What To Serve With Gumbo?
While rice is traditionally served with the richness of gumbo, there are plenty of options to consider. Some people prefer cornbread, while others add sausage, bacon, shrimp, or crabmeat. Whatever you decide, remember to include lots of vegetables.
These are key ingredients that add bold flavor and nutrition without weighing down the dish. Canned beans, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, and garlic are great additions. Don’t forget to season with salt and pepper. A dash of hot sauce usually goes well with traditional recipes.
1. Potato Salad
Potato salads are one of those foods that everyone loves. They’re simple to make, and they taste good no matter what else you serve alongside them. Potato salad goes well with just about anything, including seafood, a bowl of gumbo, chicken, beef, pork, pasta, beans, cornbread, biscuit with gumbo, and even ice cream. You can use whatever type of potatoes you want, but russet potatoes work best because they hold up better during cooking and taste good with hot gumbo.
You’ll Need:
• 2 pounds small red potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
• ½ cup chopped celery
• ¼ cup chopped green onions
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt
2. Rice
Gumbo meal is a traditional Cajun stew made with seafood, vegetables, meat, and seasonings. It originated in New Orleans, where it was originally served at Mardi Gras parties. Today, it’s enjoyed throughout the year at family gatherings and special occasions.
You’ll find that white rice dish is an essential ingredient in gumbo recipes. It adds body and substance to the soup, giving it a thicker consistency. However, if you want to add extra flavor to your seafood gumbo, you should consider using brown rice instead. Brown rice absorbs liquid better than white rice, so it makes a great base for soups and stews.
White rice is an important ingredient in Louisiana Creole cuisine. It’s one of the most common ingredients used in New Orleans cooking. When making a bit of gumbo, you want a white mound of rice because it gives the dish body and substance. You don’t want to use brown rice, since it doesn’t absorb liquid as white rice does, it can ruin the delicious gumbo experience for you.
1. A towel
Put a towel underneath the lid of the pot to keep the rice from sticking to it. If you don’t do this, the rice will stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.
2. Cooked properly
Don’t overcook the rice or it will become mushy. To test whether the rice is done, take out a spoonful and taste it. If it tastes dry, it needs to be cooked longer. If it tastes too soft, it needs to be boiled for another few minutes.
3. Keep it clean
When you are finished cooking the rice, make sure to strain it well. This removes excess starch and makes the rice easier to eat.
3. Cheese Bread
Gumbo is traditionally served over rice, which will soak up any flavors. Cheese bread is delicious with gumbo, and it makes a great appetizer at parties!
To serve gumbo, you’ll start by making a roux. You’ll mix flour, oil, and water until smooth. Then add whatever seasonings you’d like. Next, add fried okra, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, and celery. Stir well and simmer for 10 minutes. Add seafood and cook another 5 minutes. Serve over rice if desired
4. Cornbread
A lot of times, people think golden cornbread is only eaten during certain holidays, but there isn’t anything special about it. Cornbread goes well with almost every kind of food, including glorious gumbo.
Gumbo is a traditional Creole stew made with meat, seafood, vegetables, and seasonings. It originated in New Orleans and was created using ingredients that were readily available at the time. Today, however, gumbo is being prepared using a variety of meats, seafood, vegetables, and spices.
Cornbread is a classic dish originating in Louisiana. It’s a great side dish or even dessert. It makes a delicious addition to any meal.
5. Hush Puppies
Hush puppies are fried cornbread balls. They can be eaten plain or dipped in gravy or honey butter. You can also stuff them with cheese, sausage, smoked ham, pickles, jalapenos, peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, cabbage, gumbo, etc. The possibilities are endless!
Because of their unique taste and crunchy texture, Hush Puppies are great finger foods. You can serve them at parties, tailgates, picnics, barbecues, church suppers, family reunions, potlucks, and any other event where there’s food available.
6. Desserts
Gumbo is a traditional Cajun stew made with seafood, meat, vegetables, and seasonings. Meal of gumbo is usually served over rice, however, you can serve it over pasta, potatoes, noodles, couscous, or any other grain. You can add additional ingredients to your bowl of seafood gumbo based on the flavor profile you prefer. Some of our favorite additions include crab, sausage, shrimp, okra, tomatoes, green peppers, and onions.
You’ll probably want to serve dessert after your meal. There are several options available, including:
Bread pudding
A soft, custard-like dessert made with eggs, milk, sugar, flour, and butter. It typically consists of layers of bread soaked in a liquid mix and topped with fruit, nuts, or chocolate chips.
Beignets
Small fried dough balls dipped in powdered sugar. Beignets are traditionally eaten at New Orleans restaurants, but you can easily make them at home!
Sweet Potato Pie
A classic American dessert consisting of sweetened mashed sweet potatoes baked in a crust. It’s delicious and served warm.
Pecan Pie
A Southern tradition made from pecan halves, brown sugar, and butter. It tastes great straight out of the oven or chilled.
Chocolate Pudding Cake
A rich dessert made with dark roux chocolate, marshmallow fluff, whipped cream, and graham crackers. Add strawberries for a festive touch!”
7. Coleslaw
Coleslaw is a traditional American side dish that goes great with soups or stews. This recipe makes enough coleslaw for four servings, so you’ll never run out. Coleslaw is made from shredded cabbage mixed with mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and seasonings. The key to making delicious coleslaw is cooking the cabbage until tender. Cooked cabbage becomes fluffy and soft instead of crunchy.
8. Okra
Gumbo is traditionally served with okra. Okra is a traditional Southern vegetable, but it’s available year-round at most grocery stores. Okra adds a nice texture to soups and stews. It brings a hearty spicy flavor and helps thicken the broth. It’s delicious!
9. Corn On The Cob
You may not think you’d ever need to cook corn on the stovetop, but corn on the cob is delicious! There are many ways to prepare corn on the cob, including boiling, grilling, roasting, baking, and smoking. Each method gives you slightly different results, so try a variety of cooking techniques to find out which ones work best for you. You might enjoy roasting or microwaving corn on the cob instead of boiling it in a slow cooker.
10. Fresh Salad
A simple green salad makes an excellent side dish for a classic gumboaide of red peppers, onions, celery, garlic, tomatoes, shrimp, chicken, or sausage. Just toss together the ingredients and add the dressing just before serving. This favorite recipe uses romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, black olives, feta cheese, and basil. If you want to use spinach, try adding it towards the end of cooking.
An Italian salad is a delicious alternative to traditional potato salads. Instead of potatoes, you can use zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and onions. Add a little lemon juice and olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Serve with crusty French bread.
Don’t forget to serve it up with some crusty French toast sticks. They’re easy to make and taste like dessert. Mix eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and butter. Dip slices of bread into the batter and cook on both sides in a skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve warm.
11. Drinks
Gumbo is a traditional dish served throughout Louisiana and New Orleans. It’s made with chicken or seafood stock, vegetables, and seasonings. A classic recipe calls for okra, tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers. You can serve it over rice, pasta, or potatoes.
You might think that beer is the only drink that goes well with chicken gumbo. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Try pairing wine with a gombo instead. Wine pairings can enhance the flavor of foods and beverages. This infographic explains how wines work with different dishes.
