Vegetarian Gumbo with Okra

Veggie gumbo with okra in a bowl with a side of rice and cornbread.

My gumbo recipe is made on the stove top, in one pot featuring an easy to make roux, the holy trinity of onion, celery and green bell pepper, spices like smoky paprika, black pepper and cayenne, with garlic, okra, tomatoes, tender cauliflower and plump kidney beans. It's finished with a touch of hot sauce and liquid smoke to tie all the flavors together.

Total recipe time includes some multitasking. Get the roux cookin' then chop the onion, pepper and celery. Once in the pot, prep the remaining ingredients while holy trinity cooks.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Cajun, Creole

Diet Vegetarian

Keyword Vegetable Gumbo, Vegetarian gumbo recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 30

Servings

Calories 283kcal

Author Traci York

Ingredients

4 tablespoons (57 grams) Unsalted Butter *use plant butter for dairy free / vegan
1/4 cup (40 grams) All Purpose Flour
3/4 cup (100 grams) Yellow Onion diced medium, about 1/2 a large onion
3/4 cup (100 grams) Celery sliced thin, about 2 ribs
1 1/4 cups (155 grams) Green Bell Pepper diced small, about 1 large bell pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
2 tablespoons Minced Garlic about 4 plump cloves
2 1/2 cups (10 ounces / 283 grams) Sliced Frozen Okra about one small bag*
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
3/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1 1/8 teaspoons Fine Sea Salt
1 teaspoon each Dried Thyme, Dried Oregano
3 teaspoons Smoky Paprika
1 can (411 grams) Fire Roasted Tomatoes
2 cans (425 grams ea) Cooked Kidney Beans rinsed and drained
3 cups (300 grams) Cauliflower Florets cut into chunky bite size pieces, about one 3/4 pound head
2 1/2 cups (535 grams) Low Sodium Vegetable Broth
1 1/4 teaspoons Liquid Smoke
1 teaspoon Tabasco + more to taste
2 Bay Leaves
2 teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar
Optional Fresh Chopped Parsley and Sliced Green Onions for garnish

Instructions

Make the Roux: In a large 7 Quart Dutch oven (affiliate link) or heavy bottom soup pot, add the butter and melt over medium heat. Once melted, sprinkle in flour and cook on medium, whisking often, until it starts to turn lightly golden, about 2-3 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low to low and cook an additional 10-13 minutes whisking often and adjusting the heat as needed. Cook until it turns a peanut butter color. The consistency will be thin, and smell nutty. It can burn easily, so low heat is key.
Once the roux is a peanut butter color, add the onions, celery and bell pepper. Stir to coat the veggies in roux and cook on medium heat for 7-8 minutes until fragrant and slightly softened, stirring occasionally with a wood spoon.
Stir in the tomato paste, coating the veggies. Cook for about 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic and okra and continue cooking for about 2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the okra is thawed.
Add the cayenne and black pepper, salt, thyme, oregano, and paprika. Cook, stirring until incorporated throughout the veggies, about 1 minute.
To the pot, add the tomatoes, kidney beans, cauliflower and broth. Add the liquid smoke, Tabasco and bay leaves. Stir gently and throughly. Bring to a heavy simmer, lid the pot and reduce heat to medium low. Cook, stirring a few times to prevent sticking for 25 minutes (if sticking too much, reduce heat). Remove the lid and continue cooking at a low simmer for 5-10 minutes to thicken slightly (you can cook it a few minutes longer to thicken further). The cauliflower and okra will be tender, and the stew fragrant when done.
Stir in the apple cider vinegar. Add more salt to taste (I always add a bit more).
Share with Tabasco on the side, cornbread (like my Jalapeno Cheddar Skillet Cornbread or Sourdough Cornbread) and white or my easy Brown Rice. Optionally garnish with chopped parsley and/or chopped green onions.
To Store: store in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for up to two weeks. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Gently reheat on the stovetop or microwave.

Notes

*Okra: Use fresh or frozen in this recipe. If using frozen, sort out the tough ends and discard them. For fresh - trim ends and discard, slice chunky crosswise.

Recipe inspired by Veganomicon (affiliate link) with support for making a roux from Mike at Chili Pepper Madness.

Nutrition