Delicious Green Gumbo: a Fusion of two Southern Staples

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Green gumbo, also known as gumbo z’herbes, is a mouthwatering combination of fork-tender greens and hearty gumbo. Add andouille sausage, shrimp, and your choice of turkey or ham hocks to a roux to make the ultimate soul food side dish.

For more tasty veggie side dishes, try Roasted Balsamic Glazed Brussel Sprouts, Easy Oven Roasted Broccoli with Bacon, and The Best Sauteed Green Beans,

Gumbo greens combine savory greens with spicy gumbo, for a super delicious side dish, or main dish that is guaranteed to please everyone. If you love your greens with a nice chunk of turkey or smoked ham hocks, then this recipe will blow your mind!

The blend of meats, spices, and vegetables will have you slurping the bowl til the last drop!

Why you will love Gumbo Greens:

Comfort Food! This fusion of two southern side dishes is served hot. Cozy up with a bowl because it is so filling, flavorful, and satisfying.

Great Holiday Dish! This side dish takes time and effort so I like to make it for special occasions. Serve this for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter, alongside a holiday feast.

Customizable! You can switch up the type of greens, the kind of meat, or even make it meatless.

Where does green gumbo come from?

This gumbo greens recipe is inspired by gumbo z’herbes, a traditional Louisiana Lenten dish. Traditionally served every year on Holy Thursday and Good Friday.

The meatless gumbo usually contains assorted greens, including collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, beet greens, spinach, and kale. But it has to be an odd number of greens (although the reason is unclear, I am almost positive it is due to a superstition).

It was popularized in the 1960s by Leah Chase of New Orleans’ beloved Dooky Chase’s restaurant. While it used to be reserved for Holy Thursday and Good Friday, it is now enjoyed year-round, often with meat. This gumbo greens recipe includes meat but you can easily make it a vegetarian gumbo.

Ingredients for Green Gumbo Recipe

To make gumbo greens, you will need the following ingredients:

1. Turkey wings: Alternatively, use ham hocks.
2. Vegetable oil: Peanut oil is a good substitute.
3. All purpose flour: This is necessary for the roux.
4. Andouille sausage: Smoked sausage is a staple in Cajun cuisine.
5. The Holy Trinity: Diced onion, green bell pepper, and celery are the flavor foundation of Cajun cuisine.
6. Garlic cloves: Minced.
7. Greens: Clean and chop them before adding them to the large pot.
8. Water: This is the liquid base of your broth.
9. Bay leaves: This lightens the overall flavor because this stew can be very rich.
10. Seasoning: Season simply with cajun seasoning, salt, and black pepper to taste.
11. Shrimp: Add these cleaned and deveined. (This ingredient is optional but recommended.)

How to Make Green Gumbo

Cook Turkey or Ham Hocks

Add either turkey wings or ham hocks to a large stock pot and submerge them with water. Bring the pot to a light boil over medium heat. Cook them for about one hour or until they are tender enough to fall off the bone. Periodically check them and add more water as needed,

Once tender, place them in a bowl to cool. Skim the top of the water that the turkey cooked in, to remove any foam or residue. Then set aside the water that the turkey wings cooked in. 

Make Roux for Green Gumbo

While the wings are boiling, start on the roux.  Add the vegetable oil to a heavy bottomed stock pot and heat it up over medium heat for about 1-2 minutes. 

Whisk the oil while gently sprinkling in the flour. Keep stirring in order to ensure there are no lumps.

Continue cooking the roux over medium-low heat, and stir constantly with a whisk or a wooden spoon, until the roux is the color of chocolate. This will take about 15-20 minutes to achieve. 

Add Andouille Sausage

Once the chocolate color is achieved, add in the andouille sausage to fry it up. Fry the sausage for about 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly to ensure the roux does not burn. 

Once the sausage begins to brown, add the diced onions, bell peppers, and celery. Simmer the veggies along with the sausage, until they begin to soften (about 2 minutes). Add in the minced garlic and stir it around with the veggies and sausage for another minute. 

Add Greens

Gently add the greens to the pot. They will initially overflow if the pot is not big enough. Use a large slotted spoon to mix them in with the roux and sausage. The greens will cook down, and you can continue adding them.

Now gently pour the water from the turkey wings into the pot with the roux and vegetables. Add additional water to just cover the greens. 

Add the cajun seasoning and bay leaves into the pot and stir well to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding more salt and pepper to taste.

Cover the pot with a lid and simmer for 30 minutes. 

Add Turkey Wings

As the greens cook, remove the meat from the bones of the turkey wings and place it in a separate bowl. 

Once all of the meat has been removed from the bone, add it to the gumbo greens. Stir the mixture up well, cover with a lid, and continue to cook for another hour. 

Taste the greens for seasoning, and adjust to taste. 

If you are adding shrimp: add your cleaned and deveined shrimp to the gumbo greens for the last 30 minutes of cooking. 

Once done, the greens should be fork-tender, and delicious. Finally, ENJOY!

Tips and variations for the Best Gumbo Greens

• Rinse your greens thoroughly before adding them to the pot. The quickest way to ruin green gumbo is to have gritty bits because you did not wash your vegetables.
• Be patient when making your roux. You will need to stir often over the span of 20 minutes.
• Use a heavy bottomed pot because this ensures the roux does not burn.
• Avoid bitter tasting greens by generously seasoning them.

FAQ

What is a traditional gumbo made of?

Gumbo is a rich stew usually filled made with stock, meat, and shellfish. However, there are variations across regions.

What is the difference between Creole gumbo and Cajun gumbo?

Creole gumbo usually includes tomatoes, shellfish, and a dark roux. It sometimes has okra and filé powder too. Cajun gumbo contains chicken and does not include tomatoes.

What is the secret ingredient in green gumbo?

A roux is essential to gumbo greens. It enriches the flavor and improves the texture.

More holiday side dishes you’ll love

• Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
• Deluxe Cheesy Hash Browns
• Delicious Steakhouse Mashed Potatoes

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