This Delicious Instant Pot Gumbo is a quintessential New Orleans recipe that is hearty, satisfying, flavorful and perfect for a crowd or Mardi Gras celebration. Made with chicken, sausage, and shrimp, this pressure cooker gumbo tastes wonderful especially when served over rice.
[This post was first published in September 2017. It was updated in December 2019 with some new step-by-step photographs and modified instructions to help you avoid the Burn message including adding the tomatoes last.]
Table of Contents
Introduction
Gumbo (along with jambalaya, étoufée, red beans and rice, and shrimp creole) is a popular dish that is an essential part of New Orleans and Louisiana culture and cuisine.
Gumbo is a spicy, thick stew made with chicken, sausage, seafood, and vegetables, including okra, and is served over rice.
The origins of gumbo go back to the West Africans who were enslaved and brought to the colony of French Louisiana. West Africans used okra to thicken stews made with meat and shrimp. As a matter of fact, the word for ‘okra’ in West Africa is ‘ki ngombo’ and in French, it’s ‘gombo’.
Over time French, Native American, Caribbean, Creole, and Cajun influences created the different varieties of gumbo: thick and thin, with or without tomatoes, with seafood, chicken, or sausage, and with or without okra.
There are three ways to thicken gumbo: roux (pronounced ‘roo’), okra, and filé (pronounced ‘fee-lay’) powder, which is made from dried sassafras leaves. You can use one or more of these ingredients to thicken gumbo.
This Instant Pot gumbo recipe includes okra and roux. The roux not only thickens the gumbo but gives it a deep, rich color. Here’s an interesting article from Serious Eats, detailing the history of gumbo and the use of okra and filé to thicken gumbos.
There are seafood gumbos, shrimp gumbos, chicken gumbos with sausage and even vegetarian gumbos. This pressure cooker gumbo recipe is adapted from an authentic stovetop recipe I’ve been using for years.
This Instant Pot gumbo recipe has chicken, sausage, and shrimp. You can modify the recipe to include your choice of meats and seafood. Don’t be daunted by the number of ingredients in the gumbo. Just be organized and have everything ready to go before you begin cooking.
Traditionally, gumbo is simmered on the stove for hours, but this Instant Pot gumbo recipe will have you eating delicious, hearty, spicy gumbo in less than an hour. One of the ‘rules’ of Instant Pot or pressure cooker cooking is that you shouldn’t add thickeners like flour until the end of cooking.
Well, you’re going to break that rule when you’re making this Instant Pot Gumbo. You’ll make the flour-based roux at the beginning and add about 4 cups of chicken broth to pressure cook the dish. Make sure that the bottom of the inner pot has no stuck-on bits of food when you begin pressure cooking.
Serve Instant Pot Gumbo over rice – you should try out my Instant Pot Jasmine Rice recipe because Jasmine rice is so great at absorbing the flavors of the gumbo.
Here are some other Cajun and Creole recipes you might like to try out:
– Instant Pot Jambalaya
– Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice
– Instant Pot Shrimp Etouffee
TIPS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Roux
One of the most important steps when cooking this Instant Pot gumbo is making a good roux. And this takes a little patience, about 10 to 15 minutes of stirring, possibly longer if your Saute temperature is lower than what I use.
If you don’t have the time to spend making the roux for Instant Pot Gumbo, I would suggest that you wait to make it when you’re able to give the dish the attention it needs. Roux can also be made ahead, which makes this recipe a breeze.
Roux for this gumbo is made by cooking equal parts oil and flour. When I adapted this recipe from the stovetop version, I had to change the oil to flour ratio due to sealing issues. You may find this gumbo to be slightly less thick than stovetop versions. Feel free to thicken by using the Saute function at the end.
When you make the roux it’s best to get it to the color of peanut butter or even slightly darker. The end result is a rich, aromatic mixture with a nutty flavor. It’s very important that as the roux gets darker, you stir it constantly and don’t let it burn. A burnt roux will ruin your gumbo!
If it’s your first time making the dish, I recommend that you make the roux on the stovetop. It’s quicker and you have much more control over the heat than in the Instant Pot. I offer the Instant Pot option for my readers who don’t use a stove.
You can also make the roux using the oven. The flour is baked, and can be stored in a jar. I’ve not personally tried this method, but have had readers successfully use it.
Splatter Screen
When you’re sauteing the roux, the bubbling mixture can splatter. I like to use a splatter screen to cover the inner pot during this saute process.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes can be a polarizing gumbo ingredient! Some people feel very strongly that tomatoes have no business in a gumbo. You can omit the tomatoes if you wish. Personally, I love the flavor the tomatoes add.
Seasonings
The spices in this recipe include black, white and cayenne pepper. I sometimes substitute cayenne pepper with a Cajun or Creole seasoning seasoning, in which case I reduce the quantity of salt.
