Packed with Creole and Cajun flavors, this easy gumbo recipe is sure to please. Not just easy this is healthy too being both whole30 and paleo compliant.
Mardi Gras is here! It’s Fat Tuesday. How could I not make gumbo?? Frankly I’m shocked that I haven’t posted a gumbo recipe already. Gumbo is one of the meals I personally think is made for the slow cooker: cooks low & slow…better the next day. Kind of like chili.
No roux. I tried, I really did. I tried to create a whole30 and paleo roux that would taste good and mesh well with this recipe. Maybe one day I’ll update this with a roux but for now I really don’t think it needs it. I know this might make some people say that minus the roux this isn’t a real gumbo. My answer to that is fact that it’s being made in the slow cooker makes it a non-traditional gumbo anyway!
Since I didn’t use a roux as a thickener, I did not use any broth either. It would make it too watery. The shrimp goes in last 15-20 minutes of cook time. If you add them at the beginning, they’ll turn to mush. I don’t know about you but my shrimp always seems cook in 5 minutes.
PrintSlow Cooker Gumbo (Whole30, Paleo)
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 5 mins
- Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)
- 1 lb shrimp
- 1/2 lb sausage, cut into rounds
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup frozen okra
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp, 1 tsp cajun seasoning (see blog post for homemade recipe)
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp oregano
Instructions
- Add all the gumbo ingredients EXCEPT the shrimp to the slow cooker. Stir to mix well.
- Cook HIGH 3-4 or LOW 6–7.
- In the last 15-20 minutes of minutes cook time, add gently stir in the shrimp.
- Keep warm until ready to serve. Remove bay leave prior to serving.
Serve this over rice or cauliflower rice like I did to keep it whole 30 compliant. Like this gumbo? Check out my low-carb/paleo/whole30 Slow Cooker Jambalaya!
Updated: For a list of Whole30 compliant sausage brands, click HERE.
Need a Cajun seasoning?? Here you go!
Love this recipe and want to see more? Check out my new cookbook!
You don’t have any liquid in recipe, but you have a lot of liquid in your finished product. How did that happen? Mine is almost done and it has very little liquid, so I added chicken broth.
Like I said, I added chicken broth, and some more Cajun seasoning because of that, and it was delicious. I ate mine over cauliflower rice and the rest of my family over regular, so good!!
Would you say this tastes better in crock pot or instant pot if you had to pick one? Also, what is the fresh seasoning that your finished product pics show? TIA!
I’m a slow cooker girl:-) Having made it both ways I honestly think it all goes down to…how much time do you have? That’s fresh cilantro:-) Enjoy!
This recipe was very tasty! but I wanted to suggest clarifying whether to use “oregano powder” or “dry oregano”. I was confused on this and ended up using dry oregano instead of powder
We’ve made this several times and always enjoy it. I do however add some store bought dark roux and it’s just perfect. Thanks for the great recipe!
when do you add the store bought roux
Can’t wait to make this recipe! Do you put the chicken thighs in whole? They look shredded in your pictures of the final product. Thanks!
Yup the chicken goes in whole. It’s should be so tender when it’s done that it shreds easily.
Made this for Mardi Gras last night, in my Instant Pot (apologies to slow cooking 😉) and it was Amazing! I thought I knew how to make gumbo, being from LA, but these flavors knocked it out of the park! Thank you! This is a keeper.
How long did you cook this in the instapot?
Just made it, we added a can of chicken stock as well…it was amazing!! Thank for this site!!
This was so delicious! I did not miss the roux – the work of it or in flavor. Looking forward to trying another recipe. 🙂
Can the chicken be put in frozen ? and can you use fresh okra instead of frozen ?
Frozen okra, yes. The chicken I suggest you thaw first. Enjoy!
I could only find breaded okra, can I use that?
You can! It will taste a little different due to the breading but you can absolutely use breaded okra in gumbo. Enjoy!
Made it today and felt so luck to find fresh okra at Sprouts!!!
How did t turn out??
It was very good! It should have said lucky. I’m total Whole30 with this so I found Teton Waters Sausage!!! Have you froze leftovers even with shrimp then reheated? How does it do?
I don´t think I understand the spices correctly.
