"Love of My Life" Greens Gumbo Z'Herbes

Hearty Gumbo Z’Herbes recipe with Tender Greens, Smoky Depth, and Soulful, Slow-Cooked Flavor

Now lean in, my flavor crew, ‘cause your boy is servin’ you a pot full o’ soul with this Gumbo Z’Herbes, the kind of dish that speaks in rhythm and rolls deep.

I make a mean traditional shrimp gumbo, but this here is that old-school, earthy greens gumbo, born from tradition, simmered in culture, and packed with all kinds of greens love: collard greens, mustard greens, kale, chard, turnip greens, etc. each bringin’ their own note to the harmony.

It starts with a slow, deep roux and simmers low for a couple hours, lettin’ all that smoked turkey wing and andouille sausage magic settle into every spoonful.

Beats and Eats (music to pair with Greens Gumbo)

The song "Love of My Life" flows smooth and warm, with Erykah Badu’s soulful hook weaving in like a simmering roux, while Common drops verses that feel lived-in and honest—just like that pot of greens, slow-cooked with smoked turkey and sausage, rich with emotion and time.

Both the track and the gumbo honor the past while making it fresh and alive, balancing complexity with comfort. And just like hip-hop, gumbo z’herbes is flexible—it welcomes variations, substitutions, and personal touches, but always stays true to its essence.

Can’t find smoked turkey? Sub in a good ham hock for a rich, smoky and meaty base. You want flavor and texture? Chop those greens fine and sauté ‘em first to mellow the bitterness and build depth.

For more of a vegetarian gumbo, lose the sausage and turkey wings and replace with smoked sea salt and liquid smoke to replicate that great smoke flavor.

Serve this green gumbo recipe over cooked white rice along with hot water cornbread, potato salad, and some fresh pickled okra. Save some of that pot liquor and reuse!

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Gumbo Z’herbes

A traditional Louisiana creole gumbo dish that's chock-full of greens (kale, collards. spinach) and perfect as a holiday dish or Sunday dinner.

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Creole

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 542kcal

Author: Marwin Brown

Ingredients

For The Gumbo

• ▢ 2  tablespoon vegetable oil
• ▢ ½ pound smoked sausage sliced
• ▢ ½ pound smoked turkey wings
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic diced
• ▢ 1 large onion diced
• ▢ 2 ribs celery diced
• ▢ 1 medium bell pepper diced
• ▢ ½  tbsp  kosher salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ▢ 2 tablespoon smoked paprika
• ▢ ½ tablespoon black pepper
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• ▢ 4 lbs assorted greens (about 6 bunches) collards, mustard or turnip greens, spinach, chard, and kale , trimmed, washed, dried, and roughly chopped
• ▢ 2 cups okra chopped (fresh or frozen)
• ▢ ½ medium cabbage leaves roughly chopped

For the Roux

• ▢ 2  cups  flour
• ▢ 1  cup  of vegetable oil

Instructions

Step 1: Saute the turkey and smoked 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.

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.

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

• Add all the diced vegetables to the roux and cook for 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally.

Step 5: Add Remaining Ingredients To Pot

• Add the fresh thyme, half the cajun seasoning mix, the greens, cabbage, turkey, andouille, and reserved cooking liquid. 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. Cook another 12-20 minutes. Remove off heat. Serve with cooked white rice.

Notes

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.

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!

Nutrition

Calories: 542kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 878mg | Potassium: 1093mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 13049IU | Vitamin C: 128mg | Calcium: 602mg | Iron: 6mg

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