Vegan Gumbo

This vegan gumbo recipe is hearty, savory, filling and warming. With a mix of beans, mushrooms and okra, this vegetarian gumbo is cheap to make and full of flavour. Starting with a dark, rich roux, key herbs and spices, and a secret umami ingredient, it’s hard to believe that this vegan gumbo doesn’t have any meat in it!

Since okra is used to thicken gumbo, whether or not to do a roux was the first decision I had to make. I decided to go ahead with a roux for the deep, nutty flavour that it would add to a meatless gumbo and sauté the okra to remove most of the slime that grosses lots of people out.

It worked wonderfully in this vegan gumbo recipe, adding a meaty, gravy-like flavour without tasting of miso soup.

VEGAN GUMBO RECIPE
This vegan gumbo recipe is hearty, savory, filling and warming. With a mix of beans, mushrooms and okra, this vegetarian gumbo is cheap to make and full of flavour.



ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup flour
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 small green pepper, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 cups (200 grams) okra, sliced
• 1 can (400 grams / 14 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 2 ½ - 3 ½ cups vegetable stock
• 10 button mushrooms, quartered
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups (330 grams) mixed beans or lentils (I used chickpeas, kidney beans, white beans and brown lentils)
• 1 tablespoon dark miso paste
• ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• Freshly ground pepper
• Brown rice, to serve
• A small handful of fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat a wide saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and sprinkle over the flour. Stir or whisk continuously until the roux reaches a dark caramel or milk chocolate colour, a bit darker than peanut butter. It will take about 15 – 20 minutes. Don’t let it burn or you will have to start over.
2. Add the onions and continue stirring continuously until soft. Add the green pepper, celery, garlic and okra. Sauté, stirring frequently for 10 – 15 minutes until the vegetables are soft and the okra slime has disappeared.
3. Add the tomato, 2 ½ cups of stock, mushrooms, beans, thyme, cayenne pepper and bay leaves. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
4. If you like your gumbo a bit thinner and more soup-like, add as much of the remaining stock as you want. Turn off the heat and ladle a small amount of the gumbo into a small bowl and add the miso paste. Stir well to dissolve and add back to the saucepan. Mix well. Taste the gumbo and add salt to taste (depends on how salty your stock and miso are) and pepper.
5. Serve the gumbo with brown rice and sprinkled with some fresh parsley.

Recipe Adapted : Vegan Gumbo @ cilantroandcitronella