1 tbsp, 1 tsp cajun seasoning and on top of that rest of the spices?:
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp cayenne
½ tsp thyme
½ tsp oregano
I included a homemade Cajun seasoning blend. Use 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp of that or whatever Cajun seasoning you want to use. Enjoy!
Is it a tablespoon plus a teaspoon of the Cajun seasoning? Thanks!
Yup! Enjoy
Never commented on a food blog before – but this recipe was OUTSTANDING. I was very surprised at how nicely it thickened up.
That was my message exactly! I comment on a blog recipe post maybe 1x a year…but this recipe is amazing! Easy, well written, Cajun seasoning recipe was right there, didn’t have to go searching for it and the Gumbo was delicious!! Thank you thank you!!
I absolutely lived it, too! Made it for the fourth time today! Fantastic!! Thanks 🙂
I tried this today and will admit I forgot the bay leaves until the last hour! I put them in anyway and don’t know if it really made a difference but it still turned out great! I left out the Cajun seasoning because I don’t like anything spicy beyond mild. I will definitely be making this again. Thanks!
I like to always have a soup or chili in the fridge for lunch or “I’m starving!” emergencies, and I just made this. It’s delicious, even without the roux! I doubled the okra and took time to make sure it all cooked into nothingness, so the okra acted as a thickener. I added about 2 cups of water, too, as I like my gumbo to be a little soupy. With file powder sprinkled on it and all the okra smashed into it, it came out plenty thick. I only miss the roux a little (and I don’t miss making it, even with the oven method!).
This was so good!!! So flavorful and without any of the tummy upset I get with chili. One comment though— you may want to specify that the sausage should be uncooked (I’m assuming?). I used Aidell’s cooked andouille sausage and by the end of 7 hours it was pretty mushy.
Is gumbo file the same as gumbo seasoning
It’s a little different. From what I understand, gumbo file is more of a flavorful thickening agent. It can provide thickening when okra is not in season, in types of gumbo that use okra or a roux as a thickener for gumbo instead of file.
Is it cooked or raw shrimp when you add it?
I used raw shrimp. If you’re going to use cooked then I would wait until cooking is completed and then stir in the shrimp.
What if you use frozen shrimp?
Sure. Stir frozen shrimp in at the end of cooking. Might take a little longer to cook though.
Hi. This receipe sounds amazing. I planned to make it in the crockpot, but I’m wanting it for dinner like NOW. Lol. I’m wondering if you think it would cook well on the stove and in a much shorter amount of time?
Hi! Should the chicken be frozen or thawed?
It should be thawed. Enjoy!
Is the celery a must? It’s not the tastiest!
Nope, omit it:-)
Do you stir the ingredients after adding to slow cooker?
YES! I’m actually surprised you’re the 1st person to ask that. I’ll update the recipe accordingly. Thanks & enjoy!
This was SO good! We followed the recipe pretty much exactly, except we added shrimp to individual bowls after it was done cooking and didn’t add okra (couldn’t find any at the store). So, so delicious – very flavorful. Thanks for a great recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for the feedback.
Im allergic to shrimp can that be omited or a different meat added to substitute the shrimp?
Definitely you can omit it no problem. You can add more chicken or leave as-is it will still be good. Enjoy!
O.M.G. This recipe is amazing. Thank you!! It will now be one of my staples. So delicious and just the perfect amount of spicy!
OMG this is amazing! Follow recipe exactly as written and you will not be disappointed! Do not be afraid of the okra, it blends in harmoniously. I still can’t get over how authentic this tastes (and looks). Thank you for this recipe it’s definitely a keeper!
Wow. I just made this and LOVED IT. I did add some low-sodium chicken stock (for some reason, my recipe was really thick so this thinned it out some). I just eat it as is – without rice so that it’s paleo friendly. I will definitely make this on a regular basis!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! It’s one of my favorites as well:-) Thank you so much for the positive feedback!
Do you cook the chicken before you put it in
Nope it goes in raw. Enjoy!
Do I add water when I put all ingredients in? If so How much?
No water, just the ingredients listed:-) Enjoy!
Just finished making this, it’s in the slow cooker now, 7 hours to go! 🙂 can wait to taste it!
Let me know how it turns out!
Absolutely delicious. Really easy to make.
