This vegan gumbo is packed with juicy tomatoes, Cajun spices and hearty red bean andouille meatballs! Serve it with rice for hearty and flavor-packed vegan meal!
Should I apologize for the onslaught of soup and stew recipes coming from this site lately. Truth be told, there are more to come. Hey, it’s been cold!
Last week I had a bunch of non-soup or stew recipes lined up but I just couldn’t bring myself to make them. The bomb cyclone had temperatures in the single digits and as someone known for wearing sweaters even in July, I was a wee bit cranky. Soups and stews were about all I could handle.
I’d had vegan gumbo on my to-make list for a while and I just happened to have some okra in the fridge. I never just happen to have okra in the fridge, but I spotted some in the produce department at my supermarket the other day and bought it on a whim. Perfect.
I posted a sweet potato gumbo recipe a few years ago (and it’s delicious), but that recipe came from a cookbook and I wanted to take a crack at developing my own. Plus, that one doesn’t have okra in it, so I was still itching for a chance to work with this new-to-me veggie.
So this new recipe ended up being perfect bomb cyclone food for several reasons.
First, and most obvious, you can’t beat a piping hot bowl of stew when it’s ridiculously freezing out.
Second, gumbo is spicy! Does spicy food warm you guys up when it’s cold out? It does for me. The more cayenne pepper, the better.
Third, this gumbo has vegan meatballs (beanballs if you prefer). Why’s that awesome? Aside from making the stew extra hearty, you get to turn on the oven. Turning on the oven is one of my favorite things to do when it’s cold outside.
Okay, so traditional gumbo doesn’t have meatballs, but we’re rule-breakers around here. Some versions of traditional gumbo do have andouille sausage, but sausage is a bit tougher to replicate than meatballs, so I decided not to attempt it. I made my balls with red beans and a bunch of the same spices you’d find in andouille sausage. How perfect is that?
The meatballs do make this soup a bit more labor intensive, so if it’s not a snow day and you’re in a rush to get dinner on the table, feel free to just throw in a can of red beans or some extra veggies. You could even use store-bought vegan meatballs or chopped up vegan sausage links if you’re into that. It’ll still be super delicious.
Vegan Gumbo with Andouille Red Bean Meatballs
This vegan gumbo is packed with juicy tomatoes, Cajun spices and hearty red bean andouille meatballs! Serve it with rice for hearty and flavor-packed vegan meal!
Ingredients
For the Vegan Gumbo
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup wheat flour (whole wheat or all-purpose)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 (14 ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen and thawed okra, tails and caps removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Cayenne pepper to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Anduille Red Bean Meatballs
- 1 (14 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 small onion, coarsely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Olive oil, for brushing or spraying
For Serving
- Cooked rice
- Chopped scallions and parsley
Instructions
To Make the Gumbo
Coat the bottom of a large pot with the olive oil and place it over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Cook the flour, whisking constantly, until it darkens in color a bit and begins to smell nutty, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the onion, pepper and celery and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the veggies begin to soften. Add the garlic and sauté about 1 minute more, until very fragrant.
Stir in the broth, tomatoes, okra, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, thyme, pepper, oregano, and cayenne. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the broth is thick and the veggies are tender, about 30 minutes.
To Make the Meatballs
While the gumbo simmers, preheat the oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped and well mixed, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls (about 24) and arrange them on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Lightly brush or spray with olive oil.
Bake the meatballs for about 30 minutes, or until lightly browned, flipping once halfway through.
To Serve
Divide the meatballs into bowls and ladle the gumbo overtop. Serve with rice and top with scallions or parsley.
Recipe Notes
If you have any leftovers, store the meatballs separate from the stew so they don't get soggy.
Nutrition information does not include rice.
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