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!
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 (14 ounce/400 gram) can fire roasted tomatoes
- 2 cups fresh okra, tails and caps removed, cut into 1-inch pieces (measure after cutting) (Note 1)
- 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- Cayenne pepper, to taste (I used ½ teaspoon)
- Salt, to taste
- Hot sauce, to taste
- 1 (14 ounce/400 gram) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Salt, to taste
- Olive oil, for brushing or spraying (about 1 teaspoon)
- Cooked rice
- Chopped scallions
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Coat the bottom of a large pot with the olive oil and place it over medium heat.
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Whisk in the flour. Cook the flour, whisking constantly, until it darkens in color a bit and begins to smell nutty, about 5 minutes.
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Stir in the onion, pepper and celery. Cook the vegetables, for about 5 minutes, until they begin to soften, stirring frequently to prevent the flour from burning.
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Add the garlic to the pot and cook it with the vegetables for about 1 minute, until very fragrant, stirring constantly.
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Stir in the broth, tomatoes, okra, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, thyme, pepper, oregano, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf. Raise the heat and bring the liquid to a boil.
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Lower the heat and allow the mixture to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the broth is thick and the veggies are tender, about 30 minutes.
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While the gumbo simmers, preheat the oven to 400° and lightly oil a baking sheet or oven-safe skillet.
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Place all ingredients except for the salt and olive oil into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the machine until the ingredients are finely chopped and well mixed, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
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Taste-test the mixture and season it with salt to taste. Adjust any other seasonings to your liking.
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Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls (you'll get about about 24) and arrange them on the baking sheet or in the skillet. Lightly brush or spray the balls with olive oil.
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Bake the meatballs for about 30 minutes, or until lightly browned, flipping them once halfway through.
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When the stew has finished simmering, remove the pot from heat. Remove the bay leaf and season the gumbo with salt and hot sauce to taste.
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Divide the meatballs into bowls and ladle the gumbo over them. Serve with rice and top with scallions
- Frozen okra can be used if fresh isn't available. Thaw it and then add it to the stew when it has about 10 minutes of simmer time left.
- If you have any leftovers, store the meatballs separate from the stew so they don't get soggy.
- Nutrition information does not include rice.