Transport yourself to Bayou Country with an authentic vegan Cajun gumbo, as seen in Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002). Layered with comforting flavors,this dish will make your tastebuds dance with joy!
1tablespoonvegan butter(I used Miyoko's Cultured Vegan Butter)
1dried bay leaf
Toppings
3stalksgreen onion(chopped, for topping)
Frank's Original Red Hot Sauce(to taste)
Instructions
Gumbo
Chop and prepare the vegetables.
6 cloves garlic, 2 cups yellow onion, 1 cup celery, 1 cup green bell pepper
In a medium pot, combine the flour and oil over low heat. Cook the roux, stirring constantly with a whisk, for 20-60 minutes, or until blonde-dark brown in color. If you prefer a richer color and flavor, heat the roux for up to 60 minutes until dark brown.
1 cup all-purpose flour, ¾ cup vegetable oil
In a large soup stock pot, sauté the vegan chicken strips over medium heat in 1 tablespoon of oil for at least 7-10 minutes. Refer to your package for exact timing. Set aside the “chicken” on a paper towel.
1 8-ounce package of vegan chicken strips
Chop and sauté sliced vegan Andouille sausage in ½ tablespoon of oil for 6-7 minutes over medium heat. Refer to your package for exact timing. Be sure to brown both sides. Remove the “sausage.” Combine it with your crisped “chicken” strips. Press out any excess oil.
4 links vegan Andouille sausage
Sauté your aromatics (onions and garlic) in 1 tablespoon of oil, until the onions appear translucent. This takes about 5 minutes on medium heat.
2 cups yellow onion, 6 cloves garlic
Add the celery stalks and green bell paper to the same large pot. Tenderize the vegetables for an additional 10 minutes.
1 cup celery, 1 cup green bell pepper
Pour in the vegetable broth. This deglazes the pan and saves the browned bits of flavor. Add the roux. Stir in your chopped parsley, Cajun powder, bay leaves, thyme, black pepper, and salt.
8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, 2 tablespoons flat-leaf Italian parsley, 2 tablespoons Cajun powder, 3 dried bay leaves, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 2.5 teaspoons salt
Add the okra and vegan meats. Bring your gumbo to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer the uncovered stew for 1 hour. This lets the flavors sink in.
1 10-ounce package frozen okra
Finally, remove the gumbo from heat and sprinkle in the filé powder for a thicker texture. Discard your bay leaves.
1 teaspoon filé powder
Serve on a bed of rice and top with chopped green onion.
3 stalks green onion
Rice
Follow the instructions on your rice package. I usedZatarain’s long-grain rice, which does not require rinsing.
Boil your water.
4 cups water
Add the butter and bay leaf.
1 tablespoon vegan butter, 1 dried bay leaf
Pour in 2 cups of rice.
2 cups Louisiana long-grain white rice
Reduce it to low, cover, and simmer until all of the liquid disappears (15-20 minutes).
Next, remove the covered saucepan from the heat source. Do not touch the rice for 5 minutes.
If you want a thicker, gravy-like consistency, add less vegetable broth.
If you want a thinner consistency, more vegetable broth is the solution. I would add ½ cup at a time. Alternatively, you can use less okra and omit the filé powder.
Need a fat- and oil-free roux? Try this recipe for a healthier alternative.
And here’s a gluten-free version of roux. So creative!
Don't be afraid to add some KICK with Frank's Original Red Hot Sauce. I'm so obsessed. I eat it with everything! Top off the gumbo with a few spicy splashes and dive in.
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Keyword Andouille sausage, bay leaves, Cajun, celery, chickn, file, Garlic, green bell pepper, green onion, gumbo, okra, parsley, stew, thyme, vegan chicken, Vegetables, yellow onions