Leftover Turkey Gumbo with Andouille
In South Louisiana, leftover Thanksgiving turkey usually ends up in a pot of turkey gumbo. This one is a Cajun-style gumbo with a rich chocolate roux, browned andouille, the holy trinity, and a few pounds of leftover turkey. It simmers together in a turkey stock made from the carcass. The turkey’s already cooked, so it only goes in for the last 10 minutes so it doesn’t get stringy. Short on time? Jarred roux skips the 45-minute stir, and I’ll show you how below.
Lagniappe: Potato Salad in the Bowl or on the Side?
Lagniappe: LAN-yap – a little something extra
Ask around South Louisiana and everybody has an opinion on this one. Plenty of people drop a scoop of potato salad right into their gumbo. Others keep it on the side and wouldn’t dream of letting it mix in the bowl. I put mine right in the bowl with a tiny bit of rice. The warm gumbo mixes with the cool potato salad for the best bite. If you need one, my creamy Cajun potato salad is the one I make to go with gumbo.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Leftover turkey. This gumbo is built for turkey that’s already cooked. It goes in for the last 10 minutes, just long enough to warm through. If it simmered the whole time like the sausage, it would turn dry and stringy. No leftover turkey? My chicken and sausage gumbo uses the same dark roux and method.
- Turkey stock. Since the turkey is only in the pot for a few minutes, most of the gumbo’s flavor comes from the stock, so use a good one. Homemade turkey stock from the carcass or a good low-sodium chicken stock or broth both work.
- Andouille. It’s the main source of smoke and spice here, so buy a good smoked Louisiana andouille. More on andouille in my Louisiana Pantry guide.
- Roux. A from-scratch roux takes about 45 minutes of stirring, and my guide to making a dark roux for gumbo walks through each color. Jarred or make-ahead roux works too. See below for how to use it.
See the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Using Jarred or Make-Ahead Roux
If you don’t have 45 minutes to stand at the stove, jarred dark roux or homemade roux you made ahead, like my oven roux, both work in this gumbo. Savoie’s or Kary’s are both great jarred brands.
Brown the andouille as written, then skip the roux step. Add the trinity to the drippings over medium heat, with a splash of oil if the pot looks dry, and cook until the vegetables start to wilt, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic for a minute. Pour off any oil that sits on top of the jar, then stir in 1 to 1 ¼ cups of roux until it melts and coats the vegetables, and add the hot stock a little at a time, until the roux dissolves in the stock.
How to Make Turkey Gumbo
- Sear the andouille until it’s well browned, about 10 minutes, and debone the turkey and cut into bite-size pieces.
- Stir the roux until it’s a rich chocolate color, about 45 minutes.
- Cook the trinity in the roux until the vegetables start to wilt, about 5 minutes.
- Pour in the hot stock a little at a time, stirring until the gumbo is smooth.
- After the gumbo simmers for 30 minutes, stir in the turkey just to warm through.
- Stir in the rest of the parsley, then taste and season.
Lauren’s Tips
- Make the roux in the sausage drippings. Brown the andouille in the same Dutch oven, then build the roux right in the drippings it leaves behind. That’s flavor you’d otherwise pour out.
- Don’t walk away from the roux. It can burn quickly, and a burned roux means starting over. Keep stirring the whole time.
- Stop at a rich chocolate color. Past dark chocolate, a roux can taste bitter. Add the trinity as soon as the color’s right, since the vegetables cool the roux down and keep it from getting any darker.
- Warm the stock first. Cold stock in a hot roux turns lumpy. Add it hot, about ½ cup at a time, and stir until each addition is smooth before adding more.
Leave a comment if you made this recipe!
Leftover Turkey Gumbo with Andouille
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow onion
- 1 small green bell pepper
- 1 small red bell pepper
- 3–4 celery ribs
- 5 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (divided)
- 3–5 green onions (divided)
- 1 pound andouille sausage
- 1 ½–2 pounds leftover turkey
- 6 cups turkey stock or low-sodium chicken stock or broth
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 bay leaves
- Salt, black pepper, and Cajun seasoning to taste
- Cooked long-grain white rice (for serving)
- Potato salad (for serving, optional)
Instructions
- PREP: Chop onion, bell peppers, and celery, removing seeds and ribs from bell peppers. Mince garlic. Finely chop parsley. Thinly slice green onions. Slice sausage into ¼-inch rounds. Debone turkey and cut into ½- to ¾-inch pieces. Warm stock in a saucepan over low heat and keep hot.1 large yellow onion, 1 small green bell pepper, 1 small red bell pepper, 3–4 celery ribs, 5 garlic cloves, ¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, 3–5 green onions, 1 pound andouille sausage, 1 ½–2 pounds leftover turkey, 6 cups turkey stock or low-sodium chicken stock or broth
- SEAR: Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sausage and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate.1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- DARK ROUX: Reduce heat to medium-low. Whisk in flour and vegetable oil until smooth. Cook for about 45 minutes, stirring frequently, until the roux is a rich chocolate color. Don't leave the roux unattended; it can burn quickly.1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup vegetable oil
- SAUTÉ: Add onions, bell peppers, and celery, stirring constantly as you add them. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until vegetables begin to wilt. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- SIMMER: Slowly add hot stock, about ½ cup at a time, stirring until each addition is smoothly incorporated. Add sausage, bay leaves, and half each of parsley and green onions. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Skim off any foam or fat that rises to the top.3 bay leaves
- FINISH: Add turkey and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaves. Stir in remaining parsley. Season with salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning to taste.Salt, black pepper, and Cajun seasoning to taste
- SERVE: Serve gumbo over rice, garnished with remaining green onions and a scoop of potato salad.
Notes
- Storage: Refrigerate gumbo for up to 4 days. Store rice separately. Freeze gumbo without rice for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Make-ahead: Make the turkey stock up to 4 days ahead and refrigerate it, or freeze it.
- Jarred roux: Skip step 3. Sauté the vegetables in the sausage drippings and add the garlic. Pour off the oil on top of the jar, then stir in 1 to 1 ¼ cups of roux until melted before whisking in the stock.
Equipment
- 6-quart dutch oven
Nutrition
Meet Lauren
I’m the blogger, recipe developer, food photographer, and otherwise food obsessed gal behind Lauren From Scratch. I was born and raised in New Orleans and lived in South Louisiana most of my life. Growing up around Cajun country has instilled a love of food that runs deep in my bones. I am passionate about food and teaching you how to make mouth-watering Louisiana inspired dishes in your own kitchen — and most recently, on Food Network’s 100 Cooks!
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