My ancient crock pot was way too small for this recipe 😭 How do you think this will cook on the stove? I have it on a medium heat now
Absolutely! I’ll cook it over medium heat for about an hour. Enjoy!
Have you prepared the chicken a certain way?
Not quite sure I 100% understand your question. The chicken goes in raw. Does that answer it?
Have you ever converted this to an Instant Pot (pressure cooker) recipe? Trying to think what the time conversion would be for that. Thanks!
I have!! I recently got an Instant Pot and my gumbo was the recipe I used to test it out. Same ingredients, cooked for manual on 30 min then added the shrimp and let it sit on warm until they were done. You can sautee the onion first. I chose not to.
Has there been any issue considering that there’s not very much liquid added?
Not for me. Enjoy!
What Cajun seasoning is Whole30 compliant?
Homemade is the best! Below is the one I use. I keep a batch in my pantry at all times. Mix all the spices together & store in an airtight container:
2 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
The Cajun seasoning I saw on the blog post was double this amount. Is that too much seasoning for the gumbo recipe?
Only use 1 tbsp + 1 tsp of Cajun seasoning. Enjoy!
1 tbsp includes what?
Whatever Cajun seasoning you want to use OR you can use the one provided in the blog post.
What size slow cooker should be used?
I used a 4-quart
I don’t cook but I tried this recipe and LOVE how it turned out! Next time I’ll add more seafood–maybe some crab. Thanks for an easy delicious recipe!
Thank you so much for the feeback! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Wow this was amazing!!!! One of the best W30 recipes I’ve had! Thank you!
I hate okra in my gumbo, but I understand that it is a thickening agent. Will this be too runny if I don’t use it? When I make my good, fatty gumbo I just use roux and leave out the okra.
Haha my husband does too. I omit it half the time and it’s not missed. The gumbo will still taste pretty much the same. I’d love your roux recipe!
I made this one night when my husband made gumbo for the family, so I wouldn’t feel left out. It was astoundingly good. I did make a roux by using equal parts avocado oil and tiger nut flour then added it to the slow cooker. Kudos to you for such an awesome recipe!
I’m definitely going to try it. Just to clarify, the Cajun season is plenty salt so no salt is needed for this dish, right?
Correct. No additional salt needed. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
This turned out great!! I was skeptical of gumbo with no roux, but it was amazing and easy! I will definitely make it again. I think next time I will cook the shrimp separately, I overcooked them a little in the slow cookers. Thanks for a great recipe!
I made this over the weekend and it was delicious! Husband said it was one of the best things I’ve ever made. It made a huge portion too, so we were able to freeze half of it to save for another week.
I ended up using a whole bag of frozen okra and an extra portion of bay leaves and celery for more greens. No shrimp (since I’m allergic) and it still tasted great.
Thanks for sharing!
OMG reading this made my day. I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!! Thank you so much for the positive feedback.
No broth or any liquid added for cooking?
Nope, just the ingredients listed!
Is it raw or frozen shrimp?
Raw-)
Recipe was Delish 🙂
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it!
My husband made this for dinner this weekend and it was delicious! He said it was fairly easy and healthy. Thank you for sharing!!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you so much for the positive feedback. xShannon
Serving size and calorie count??
6-8 servings, approx 400 calories (depending on things like what sausage you use etc)
My fave recipe …i actually only use 6 tbs of paste and i ommit the bell peppers and celery …its better than my fat gumbo we eat it plain with cauliflower rice
YES! Thank you, I love hearing that. I love eating it with cauliflower rice too. What’s your fat gumbo recipe??
I made this gumbo recipe yesterday. It was delish! My hubby asked for it today for lunch. Glad I had leftovers. It was super easy to make. I’ll be using this recipe again in the future.
Thank you for the feedback! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
I can’t seem to find frozen okra anywhere I’ve been to three stores. Would frozen teen beans work in place of the okra? Would I need to add anything else?
The okra also serves as a thickening agent but honestly, the recipe doesn’t call for enough of it to really make a difference. Substituting green beans will work just fine. Enjoy!
Can I use the pre cut frozen onion,pepper and celery? Or do you think it will make to much extra water?
Absolutely. No, it won’t make too much water. Especially with the okra as a thickening agent. Enjoy!
