This Instant Pot Gumbo is a New Orleans classic with chicken, andouille sausage, and shrimp. Stovetop instructions included below.
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ℹ️ Introduction
Gumbo is a spicy, thick stew made with chicken, spicy sausage, seafood, and vegetables, including okra, typically served over rice.
It’s one of those dishes I love making for a group. All you need is some rice to go with it.
The origins of gumbo are worth knowing! Gumbo was introduced by West Africans who were enslaved and sent to the Louisiana colony, and the word itself comes from the West African word for okra.
Native American, French, Spanish, and German cooking traditions influenced it from there. [Read more about the history of gumbo.]
There are three ways to thicken gumbo: roux (oil and flour), okra, and filé powder (ground dried sassafras leaves). You can use one or more.
My version uses roux and okra. The roux thickens, flavors, and gives the gumbo a deep color.
This recipe has over 90 reviews!
Chris says ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’ve made this recipe many times. Thank you so much! It’s one of my favorites.
I adapted this pressure cooker version from an authentic stovetop recipe I’ve used for years. It has chicken, sausage, and shrimp, but you can swap in whatever meats and seafood you like.
Don’t be daunted by the ingredient list. Get organized, have everything prepped, and it comes together fast.
I’m breaking one of the “rules” of Instant Pot cooking here by pressure cooking a flour-based roux. The key is to make sure the bottom of the inner pot is completely clean before you seal the lid.
I always serve Instant Pot Gumbo over rice. Try my Instant Pot Jasmine Rice recipe because Jasmine rice is perfect for absorbing the flavors of the gumbo. Use brown Jasmine rice if you prefer a healthier option.
➡ Looking for Cajun and Creole recipes? Try my jambalaya, red beans and rice, shrimp etouffee, or Cajun chicken pasta (it’s basically pasta jambalaya).
🫙 Instant Pot Gumbo Ingredients
For the Roux
- Olive oil and all-purpose flour are used in equal parts. The roux is the foundation of your gumbo, providing both thickness and that deep, nutty flavor.
Vegetables
- Onions, green bell peppers, and celery form the aromatic base of Cajun and Creole cooking. This combination is so important to Louisiana cuisine that it’s called the “holy trinity.”
- Frozen okra not only thickens the gumbo but also adds traditional flavor and texture. Some people are concerned about the “slimy” nature of okra, but I don’t notice that at all in this recipe. You can use fresh okra too.
- Diced tomatoes are somewhat controversial. Purists will tell you they don’t belong, but I love the flavor they add. You can omit if you prefer.
Proteins
Chicken, sausage, and seafood make up the three proteins in this gumbo.
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs stay tender and flavorful in the Instant Pot. Chicken breast works too, but thighs have more flavor and won’t dry out as easily.
- Andouille sausage is the traditional spicy smoked Cajun sausage. Polish kielbasa or Spanish chorizo work as substitutes. Just make sure it’s smoked, not raw.
- Shrimp is the seafood in this gumbo, peeled and deveined, going in at the end to cook in the residual heat of the Instant Pot.
Seasonings and Flavors
- Chicken broth forms the base of the stew.
- White pepper, black pepper, and cayenne pepper add multiple layers of spice. Thyme and salt add flavor. I sometimes substitute cayenne with Cajun or Creole seasoning, in which case I reduce the salt.
- Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and brown sugar add depth and balance.
- Bay leaves give the gumbo earthy flavor and aroma.
Garnishes
- Green onions and fresh parsley add fresh flavor and color.
🥘 How to Make the Perfect Roux
Roux is made from equal parts flour and oil. It’s cooked slowly to develop thickness and deep flavor. The longer you cook it, the darker and more flavorful it becomes.
What Color Should my Roux Be?
For gumbo, aim for the color of peanut butter or even a bit darker. A traditional Creole or Cajun gumbo recipe will often suggest cooking the roux for 30-45 minutes to get a dark roux. This creates a rich, deep, nutty flavor.
In this recipe, I cook the roux for about 10-15 minutes, which results in a medium brown roux. This works great, but cook it longer if you want that traditional dark roux flavor.
Important Roux Tips
- Stir constantly. Once the roux starts to darken, it cooks fast. Keep stirring and pull it off the heat as soon as it hits the color you want. A burned roux means starting over.
- Watch the temperature. Some Instant Pots don’t let you control the Saute temperature precisely, so the roux can cook hotter than you’d like. I actually prefer making it in a saute pan on the stove, where I have more control.
- Make it ahead. Roux keeps in the fridge, and some readers freeze it in batches. Thaw completely before using.
