Gumbo Z'Herbes
intro
A vibrant, herb-packed Louisiana Creole green stew, slow-simmered with seven leafy greens, aromatic trinity, and savory spices; a traditional spring Good Friday favorite.
Ingredients
Steps
Wash and prep greens
Fill a large sink or deep bowl with cold tap water. Submerge all 900 grams of mixed leafy greens, swish vigorously to dislodge trapped grit, lift greens out of the water, and repeat the rinsing process 2-3 times until the water at the bottom of the bowl is completely free of sand. Trim away tough, woody stems, then roughly chop leaves into 5cm (2-inch) pieces; set aside. This prep takes approximately 10 minutes.
Cook the light roux
Heat 120ml vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed 8-quart Dutch oven over medium-low heat (150°C/300°F). Gradually whisk in 80g all-purpose flour to form a completely smooth, lump-free paste. Cook, whisking constantly in slow, steady circles, for 18-22 minutes until the roux reaches a light peanut butter color and gives off a warm, nutty aroma. Do not increase heat, as roux burns in seconds at high temperatures.
Sauté trinity base
Add the diced 200g yellow onion, 120g green bell pepper, and 120g celery to the finished roux, stirring to coat every piece of vegetable evenly. Cook over medium heat (175°C/350°F) for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until vegetables soften and turn translucent. Add 12g minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute until fragrant, taking care not to let the garlic brown or burn.
Add greens and broth
Gradually pour in 1.9 liters of low-sodium vegetable broth, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming where the roux meets the liquid. Add all chopped mixed greens in 3-4 small batches, stirring to wilt each batch fully before adding more (this wilting process takes 3-4 minutes total). Stir in 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, and 2 whole bay leaves. Bring the entire mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat (200°C/400°F).
Slow simmer the gumbo
Once the gumbo reaches a rolling boil, reduce heat to low (95°C/200°F), set the pot lid slightly ajar to let steam escape, and let the gumbo simmer for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent sticking to the pot bottom. The greens will break down into tender pieces, the broth will thicken slightly, and flavors will meld fully. Taste and adjust seasoning with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper as needed.
Finish and rest gumbo
Turn off the stovetop heat, use tongs to fish out and discard the 2 bay leaves, then stir in 1 tablespoon filé powder, mixing thoroughly to evenly distribute. Let the gumbo rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes off the heat to allow flavors to settle and the broth to thicken to a perfect, silky stew consistency.
Serve over hot rice
Ladle 320ml (1 1/3 cups) of hot gumbo into wide, shallow soup bowls, mounding 80g (1/2 cup) of fluffy cooked long-grain white rice in the center of each bowl. Garnish each serving with 5g (1 tablespoon) of sliced green onions, and serve immediately while piping hot.
Tips
2.Never rush roux by turning up the heat: burnt roux has a sharp, bitter flavor that cannot be fixed, and will ruin the entire batch of gumbo. Low, slow heat and constant stirring is non-negotiable.
3.Always add filé powder after you turn off the heat: boiling filé powder causes it to develop a stringy, gummy texture, rather than acting as a smooth, earthy thickener for the stew.
OMG y’all, this gumbo z’herbes tasted exactly like the one my MawMaw used to make for Good Friday back when we lived in Lake Charles! I was so nervous I’d mess up the roux but the step-by-step instructions were so easy to follow. Served it with cornbread for our family dinner last Sunday and even my picky teen went back for seconds. 10/10 will be making this again for our Easter potluck!
Really solid recipe! I swapped the andouille for smoked turkey sausage to cut down on a little fat, and used a mix of kale, collards, and turnip greens from my garden. Only reason it’s not 5 stars is I wish the cook time note mentioned how long it takes to wash all the greens – that added an extra 20 minutes of prep I didn’t plan for! Still SO good, will make again.
Game changer!!! I’ve never successfully made a dark roux without burning it before, but the low-and-slow tip in this recipe worked like a charm. Brought a big pot to my office potluck yesterday and people were coming back for thirds. Already sent the link to three of my coworkers who asked for the recipe.
My grandma used to make gumbo z’herbes every Lent and I’ve been chasing that flavor for years. This recipe is dead on! I added a little extra filé powder at the end like she did, and it took me right back to her kitchen table. My kids loved it too, which shocked me because they usually turn their noses up at anything with cooked greens.
I was worried this would be too complicated for a weeknight meal, but I prepped all the greens and chopped the veggies the night before, and it came together so fast after work! The flavor is incredible – deep, herby, just the right amount of spice from the andouille. My roommate walked in the door and immediately asked what smelled so good. Will be adding this to my regular meal prep rotation!
Overall this turned out really tasty, but I think I messed up the ratio of greens to stock? Mine came out a little thicker than I expected, almost like a stew instead of a soup. I used mustard greens, spinach, and chard because that’s all my grocery store had – could that be why? Flavor was on point though, my whole family loved it even with the thicker texture!
Just finished making this for our neighborhood block party tomorrow and I already snuck a bowl – SO good. The combination of all those greens with the smoky sausage and dark roux is unreal. I know it’s gonna be the first dish gone. Already got my bowl of potato salad on the side ready to go with it!
As someone who’s gluten free, I’m always nervous about roux-based recipes, but I used a 1:1 GF all purpose flour for the roux and it worked perfectly! No weird texture, no grit, just that classic deep nutty flavor I was worried I’d never get to have in gumbo again. Thank you so much for the easy to follow instructions!
Made this for our LSU watch party tailgate last weekend and it was a HIT. I doubled the recipe because I knew the crew would be hungry, and we still barely had leftovers. Served it with white rice and a side of hot sauce for people to add as much as they wanted, and everyone was raving. Even my friend who’s from New Orleans said it tasted like home. 10/10!
I’ve been making gumbo z’herbes for over 40 years and I have to say, this recipe is one of the best I’ve ever tried. The tip to use at least 7 different greens for good luck? That’s exactly how my mother taught me to make it, it was nice to see that tradition included here. I brought a pot to my church potluck last Sunday and so many people asked for the recipe, I told them to look you up!
Flavor was amazing, but I wish it had a little more kick! I added extra cayenne and a few dashes of hot sauce when I served mine, and that was perfect for me. Next time I’ll add a diced jalapeño with the trinity to amp up the heat a little more. Still a fantastic recipe, just personal preference on the spice level!
Made this for date night with my partner last night and we both loved it! We paired it with homemade cornbread muffins and a cold beer, and it was the perfect cozy weekend meal. We’ve been trying to cook more regional American recipes instead of getting takeout, and this one is definitely going in our permanent rotation.
I’ve been looking for a good meatless gumbo z’herbes recipe for Lenten Fridays, and I just left out the andouille and used vegetable stock instead of chicken, and it was still so flavorful! I didn’t even miss the meat, the depth from all the greens and the roux was more than enough. My whole parish group loved it when I brought it to our soup supper last week.