tomatoes were initially used in shellfish gumbo but skipped in chicken-and-sausage gumbo.

What are the 9 types of appetizers? ›

There are nine main classifications of appetizers: canapes, chips and dip, co*cktails, finger foods, fruits and vegetables, hors d'oeuvres, petite (small salads), relishes and crudite, and other.

Garnishes to Avoid - Avoid using unappetizing garnishes like raw herbs, large chunks of citrus, and anything with a strong odor. Also, avoid garnishes that take a long time to apply.

Light refreshments include nonalcoholic beverages and edible items commonly served between meals, but not intended to substitute for meals, e.g., coffee, soft drinks, doughnuts, sweet rolls, fruit, cheese.

Contemporary gumbos are made with all manner of ingredients in a variety of combinations. Seafood and non-seafood gumbos are two primary types, and they may be made with or without okra. But some gumbos include ingredients from both the land and the sea. Duck, smoked sausage, and oyster gumbo is one delicious example.

The “holy trinity” in Cajun cuisine and Louisiana Creole cuisine is the base for several dishes in the regional cuisines of Louisiana and consists of onions, bell peppers and celery. The preparation of Cajun/Creole dishes such as crawfish étouffée, gumbo, and jambalaya all start from this base.

Great gumbo starts with roux, a flavorful thickening agent made from equal parts fat and flour. Once the roux is a deep golden color, add diced veggies and sausage to the mix. Then, incorporate beef bouillon, hot sauce, tomatoes, and seasonings to intensify the flavor.

The exact flavor of any given gumbo depends on its ingredients: Seafood is one popular option, while boneless skinless chicken breast and Andouille sausage is another. Most gumbos however, have a sweetness from the Holy Trinity, a combination of onion, bell pepper, and celery used to flavor a soup base.

Recipe Ingredients

Of course, you can always use any chicken cut you prefer. You could even use any poultry, like turkey or quail. Smoked Sausage – This adds meaty, spicy, and peppery flavors to our gumbo. I used Andouille sausage for this recipe; other choices are Kielbasa and Spanish or Mexican chorizo.

What is the liquid in gumbo? ›

There really is no place for water in gumbo. Instead, create a flavorful broth. Even common, store-bought chicken broth adds more flavor than water. One of my favorite easy broths is to take leftover shrimp shells and simmer them with boxed chicken broth.

Creole gumbos most often include tomatoes, shellfish and dark roux and often okra and filé powder, an herb made from ground leaves of sassafras trees. Cajun gumbo doesn't have tomatoes and usually also contains chicken. It's not uncommon for both Creole and Cajun gumbo to include meats such as ham or sausage as well.

Most food historians agree that this popular South Louisiana dish has its origins in West Africa. Consider the word “gumbo” which comes from the West African word “ki ngombo” for “o*kra”. West Africans used okra as a thickener in their version of the dish.

Gumbo (gum-boe)

A thick, robust, roux-based soup prepared with seafood or game and often thickened with okra or filé.

Add chicken and sauté until golden. Add tomatoes and mix well. Add cheese and stir until melted through. Season to taste with black pepper and Cajun seasoning.

Gumbo filé is made from the dried leaves of the sassafras tree of the eastern United States. American Indians pounded sassafras leaves into a powder and added them to soups and stews. Ingredients: Sassafras leaves.

The balls consist of a dark roux batter loaded with shrimp, stewed chicken, crab meat, and andouille sausage, then rolled in saltine and breadcrumb crust and deep fried. The gumbo balls are served with a side of roux dipping sauce.

How do you add flavor to gumbo? ›

Serve gumbo with warm rice, sprinkling sliced scallions on top of each bowl. Pass hot sauce at the table, as well as filé powder, if desired, to lightly shake on top of each serving of gumbo and rice.

Creole gumbos most often include tomatoes, shellfish and dark roux and often okra and filé powder, an herb made from ground leaves of sassafras trees. Cajun gumbo doesn't have tomatoes and usually also contains chicken. It's not uncommon for both Creole and Cajun gumbo to include meats such as ham or sausage as well.

Easy Green Salad

We think that a great green salad makes a great side dish for gumbo. Crunchy textures, lightly acidic flavors, and a bounty of fresh vegetables plus some croutons will always be a hit. Plus, if you've got a crowd, you can put out a big bowl and let everyone serve themselves as they see fit.

Green Salad

You may want to keep your side dish nice and simple. A fresh green salad is perfect to serve with jambalaya. This recipe from Creme de la Crumb is made with mixed greens, bacon bits, sunflower seeds, red onion, and cucumber. It is topped with a homemade honey mustard and olive oil dressing.