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.
Sausage
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, you might find it helpful to first read one of the following guides and then come back here to learn how to make this recipe.
- Instant Pot DUO Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot ULTRA Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot DUO EVO PLUS Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot DUO NOVA Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot DUO GOURMET Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot DUO CRISP Beginner’s Manual
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.
How to 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 powder
- 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. [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods]
- 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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Shannon Carty
Absolutely wonderful! We loved this so much, I can’t wait to explore your other recipes! Thank you for your attention to detail, it was incredibly helpful.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thank you, Shannon! I’m glad you liked the recipe. If you’re looking for another Cajun recipe, jambalaya is a good one to try – it’s one of my most popular recipes. Etouffee is also great. If you like Thai food, all my curries are really good too 🙂
Bhavana
Followed the recipe… made no changes. It turned out delicious!!! Thank you.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thanks so much for your comment, Bhavana. I’m excited to hear you liked the recipe 🙂
Robert
Waiting for my 6qt Ultra to be delivered…
I have made gumbo from three different box dinner combinations and from scratch…
With or without tomatoes or okra.
My favorite gumbo is chicken with oysters!
It’s more like a soup…very light colored.
My mother and grandmother from Louisiana made it for the Holidays .
Your attention to details is fantastic
Thank You!
Bob
Paint the Kitchen Red
I very much appreciate that, Bob. You can use your own recipe and use my method and quantities to make sure you’re successful. Please keep in mind that the roux will need to be thinner than for stovetop or you could have sealing issues. Chicken with oysters sounds terrific!
Sharon
Donna
It was my first time making gumbo, your recipe was so good. My husband loved it because the okra wasn’t slimy, the heat and spice was something we enjoyed. I also used chicken and sausage since I didn’t have any shrimp. I love using my instant pot and love that you paid such attention to detail based on the different types of instant pot. Thank you.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Sharon, I’m very glad you and your husband loved the recipe. Give the jambalaya recipe a try too. You might like that one too!
Lauren
My fiancé is very picky about gumbo and typically only eats it from people who are from the south but I decided to give this recipe a try and his mind was blown. He said it tastes like a grandma from NOLA made this and he can’t get enough. It’s one of our favorite meals. I suggest making the roux on the stovetop if possible bc the sauté function on my IP doesn’t work well. This is just an absolutely immaculate recipe. Can’t recommend enough!!!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Awesome! That really makes my day. Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback 🙂
Dan
Absolutely dead on with the Roux, miles ahead of any other insta pot gumbo recipe!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Wow, thank you so much, Dan. I really appreciate your comment.
Barbara
We loved this recipe! It was worth the prep time that it took. Substituted green peas for okra (sorry) since not all family members like okra.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Barbara, thank you so much for your comment – I’m so glad you liked the recipe. And hey, it’s your recipe once you make it and you can add anything you like 🙂
T Haag
Even if I don’t use this recipe and go with the stovetop approach, I have to compliment you on the well-constructed design of the site. It lends so nicely to ‘instruction’, what with the bullet points and logical sections and image-based ingredient lists. Well done! I’ll be back.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Oh wow, thank you so much! That’s so kind of you to take the time to comment. I do hope you get to try my recipes!
Mary Mann
I have a Duo 6 Qt pot. Could I safely double this recipe?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Mary, you need to make sure the contents don’t go above the 2/3 mark. You should be able to double if you follow that rule. I don’t think I’ve doubled this recipe before.
Mary Mann
I sucessfully doubled the meat and vegetables. It was delicious and everyone raved about how great it was. Thank you!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Oh, thanks for getting back to me – that’s nice to hear!
John
Neena – Can’t wait to try this – I have 2 questions
1 – If I’m using an 8 Qt pot, would any cooking times or amounts need to change?
2 – If I can’t get Okra and want to substitute File powder – how much would I use? (Or could I use both?)
Thanks.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi John, thanks for your questions. You shouldn’t need to change anything with the 8 quart, but I would make the roux on the stovetop to make sure you don’t have any burn/sealing issues. No, don’t use both. Use one or the other. Add it at the end when you’re serving, about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp per serving. Taste as you go.
Anne Scully from Pgh, PA
Almost an identical recipe that I received over 20 years ago from a woman in Baton Rouge, LA
Thank you for converting to the Instant Pot version !
Makes a great tasting Gumbo !
Paint the Kitchen Red
That’s so wonderful to hear, Anne! I’m really glad you liked the recipe. Be sure to check out my Instant Pot Jambalaya – it’s a reader favorite. And I adapted it from an authentic cookbook.
Jim
I did this in my instant pot and it turned out great, but decided to try it in my 5 gallon pot by going 3.5 x on all ingredients. It worked super! My favorite recipe ever.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thanks, Jim! I’m so excited to hear that you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Connie Baker
I have tried making the roux on the stove, taking time until I get that beautiful dark brown result and otherwise following the recipe exactly but my gumbo doesn’t thicken. Any suggestions?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Connie, the best way to thicken would ideally be to have a bit more flour in the roux. Unfortunately the gumbo roux has to be thinner than usual in order for the Instant Pot to seal. You have another choice. Make the roux and add it in after pressure cooking, and then just heat through. When you pressure cook, you can use less liquid too since you don’t have to worry about sealing issues due to the flour. Hope that makes sense. Feel free to ask any followup questions 🙂
Laura
I’ve made this recipe twice and it’s fantastic. I want to make gumbo for Mardi Gras and my IP is out of commission. How long do you think it would need to cook on the stovetop? Any tips on when to add stuff so it doesn’t turn to mush?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Laura, this recipe was adapted from a stovetop recipe. It just needs to cook long enough to cook the ingredients – so not too long. You can make the roux thicker since you don’t have to worry about sealing issues – add a bit more flour. You can add everything but the shrimp and simmer till cooked. It’ll come out great.
Gina
This dish was a big hit. Definitely better than the other time i attempted gumbo. I might double the veggies in this though.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thanks for letting me know, Gina – I’m very happy to hear that 🙂
Keith
Thank you!!!! The family loved it. This was my first attempt and it was PREFECT!!!
Paint the Kitchen Red
So happy to hear it, Keith!
Greg
Maybe I missed it, but what size instant pot are you using for this?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Greg, all my recipes are tested on a 6 quart Instant Pot. Thanks for you question.
Adole Muruako
I’ve made this recipe several times now and it comes out excellently everytime! I have tried several gumbo recipes and this is by far the best one I’ve tried! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Adole, thank you so much! Mardi Gras is coming up, and I’ll be making this recipe soon myself, soon!
Amy
Second time making this tonight and it is fantastic!!! It tastes like it was made by a Louisianna Chef! Thanks for this recipe!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thank you, Amy! I’m really happy to hear you’re now a LA chef 🙂
Donna
Perfection! I followed the direction and it was delicious. My husband loved it. It is well worth the time spent doing the prep work.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thank you Donna! I’m so glad to hear you liked it. Prepping ahead of time is also an option 🙂