- Oven method. You can also make roux using the oven by baking the flour and storing it in a jar. I haven’t tried this myself, but readers have had success with it.
🔥 How to Avoid the Burn Message
Some Instant Pots are prone to the burn message, especially with roux-based recipes. Here’s how to avoid it:
What to do Before Pressure Cooking
- Deglaze well after browning the chicken and sausage. No burnt bits should be stuck to the bottom of the inner pot.
- Let it cool. After sauteing the onions, bell pepper, celery, and garlic, turn off the Instant Pot for a few minutes to let the inner pot cool down.
- Add liquid first. Stir in the broth before adding other ingredients.
- Don’t stir in the tomatoes. Add them at the end, on top, and push down gently with a spatula. Don’t stir.
- Add extra liquid if needed. An extra ¼ to ½ cup of chicken broth adds a safety margin.
Alternate Method
If you know your Instant Pot tends to get the burn error, make the roux on the stovetop and add it to the Instant Pot with the tomatoes at the end, without stirring it in. This keeps the thick roux away from the bottom of the pot and your chances of getting a burn message are greatly reduced.
❓FAQS
Gumbo is a thick stew served over rice, while jambalaya is a rice dish where the rice cooks with all the other ingredients. Gumbo has a soupy consistency and is thickened with roux, okra, or filé powder. Jambalaya is similar to paella, with the rice absorbing the flavors as it cooks.
Yes! If you don’t like okra or can’t find it, just omit it. The roux will still thicken the gumbo. You can also add filé powder (ground sassafras leaves) at the end of cooking for both thickening and traditional flavor. Add 1 teaspoon of filé powder after the gumbo has finished cooking and cooled slightly. Check the consistency and a bit more as needed.
Yes, you can substitute boneless skinless chicken breast. Cut it into bite-sized pieces. Keep in mind that chicken breast can dry out more easily than thighs.
Be careful not to exceed the maximum fill line on your Instant Pot (⅔ full). The cooking time stays the same. An 8-quart Instant Pot is perfect for doubling this recipe.
You can thicken it by selecting the Saute function and letting it simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes to reduce the liquid. Alternatively, mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to make a cornstarch slurry. Stir the slurry into the gumbo, then simmer until thickened.
Yes, it freezes well for up to 3 months.
⏲️ How to Make Gumbo in the Instant Pot (Step by Step Instructions)
Season Shrimp
- Thaw and thoroughly dry the shrimp with a paper towel.
- Rub Creole seasoning all over the shrimp and set aside.
Saute Chicken and Sausage
- Turn on Saute mode. 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.
Program the Instant Pot and release pressure
- Close the lid.
- Select Pressure Cook mode and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
- The display will go from On to 4:00. The float valve will go up after a few minutes. The display will count down to 00:00.
- Do a quick release of pressure. Once the float valve goes down, the lid can be opened.
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.
♨️ Stovetop Instructions for Gumbo
- Season the shrimp with the creole seasoning and reserve.
- Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Saute the sausage and chicken, and remove.
- In the same pot, cook oil and flour until the roux is the color and consistency of peanut butter.
- Saute the onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic until the onions are translucent.
- Add the spices and saute briefly.
- Stir in the broth and tomatoes, and simmer for 15 minutes. You’ll need to add two extra cups of broth compared to the Instant Pot version of the recipe.
- Add the reserved sausage, chicken, shrimp and okra. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve over white rice.
See the recipe card below for detailed instructions.
Best New Orleans Instant Pot Gumbo with Chicken, Sausage, and Shrimp
Ingredients
- ½ lb shrimp (250 grams) peeled and deveined
- 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning or Cajun seasoning
- ½ cup olive oil + 2 tablespoon extra for sauteing
- ½ lb Andouille sausage (250 grams) or smoked sausage, cut into ¼ inch slices
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (500 grams) cut into bite size pieces
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup onions diced
- 1 cup green bell peppers diced
- 1 cup celery diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth (6 cups broth for stovetop version)
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoon 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 – 411 grams
- 2 tablespoon green onions green parts only, sliced thinly
- Chopped parsley to garnish
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
- Rub shrimp with Creole or Cajun seasoning and set aside.
- Select Saute mode and when Instant Pot has heated, add 2 tablespoon 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 ½ cup 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. [See Note 1].
- 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.
- Serve gumbo over Instant Pot Jasmine rice.
Stovetop Instructions
- Rub shrimp with Creole or Cajun seasoning and set aside.
- Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat on the stovetop. Add 2 tablespoon oil and heat until the oil is hot and shimmering.
- Add andouille sausage and chicken, and saute until browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.
