A Taste of the Places We Cannot Visit: Vegan Gumbo with Andouille Red Bean Meatballs

Since my book club was supposed to be in New Orleans this past weekend, it seemed like a good destination for the next stop on our #STAYHOME culinary journey. It’s no secret that I LOVE New Orleans, or that one of my favorite parts of visiting is the food (Exhibit 1, Exhibit 2, Exhibit 3). But I was excited about exploring its literary scene too. We had such a fun time in New Mexico a few years ago and I knew this would be another awesome trip.

When we first started working from home in mid-March, I still thought there was a chance things would be back to normal by the time our trip came around and was on the “why not wait and see” boat (helps to have 100% refundable tickets). Sadly, I was horribly wrong and in fact New Orleans has been hit incredibly hard by the coronavirus. So instead of eating our way across one of my favorite cities, I found myself deciding which traditional nawlins dish to veganize.

I’ve made lightened up takes on traditional New Orleands dishes before (paleo cauliflower jambalaya, paleo shrimp and grits) but never a vegan one. And I’m so glad I landed on this vegan gumbo with andouille red bean meatballs because I really really loved it.

And while we weren’t able to be gathered around a big table sharing po’boys, I did serve up this gumbo immediately following our virtual book club meeting.

Anyways, the recipe is below. I used to share recipes I made from other blogs all the time, but I don’t do it very often now. Honestly, why not save my time and send you to their blog? God knows the pictures will be prettier.

I still make two exceptions: 1) I’ve made substantial modifications 2) I would be devastated if their blog disappeared and I couldn’t make it again.

This one falls into the latter. Recipe below, only modified slightly. But if you want the pretty pictures you should still go to Connoisseurus Veg.

For the Vegan Gumbo

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup whole wheat or all-purpose
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced (any color will do – yellow makes it esp. colorful)
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups frozen cut okra, thawed
• 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Cayenne pepper to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Anduille Red Bean Meatballs

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs (any kind should work: panko, Italian – I actually used Matzo meal because that’s what I had on hand!)
• 1 small onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

For Serving

• Cooked brown rice, white rice, or cauliflower rice (I prefer brown)
• Vegan sour cream (optional but delicious)

Note: I switched the order of prep for the meatballs and the gumbo. But I recommend having your veggies all chopped and diced for the gumbo before you put the meatballs in the oven.

To Make the Meatballs

1. Preheat the oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray.
2. Place all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped and well mixed, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Roll the mixture into goldball sized balls (16 or 20, just make sure it’s divisible by 4 so there are no fights!) and arrange them on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
4. Bake the meatballs for about 30 minutes, flipping halfway through so they’re golden brown on both sides.

To Make the Gumbo

1. Meanwhile, make the gumbo. Coat the bottom of a Dutch oven or large pot with the olive oil and place it over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Cook the flour, whisking constantly, until it darkens in color a bit and begins to smell nutty, 2-3 minutes.
2. Stir in the onion, pepper and celery and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the veggies begin to soften. Add the garlic and sauté about 1 minute more, until very fragrant.
3. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, okra, Worcestershire sauce, and all spices. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the broth is thick and the veggies are tender, about 30 minutes.

To Serve

• Put a bed of rice in each bowl. Divide the meatballs into bowls and ladle the gumbo overtop. Top with vegan sour cream.

Recipe Notes

If you have any leftovers, store the meatballs separate from the stew so they don’t get soggy.

Johanna