"Love of My Life" Greens Gumbo Z'Herbes

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It's about that time of year for soul-warming comfort foods, and one of the iconic dishes to come out of Louisiana is gumbo z'herbes. This classic soup has its roots deeply enmeshed in Creole history, traditionally made in celebration of Lenten observances such as Easter.

It’s often referred to as “green” Gumbo because it incorporates an abundant variety of green herbs (which is where its name comes from). From collards to kale and watercress – this recipe will be sure to satisfy your cravings with a plethora of incredible aromas and a flavor that can only be described as magical!

Gumbo Z'herbes - All the common gumbo elements are present - a dark roux, the holy trinity of vegetables, andouille sausage plus a great mix of your favorite leafy greens. The late great Leah Chase and her New Orleans-based restaurant Dooky Chase are responsible for the popularity of Gumbo z'herbes after making it the dish of choice on Holy Thursday.

One bowl of this greens gumbo and gumbo z'herbes will become the love of your life as it did for me back in 2008 when I had it for the first time during one of my New Orleans visits.

Ingredients For This Recipe

The ingredient list is for your standard black-eyed peas and rice. Perhaps the main variation is the use of turkey wings which provide smokiness, flavor depth, and richness.

For The Gumbo

• Vegetable oil
• Smoked sausage - I like andouille sausage
• Smoked turkey wings
• Garlic cloves
• Yellow onion
• Bell pepper
• Kosher salt
• Cayenne pepper
• Smoked paprika
• Black pepper
• Dried thyme
• Onion powder
• Garlic Powder
• Fresh thyme
• Bay leaves (optional)
• Assorted greens - I used a combination of collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, spinach, bok choy, kale, and watercress. Note I chop my greens roughly, but for a more fine texture, you can chop using a food processor.
• Fresh or frozen Okra
• Green Cabbage
• Chicken Stock - Optional. I just use the reserved cooking liquid from the greens.

For the Roux

• All-purpose flour
• Vegetable oil

How to Make This Greens Gumbo

Step 1: Saute the turkey and sausage

Render the fat from the turkey and sausage by sauteing in a pan. Set both aside.

Step 2: Prepare the greens

Clean all the greens thoroughly, especially the larger leafier ones to remove any debris and dirt. Chop roughly into smaller pieces and then bring to a boil quickly in a dutch oven on medium heat with the smoked turkey pieces. Drain and reserve the broth.

Wash thoroughly to make sure all the dirt, silt, and grit is gone. Chop the greens first before washing as they're much easier to cut dry.

Step 3: Make the roux base

Add a tablespoon or two to the rendered fat and melt on medium low heat. Add the flour stirring constantly with a slotted spoon until your desired roux color is achieved. The darker the roux the longer the stir. I go for a dark chocolate roux so my elbow and forearms are getting some work.

I prefer to mix all my seasonings together in one small bowl and then season as I go by adding a pinch here and there. I start with adding seasoning at the vegetable saute and then add a bit more at each next step.

Step 4: Saute celery, garlic, onions, and peppers

Dice the vegetables and add all to the roux and cook for 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally.

Step 5: Add Remaining Ingredients To Pot

Add the fresh thyme, bay leaves (if using), half the cajun seasoning mix, the greens, cabbage, turkey, andouille, and reserved cooking liquid. Give a good stir using a wooden spoon. Bring to a simmer and cook covered for 30 minutes.

Step 6: Add the Okra

Add the okra and remaining seasoning mix to the pot. Mix together again with that wooden spoon. Cook another 12-20 minutes. Remove off heat. Serve with cooked white rice.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Making Gumbo Z'herbes Recipes

Which Greens Work Best in Gumbo Z'herbes?

Greens are a matter of choice in this recipe. My advice is to use what's readily available to you. That being said I like collards, mustard greens, and turnip greens. I love the dark color the collard greens provide and the spiciness of the mustards. Spinach, chard, and kale tend to always make the cut for me.

Beet greens, carrots tops, broccoli greens, dandelion greens, etc. are perfectly suitable and add variety in taste, flavor, and texture. Dandelion greens can be pretty bitter so be a lil strategic about which combination of greens you go with. Add some kale and watercress to counter that turnip greens earthiness and mustard greens bite.

Can You Make This A Vegan Gumbo?

For sure!!! Plant-based version of Gumbo Z'herbes are traditionally eaten on Good Friday. Given half my household is vegan, I typically make a vegan version more than the meat-based original recipe. The key to a vegan or vegetarian gumbo is making a killer vegetable stock. I find the trickiest element is replicating the smokiness you'd typically get from using smoked meat. I substitute dried smoked Mexican chili peppers. Morita or chipotle works best.

Serving Suggestions

Gumbo z'herbes can be a side dish or main entree depending on your needs. It's most commonly eaten with rice, but I like to change it up and go with a super grain like quinoa or freekeh. These are good sources of protein so make a better option than rice when making the vegan version.We generally serve it family-style in our house along with many other dishes like:

• Black-eyed pea falafel
• Southern Mac and Cheese
• Jerk Fried Chicken
• Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges

Key Cooking Tips For Black-Eyed Peas

Start with the roux early. You can prep and cook the gumbo while the roux bakes for more efficiency

Season as you go using the cajun seasoning mix. You can make your own cajun seasoning or any of the good store-bought ones.

Add cider vinegar near the end of cooking. The sausage and turkey adds some fat and the vinegar will help break it up. Note you can minimize fattiness by removing much of the grease after saute step

Frozen or fresh okra work all the same. I do find that fresh okra holds its texture better.

Okra also works as a thickener. You can add gumbo filé powder if you need it even more thick.

Mustard greens often have some kick to them. Keep this in mind when selecting your greens.

Use a food processor to chop the greens for a finer texture.

If using a commercial stock in place of the reserved cooking liquid, go with a low sodium version, as the regular versions tend to be really salty. I find the cooking liquid enough and like the fresh green flavor it adds.

Feel free to use smoked ham hock or other smoked turkey pieces in place of the wings.

Season at every step!

For more recipes featuring collard greens you might like: 

Make This Recipe

Whether you go with traditional of vegetarian gumbo, try out this gumbo z'herbes recipe for your next Mardi Gras party or as a Good Friday kickoff! Gumbo z'herbes is packed with flavor and often traditionally served during the lenten season. This recipe comes together quickly and easily, so you can spend more time enjoying your party. Make on Holy Thursday, eat on Good Friday!

If you make this delicious Gumbo Z'herbes recipe or any other from the site, please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback. Definitely take a photo of the dish and be sure to tag #foodfidelity so that I can see them.

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