# Vegan Gumbo Challenge ## Description A masterful plant-based interpretation of Louisiana's most iconic stew, this vegan gumbo captures the soul of Creole cooking through complex layering of flavors, authentic roux technique, and the holy trinity of vegetables. This challenging recipe demands patience and precision but rewards with deep, smoky flavors and rich textures that rival traditional versions. ## Quick Facts - Calories: 485 per serving - Prep Time: 45 minutes - Cook Time: 120 minutes - Total Time: 165 minutes - Servings: 4 - Difficulty: hard - Cuisine: American - Health Score: 8.2/10 ## Nutrition Per Serving - Calories: 485 - Protein: 18g - Carbohydrates: 72g - Fat: 16g - Fiber: 9g - Sugar: 8g - Sodium: 890mg ## Dietary Information This recipe is: Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free ## Ingredients (4 servings) - 0.75 cup all-purpose flour (for the roux) - 0.75 cup vegetable oil (for the roux) - 2 medium yellow onion (diced fine) - 4 stalks celery stalks (diced fine) - 2 large green bell pepper (diced fine) - 2 cups okra (sliced into rounds) - 8 cloves garlic cloves (minced) - 8 cups vegetable broth (hot) - 2 tablespoons smoked paprika - 1 tablespoon dried thyme - 1 tablespoon dried oregano - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste) - 3 leaves bay leaves - 1 teaspoon liquid smoke - 2 tablespoons vegan worcestershire sauce - 1 tablespoon hot sauce (Louisiana-style) - 1 can cannellini beans (15 oz, drained) - 12 ounces vegan sausage (sliced) - 6 stalks green onions (chopped) - 0.5 cup fresh parsley (chopped) - 2 cups long grain white rice (for serving) - 2 teaspoons salt (or to taste) - 1 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground) - 2 tablespoons file powder (optional, for thickening) ## Instructions 1. Begin by preparing all vegetables: dice onions, celery, and bell peppers uniformly into 1/4-inch pieces. Slice okra into 1/2-inch rounds. Mince garlic. Set aside in separate bowls. 2. Heat vegetable broth in a separate pot and keep warm. This prevents temperature shock when adding to the roux. 3. Create the roux: In a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Gradually whisk in flour. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 25-35 minutes until roux reaches a dark chocolate brown color. This requires patience and constant attention to prevent burning. 4. Immediately add the holy trinity (onions, celery, bell peppers) to the roux. The vegetables will sizzle and help stop the roux from overcooking. Stir vigorously for 5 minutes until vegetables soften. 5. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, and cayenne. Stir to coat vegetables with spices. 6. Slowly ladle in hot vegetable broth, one cup at a time, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Add bay leaves, liquid smoke, worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Bring to a gentle boil. 7. Reduce heat to low simmer. Cook uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and skimming any foam that rises to the surface. 8. Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, sauté okra over medium-high heat for 10 minutes until slightly charred and less slimy. Brown vegan sausage slices until crispy. Set both aside. 9. Add sautéed okra, browned sausage, and drained beans to the gumbo. Continue simmering for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. 10. Cook rice according to package directions. Time this to finish when gumbo is ready. 11. Remove bay leaves. If desired, sprinkle file powder and stir gently (do not boil after adding file). Let rest for 5 minutes off heat. 12. Serve gumbo over rice in deep bowls. Garnish with chopped green onions and fresh parsley. Pass additional hot sauce at the table. ## Allergen Information Contains: gluten, soy ## Tags vegan, cajun, creole, louisiana, southern, stew, comfort food, meal prep, budget friendly ## Source Recipe by: CalorieGram AI ## Machine-Readable Data ### Recipe Metadata ```json { "id": "99a42f41-2413-4ed4-bcf6-0a6f13dd55a0", "youtube_id": null, "title": "Vegan Gumbo Challenge", "cuisine_type": "American", "meal_type": [ "dinner" ], "difficulty_level": "hard", "servings": 4, "prep_time_minutes": 45, "cook_time_minutes": 120, "total_time_minutes": 165, "health_score": 8.2, "created_at": "2025-06-26T07:06:26.000Z", "updated_at": "2025-06-26T07:06:26.000Z" } ``` ### Ingredients Data ```json { "servings": 4, "ingredients": [ { "name": "all-purpose flour", "amount": 0.75, "unit": "cup", "notes": "for the roux" }, { "name": "vegetable oil", "amount": 0.75, "unit": "cup", "notes": "for the roux" }, { "name": "yellow onion", "amount": 2, "unit": "medium", "notes": "diced fine" }, { "name": "celery stalks", "amount": 4, "unit": "stalks", "notes": "diced fine" }, { "name": "green bell pepper", "amount": 2, "unit": "large", "notes": "diced fine" }, { "name": "okra", "amount": 2, "unit": "cups", "notes": "sliced into rounds" }, { "name": "garlic cloves", "amount": 8, "unit": "cloves", "notes": "minced" }, { "name": "vegetable broth", "amount": 8, "unit": "cups", "notes": "hot" }, { "name": "smoked paprika", "amount": 2, "unit": "tablespoons", "notes": null }, { "name": "dried thyme", "amount": 1, "unit": "tablespoon", "notes": null }, { "name": "dried oregano", "amount": 1, "unit": "tablespoon", "notes": null }, { "name": "cayenne pepper", "amount": 1, "unit": "teaspoon", "notes": "adjust to taste" }, { "name": "bay leaves", "amount": 3, "unit": "leaves", "notes": null }, { "name": "liquid smoke", "amount": 1, "unit": "teaspoon", "notes": null }, { "name": "vegan worcestershire sauce", "amount": 2, "unit": "tablespoons", "notes": null }, { "name": "hot sauce", "amount": 1, "unit": "tablespoon", "notes": "Louisiana-style" }, { "name": "cannellini beans", "amount": 1, "unit": "can", "notes": "15 oz, drained" }, { "name": "vegan sausage", "amount": 12, "unit": "ounces", "notes": "sliced" }, { "name": "green onions", "amount": 6, "unit": "stalks", "notes": "chopped" }, { "name": "fresh parsley", "amount": 0.5, "unit": "cup", "notes": "chopped" }, { "name": "long grain white rice", "amount": 2, "unit": "cups", "notes": "for serving" }, { "name": "salt", "amount": 2, "unit": "teaspoons", "notes": "or to taste" }, { "name": "black pepper", "amount": 1, "unit": "teaspoon", "notes": "freshly ground" }, { "name": "file powder", "amount": 2, "unit": "tablespoons", "notes": "optional, for thickening" } ] } ``` ### Nutrition Data (per serving) ```json { "calories": 485, "macros": { "protein_g": 18, "carbs_g": 72, "fat_g": 16, "fiber_g": 9, "sugar_g": 8, "sodium_mg": 890 }, "dietary_tags": { "vegan": true, "vegetarian": true, "gluten_free": false, "dairy_free": true, "nut_free": true } } ``` --- This recipe is from CalorieGram Recipes - Your AI-powered healthy recipe discovery platform. 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