Green Gumbo

a steaming bowl of spicy gumbo loaded with greens
Prep Time: 
50 minutes
Number of Servings: 
Serves 6
Recipe Source: 
One-Hour Comfort by America’s Test Kitchen ($29.99, America’s Test Kitchen, 2021)

Ingredients

  • 12 cup vegetable oil
  • 12 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 large onion, chopped fine
  • 2 celery ribs, chopped fine
  • 1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 Tbsp minced fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
  • 2 14 tsp table salt, divided
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 5 cups water
  • 12 oz collard greens, mustard greens, or kale, stemmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup frozen cut okra
  • 1 (15 oz) can black-eyed peas, rinsed
  • 12 oz curly-leaf spinach or Swiss chard, stemmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 6 oz green beans, trimmed and cut into
  • 1-inch lengths
  • 1 Tbsp cider vinegar, plus extra for seasoning
  • 2 scallions, sliced thin (optional)

Directions

  1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Using a rubber spatula, stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is color of peanut butter, 2 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until roux has darkened to color of milk chocolate, 5 to 10 minutes longer.
  2. Stir in onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, paprika, and cayenne. Cover and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables have softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
  3. Stir in water, scraping up any browned bits, and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in collard greens, 1 handful at a time; okra; and remaining 1 14 teaspoons salt. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until greens are just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in black-eyed peas; spinach, 1 handful at a time; and green beans. Simmer until green beans and spinach are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar and season with salt, pepper, and extra vinegar to taste. Sprinkle with scallions, if using. Serve.
Nutrition Info: 
With collard greens and spinach: 333 Calories, 8 g Protein, 0 mg Cholesterol, 34 g Carbohydrates, 6 g Total sugars (0 g Added sugars), 10 g Fiber, 20 g Total fat (1 g sat), 749 mg Sodium, ★★★★★ Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, ★★★★ Vitamin E, ★★★ Vitamin B6, Calcium, Magnesium, ★★ Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Iron, Potassium, Vitamin B3 (niacin), Phosphorus, Zinc

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