Gumbo (Louisiana Creole: Gum-bo) is a hearty stew popular in the U.S. state of Louisiana, and is the official state cuisine. Gumbo consists primarily of a strongly flavored stock, meat or shellfish (or sometimes both), a thickener, and the Creole "holy trinity" – celery, bell peppers, and onions.

pure sassafras leaves Zatarain's Gumbo File is pure sassafras leaves, traditional flavor - every time! Zatarain's Gumbo File is pure, ground sassafras leaves. Bring the flavor of Cajun cooking by using this traditional ingredient in your recipes.

Usage Tips

1. STOVE TOP DIRECTIONS.
2. MIX 6 cups water and Gumbo Mix in 4-quart saucepan until well blended.
3. For Chicken or Sausage Gumbo: Stir in chicken or sausage.
4. For Seafood Gumbo: Bring to boil.
5. MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS.
6. MIX 6 cups water and Gumbo Mix in 4-quart microwavable bowl until well blended.

Creole cuisine gumbo, an aromatic soup-stew characteristic of the Creole cuisine of Louisiana, combining African, American Indian, and European elements. It takes its name from a Bantu word for okra, one of the dish's typical ingredients, which is prized for its ability to give body to a sauce.

It represents the intersection of three cultures - European, Native American, and West African - that created what we know today as Southern cuisine. "These days, gumbo is closely associated with Louisiana and, more specifically, with Cajun cuisine, and for good reason.

The “holy trinity” of Southern cooking – bell pepper, celery, and onion – is sauteed with hearty bacon and chicken, then simmered in chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, and Cajun seasonings before long grain rice is added to soak all the flavors up.

Gumbo Filé (pronounced fee-lay) powder is ground sassafras leaves that are often mixed with a bit of ground thyme for extra depth of flavor. Widely used in Cajun and Creole cooking, the secret to its use is to add it to a dish near the end of cooking, or to sprinkle on top as a finishing garnish.

Ingredients. Okra, Tomatoes, Onions, Celery, Green Peppers.

Zatarain's Gumbo Base is a unique blend of dark roux, vegetables, and premium spices that yields a traditional flavored South Louisiana gumbo. Add individually or in combination, seafood, chicken, smoked sausage, and ham can be used to create a delicious, traditional New Orleans Gumbo.

South Louisiana gumbo has been described as an intersection of three cultures: West African, Native American, and European. Each culture contributes to what South Louisianians recognize as its signature dish. As previously discussed, okra is used as a thickener of the West African version.

Sassafras and filé powder had been used by Native Americans for centuries before European immigrants arrived. The okra plant is another thickener used in gumbo. Okra was introduced to the Southern U.S. from Africa, which accounts for the African component of gumbo.

South LouisianaGumbo / Origin Did you know that gumbo is not original to Louisiana? Most food historians agree that this popular South Louisiana dish has its origins in West Africa. Consider the word “gumbo” which comes from the West African word “ki ngombo” for “okra”. West Africans used okra as a thickener in their version of the dish.

noun,plural gum·bos. a stew or thick soup, usually made with chicken or seafood, greens, and okra or sometimes filé as a thickener.

Gumbo is a hearty stew made from combinations of seafood, meat (such as andouille, chicken and ham) or vegetables that's served hot over cooked rice. Gumbo can be thickened with okra, file, or a roux, a French and Creole method of cooking equal parts flour and fat.

Most food historians agree that this popular South Louisiana dish has its origins in West Africa. Consider the word “gumbo” which comes from the West African word “ki ngombo” for “okra”. West Africans used okra as a thickener in their version of the dish.

By many accounts what makes gumbo different than, say, chicken and okra soup, is its use of roux (a mixture of browned flour in oil) as a flavor base and thickening agent. Green gumbo, however, enjoys the moniker without roux as a required ingredient.