This Instant Pot gumbo recipe also calls for Andouille sausage, which is a spicy smoked sausage. You can substitute Polish Kielbasa or Spanish Chorizo if you can’t find andouille sausage. Be sure to use smoked and not raw sausage.
Burn Message
Some Instant Pots are prone to getting the burn message. You can avoid the burn error by following these steps:
- Deglaze very well, leaving no burnt bits on the bottom of the inner pot.
- After sauteing the onions, bell pepper, celery and garlic, turn off the Instant Pot for a few minutes to let it cool down.
- After sauteing the onion mixture, stir in broth first.
- Add tomatoes at the end, after the meats. Don’t stir the tomatoes. Just submerge them by pushing down with a spatula.
- Make the roux on the stovetop and add it to the Instant Pot with the tomatoes, not stirring it in.
- Depending on your Instant Pot, you might need to add an extra 1/2 to 1 cup of chicken broth.
[Read more: Instant Pot Burn Message]
If you’re new to the Instant Pot and aren’t familiar with how to use it, please read the Instant Pot DUO Beginner’s Quick Start Guide, Instant Pot ULTRA Beginner’s Quick Start Guide, or Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus Beginner’s Quick Start Guide first and then come back here to learn how to make this recipe.
Instant Pot Gumbo – Ingredients
- Chicken
- Bell peppers
- Onions
- Shrimp
- Tomatoes
- Sausage
- Celery
- Okra
- Flour
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Chicken broth
- Thyme
- Worcestershire sauce
- Bay leaf
- Black pepper
- White pepper
- Salt
- Parsley
- Brown sugar
- Lemon
- Creole seasoning (spice)
- Green onions
How to Make Gumbo in the Instant Pot (Step by Step Instructions)
- Season shrimp
- Turn on Saute Mode
- Saute chicken and sausage
- Make the roux
- Saute vegetables, add spices and broth
- Pressure cook
- Quick-release pressure
- Stir in shrimp and garnish
Season Shrimp
- Thaw and thoroughly dry the shrimp with a paper towel.
- Rub Creole seasoning all over the shrimp and set aside.
Turn on ‘Saute’ Mode
- Instant Pot DUO: Select the Saute function.
- Instant Pot ULTRA: Select the Saute function and press Start.
Saute Chicken and Sausage
- When the inner pot is hot, add 2 tbsp olive oil.
- Add chicken and sausage and saute until lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Press Cancel.
- Using a slotted spoon transfer contents of the inner pot to a plate and set aside.
Make the Roux
- Add remaining olive oil and all-purpose flour to inner pot, to make a roux.
- Select Saute mode.
- Cook roux until it becomes the color and thickness of peanut butter, stirring frequently, for about 10 to 15 minutes. You can go darker than peanut butter. The darker the roux, the more intense the flavor of the gumbo, but be very careful not to burn, so stir constantly.
Saute Vegetables, Add Spices and Broth
- Add onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic.
- Saute until vegetables are slightly soft, about 5 minutes.
- Using a wooden spatula, scrape the bottom of the inner pot. If there are brown bits stuck to the bottom, deglaze with a few tablespoons of chicken broth, scraping off the brown bits.
- Stir in broth, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, salt, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, bay leaf, and frozen okra. Add reserved chicken and sausage.
- Finally, add the tomatoes on top, don’t stir but submerge by pushing down gently with a spatula.
Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cook 4 minutes
- Close the lid and make sure steam release handle is in Sealing position
- Press Manual (or Pressure Cook) and + or – until the display reads 4 (4 minutes).
Instant Pot Ultra Pressure Cook 4 minutes
- Close the lid.
- Select Pressure Cook mode and adjust the time to 4 minutes (00:04).
- Press ‘Start’.
Pressure Cooking Process (Duo and Ultra)
- Instant Pot display will change to On.
- Once the Instant Pot is pressurized, the float valve will go up.
- The display will count down to 0; it will then switch to Keep Warm mode and display L0:00 or 00 00 and begin to count up the number of minutes since pressure cooking completed.
How to Quick Release Pressure (QR) on the DUO
- Move the steam release handle to Venting. Steam will come out of the steam release handle.
- When your Instant Pot is depressurized, the float valve will be in the down position.
- Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot.
How to Quick Release Pressure (QR) on the ULTRA
- Press down on the Steam Release Button until it locks into place, and steam begins to come out of the Steam Release Valve.
- When your Instant Pot is depressurized, the float valve will be in the down position.
- Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot.
[Find out more about the pressure release methods and how and when to use them. ]
Stir in Shrimp and Garnish
- Stir in spice-rubbed shrimp.
- Close Instant Pot immediately and let the shrimp cook in the residual heat for 10 minutes.
