Shrimp and Crab Gumbo

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 11/11/21
Seafood Gumbo

The Spruce

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Total: 80 mins
Servings: 6 servings

This flavorful gumbo is packed with a variety of shellfish, including oysters, shrimp, and crab. It's thick and filling thanks to the generous amounts of veggies like beloved okra, which adds texture and an earthy flavor. Our version includes only seafood, but you can adjust the meats to your liking. You could use all shrimp when they are in season, or just crabmeat or mussels with the addition of sausage, perhaps.

Gumbo is a traditional Louisiana dish in which Spanish, French, African, German, and Indigenous traditions come to life. Each of these cultures brought a similar dish to the area and gumbo is a combination of all of them, if not a byproduct of the interchange that happened between locals and immigrants. Don't miss out on the chance to try a spoonful of delicious history with a bowl of this satisfying seafood stew, irresistible with a side of white rice.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup medium roux

  • 2 large onions, chopped

  • 3 cups okra, chopped

  • 2 tablespoons oil

  • 1 (14 1/2-ounce ) can stewed tomatoes

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 quarts water

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • Cayenne pepper, to taste

  • 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped

  • 6 to 8 green onions, finely chopped

  • 2 pounds shrimp

  • 1 cup oysters

  • 1 cup crabmeat

  • 6 crab claws

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather ingredients.

    Seafood gumbo ingredients
    The Spruce

  2. In a large saucepan add the shrimp to the hot roux and cook for a few minutes. Set aside.

    Add shrimp to roux
     The Spruce

  3. In a large skillet, heat up the oil and cook the okra and onions until the onions are transparent and fragrant and the okra is just becoming tender.

    Cook onions and okra in oil
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  4. Add tomatoes and garlic to the okra and onion mixture. Cook a few more minutes, adding the water, salt, and pepper.

    Add tomatoes and garlic to okra and onions
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  5. Combine the shrimp and roux mixture with the okra mixture in the bigger pan. Simmer the stew for about 10 minutes. Add oysters, crabmeat, and crab claws and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

    Combine shrimp to okra and roux mixtures
     The Spruce

  6.  Add the parsley and green onions and simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes.

    Add parsley and green onions to seafood mixture
     The Spruce

  7. Once the stew is ready and thick, serve with a side of cooked rice and add garnish with additional parsley and green onions.

    Finished seafood gumbo
     The Spruce

  8. Enjoy!

How to Make a Great Gumbo

If you're a gumbo novice, here are a few tips to achieve a delicious stew:

  • Roux is the key; make your roux with patience, starting with melted butter and then adding the flour, allowing the mixture to bubble a little to get rid of the floury flavor. Mix well, adding the cold liquid a little at a time, until you've achieved the desired color.
  • Always use fresh seafood and meats; prefer seafood that is in-season because you can't beat its freshness and price. But if what you have is chicken, duck, fish, or sausage, use what's fresh. The same goes for okra: favor fresh okra to frozen.
  • Low and steady win the race; know your stove and keep a gentle and steady simmer throughout the cooking process to ensure a thick gumbo. Stir occasionally but not too much.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
495 Calories
12g Fat
21g Carbs
75g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 495
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 2g 9%
Cholesterol 448mg 149%
Sodium 3305mg 144%
Total Carbohydrate 21g 7%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 75g
Vitamin C 47mg 236%
Calcium 370mg 28%
Iron 7mg 39%
Potassium 1189mg 25%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)