Vegan Gumbo Louisiana Style
This recipe for Vegan Gumbo stays true to its Louisiana roots with just the right blend of cajun spices and deep roux flavor creating a plant based version of the delicious cajun classic.
Servings: 7
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup of sunflower oil (any neutral oil )
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (gluten-free 1 to 1 flour can be substituted)
- 14 oz vegan sausages, sliced
- 1 medium onion, diced (1 cup)
- 2 celery stalks, diced (¾ cup)
- ½ cup green bell pepper, diced
- ½ cup red bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 ½ cups vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 cups okra (fresh or frozen)
- 14 oz can red beans or kidney beans
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
- ½ to 1 teaspoon salt
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Make the roux by whisking together the ⅔ cup of oil with the 1 cup of flour in a medium size heavy bottom saucepan. Then turn the heat on to medium low and whisk constantly as you wait for the roux to turn from a light blonde color to a deep chocolate color. This process takes 25-35 minutes and requires patience, but is the most important step of the gumbo that creates the authentic traditional flavor that you want. And be warned, do not turn up the heat and try to rush this step or the roux will burn. Once the roux reaches a deep chocolate color remove it from the heat and set aside.
- In a deep stock pot add 1 teaspoon of oil and brown the vegan sausage. Then remove the sausage from the pot and set aside.
- Add another 1 teaspoon oil to the pot you cooked the sausage in and saute the onions, garlic, celery, and bell peppers with a pinch of salt for about 2-3 minutes until soft.
- Add the vegetable stock to the pot with the sauteed vegetables. Now, add the prepared roux to the pot while whisking to incorporate it with the stock.
- Put the sausage back into the pot along with the tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme, and cayenne pepper.
- Bring the gumbo to a boil. Then turn the heat down to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 45 minutes on low heat.
- Then add the okra, red beans, vinegar, and vegan Worcestershire sauce to the gumbo. Cook for another 10 minutes on low.
- At this point, if the gumbo is too thick for your liking just add a little more stock or water. If the gumbo is too thin then let it cook a few more minutes to thicken up.
- Taste for salt and season to your liking. It should take about ½ to 1 teaspoon of salt. This will depend on how salty your stock was and what type of salt you are using. Start with a lesser amount of salt than you think you will need and go from there. Allow the gumbo to cook for another 2-3 minutes after adding the salt.
- Finish the gumbo by garnishing with fresh chopped parsley.
- Serve with a side of rice and hot sauce.
- Vegan gumbo will keep in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Notes
*You can find vegan Worcestershire sauce in most health food stores or online.
*Gluten-free 1 to 1 flour can be used in place of all purpose flour. It is also important that your gluten-free flour of choice have xanthan gum on the ingredient list.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 447kcal | Carbohydrates: 32.3g | Protein: 19.6g | Fat: 28.1g | Saturated Fat: 3.3g | Sodium: 440mg | Potassium: 315mg | Fiber: 8.7g | Sugar: 4.6g | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 3mg
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