Instant Pot Gumbo

4.88 from 93 votes
194 Comments

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Instant Pot Gumbo is so easy to make! Loaded with andouille sausage, chicken, and shrimp, this gumbo is BURSTING with Creole and Cajun flavors!

Instant Pot Gumbo with andouille sausage, chicken, shrimp, okra, and vegetables in a serving spoon above an Instant Pot.

Instant Pot Gumbo

Instant Pot Gumbo is the perfect meal for a cold day. Thick and hearty with a kick of Creole spice that warms your insides. This southern comfort food originates in New Orleans, Louisiana. Like jambalaya, it can be made so many different ways. Most gumbo dishes start with a basic roux, peppers, onions, and celery. You can add a protein such as sausage, pork, chicken, or shrimp as well. I’ve tried several different varieties of gumbo over the years, but my favorite includes chicken, sausage, and shrimp. I simply can’t pick a favorite meat to put in; I love them all!

True gumbo is usually thickened with okra and/or gumbo filé powder in addition to the roux. It really depends on your taste. Try a big bowl and see for yourself. You will love this recipe!

Ingredients in Instant Pot Gumbo

  • Proteins: Andouille sausage, chicken, and shrimp.
  • Vegetables: Red pepper, green pepper, onion, celery, diced tomatoes, okra.
  • Broth: Chicken broth, olive oil, butter, flour.
  • Seasonings: Creole seasoning, garlic, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
  • Serve with cooked rice.
Ingredients to make Gumbo on a counter top including diced chicken, shrimp, andouille smoked sausage, chicken broth, peppers, okra, and seasonings.


Additions and Substitutions for Instant Pot Gumbo

Instant Pot Gumbo can be changed up a million different ways, depending on your tastes and preferences. Follow the recipe as directed below for a spicy flavor and all the meats! But you can experiment with spices and other ingredients to make it exactly how you and your family like it.

  • Feel free to omit one or more of the meats. Sausage only, just chicken and shrimp, etc. or go all out and add any seafood such as crab meat, fish, lobster, whatever you like!
  • Some may argue that tomatoes do not belong in gumbo, when others love the added flavor of tomatoes. I really think there is no wrong way. Personally, I am not the biggest fan of okra, so it is something I usually leave out. Make it according to your tastes, be creative, and you won’t be disappointed.
  • In addition to the natural flavors of the ingredients, you can play with the seasonings by adding black pepper, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, chili pepper, thyme, paprika, liquid smoke, and more garlic.
  • You can make this recipe in a pressure cooker too. If your cooker doesn’t have a sauté function, just sauté your veggies and sausage in a separate pan, then add to the pressure cooker and follow the directions as listed below.
A black serving dish filled with Instant Pot Gumbo and Rice. Shrimp, sausage, chicken, peppers, and vegetables are visible in the gumbo.

How To Get A Dark Roux

You can make this gumbo recipe with a simple roux (we made this recipe with a simple, light roux) or if you prefer your gumbo to have that rich, dark color, you can make a “dark roux”. Keep in mind, that by making a “dark roux” you are adding another 35-40 minutes to your cook time. To make a dark roux, simply cook your roux longer until it gets to be a deep, golden brown color and this takes time. Keep a close eye on it and stir it constantly because you want it to be dark, but not burnt. Follow the rest of the recipe as indicated below.

Avoid The Instant Pot “Burn” Notice

Because you are making the roux first instead of adding a thickener at the end, you may be more likely to get the dreaded “burn” warning on your Instant Pot. If you notice your gumbo is really thick (like gravy) after adding all the rest of the ingredients, you may want to add up to 1 cup more broth. Don’t worry, if you think it is going to be too thin, you can always thicken it again before serving by adding 3 tablespoons of cornstarch to ¼ cup cold water and stirring it into your gumbo after releasing pressure.

Shrimp, sausage, chicken, peppers, and bay leaves cooking in an Instant Pot to make gumbo.

Gluten Free Gumbo

To make this gumbo gluten-free, the most obvious choice would be to use gluten-free flour in place of regular all-purpose flour in the roux. We use Namaste flour from Costco, or a homemade flour blend when substituting flour. If you want to avoid making a roux, you can always use filé powder and/or okra to thicken instead. The Tony Chachere’s seasoning is gluten-free so you should be good using that as your Creole seasoning in this recipe.

