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Gumbo z'Herbes

The Lenten greens gumbo of New Orleans — a proper dark roux, seven greens, and okra. Tradition says an odd number of greens means a year of new friends.

C
40 min active 90 min total serves 6 vegetarianvegan

Ingredients

  • ½ cup All-purpose flour
  • 8 tbsp Canola oil
  • 2 Yellow onion, diced
  • 4 stalks Celery, diced
  • 2 Green bell pepper, diced
  • 6 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 4 cups Collard greens, chopped
  • 4 cups Lacinato kale, chopped
  • 4 cups Swiss chard, chopped
  • 4 cups Baby spinach
  • 3 cups Green cabbage, shredded
  • 1 cup Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 6 Scallions (green onions), sliced
  • 2 cups Okra, sliced
  • 6 cups Low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 ½ tsp Dried thyme
  • ½ tsp Cayenne pepper
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 1 ½ tsp Kosher salt
  • 1 ½ cups Brown rice (dry)
  • 1 tbsp Louisiana-style hot sauce

🍽 Fork in the road — for the omnivores

Sausage or smoked turkey

Traditionally this is the meatless Lenten gumbo, but a browned andouille added with the greens is common the rest of the year.

Method

  1. Simmer all the greens and the cabbage in the broth for 20 minutes. Lift them out, chop them finer, and keep every drop of the liquid — that pot liquor is the base of the gumbo.
  2. Now the roux, and it needs your whole attention. Whisk the flour into the oil in the dry pot over medium heat and stir constantly for 20-25 minutes. It goes blond, then peanut butter, then milk chocolate. Chocolate is where you want it. A roux that scorches is not fixable — start again.
  3. Add the trinity straight into the hot roux. It will hiss violently and stop the roux cooking, which is exactly the point. Cook 8 minutes.
  4. Add the garlic, thyme, cayenne and bay, then the reserved pot liquor, a ladle at a time, whisking smooth.
  5. Add the greens and the okra and simmer 30 minutes, uncovered. The okra dissolves and thickens the pot alongside the roux.
  6. Add the parsley, scallions and salt at the end. Serve over rice with hot sauce, and pass the vinegar.

Notes

✨ The restaurant touch
Dark roux is a skill worth having, and the only way to learn it is to stand there for 25 minutes. Have the trinity chopped and ready before you start — it is the fire extinguisher.
🧒 For the kids
Serve rice with a ladle of the broth and very few greens, and leave the cayenne out of the pot in favor of hot sauce at the table.
🥡 Leftovers
Keeps 5 days and freezes 3 months. Like most gumbo it improves overnight.

Per serving

495Calories
12gProtein
10gFiber
2gSaturated fat
616mgSodium
1172mgPotassium

Computed from USDA FoodData Central values. A planning tool, not medical advice.