- In the same pot, stir together ½ cup oil and flour. 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. [See Note 1].
- Add onions, bell pepper, celery, garlic, white, black, and cayenne peppers, salt, and brown sugar. Add more oil if needed. Stir until onion is translucent. If it begins to burn, deglaze the pan as needed, with one tablespoon broth at a time.
- Stir in worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, bay leaves, tomatoes, and broth. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the stew becomes too thick, add another ¼ cup of broth.
- Add reserved sausage, chicken, shrimp and okra. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Garnish with green onions and parsley.
- Serve gumbo over white rice.
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 Instant Pot right before pressure cooking (on top of all the ingredients), and don’t stir.
- Note 1: The darker your roux, the more intense the gumbo flavor. So you can cook the roux for even longer. However, be sure not to burn the roux, so keep stirring constantly, especially as it gets darker. I prefer cooking the roux on the stovetop because I can control the temperature better.
Nutrition
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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.
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Brittney Mo says
I wanted gumbo, but I didn’t want to spend all day in the kitchen. This is a delicious and quick gumbo recipe! I took a few shortcuts to make it faster for myself. I used 2 frozen 10oz bags of seasoning blend vegetables (onion, celery, bell pepper) and used thawed diced rotisserie chicken (w/out skin). After cooking my jalapeño sausage and removing, I added the frozen blend and let that thaw/cook with the diced garlic while I made my roux on the stovetop. Then added my roux to the instant pot and continued following the recipe as written. Quick, delicious, and a recipe I’ll use again in the future. Thank you!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Brittney, thank you for sharing your shortcuts!
Woody says
I have been using this instapot gumbo recipe for a few years now and it has pretty much become a New Year’s tradition. This is truly excellent gumbo! There was a small learning curve the first couple times. Now I am sure to wipe out the pot between browning the meat and making the roux. Big improvement. I also had a couple issues at first with the pot not sealing but still cycling. I fixed that by leaving it on “sauté” as I was adding the stock and other ingredients. That gave it a little temperature boost an helps it build pressure when I put the lid on. I do not recall ever having better gumbo at a restaurant.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Woody, thank you so much for sharing your modifications!
Huda says
This is a fabulous recipe! i make the roux in a dutch oven on the stove, (and i’m doubling or tripling recipe, so, it gets it done better, then transfer to the instant pot at the end. instead of green peppers, i use hatch peppers; the jars of 505 Southwestern works well, adding a cup of it, it adds good slow burn heat. and i throw in fish with the shrimp at the end.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Huda, thank you for sharing your modifications and tips!
Laura says
This is my go-to gumbo recipe. The seasonings are perfect! I’ve never successfully made a roux using the Saute setting, so I just make mine on the stovetop. This is a super labor-intensive recipe, but the end result it worth it!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Aww, thank you so much Laura! If I may make a suggestion: make the roux ahead of time when you have some free time. That’s what I do, just makes the gumbo prep so much easier.
Tesh says
Amazing. Made it in my instant pot for the first time. I know this will be made frequently in my home. Thank you for the recipe
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thank you, Tesh! I’m happy you enjoyed it – never get tired of hearing it 🙂
Tammy Ellis says
I’ve probably made this five or six times at least. It is the best gumbo recipe ever! I love it. I use gluten-free stone-ground white rice flour to make my rue. And I don’t use as much of it as in her recipe. Other than that it’s identical and it’s delicious!
Tammy Ellis says
*rioux
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thank you, Tammy, for sharing that you use rice flour. I’m sure that info will be valuable to others!
Howard S says
Hello-
I came across your well-documented, delicious-looking recipe, and SO excited to try!
One question tho: My other half has an aversion to Okra (crazy I know!)… mostly due to the texture. Can you please recommend a substitute vegetable that wouldn’t sacrifice texture /thickness or flavor for the gumbo? I saw someone mention peas but curious if there’s another option. Thanks in advance!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Howard, I would omit the okra and add file powder at the very end of cooking, right before you turn off the heat. You can also add it to each serving bowl – just 1/4 to 1/2 tsp, stir to thicken.
Howard S says
Thank you! I found it at a grocery store today, so will give it a try. Newbie comments tomorrow!
Bryan Richards says
Hi, I am confuse, are you adding the trinity to the roux, or do you remove the roux cook the vegetables, then add the roux back into the broth?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hi Brian, sorry for the confusion. I add the holy trinity to the roux and have no issues with sealing. However, there are people who’ve had issues with the Instant Pot burn message. For them, I recommend that they remove the roux and add it back in on top before pressure cooking. I hope that makes sense.