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More Delicious Instant Pot Recipes

How to Make Gumbo in the Instant Pot

Instant Pot gumbo with shrimp, sausage, chicken, peppers, and other ingredients served in a dish with a bed of rice on the side.

Instant Pot Gumbo

4.88 from 93 votes
Instant Pot Gumbo is so easy to make! Loaded with sausage, chicken, and shrimp, this gumbo is BURSTING with creole flavors! See gluten free substitutions in recipe notes.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American, Cajun/Creole
Servings 8 servings

Video

Equipment

  • Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1 cup celery chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 13.5 ounces Andouille sausage cut into rounds
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 pound chicken cubed
  • 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning (or to taste, we used Tony Chachere’s)
  • 10 ounces diced tomatoes with green chiles (aka Rotel tomatoes)
  • 14 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt (or to taste)
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
  • 1 cup okra sliced
  • 1 pound shrimp peeled, deveined
  • 4 cups cooked rice

Instructions

  • Set Instant Pot to "Sauté" function and add olive oil. Add peppers, onion, celery, garlic, and sausage. Sauté for 3-5 minutes or until vegetables become soft. Remove all vegetables and sausage. Set aside. 
    Instant pot with sautéed green and red peppers, onion, garlic and sausage.
  • Immediately add butter to instant pot and stir, scraping up any cooked bits from the bottom of the pot. When butter is melted, add flour. 
    Melted butter in an Instant pot.
  • Cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly forming a light roux. If you want to make a "dark roux", cook for 30-40 minutes until the roux becomes a dark, golden brown color. Turn cooker off. 
    Instant pot with a roux boiling and a wooden spoon.
  • Add chicken broth, cooked vegetables and sausage, chicken, Creole seasoning, diced tomatoes with chiles, fire roasted tomatoes, bay leaves, salt and pepper. 
    Close and lock the lid of the Instant Pot. Turn the steam release handle to “Sealing” position (see notes above about avoiding the "burn" notice).
    Bay leaves added to instant pot of gumbo with chicken broth, sausage, chicken and peppers.
  • Press "Manual" and select “High Pressure." Set time to 20 minutes. When time is up, turn cooker off. Quick release by turning valve to "venting". 
    When pressure is fully released, remove lid and stir in okra. Press "Sauté", and cook uncovered for 5 minutes.
    Instant pot with okra added to gumbo ingredients and a wooden spoon.
  • Add shrimp and cook an additional 5 minutes or until shrimp is cooked through. 
    Shrimp added to instant pot gumbo. Wooden spoon resting in the instant pot.
  • Remove and discard bay leaves. Serve with rice. 
    Instant pot gumbo next to a bed of rice with a serving spoon in the gumbo.

Notes

To make this gumbo gluten-free, use a gluten-free flour in the place of regular all-purpose flour in the roux. We use Namaste flour from Costco, or a homemade flour blend when substituting flour. If you want to avoid making a roux, you can always use filé powder and/or okra to thicken instead. 
Instant Pot Note: We use a 6-quart Instant Pot brand pressure cooker that we bought in 2016. Different or newer versions may be more sensitive to the “BURN” notice. If you are concerned about the burn notice, please refer this article: What Does ‘Burn’ Notice Mean on my Instant Pot?” 

Nutrition Information

Calories: 542kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 31gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 224mgSodium: 1517mgPotassium: 570mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1410IUVitamin C: 49.4mgCalcium: 155mgIron: 3.6mg

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About the author

Erica Walker

Erica lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband, Jared, an attorney, and her three beautiful girls. Beyond the world of recipes, she loves adventuring with everything from kayaking, to cruising, to snowboarding and taking the family along for the thrill ride.

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4.88 from 93 votes (13 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Can you leave this on warm after it cooks or will the vegetables get mushy? I’m having people over and would love to cook ahead of time!

  2. Nola born. Not used to gumbo in an instant pot. Darken the roux (it should not look like the picture) and drop the tomatoes or it’s not like Maw Maw Thibodeaux’s. Used bacon grease instead of olive oil because who cares about cholesterol. Veg takes more than five minutes, used an 8 qt. Not a bad foundation to a good gumbo.