- Stir gently and sprinkle with green onions and parsley.
- Serve over Instant Pot Jasmine Rice or a rice of your choice.
Delicious New Orleans Instant Pot Gumbo
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb shrimp – peeled and deveined
- 1 tsp Creole seasoning – or Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 cup olive oil – + 2 Tbsp extra for sauteing
- 1/2 lb Andouille sausage – or smoked sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs – cut into bite size pieces
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup onions – diced
- 1 cup green bell peppers – diced
- 1 cup celery – diced
- 1 Tbsp garlic – minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper – or to taste
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp salt – or to taste
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 bay leaves – (small) or 1 large
- 2 cups frozen okra
- 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes – (1 can) or 2 cups chopped tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp green onions – green parts only, sliced thinly
- Chopped parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Rub shrimp with Creole or Cajun seasoning and set aside.
- Select Saute mode and when Instant Pot has heated, add 2 Tbsp olive oil to the inner pot of Instant Pot.
- Add andouille sausage and chicken, and cook until browned, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Press 'Cancel' and transfer chicken and sausage to a plate using a slotted spoon and set aside.
- To make the roux, select 'Saute' and add remaining olive oil and all-purpose flour to the inner pot.
- Cook oil and flour until the mixture resembles a dark peanut butter, stirring frequently, and being careful not to burn. This can take about 10 to 15 minutes. *
- Add onions, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Stir until vegetables are slightly soft, about 5 minutes.
- Using a wooden spatula, scrape the bottom of the inner pot to make sure there are no burnt bits stuck to the bottom. Deglaze with a couple of tablespoons of broth as needed.
- Stir in broth, white, black and cayenne peppers, thyme, salt, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, bay leaves, and frozen okra.
- Stir in reserved chicken and sausage.
- Add tomatoes on top and gently push down with a spatula to submerge. Don't stir.
- Close Instant Pot and pressure cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
- Do a quick release of pressure and open the Instant Pot.
- Immediately stir in the shrimp and close the Instant Pot for 10 minutes. The shrimp will cook in the residual heat.
- Open the Instant Pot and sprinkle the gumbo with parsley and green onions.
- Stir and serve gumbo over Instant Pot Jasmine Rice or a rice of your choice.
Notes
- Prep time does not include steps that are already accounted for in the ingredient list, e.g. chopped onions, minced garlic, diced chicken, etc.
- If your Instant Pot is prone to getting the burn message, I recommend making the roux on the stovetop and adding it to the inner pot after the broth.
- See the blog post for more detailed recipe tips
Nutrition
I am not a certified nutritionist. I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers. If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons, I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.
If you loved this recipe, please give it a five ⭐ rating in the comment section below and please share it on social media using the social media share buttons at the top and bottom of this post. Thank you so much!
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Peter Chen
Absolutely perfect! I made this last night. I’ve followed your instructions and tips to the T and it was just perfect! I’ve been disappointed by so many recipes just not coming out right…time wasted and ingredients wasted. And so many recipes with high ratings just because people like how it looks and give it a good rating even though they haven’t cooked it. I want to Thank You for a spot-on recipe! Thank You!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hey Peter! That’s such a great comment. I appreciate you taking the time to let me know – means a lot!
Lynette
About how many servings does this recipe make?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Lynette, I would say easily 6 for our family, but if you have some really big eaters it could be less.
Adole Muruako
This is my second time making it and is one of the best gumbos I’ve made. I’ve been making gumbo for over 10 years. Kudos and thank you for the recipe!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Adole, thank you for the kind words! That’s so great to hear 🙂
Leanne
Came out AMAZING!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thanks for your comment, Leanne – I’m really glad you liked it.
Tonita Boatner
I am born and raised in New Orleans and I’ve been making Gumbo regular/low sodium/fat for years. I will give this a try and see if I like it. I’m looking forward to it because of all the great reviews.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Tonita, hope you like it. Feel free to omit tomatoes if you’re one of those people who doesn’t care for tomatoes in gumbo 🙂 Roux is faster done on the stovetop, but works in the Instant Pot too.
Ann
First time that I ever made this. I visited New Orleans for the first time in April 2019. I loved Gumbo! I finally tried it! We LOVED it !!!!!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thank you, Ann. I love New Orleans too!
Tony
Directions were easy and the finished product was out of this world!
Perfect seasoning. Cannot say enough good things about this recipe.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Aww, thanks so much, Tony! Do try my other Cajun recipes – I think you’ll like them a lot. The red beans and rice is real comfort food and very tasty!
Matt Garofolo
Doubled the recipe. Used Chorizo sausage, chicken and shrimp. The whole family LOVED it. Thank you so much. It will make the regular rotation. Matt
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Matt. I’m sure the chorizo had a nice kick to it – good idea for a substitution.