What whole 30 sausage did you use? Thanks
Wellshire Smoked Andouille Sausage is my new go-to for whole30 compliant sausage. Enjoy!
Cooked this today and it was amazing!!! My husband absolutely loved it and has requested that it be one of our dinner meals weekly! It was so easy to throw together and the taste was sooo good! I’m so glad I found your website and plan to try all the recipes! Thank you so much for making your recipes available for us who are looking for something easy and delicious! I am grateful! Blessings!
Angela your comment made my week! I’ve learned that not everyone likes my recipes:-) Thank you so much for the positive feedback. I hope you try and enjoy some of my other recipes!
Do you thaw the shrimp first or can it go in frozen?
It can go in frozen!
I added chicken broth bc I was paranoid since I screw up everything I make in the slow cooker. I hope I didn’t mess it up (cooking now). I figured better to be watery than shriveled up. Lol
Haha! It shouldn’t mess it up:-) Let me know how it turns out!
Do you use boneless or bone-in chicken thighs?
Boneless, skinless thighs. I’ll update the recipe to make that more clear. Enjoy!
How spicy is this recipe? Would children be able to eat it?
Medium spice. If you’re concerned about the heat then I would omit the cayenne and reduce the cajun seasoning to 2 tsp. Enjoy!
Made this today – can’t wait to eat! Quick question. Do you have to cook the shrimp before you put it in? Or does it cook in the gumbo in just 15-20 min?
The shrimp goes in raw. It will cook fairly quickly in the slow cooker. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
I made this, this past weekend and OMG! It is delicious! Sent some in my husband’s lunch and he texted me saying I have to make it again in a couple of weeks! We don’t even have this batch gone! I love when I come across a recipe that is whole30 approved and so flavorful. Thanks so much for sharing this.
Thank you SO much for the positive feedback I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe. And your husband too. I have to admit, it’s one of my husband’s favorites as well. xoShannon
Could you tell me the carb count. We are doing low carb lifestyle and use the carb count on every recipe.
Thanks!
Shannon, I’m so happy to have stumbled upon your site. I just finished making this, and it turned out beautifully! Absolutely delicious! I rarely follow recipes exactly, but I did for this other than omitting the cayenne (slight wimp here!) and using chicken breasts instead of thighs so I would not have to fool with bones after. Going to share this recipe link with family and friends!!
I’m happy you found me! Thank you so much for the kind words. I hope my recipes don’t disappoint you! I apologize for the delay in getting back to you.
They are wonderful! My coworker tried this recipe too, and her whole family loved it!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
warning everyone do not use the entire 6 oz of tomato paste. Mine smells like spaghetti and bright red, I do not know how she got it to be brown! If it taste really good next time I will add only 1 spoonful.
Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Mine started out red and also smelled like spaghetti initially, but once cooked, it darkened and smelled like gumbo.
I agree. I actually used maybe about 1/3 of the amount of tomato paste stated in the recipe and it turned out great.
I noticed it looks like a stew but you don’t mention water in the recipe
No water needed! I may look like it but trust me, it’s not. The chicken and tomatoes cook down into a stew like consistency. I also didn’t use a roux or thickening agent.
I never made gumbo so this will be my first time. Is that rice in the picture as well?
I hope you enjoy it! That’s cauliflower rice in the picture but this goes very well is regular rice too. Enjoy!
Frozen shrimp okay?
Yes absolutely!
Frozen raw shrimp or frozen cooked shrimp?
Frozen raw:-)
This stuff is the bomb! My wife made it today!
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe!! Thank you for the feedback!
I’ve used glucomannan powder as a thickening agent for recipes. You only need a little bit and it aids with weight loss. So maybe you could do a both with glucomannan to make the rous?
What a fantastic idea! I’ve never cooked with glucomannan powder before but I’ll definitely look into it. Thank you!
How do you think it’d turn out if I omitted meat but still added the shrimp at the end? Would it be less cook time? I don’t eat meat but think this would still be delicious! Thank you.
It won’t necessarily be a gumbo but it should still taste good! You would reduce the cook time by 2 hours with no meat. You can always add in some sort of beans or more veggies. Yup, still add the shrimp at the end. Enjoy!