  3. 5 stars
    Delicious. Have made it every other week the past 2 months as family have asked for it. My instant pot had “burn” signal the first time. Since, I’ve made the roux part on stove top, and has been fine since. I also didn’t use okra. Highly recommend this recipe.

  4. Made this last night! Cut the Cajun seasoning in half and used frozen okra. Turned out great. Will make a t again!

  5. 5 stars
    Great recipe. I’ve made it many times. Just one thing… there’s no way in heck that those vegetables are going to be soft in 3-5 minutes. I’m 20 minutes in and the celery is nowhere near “soft.”
    But it’s worth waiting for.

    1. 3 stars
      This recipe was okay, followed almost entirely, but omitted the okra. Also, because my shrimp was frozen, added it with the chicken and pressure cooked it. Twenty minutes was way too long, the chicken and shrimp was mushy and flavorless. Some things I would change, I would sauté the vegetables, the sausage, the chicken, and the shrimp altogether with the creole seasoning. I do my jambalaya this way and the flavor is phenomenal. This would omit having to pressure cook, so next time I’ll do it on the stove.

  6. LOVE this recipe! This is my family’s go to for Gumbo. Even my Cajun relatives love it. I add an extra cup of broth bc I like it a little more soupy but nothing else. It perfect!

  7. 5 stars
    Made this tonight. I added the rest of the trinity- 2 stalks celery and 2 small carrots, both finely chopped. Absolutely amazing. One of the better quick versions I have tried.

  8. It was delicious! Fabulous recipe!
    I skipped the shrimp and added some smoked paprika and cumin for added smokiness.

  9. 5 stars
    Loved this recipe! So easy and taste is amazing. My husband is very picky and told me to be sure to keep this recipe.

  10. 5 stars
    I rated this recipe so highly because I learned about a roux substitute which saved me so much time and makes the dish gluten free (directions came from another reviewer – use 1/2 the amount of broth and same amount of okra). I didn’t have any peppers so only used celery and also accidentally threw in the okra the first time around, but it turned out fine! I also used frozen raw, deveined, shell/tail ON shrimp because it imparts so much flavor into the broth; it just took an extra 8 minutes to peel afterwards. Because my sausage was fully cooked, I only set the IP for one minute and QR. I didn’t have to go through the extra steps of adding the okra and shrimp afterwards. Thank you for taking the time to create and post this recipe!

  11. 5 stars
    Just got my instant pot last week and your gumbo is the 2nd dish I’ve pressure cooked so far. Amazing recipe, easy to follow and the results are delicious. I cooked the roux to chocolate brown, so my gumbo is darker than yours in the photos, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Looking forward to trying some more of your instant pot dishes.

  12. 5 stars
    I made this recipe last night. I appreciated all the detailed instructions and pictures. The recipe turned out GREAT! It was easy to make and surprisingly delicious! I will definitely be making this recipe often! My family loved it and I got many compliments. THANK YOU!

    1. 5 stars
      I have made this 3 times so far and it has been a winner each time. I tweaked it a little to accommodate my eating plan (THM). I puréed frozen okra with half the broth in place of the roux as a thickener. I use 1 TBSP of creole seasoning, Zatatain’s, that’s what I had on hand. I only cooked it for 1 min. on high pressure as everything is precooked. If using raw cubed chicken one minute will fully cook it. If using cooked cubed chicken I don’t add it until I add the shrimp.
      Some reviewer‘s say this is not Gumbo and that may be true. To me when you add the rice it’s more like Jambalaya. In the end whatever you choose to call it, it tastes good.

  13. 5 stars
    Oh this was soo good! The only thing I changed was that I used ham for That’s what I had left over from my brunch. I had the shrimp on the side for I have a kid who doesn’t live seafood. (How can’t you like seafood?!).

  14. 5 stars
    This is our favorite…have made it several times during the quarantine…we added oysters and crab to everything else…yummy!!

  15. 5 stars
    We make this by your recipe all the time …LOVE LOVE it…the BEST and we add oysers and fresh crab since we live on the Gulf Coast of Texas…winner!! Thanks y’all …

  16. 5 stars
    Fantastic recipe! Being new to Instantpot I was nervous about the roux so I made that in a separate saute pan and added it with the main ingredients, didn’t stir, and it came out perfect. Could have used a little more heat but was awesome!