Erin L Todd
I’ve made this so many times, it is wonderful!
stephanie wesala
I haven’t tried the recipe yet however I had to comment – I WISH I had read one of your recipes when I first started using my InstantPot. You give the best directions for those uncomfortable with using one for the first few times!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thanks, Stephanie! Let me know how you like the recipe when you try it!
Marla
I had your gumbo at a church potluck last night. It was AMAZING. My husband was born and raised here in Southern Louisiana. My gumbo attempts have been mediocre at best. We loved this recipe. It was made without the shrimp, but with extra
andouille. I got your website address from the man who made it and brought it to the potluck. I can’t wait to make it myself! Thanks so much for this authentic Gumbo recipe!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Marla – wow, I love comments like yours where my recipes are being made at gatherings – thanks so much for sharing! I do hope you get to try it out.
Rachel
I’m originally from the Gulf Coast of Texas and grew up on gumbo. But now I live in the Great White North of Canada. I made this for my family tonight (for Mardis Gras!), and it was delicious. I made a few changes, subbing in crab for the chicken, veg broth for the chicken stock, and veggie andouille sausage for the pork one (added with shrimp), as we don’t eat land meats. Even with those changes, this was reminiscent of the gumbos I had back home. I will definitely be making this again.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Aww, thank you Rachel! I’m really happy to hear that you enjoyed the gumbo!
Lori Perkins
I made this recipe and my husband and I both loved it! Great flavor and so easy. I choose to make the roux on the stovetop since it was my first time making it. It turned out perfect. Thank you for the detailed directions and the recommended steps for first timers. I give this recipe 5 stars!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thanks for your comment, Lori – I am glad you liked the recipe 🙂
Phil
Cant wait to try this. Probably this weekend. My only comment/question is I notice an absence of filet gumbo powder in the ingredient list. We’ve always enjoyed that spice when added at the end. You don’t use it in your gumbo?
Thanks in advance.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Phil, so there are 3 ways of thickening gumbo: okra, file and roux. You can use any of these to thicken it. In general, you wouldn’t use both okra and file. I’ve chosen to use okra and roux. This article about the three is very interesting – Gumbo: Roux, Okra, Filé or All Three? Hope that helps! Just a suggestion since it’s your first time making it in the IP, you might want to make the roux on the stovetop – it’s faster and you have more control.
Elizabeth Parsons
I made this for someone. He hasn’t tasted it yet and I’m allergic to shellfish. I kept getting a burn message. So I moved it to the stove top.
I will try again. I printed out the recipe but didn’t read the bottom for the tips. Next time I try it I will follow all of the directions LOL!
Paint the Kitchen Red
If you kept getting the burn error, your Instant Pot is probably running hotter than mine. Next time, I would make sure the inner pot cools down before pressure cooking and I would also add some extra liquid. You could remove the roux and veggies and then layer them on the other ingredients without stirring.
Lisa
Huge success! Perfect thickness. A new method for a great classic.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thank you, Lisa! I’m happy to hear it worked out for you – I appreciate the comment.
Judith
I can’t tell you enough how absolutely happy I am with your NO gumbo recipe. I make gumbo all the time (what a hassle) and I will never make on the stove top again. This is one of the best gumbo’s I’ve ever made. I did doctor it up a little but I don’t think that would matter. I made the roux in the pot too! Thank you and this is coming from a past resident of New Orleans.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Judith, I’m always happiest when I get positive comments from NO folks! Thanks for your comment and hope you get to try the other New Orleans recipes, especially the jambalaya, and tell me what you think!
Jemi
I got the dreaded “burn” warning on my instant pot but the recipe still turned out absolutely delicious. I couldn’t stop eating spoonfuls right out of the pot. Thank you!
4 star rating because of the Burn factor, wihch is more due to the pot than the recipe.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Ahh, the dreaded ‘burn’ notice 🙁 It was probably the roux needed to be thinned out with more liquid. Next time you can:
– let the Instant Pot cool down before you begin pressure cooking
– add more liquid OR
– remove the veggies and roux, deglaze, add the liquid and other ingredients and add the roux and veggies back in before pressure cooking
David S.
Maybe I missed it, but I’d suggest you include instructions on how/when the addition of the roux should take place. As a easy shortcut, in many parts of the country (I’m in Texas) one can find an off-the-shelf roux that works very well. Here in Southeast Texas a great brand is Douget (“DOE-gay”) roux. Great recipe otherwise!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi David, thanks for your recommendation – that’s really convenient. btw, in my recipe the roux is cooked after the meat is removed. The remaining ingredients are added to the roux in the Instant Pot.
Lecia
Can you substitute olive oil with coconut oil or even vegetable oil?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Lecia, I’m not sure about coconut oil and its interaction with flour. I believe vegetable oil should work fine. Good luck.