Gumbo (a West African word that means 'okra') is traditionally served over long-grain white rice, but feel free to health it up by using brown rice. I was challenged to come up with a vegan gumbo recipe that removed the meat, but kept similar consistency, texture, and that savory, spicy flavor. Laissez les bons temp rouler!
Ingredients
- canola oil: 1 Tbsp
- onion: 1 piece (chopped)
- green bell pepper: 2 piece (chopped)
- stalks celery: 8 piece (chopped)
- garlic: 6 clove (minced)
- canola oil: 0.33333 cup
- all-purpose flour: 0.5 cup
- vegetable broth: 1 cup
- tomatoes: 1 can (14.5 ounce can, diced)
- vegetable broth: 1 cup
- eggplant: 1 piece (chopped)
- okra: 6 cups (chopped)
- red beans: 1 can (15 ounce can, drained and rinsed)
- salt: 2 tsp
- thyme: 2 tsp (dried)
- basil: 1 tsp (dried)
- gumbo file powder: 1 tsp
- ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper: 1 piece
- ½ teaspoons ground black pepper: 1 piece
- paprika: 0.5 tsp
- ground cumin: 0.25 tsp
- liquid smoke flavoring: 0.25 tsp
- bay leaves: 2 piece
- vegetable broth: 4 cups (divided)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
-
Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a skillet over medium high heat.
-
Stir in the onion, bell peppers, celery, and garlic; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes.
-
Transfer the vegetable mixture to a large bowl; set aside.
-
Heat the remaining 1/3 cup canola oil in the same skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds.
-
Whisk in the flour, stirring constantly until the roux darkens and has a nutty scent, about 15 minutes.
-
Reduce heat to low and pour in about one cup of vegetable broth, whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth.
-
Stir in the vegetable mixture and tomatoes.
-
Pour in about one more cup of vegetable broth, stirring to combine.
-
Mix in the eggplant, okra, red beans, salt, thyme, basil, file powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, paprika, cumin, liquid smoke, bay leaves, and remaining 4 cups of broth.
-
Cover and continue to simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