  17. 5 stars
    I have made this over a half a dozen times and it is delicious every time! I leave out the shrimp and substitute turkey smoked sausage for the andouille. My 15 year old son loves it so much it has become a staple! Thanks!

    1. 5 stars
      So yummy! Thank you for this recipe. I am new to the instant pot world. Perfect dinner for a winter evening.

  18. 5 stars
    My family absolutely LOVED this recipe. I served it with pasta instead of rice, but it was a hit with everyone. This one is now part of my must have recipes.

  19. 5 stars
    I’ve made this twice. Both times, followed the recipe to the T. Amazing. It thickened up overnight and was even better the next day. GREAT recipe! Thanks!

  20. 5 stars
    This was super good. We used the recipe more as base, but I would imagine it’s also really good as is. We added a jalapeno, fresh basil, fresh cilantro, Pho spice mix, and subbed 1 part seafood broth. Make sure to put your pho mix in a cheese cloth or something similar.

    Cajun and Vietnamese (viet-cajun) is a must try fusion!

  21. 5 stars
    This is amazing gumbo. Fairly easy and quick. Broth was a little thinner than I am used to but it was so very tasty that it made perfect for dipping some crusty French bread in as a yummy finish! Highly recommend.

  22. 5 stars
    This has to be the best instant pot Gumbo I have ever had…we are from Maryland by the bay, so I add crab and oysters to this after it has finished cooking…It is so easy to fix and it taste just as good or even better than my old from scratch recipe to make Gumbo..Thank you for this recipe…D.

  23. 5 stars
    This is a great recipe and the flavor profile is amazing. The only thing I will do differently next time is to add the chicken in with the sausage and the veggies during the sauté process prior to pressure cooking. Adding raw chicken and pressure cooking it resulted in the chicken meat becoming fibrous and causing the broth to be thick and not clear.

  24. 5 stars
    This recipe is a winner! After getting thru the prep it’s super easy! I added crabmeat and some crab claws and a bit of file at the end and it was absolutely delicious! Even my 7 year old enjoyed this dish.

    1. Thank you for the review! We are so happy you like the recipe – and thank you for sharing your additions!

  25. 5 stars
    I made this today in my instant pot and it was absolutely delicious. I left out the shrimp and the okra and I didn’t put the bay leaves in. It was Cajun alright. This is a comfort food for sure. This is a keeper.

  26. 5 stars
    This is in regular rotation here, because it’s fabulous, and I’ve made it dozens of times. The odd thing, and it only ever happens with this recipe, is that the Instant Pot has never, ever come to pressure. I’m wondering if anyone else has had this experience? It’s still wonderful. Fully cooked. Very odd.

  27. 5 stars
    Love gumbo but had never thought to make in the IP. What a game changer on how much time it takes!

  28. 5 stars
    YUMMY! My family is loving all the delicious things I’m making with my new instant pot. This was so good and everyone loved it.

  29. 1 star
    Burned food in the bottom of the InstantPot, even though I followed the instructions precisely. More trouble than just cooking it the traditional way.

    1. I’m so sorry this method didn’t work for you. Instant Pots can be tricky when you are cooking tomato-based sauces. If you were to try this recipe again I would suggest making sure that when you add the butter you scrape up every cooked bit on the bottom of the pan, and maybe adding extra water or chicken broth right before putting the lid on. Again, I am sorry you had a bad experience, but I hope you’ll give some of our recipes another try!

      1. One can always try the instant pot, pot in pot method or use the non stick IP Pot liner to avoid the burn notice. For pot in pot, I use the 3 quart insert pot on top of a trivet with 1 cup water in main pot with the trivet.

  30. 5 stars
    Tried this recipe tonight and it was soooo good! The only substitutions I made was leaving out the celery, using jalapeño sausage and I made Traditional roux in a separate pan (it took for ever but I had never tried it before and wanted to give it a shot!) I also Dumped a box of cooked zatarans jumbalya rice into the pot when it was done cooking. This was my first time to try gumbo and I was Not disappointed!