Huyen Pham says
I love this recipe and use it all the time! We’re hosting family members who are pescatarians. Any suggestions on how to adapt the recipe? Wondering what seafood to sub out for chicken and sausage and whether instant pot cooking would disintegrate the seafood.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Huyem, thank you for reaching out and I’m glad you enjoy the recipe. You can use the Instant Pot low-pressure setting with quick release to cook all the seafood, including shrimp – about 3 minutes will probably do. A firm white fish would hold up best. You could add some lump crab meat at the end (pre-cooked). Alternately, don’t pressure cook, just cook everything in Saute mode because it’s so quick to cook.
Huyen Pham says
Thanks for the quick and helpful response!
–Huyen
Nisha says
I don’t see the measurements for the meats and spices and such? Am I missing something? Thanks.
Nisha says
Nevermind! I see it. Haha
Sarah says
This recipe is delicious!! I did not have any shrimp on hand but used smoked sausage in its place. We had just picked some fresh okra from the garden, and I just stemmed them and cut them in half to add. My family loved it and it will make the go to list in my recipes.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Sarah, thanks for taking the time to comment. I’m so glad the recipe worked out for you!
Sarah says
I want to make this recipe for dinner. I did not see any comments or tips on using fresh okra. I just picked a bunch from the garden. Thanks
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Sarah, sorry I didn’t get back to you in time. You could probably just add the fresh okra and boil it in saute mode after the pressure cooking.
Lisa says
This looks fantastic, except 10 minutes is way too long to cook shrimp. In the video, the cooked shrimp is completely curled into an “O” shape rather than the “C” shape that it should have.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hi Lisa, the shrimp is not pressure cooked but rather sits in the cooked gumbo and cooks in the residual heat. You can definitely take it off heat as soon as you think it’s ready. Thanks for your comment.
Robert says
If you were to purchase pre-made rouix, how much would you had?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Robert, I would say about 1/2 cup plus a tablespoon or two more. I would also try to layer it on top, to avoid the burn message.
Ashley Davis says
How would I make this on the stove instead?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hi Ashley – thanks for your question. I’m in the process of adding stovetop directions to my recipes but it’s slow going 🙂 To make this on the stove, follow the same instructions except add the shrimp during the last 5 minutes of cooking. You might need to add more broth, while it’s cooking, to get it to be the right thickness. Cook time: simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Hope that helps.
Earl says
I was shocked. I’m from New Orleans and I know good gumbo. Seriously, this is some of the best gumbo I have eaten. It doesn’t matter whether homemade or from one of the finest restaurants, this is some of the best. Looking forward to trying the jambalaya.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Earl, wow!! That is such a nice comment. Thank you so much for sharing.
MJ says
Great recipe and have used several times. Rich developed flavor from instapot and easy to switch back to stovetop if I want. Wife is using instapot now so I’m doing stovetop. I just kick the roux up a little and give time for a long simmer. Thank you for posting- this has been a wonderful recipe!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Aww, thank you so much MJ! I’m so happy that this recipe has brought you joy 🙂
Becka says
I am super confused about the roux. I don’t see anything about removing it from the pot to cook the veggies. Are you supposed to add it at the end? I stirred it into the broth mixture and my IP burned immediately and now I’m using the stove top to cook it. Help?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Becka, I usually add the broth into the roux and pressure cook it. Next time, you can cook the roux on the stove, and add it on TOP without stirring. that will help you avoid the burn message.
Laura says
This is the best gumbo! I leave out the tomatoes and sprinkle in a little extra Creole seasoning. When making the roux on the stovetop, I use a 1/2 cup oil and around 3/4 cup flour. It takes around 30 minutes to get it to the right color, but worth the effort!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thank you for sharing your tips and for the lovely comment!
Andrea Waterstreet says
Delicious and easy. I found some excellent andouille sausage made by Bruce Aidell that was awesome. I made my roux on the stovetop in a cast iron pan. I also added in some filé spice at the end to thicken and add that subtle flavor. Lastly, I added about 1/2 cup of chopped fennel to the “holy trinity”. This recipe was a big hit with my 3 male friends who like it when I make hearty food. And the leftovers taste even better the next day!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thank you, Andrea, for the comment and for sharing your tips. I’m thrilled that your friends loved the recipe!
Kelly says
Have you ever substituted the “pre-made jarred roux”? If so how much would you use? Thanks, looking forward to making this!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Kelly, I have not done so but I know readers who have. If I had to estimate, I would say about 1/4 cup.
Robert says
Please disregard my question, as I typed it before reading all the comments. Will make this tonight.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hope you enjoy the recipe, Robert!