This Instant Pot Gumbo with sausage and shrimp is made with Cajun spices in a rich tomato and bell pepper based broth, served with rice.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Olive oil – use any neutral cooking oil such as avocado or canola oil.
- Sausage – andouille sausage is typically used, but it can be pretty spicy. Feel free to use any kind of sausage you prefer, as long as it’s in a casing and not bulk ground or breakfast sausage.
- Yellow onion – white onion or shallots would also be good here.
- Celery – carrot can be used instead.
- Red pepper – swap out for any other colour bell pepper like green bell peppers.
- Frozen shrimp – if you’re not a fan of seafood, replace the shrimp with chicken or more sausage.
- Garlic – freshly minced garlic is best but jarred minced garlic will work in a pinch.
- Cajun seasoning – use a store-bought Cajun or creole seasoning blend or make your own using paprika, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, cayenne pepper and thyme.
- Thyme – oregano or marjoram will provide a similar flavor.
- Can diced tomatoes – a can of crushed tomatoes would also work.
- Beef broth – chicken broth or vegetable broth are the best substitutes here.
- Salt & black pepper – to taste.
- Parsley – add in some extra thyme if you don’t have any parsley.
- Cornstarch slurry – you can also thicken this dish with potato starch, flour or arrowroot.
Rice
- White rice – use another variety of rice such as brown rice.
- Butter – or a butter substitute of your choice.
- Salt – to taste.
How to make gumbo in the Instant Pot
Step 1: Prep your ingredients.
Step 2: Sauté the sausage.
Turn the Instant Pot to saute mode, and saute the sausage until browned. Remove the sausages and slice them up on a cutting board.
Step 3: Add everything else to the Instant Pot.
Add sausage back to Instant Pot, then add in remaining ingredients in the order in which they are listed, except for rice, cornstarch slurry and parsley.
Step 4: Cook on high pressure.
Set the valve to seal, and press the manual pressure cook button. Cook on high for 5 minutes. While the gumbo cooks, make the rice and whisk the cornstarch and water to make a cornstarch slurry.
Step 5: Stir in the cornstarch slurry.
Do a quick release of the pressure on the Instant Pot by flicking the switch at the top with a spoon. Open the lid when pressure gauge has dropped and the lid opens easily. Turn Instant Pot back to saute mode, then stir in cornstarch. Saute mixture for 3-4 minutes until thickened.
Step 6: Serve with rice and enjoy!
Serve in large bowls, add rice and garnish with parsley, then serve and enjoy.
Tips for the best Instant Pot gumbo
Here are some of my tips for making the best Louisiana gumbo in the Instant Pot:
- Use spicy sausage: This will ensure you get that classic gumbo flavour!
- Don’t skimp on the veggies: Add in the Cajun cuisine ‘holy trinity of veggies’ – onions, bell peppers and celery.
- Add everything in order: This is key to making sure the gumbo cooks properly.
- Stir in the cornstarch slurry: To make your gumbo nice and thick, don’t skip the cornstarch slurry. Stir it in at the end then sauté for about 3-4 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
The secret to gumbo is the “holy trinity” of Cajun cooking: celery, bell peppers and onions. A rich stock is then added to thicken the dish – in this case, the cornstarch slurry thickens the gumbo after it’s cooked.
This Instant Pot gumbo shrimp and sausage recipe is honestly a complete meal by itself, so any sides should be kept simple. A salad, Creole coleslaw or okra would all be great options. If you’re looking for something warmer, a basket of warm hushpuppies, cornbread or a French baguette would all be delicious.
For this gumbo recipe, I avoided thickening the gumbo until after the mixture has pressure cooked. You’ll stir a cornstarch slurry in at the end vs. adding a roux before cooking, which will help you avoid the dreaded burn message.
This Instant Pot gumbo is already gluten-free without any substitutions required!
Storing and reheating
Allow this gumbo Instant Pot recipe to cool before transferring the leftovers to a sealed container or individual meal prep bowls. Store in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, either separately or combined with the cooked rice. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through, stirring occasionally.
Can you freeze gumbo?
Yes! You can definitely freeze this Instant Pot gumbo. For best results, store the gumbo and rice in separate containers. Gumbo will last for up to 6 months in the freezer, while the rice will only stay fresh for about 1 month. With that in mind, you may want to make a fresh batch of rice just before serving instead of using defrosted frozen rice.
To freeze this recipe, cool the gumbo completely to avoid ice crystals and spoon it into an airtight container. Leave room for it to expand as it freezes, and thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating as normal.
More Instant Pot comfort food recipes
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning this gumbo into your weekly lunches.
- I get my sausages made of premium Ontario pork from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.
- Freeze this recipe in glass microwave-safe bowls if you’d like to store the leftovers.
Instant Pot Gumbo {Super Easy}
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb sausage
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 lb frozen shrimp (do not thaw)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 (796mL) can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
Rice
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups white rice
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 pinch salt
Cornstarch slurry
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to saute mode. Saute sausage until browned, about 2-3 minutes. Turn off saute mode, remove sausages from heat and slice them on a cutting board.
- Add sausage back to Instant Pot, then add in remaining ingredients in the order in which they are listed, except for rice, cornstarch slurry and parsley.
- Place lid on Instant Pot and make sure valve is set to seal. Press the pressure cook button and set to high, then cook for 5 minutes. Instant Pot will take about 5-10 minutes to come to pressure then pressure cook for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook ingredients under the rice heading in a rice cooker or on the stovetop. Mix cornstarch and water together in a small bowl.
- Do a quick release of the pressure on the Instant Pot by flicking the switch at the top with a spoon. Open the lid when pressure gauge has dropped and the lid opens easily.
- Turn Instant Pot back to saute mode, then stir in cornstarch. Saute mixture for 3-4 minutes until thickened. Serve in large bowls, add rice and garnish with parsley, then serve and enjoy.