    1. I haven’t tried making it in a slow cooker so I’m not sure! If I were going to try it in the slow cooker I would try it as follows:
      1. Follow steps 1-6, but in a pan instead of the instant pot.
      2. Follow step 7, but put everything in the crock pot.
      3. Cook for 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low.
      4. Add okra and shrimp and cook on high for another 30 minutes. Remove bay leaves and stir.

      I hope this helps! Again, I haven’t tried it this way, but this is how I would do it.

  31. If I were making a Whole 30 version of this could I substitute arrowroot flour and ghee in place of the reg. flour and butter in equal parts? Can’t wait to try your recipe!

    1. We have not tested those substitutions in this recipe, but I don’t see a reason why it wouldn’t work. It may change the texture and taste a little, but the overall result should be fine.

  32. 4 stars
    I really like this recipe, however I cannot understand how it’s possible to do this in 45 mins. Takes me 2hrs or more. Also I’m not sure I agree with the roux to liquid ratio, I think it needs more roux.

  33. I forgot to put okra on my shopping list. I’m thinking the roux would be too thin with okra. Guess I’ll put it off another night and do pancakes for supper instead.

    1. 5 stars
      Fantastic gumbo recipe for the instant pot. I followed it exactly, and made it a day ahead of time to let all the flavors meld. Truly delicious gumbo, a recipe I’ll be coming back to. Thank you so much!

  34. I made this today, first time using my InstantPot, but I have a couple of concerns::
    Directions say press the manual button and then pressure cook, but my Instantpot is new and has no manual button? Also, as it was warming up on the pressure cook time it said food burn food burn flashing on and off. Actually had burn some of the food stuck to the bottom. What has caused this issue?

    1. If your Instant Pot doesn’t have a manual button, you can just put it on “High Pressure” – some pots have different setting options. When you put the butter in before the chicken, did you scrape the bottom of the pan clean? You have to scrape up any cooked on bits at that point, otherwise they will stick and they will burn. I hope this helps!

  35. Hello. I’m going to try and surprise my wife by making your recipe for her and am simply wondering whether to use raw or cooked shrimp as long as it is peeled and deveined beforehand?

    1. It’s not too spicy – and you can control the spice level by how much Creole seasoning you use and what level of spice your green chiles are. I think sliced jalapeños would be delicious!

      1. 5 stars
        This came out amazing! I left out the okra and heard no complaints.
        Easy, delicious. Even my kids (who are pretty picky) enjoyed it!

  36. Hi there, excited to try this recipe! Question – have you tried veggie broth with this before to make it vegetarian/pescetarian? Also, if using shrimp have you just put it in for the same time as you would the chicken or would you recommend cooking separate? Thanks so much!

    1. Vegetarian broth should work fine! For the shrimp, you add it at the end and cook on the Saute mode for 5 minutes!

  37. 5 stars
    Made this tonight for the first time. Excellent 👌 !!!! Did change some things like prepping ingredients and lower sodium but very good!

  38. I loved this, not the labor intensive gumbo I use to make, so much less mess. I didn’t do the roux, gluten intolerance, used okra and gumbo file. More stew like but delicious all the same.

  39. 5 stars
    My first time making gumbo. Very yummy!! I would be careful with the shrimp. I wished I had pretty cooked the shrimp. And used crawfish. But definitely will be using this recipe again!!

  40. 5 stars
    Thank you! First time to make a gumbo from scratch. Only my 4th IP recipe. My husband and I couldn’t stop raving about how good this was! And I love how easy it was!! I added a few extra spices on my own but this recipe stands alone as great on its own.

  41. 5 stars
    Wow. I made this tonight and my husband gave it a ten! He is the type that never gives a ten. He is a nine point something kind of person even on other amazing dishes. After ten years, I finally got a 10! Thank you for this incredible recipe.

    1. Wow!!! I can’t think of a better compliment than this. Thank you so much for coming back and telling us! It is ALWAYS a win when we can win over husbands/kids. Thanks for the 5-stars!

  42. 5 stars
    I made this for my family (my husband and extremely picky 2 boys – 13 & 8) last week and they all loved it so much that we’re making it again tonight. Thank you so much for such a wonderful recipe!

    1. Hi Tiffany- So glad you liked this recipe! It is always a big WIN when we can win over the picky eaters! Thanks for the 5-stars!

