A pot of smothered okra for gumbo is prepared with a medley of vegetables. This traditional Cajun stew is a flavorful base that thickens a gumbo, replacing a classic flour-and-oil roux. It's a timesaver stored in the freezer, sitting ready when there's a need for a pot of okra gumbo.
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For a Louisiana gumbo recipe prepared with a roux, here's Gumbo z'Herbes Made With Greens, A Green Gumbo Recipe. Sometimes called green gumbo, it is a famous New Orleans dish made with a dark roux, smoked meat, and different winter greens.
What's Smothered Okra For Gumbo?
Every summer, Mama would gather a mess of fresh okra. She'd chop the okra, the Cajun holy trinity, and a few other vegetables. Then she'd throw them into her large magnalite pot and stir over medium heat until every ingredient was perfectly cooked.
She made a large batch to keep individual packages in her freezer for making gumbo year-round. This way, all she had to do was defrost a bag, heat it, add meat and/or seafood, then add broth and water to simmer the flavors together. In half an hour, dinner was ready!
Okra may seem strange for gumbo, but it's a delicious thickener that pairs well with chicken and seafood. It's also a healthier alternative for people sensitive to gluten, often found in oil and flour-based roux.
Like any other Cajun kitchen in Acadiana, keeping a freezer stocked with this vegetable medley is crucial. It's undoubtedly convenient during those cold, wet winters that make one yearn for a hot bowl of gumbo.
But of course, you don't have to be a Cajun to enjoy having a freezer full of stewed okra! Nor do you need special skills or appliances.
Stewing The Okra
It's such a simple and rewarding process. We cook the okra for about an hour or until it is no longer slimy.
Then, onions, bell peppers, celery, garlic, and tomatoes are added to the okra to cook for a few more minutes, until they are browned and smothered together. Season with salt and cayenne pepper, and it's ready for gumbo.
A good idea is to make a batch of this Creole Seasoning Blend Recipe to use in place of the trinity and garlic. Prepare it ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze it for later use. You only need about 4 cups of it in this gumbo recipe.
After the vegetables have cooled, you can proceed to make gumbo or store them in plastic bags. A vacuum sealer for plastic bag storage, such as the Omote vacuum sealer machine, is an excellent way to package stewed vegetables. It's easy to use and store.
See how simple it is to smother okra? While it's cooking, you'll find the aroma is a delicious delight, too. You can also serve this tasty okra dish as a healthy side with most entrees.
Make It Your Own
My favorite is Shrimp Okra Gumbo, but it's also delicious with shrimp and crab, or a combination of chicken and shrimp, or just chicken and sausage. I like using a chicken thigh package to simplify things, but feel free to use your favorite ingredients.
More Gumbo Recipes And Sides To Go With Them
- Seafood Gumbo
- Shrimp Okra Gumbo
- Chicken Gumbo, Simply Classic Cajun
- Everyday Rice Every Day
- Plain Potato Salad
📖 Recipe
Smothered Okra, For Gumbo
Smothered Okra For Gumbo is a Cajun stew of vegetables that deliciously thicken gumbo instead of a traditional oil and flour roux.
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 - 2 cup packages 1x
Ingredients
- 16 cups fresh or frozen okra, sliced or chopped
- ¼ cup oil, canola, or vegetable
- 2 cups chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 6 pods garlic, pressed
- 2 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes or 4 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tablespoon salt
- .5 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Place a large, heavy pot on a burner and pour the oil into it to heat.
- Add okra to the pot and cook on medium/low heat, occasionally stirring; careful not to burn okra.
- Cook until okra is no longer slimy, which takes about an hour.
- Add onions, bell peppers, celery, garlic, and tomatoes, and cook for 20 minutes more or until vegetables are soft.
- Season with salt and pepper, stirring to combine.
- Let cool and store 2 cup servings in freezer containers; see notes.
Notes
- This recipe can be easily divided for smaller amounts of okra.
- Use 2 cups of smothered okra per 2 pounds of seafood or meat for gumbo in place of roux.
- Smothered okra can also be served as a tasty appetizer or side dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Category: side dish, gumbo
- Method: stew
- Cuisine: Cajun
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Helen Turner says
Cooking Okra today. My husband is cutting okra and I’m chopping seasonings. Great combination I would say!!!
Louisiana Woman says
Yes, Helen, I'd say so , too! Enjoy!
Pure Cajun says
This is the same way my grandmothers from Acadia Parish (one was born in 1892 and the other in 1900) made their smothered okra. When momma got air conditioning in the 1970's she began cooking it in the oven.
Louisiana Woman says
I love hearing how others grandmothers cooked like mine. Thank you!
Bonnie speer says
I am 78 and this is how my mother cooked smothered okra. She used it in gumbo and also as a side dish, it is so good.
Louisiana Woman says
Thank you, Bonnie! This warms my heart knowing your mother cooked like mine using this same recipe. Yes, it is so good and so were our mothers to fix it for us. 🙂