It’s a one-pot stop of vegan proportions! Recreate Vegan Gumbo—a Southern classic with no meat nor animal products but lots and lots of cauliflower, zucchini, onion, mushrooms, and beans.
Why should meat eaters have all the fun?!
I’ve always included gumbos in my regular rotation of meals. They appear a bit more frequently during the winter, when the cold weather makes me want to curl up with a hot bowl of something akin to soup but with more goodies so it plays out more like a meal than an appetizer or side dish. One particular weekend, I was due to make a gumbo but had a vegan friend visiting and didn’t want to exclude them (or have to make two dinners). So I scrutinized my gumbo recipe. What could I do to make it vegan friendly without sacrificing taste? Turns out, I can do a lot!
I very quickly got out of the mindset that I was robbing my gumbo of ingredients and instead realized I was adding so much more. I guess that’s the beauty of the gumbo—it is so versatile that you can change up the ingredients list and it will remain a gumbo. The list below might seem long but I assure you, most of the ingredients already take up space in your cupboard or fridge. As well, this makes such a large amount of gumbo, you will be able to save some for later and get more than one meal out of it.
What is the Difference Between Gumbo and Jambalaya?
Gumbo is a French/African import to Louisiana, whereas Jambalaya hails from Spain. Think of gumbo like a stew. It’s usually served over rice, while Jambalaya is less of a soup and more of a solid-food feast, kinda like a paella (there are those Spanish roots). Long-grained rice is added to the Jambalaya (shorter grains will turn to mush). As well, gumbo is built upon a roux, a butter and flour mix, which is a throwback to the dish’s French roots. You’ll also notice that Jambalayas are laden with meats: ham, shrimp, sausage, chicken. Gumbo can have meat but it’s usually limited to shrimp and sausage.
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup flour
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 cups cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 1 green pepper, deseeded and diced
- 2 sticks celery, chopped
- 1 can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes (14 oz.)
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 5 oz. green beans, trimmed and roughly chopped
- 1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
- 2 cups zucchini, diced
- 2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed (14 oz. each)
- salt and pepper
- 2 green onions, sliced
How To Make Vegan Gumbo
Step 1: Heat a large heavy-based pot on MEDIUM. Add in the olive oil and flour and stir with a whisk or rubber spatula. Continue for 15–20 minutes until it turns a beautiful caramel color.
Step 2: Add the onion, garlic, mushrooms, green pepper, and celery to the pot. Sauté for 10 minutes.
Step 3: Add the crushed tomatoes, vegetable stock, bay leaves, and Cajun spice. Mix well. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat, then let it simmer covered for 20 minutes. If the sauce gets too thick, add a bit of water.
Step 4: Add the green beans, cauliflower florets, zucchini, and beans into the sauce. Stir well. Cook for another 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the green onions and serve.
FAQs
The heat in peppers is contained in the seed and white membrane inside, so only deseed the peppers if you want to rid them of the spice. If you like hot foods then by all means, let the seeds be.
Bay leaves don’t soften during the cooking process and lead to upset stomachs if swallowed. For this reason you should try to remove them before serving. Of course, this is easier said than done when dealing with a large pot of gumbo. I usually just give my guests a heads-up so they know to keep an eye out for them.
If nutrition is paramount then I would go with a whole-wheat flour. If you want something gluten-free, use brown-rice flour.
Any fat that is vegan friendly. Vegan butter, for instance, or some other plant-based oil will suffice.
The beans are a good start, but if you want more, consider firm tofu, tempeh, or seitan. Sauté them before adding them to the rest of the gumbo.
Roux is a flour-and-fat mix. It is usually made with butter and flour but we’re using olive oil to adhere to vegan restrictions. The roux is a crucial element to a gumbo, so don’t rush it. Keep that temperature low and stir constantly. I recommend using a heavy-bottomed pot.
Serving Suggestions
Baked Rice: As mentioned, gumbo is traditionally served over rice. Feel free to add the rice to the gumbo, if you prefer, for ease of serving.
Microwaved Sweet Potato: A simple and vegan-friendly side dish that goes well with gumbo.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe: A lovely veggie accompaniment to the gumbo.
Vegan Chocolate Pudding with Coconut Whipped Cream: For dessert, a vegan treat that still allows for chocolate and cream.
How to Prep and Store Vegan Gumbo
This is one dish you should try to make a couple of days in advance. The flavors will have a chance to meld, making for a more savory gumbo. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just be sure to cover it up adequately or store it in an airtight container. Let the frozen gumbo thaw in the fridge overnight then reheat on the stove.
Vegan Gumbo
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup flour
- 1 onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 cups cremini mushrooms quartered
- 1 green pepper deseeded and diced
- 2 sticks celery chopped
- 1 can crushed fire roasted tomatoes (14 oz.)
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 5 oz. green beans trimmed and roughly chopped
- 1 medium cauliflower cut into florets
- 2 cups zucchini diced
- 2 cans kidney beans 14 oz. each, drained and rinsed
- salt and pepper
- 2 green onions sliced
Instructions
- Heat a large heavy-based pot on MEDIUM. Add in the olive oil and flour and stir with a whisk or rubber spatula. Continue for 15–20 minutes until it turns a beautiful caramel color.
- Add the onion, garlic, mushrooms, green pepper, and celery to the pot. Sauté for 10 minutes.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, vegetable stock, bay leaves, and Cajun spice. Mix well. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat, then let it simmer covered for 20 minutes. If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of water.
- Add the green beans, cauliflower florets, zucchini, and beans into the sauce. Stir well. Cook for another 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the green onions and serve.