  43. I’m excited to try this tomorrow! One silly question…after releasing and it’s time to add the okra for 5 min and then the shrimp for another 5 min., is this with or without everything else in the pot? Thanks!

  44. I’m anxious to try this recipe! I’ve been looking for a good gumbo recipe and this sounds like just the one. Thanks for sharing.

  45. 5 stars
    Ok, I must admit this southern gal was skeptical about making gumbo in my Instant Pot but decided to give it a try. Aside from adding a bit of oil to the butter to help the roux not burn, I followed the recipe to a T and it was delicious. Thanks so much for sharing a fabulous recipe!


    “In a world where you can be anything…
    be kind, or at least do no harm.” ♥

  46. 5 stars
    This was my first time making gumbo, and it was fantastic. I did not have a red pepper, so used two green ones instead and left out celery because I didn’t have any on hand. Otherwise followed everything to a T. I did use canola oil instead of olive, and when making the roux added a bit more oil to the butter/flour mix. I wasn’t sure it got dark enough, but everything tasted delicious. Served over brown rice with a side of cornbread, and I can’t wait to make it again!

  47. I have made this recipe twice now and love it. Although, for some reason, liquid spews out through the sealing cap during venting making a mess. I’m wondering if my sausage has too much fat content because the mess is pretty oily. The second time I skipped the butter and only used olive oil thinking that would help.??? May just do it on the stove top next time.

    1. This is probably because your IP is too full– you may want to reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe (you can add it later if you need to). There should be lines in your IP, including a “Max Fill” line. I can usually get away with filling it a little more than the max-fill line but I have noticed if I fill it too full, I will have the same problem. Another thing you can do to reduce this is to set the pressure for 5-10 minutes less and then let it natural release for 10-20 minutes or so. Hope this helps!

  48. 5 stars
    I used this recipe to teach my mom how to use her instant pot I got her for Christmas. She picked the recipe and everyone absolutely loved it. I will be making it again tomorrow for my husband who has been extremely excited.

    1. So glad you and your mom enjoyed this gumbo! Thank you for coming back to leave such a nice comment 🙂

    1. It is a fine powder mostly used in gumbo or other “stew”-type dishes. It is used as a thickener as well as a flavor enhancer. It gives the gumbo a more earthy taste. Hope this helps!

  49. 5 stars
    I would keep my PC just for this recipe alone!! The only changes I make are to use file powder instead of okra, though next time I will probably use both. I also substitute a pound of crab meat for the shrimp. This is an amazing dish and we make it quite often now! Everyone who tries it asks for the recipe! Thank you Thank you

    1. Wow, what a huge compliment, thank you! Great idea to use file powder.. and crab meat- YUM! Thanks for the suggestions!

  50. 5 stars
    Have made this twice now…first go round was a bit too spicey for us wimpy non Cajuns ( but we still ate every bit with some sort of neutralizer like bread or crackers LOL) substituted the andouillie sausage with smoked garlic sausage and just garlic diced tomatoes instead of the fire roasted..but still used Tonys liberally..Used all 3 meats..and frozen okra added at the end. Not sure my roux got dark enough….didn’t have real butter just smart balance… But it still came out great!! My grown kids liked it since it is keto friendly without any rice..This one is a keeper…Thanks

  51. From south Louisiana.. there are NO tomatoes in gumbo!!!

    The roux& water need to be boiled slowly for at least 3 hours.

    Now you have an acceptable dish.

    1. Since it’s not your recipe, I find it absurd you have the gall to say “now you have an acceptable dish”. The entire point of the Instant Pot is to reduce cook time drastically. Perhaps try it and don’t be such a jerk on other people’s blogs.

      1. I’m not used to tomatoes in gumbo. And I don’t have any in hand. If I don’t include the two cans of tomatoes should I make any adjustments to recipe? Thanks

  52. 5 stars
    My 3 adult sons all agree that this recipe is “sick”. The whole family loves it and I finally found a gumbo recipe that is so easy to make that I plan to use it regularly. All the boys are great cooks too and now have the recipe to cook for their wives. I made it exactly to the recipe except used the extra-hot Rotel for a bit more punch. Everyone says that a good roux is hard to make but I found it super easy with this method. Oh, I do like it a tiny bit thicker so not having file I used about 2 Tbs of corn starch to thicken it up. Pure preference and not necessary at all. Ingredients were all easily obtainable at the grocery store, including the Tony’s seasoning.

