Cajun 15-Bean Vegetarian Gumbo

A hearty, meatless stew reminiscent of classic Louisiana gumbo, replacing meat proteins with a Cajun 15-Bean soup mix that's full of flavor.

Prep: 15

Cook: 2 15

Quick Soak 1 10

Total: 3 40

Yield:8 servings

Equipment

large, heavy-bottomed pot with lid stock or gumbo pot preferred, see Notes
colander
Paper towels
whisk
Large wooden spoon
medium saucepan
ladle

Ingredients

For the Cajun Beans

1 20-ounce bag Hurst's HamBeens® Cajun 15-Bean Soup® dry bean mix
water enough to completely cover beans in pot

For the Gumbo

½ cup butter one stick, cut into smaller pieces
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped onion
½ cup finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
2-3 cloves garlic minced
5-6 cups vegetable broth see Notes
Cajun seasoning packet from dry bean mix
2 cups frozen cut okra unbreaded, see Notes
2 bay leaves
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons Louisiana hot sauce more or less to taste, see Notes
2 teaspoons gumbo filé powder divided, see Notes
salt to taste
freshly cracked black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce see Notes

To Serve

chopped scallions
steamed long-grain white rice
additional hot sauce optional

Instructions

To Prepare Beans

Rinse dry Cajun 15-bean soup mix in colander under cool running water. Transfer rinsed beans to large pot. Fill pot with enough water that waterline sits approximately 2 to 3 inches above top of beans.
Place pot on stovetop and set heat under pot to high. Bring water to boil. Once water begins to boil rapidly, cover pot with lid and immediately reduce heat under pot to medium-low. Simmer beans, covered, 1 hour or until tender.
Once beans are tender, pour water and beans into colander and let beans drain completely. Set aside.

For the Cajun 15-Bean Gumbo

Dry large pot with paper towels, then return pot to stovetop and increase heat under pot to medium. When pot is warm, add butter and let melt completely, stirring occasionally. Be careful not to burn or brown butter.
When butter is melted, sprinkle all-purpose flour into pot. Whisk butter and flour together until fully incorporated. Cook, whisking constantly to prevent sticking or burning, until roux develops rich, dark brown color, approximately 20 minutes. Be careful not to burn roux.
Once ideal color is achieved, add onion, celery, green bell pepper, and garlic to roux. Stir well with wooden spoon, fully incorporating veggies into roux. Cook, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
While roux and vegetables cook, heat medium saucepan over medium-high heat. When saucepan is warm, add vegetable broth and bring liquid to gentle boil.
When vegetables are tender, pour vegetable broth into pot with roux. Stir to incorporate, using wooden spoon to scrape up any bits stuck to bottom of pot. Stir until roux and broth are fully combined.
Return beans to pot. Add Cajun seasoning packet, okra, bay leaves, thyme, hot sauce, 1 teaspoon filé powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to incorporate all ingredients and blend spices into liquid.
Reduce heat under pot to low. Cover pot with lid and let mixture simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
After 1 hour, add Worcestershire sauce and remaining teaspoon filé powder. Stir to incorporate, then replace lid on pot. Continue simmering gumbo over low heat another 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If desired, stir in 1 additional teaspoon filé powder after simmering.
When ready to serve, ladle gumbo into serving bowl(s) and top with ½ cup steamed white rice per bowl. Garnish with chopped scallions and serve warm with additional hot sauce if desired.

Notes

Large Pot: If you don't have a stock pot or a gumbo pot, any heavy-bottomed large pot (like a Dutch oven) will do. Heavier pots are best for long-cooked recipes like gumbo, retaining and distributing the heat more effectively as the gumbo simmers.
Vegetable Broth: Beans soak up a lot of liquid as they cook, and gumbo is typically served with rice which will absorb even more. Use 5 cups of broth for a thicker consistency. For a thinner gumbo, use up to 6 cups of broth.
Okra: Fried okra is delicious, but for gumbo, you want to use cut okra that isn't breaded. No need to defrost it first, either - the okra can go straight from the freezer to the gumbo.
Hot Sauce: If you're not one for hot or spicy dishes, you can omit the hot sauce from the gumbo itself and just serve it on the side.
Worcestershire Sauce: Traditional Worcestershire is made with anchovies, so you’ll need to use a vegetarian/vegan version if your diet is strict.
Filé Powder: If you can't find filé, don't stress - unfortunately, not all grocery stores carry it. You're fine to omit it if you need to, but it acts as both seasoning and a thickener, so I recommend using it if you're able!
Make it Vegan: Use a vegan Worcestershire sauce.

Nutrition

Recipe By:Priscilla Lawrence