How many calories per serving please?
It will depend on which ingredients you use. For example mine was 450 calories per serving but I used FarmerJohnLA sausage.
Been eating and making gumbo for years. Can’t imagine it without a roux base, as that defines the entire experience. Nevertheless, we’re eating healthier these days, so I’ll give it a try and let the group know how it turns out. Thanks for sharing.
I hear you but unfortunately a roux made of flour and butter is definitely not whole30 or paleo. But like you said you’re looking to eat healthier so I hope you try & enjoy it!
I haven’t made this gumbo recipe yet (planning to make it this week), but I have adapted my own gumbo recipe that I cook in a dutch oven. I do make a roux using either almond or arrowroot flour and I use ghee in place of butter (almond flour, arrowroot flour, and ghee are all Whole30 compliant).
I’d love to know your roux secret. I tried an arrowroot flour/ghee mixture and it came out horrible. What ratio did you use?
Have you tried using gumbo filé powder? I’m thinking that maybe you are in the U.K. so maybe it’s not readily available there, but it’s an herb that many use in their gumbo. It adds thickness and flavor. This does sound delicious, though.
No BUT you’re the second person to mention it so I think I need to pick some up! Thank you!
What kind of sausage did you use? I’m curious because your dish looks amazing and I’ve experienced sausage fails in the slow cooker… lol! Also, was your sausage whole30? Btw…This looks sooooo yummy!
Thank you! I used Farmer John hot Louisiana smoked sausage. It’s not compliant (ssshhh don’t tell) but it’s good! One thing you can do for sausage to hold shape in the slow cooker is to cut it into larger chunks or brown it in a skillet and add it to the gumbo the last hour of cook time. Enjoy!
Whole Foods sells Wellshire Smoked Andouille Sausage. It’s Whole30 compliant and tastes great in Gumbo.
Thank you! I added it to my grocery list!
Thanks for posting on the sausage.
Ooh it looks so yummy! Slow cookers are amazing.
Looks delicious, will give it a try x
Omg this brings back memories! Once of my old flatmates used to make gumbo at uni and the smell was amazing. It was the one thing that really made me consider breaking my vegetarianism for!
I don’t use my slow cooker nearly enough and this recipe is a perfect reason to get it out. It looks so tasty and healthy too!
This looks so delicious and it’s making me so hungry! Definitely fancy some prawns!
I have heard of gumbo before but had no idea what it was. Now I know I’m definitely trying this recipe!
OMG I’m drooling that really looks amazing. I’ve always wanted to try gumbo. I bet the ingredients combined must give it a lot of flavour.
This looks amazing and I love that it can be done in one pot with no fuss, faff or hassle x
Gumbo is one of those things you hear of in the movies but I have never seen or made. Looks very healthy!
We made something similar the other day (as I am writing a healthy slow cooker book) and it’s such a comforting dish isn’t it. Yours looks delicious.
That looks so tasty! Love the shot of the ingredients in the slow cooker, it looks so healthy and fresh.
I love gumbo – I’ve never made it myself but do have a slow cooker so would love to give this a try x
Yum, this looks like a recipe that would be easy to prepare and taste delicious! I haven’t tried gumbo yet but I’m bookmarking this to try
This recipe really does look great, thanks for sharing 🙂
Chicken, shrimp and sausages sounds like an awesome combination x
I have never tried cauliflower rice before but I would love to and your gumbo looks tasty and healthy! Win win !
Ive heard of Gumbo before, but I never knew what it was! It looks incredible!
Wow this looks delicious! I’m definitely going to have to give this a try, the other half just commented and said how yummy it looks! 🙂 xo
oh this is lovely its definitely somethig i would enjoy x
It looks delicious. And cauliflower rice? Who knew. I will definitely try it.
I am a huge slow cooker fan and I have never had Gumbo before! I so want to make this thank you!
This does look really good. Thanks for sharing x
This looks like such a wonderful mix of flavors! I love that it is so healthy, especially when served over cauliflower rice instead of traditional rice.
The flavor sounds great! I’m a vegetarian so I would omit the meat and seafood, but I think this base recipe would be amazing with red beans as well! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I like this one! It’s paleo, it’s healthy – and it looks DELICIOUS!