    1. So glad you and your family enjoyed this recipe! We love hearing when families gather together to enjoy good food 🙂 Thanks so much for leaving such a nice comment!

  53. 5 stars
    Just made this for dinner and wow!! It’s so good!!

    I made several changes based on what I had – used smoked East Texas Hot Link sausage, 1 large chicken breast, 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup flour, and omitted okra and shrimp. Absolutely loved this and was happy to make that roux in only 5 min instead of the hour+ I saw on other recipes!

    1. That sounds delicious! I haven’t tried East Texas Hot Link sausage before but now I feel that I must. Yum!

  54. 5 stars
    This was a great recipe with easy to follow instructions. I used turkey sausage and chicken wings. I also added extra Creole spice for more flavor. It was wonderful! Thank you for this recipe, I will use it again!

    1. Hi Terry- You are very very welcome! So glad that you liked it. I have never heard of Gumbo with chicken wings before– did you just put the wings in whole?

  55. 5 stars
    I have never eaten gumbo let alone make it myself! This was amazing!! And so easy to make! We doubled the garlic to six cloves, used 4 bay leaves and used 3 tsp of creole seasoning for some added spice. Will definitely make again!!

    1. Yes, absolutely! You can also use rotisserie chicken and just add it when you add the shrimp. Hope this helps!

  56. 5 stars
    We made this about 6 weeks ago and it was a huge success. My husband is Cajun and his family tradition is chicken ONLY in the gumbo, no sausage, no shrimp, but this was a winner for sure. And who knew butter and flour would make a roux so quickly? I’ve spent too many hours of my life stirring oil and flour on the stovetop but this recipe was spot on for the flavor. Because we don’t like heat, we swapped out the andouille sausage for a garlic pecan-smoked pork sausage. The only change we’ll make next time is to cook the frozen okra for a shorter period because we like ours a little firm. This recipe made 8 generous servings and freezes well which makes it good for the two of us-cook a little rice, grab the file power and we’re good to go.

  57. 5 stars
    This was absolutely yummy! East prep…easy cleanup and best of all tasted great! It made way more than I thought it would but that’s ok by me…

    1. Hi Brett- thank you for taking the time to come back and comment! Leftovers of this gumbo are never a bad thing 😉 It re-heats up great!

  58. 5 stars
    SO FREAKING GOOD! My new favorite. How much more time would I need to set my instant pot to if I wanted to double this recipe. May be making for a big family dinner with in-laws.

    1. So glad you liked it! You shouldn’t have to change anything if you are doubling the recipe. It should come out the same either way, hope this helps!

    1. This is assuming the okra is fresh and sliced. Adding it at the end makes it so it doesn’t get so mushy. You just want the okra to be fork-tender. If you want to use frozen okra you can add it earlier in the process. You can add it when you add the broth, cooked veggies, etc.. Hope this helps!

        1. Possibly– you can add the frozen okra around the same time as the fresh is recommended but you will want to just make sure it cooks through. I have heard of others adding the frozen at the time of the other veggies without complaint so I am assuming it still turns out ok? I have only done it as mentioned in the recipe.

  59. 5 stars
    Omg!!! This is the best homemade gumbo I have ever tasted!!! Thank you sooo much for this delicious recipe! I made it exactly as directions said and it was PERFECT!!!

    1. Wow Sheri, thank you so much for this amazing review! I am so happy to hear you liked this recipe so much 😀 Thanks for the 5-stars!

  60. “Burn” kept coming on. Afte the second time, I transferred everything to stovetop and finished cooking it there. What did I do wrong? All the liquids were there…

    1. Hmm. that is so strange! Was everything stirred up before you started the IP? Maybe some of the food was just settling at the bottom. Hmmm. Did it seem like there was enough liquid?

      1. 5 stars
        I got one burn message as well. Opened, stirred (it was a bit stuck on the bottom) and it was fine for me on the second try.

