In Louisiana, there’s nothing quite like gumbo for a fast and simple lunchtime meal. Gumbo, in fact, is a distinctive taste of New Orleans. This Creole dish comprises a substantial amount of meat, vegetables, and aromatic spices. The following items are prevalent what to serve with gumbo in traditional cuisine: celery, bell peppers, onions, okra, sausage, chicken, and shrimp, among others.
Best Side Dishes for Gumbo
Cornbread
Gumbo and cornbread, both of which are staples of the South, are both prepared from cornmeal. Because of its lightness and sweetness, this flaky pastry is an excellent accompaniment to the gumbo.
Make use of it to sop up all of that delicious soup! To avoid serving gumbo with rice, you may substitute cornbread for the white rice in the recipe below.
This side dish will be a major hit at the dinner table because to the richness and vigor of the gumbo. It is possible to use cornbread to soak up the drippings from the gumbo since it is inherently spongey.
Homemade Southern Hushpuppies
When it comes to Southern cuisine, hushpuppies are served with just about anything, just as they are with hushpuppies. This results in lovely little cornmeal balls that are perfect for a fish fry or gumbo, among other things. If you’ve ever eaten gumbo and hushpuppies together, you’ll be able to picture the flavor combination.
Cajun Fries
Taste and texture-wise, Cajun fries and gumbo are a terrific combination when it comes to pairings. A spicy, smoky taste is applied to the fries before they are deep-fried, leaving you craving more fries.
Before slicing the potatoes into fry shapes, soak them for at least 30 minutes in a combination of cold water, salt, sugar, baking soda, and black pepper before chopping them into fry shapes.
Heat a little amount of butter and vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat until bubbles emerge on the top.
Make sure the fries don’t come into contact with one another by placing them in the pan and lowering the heat to medium-high. Also, don’t forget about the Cajun spice, which takes these fries to an all-new level of delectability.
Okra
Okra is another Southern classic that may be eaten with almost any dish you can think of. As is common in the South, a great number of individuals will batter and deep fried their meals.
These bite-sized okra “poppers” are a delectable surprise for the taste buds. Although some people are turned off by the slimy feel of okra at first, it is really extremely tasty.
The vegetable section of your local supermarket will also include many varieties of the okra you’re looking for.
This recipe requires around 30 minutes of preparation time before the chicken breasts are fried for a few minutes on each side in heated oil, as seen in the photo.
Once you’ve gotten over the challenging part, they’re quite easy to make and are perfect for serving as an appetizer. The fact that they are so flexible means that they may be used in a wide range of dishes, from soup to hot sauces like gumbos.
Rice
Rice’s origins are difficult to dispute since it is the most common side dish served with gumbo. Gumbo is a hearty, delicious stew that calls for nothing less than a hearty, chewy starch to accompany it on its journey.
Visualize a liberal dollop of the savory, thick sauce slathered across each grain of hot, steaming rice before serving. It’s enough to make your mouth wet just thinking about it.
What about rice that is suitable for gumbo-making? In my perspective, there isn’t much of an answer to this issue. Simply pay attention to your palate’s signals.
If you want to keep things as simple as possible, long-grain white or brown rice is a wonderful option. For gumbos that include okra, there are many different kinds of rice to choose from. Arborio, wild, and basmati are all good alternatives.
Others like filthy rice as an accompaniment, which is white rice mixed with bacon chunks, peppers, celery, and onion, along with cayenne and black pepper, to make a dish known as “dirty rice.”
Final Words
Choosing the right accompaniments for your gumbo may make all the difference in a rich, flavorful, and pleasurable meal. According on the style of gumbo you’re creating, you’ll be able to choose from a range of scrumptious side dishes to accompany it. We hope that the list given will assist you in identifying the finest side dishes to accompany your gumbo meal.