      2. I got it too but I’m thinking it was from the flour and butter. I have stirred and recooking. We shall see.

      3. I got the burn notice a couple of times as well. I added a little more chicken broth, stirred and tried again. We’ll see if it works now. I think it may have had something to do with the butter and flour too. There’s more than enough liquid.

        1. Is your IP getting a good seal? I’m not sure why it is burning. If it seems really liquid-y there shouldn’t be a problem. Is the mixture looking really thick?

    2. Anytime you brown meet you’re going to get some stuck on bits on the bottom. You have to deglaze!! Add a little liquid: beer. Wine, broth (depending on your dish) and scrape it with a flat wooden spatula. Leave the loosened bits and liquids in the pot. Never walk away until it pressurizes and the timer starts. Then it can’t burn.

  61. 5 stars
    It was a pretty easy recipe to follow, your directions were explained nicely! I added a little tapatio for extra spice and it came out perfect! Thank you for this recipe!

    1. Ooh I love the flavor of Tapatio. Great addition! I will have to try it with Tapatio next time, thanks for sharing!

      1. nooooooooo on the Tapatio! lol If you are gonna spice it up with something after its done, you gotta go with CRYSTAL…authentic Louisiana hot!

        1. I’ve never heard of that hot sauce I’ll have to try it! I put extra Creole seasoning plus the tapatio, I’m not a huge fan of tapatio but was just looking for more spice with what i had in the kitchen!

  62. 5 stars
    First time making gumbo, and this was amazing! Hubby raves about it! Thanks for the recipe! Saved, and will become a new family fave!

    1. Woohoo! So glad you (and the hubby) liked the gumbo! Thanks for taking the time to come back and let us know!

  63. Overall it was good. I thought prep took over 10 mins. I bought Tony’s more seasoning and would try to make it spicer next time.

    1. 5 stars
      It was pretty surprising how well the flavors came together. Tasted like it had simmered for hours. Prep took WAY more than 10 minutes for me, but I knew it would 🙂

    2. What Lisa said, the color of the roux most definitely affects the flavor. You need an oil with a higher smoke point than butter, canola is ideal.

  64. 5 stars
    Came out great. I probably overpaid for the ingredients but it made quite a bit of food. I’ll have leftovers for quite some time. Thanks!!

    1. So glad you liked it! It heats up great, especially when you heat it up on the stovetop. 😀

    1. Yes, that should be ok. It may affect the appearance (it will just be lighter) but it will taste the same! Hope this helps!

      1. 4 stars
        a darker roux is a richer flavor. should be a nice deep brown without burning. ( according to the NO school of cooking!) I usually use oil rather than butter.

        1. What Lisa said, the color of the roux most definitely affects the flavor. You need an oil with a higher smoke point than butter, canola is ideal.

      2. 5 stars
        Made it tonight. Homerun! My wife wasn’t crazy about gumbo, until I made this. It blew her mind. I cut some French bread in thin slices and coated them in olive oil and garlic powder and baked them for 15 min. at 400 and used as dipping toast for the gumbo sauce in the bowl. It gives you something to savor while you wait for it to cool down.

  65. 5 stars
    I cooked this last night for my wife in our Instant Pot and it is delicious.
    We substituted Sweet Italian sausage to limit the heat factor and didn’t use shrimp.
    It was easy to follow the directions and it was outstanding.
    We’ll definitely make it again. Thank you

  66. 5 stars
    This recipe gave us amazing results. My girls had been asking for gumbo, and this absolutely delivered. This recipe was very easy to follow and smelled perfectly delightful from the start. I’ve never had so many helpers in the kitchen trying to snitch a taste as it cooked.

    1. Ah! You are totally right. I was getting my seasonings mixed up! Thanks for catching that. Changing it now 🙂

      1. When you say melt the butter and then put in the flour how do you get that mixture to a dark brown? I never could get those two ingredients to the color I thought it should have been. TIA

        1. It gets more brown as it cooks. Most of the time mine just gets to a dark golden brown. Like a caramel color. Hope this helps!

        2. I’ve been cooking cajun food for 40 years. I use oil and flour and stir on low until the roux is the color of a burnished penny. I sit one beside the pot so I’m not tempted to cheat. Takes about 25 minutes to get it the dark chocolate flavor I want. It’s well worth the time. Good luck! I’ve got my first Instapot batch cooking now.