Slow-Cooked Okra Gumbo with Ground Beef

There’s something comforting about a pot of gumbo simmering on the stove. Growing up, I never really knew much about this Southern classic until my neighbor brought some over during a cold winter evening. Now, it’s become one of my go-to meals when I want something warm and filling. This version pairs okra, a traditional gumbo ingredient, with ground beef instead of the usual seafood or chicken. It’s perfect for those nights when you want something that feels special but doesn’t require hard-to-find ingredients.

I like making this on Sunday afternoons when the house is quiet, and everyone’s doing their own thing. The smell of the roux slowly browning brings the family to the kitchen, asking when dinner will be ready. And honestly, that’s part of the fun – watching a simple mix of everyday ingredients come together into something that makes everyone happy to gather around the table.

What Kind of Okra Should I Use?

Fresh okra is your best bet for gumbo, and you’ll want to look for pods that are bright green and around 2-4 inches long – anything bigger can be tough and woody. When you’re shopping, give the pods a gentle squeeze – they should feel firm but not hard, and avoid any that feel soft or have brown spots. If fresh okra isn’t available, frozen okra can work in a pinch, though it might release a bit more liquid into your gumbo. Before adding okra to your pot, trim off the stem ends and cut any larger pieces in half crosswise to ensure even cooking and a nice presentation in your final dish.

Options for Substitutions

This gumbo recipe is pretty flexible and you can make several swaps while keeping the soul of the dish intact:

• Ground beef: You can easily swap ground beef with ground turkey, chicken, or even plant-based ground meat alternatives. If using turkey or chicken, add an extra tablespoon of oil to make up for the lower fat content.
• Okra: While okra is pretty central to gumbo, if you can’t find fresh okra, frozen works just as well. In a pinch, you could use green beans, though you’ll lose the natural thickening that okra provides.
• Red wine: No wine? No problem! Use beef broth or even grape juice with a splash of vinegar to get that same depth of flavor.
• Fresh mushrooms: Canned mushrooms can work if fresh aren’t available. Just drain them well before adding. You can also skip them entirely if you’re not a mushroom fan.
• Fresh herbs: If you don’t have fresh basil and oregano, use dried herbs – just reduce the amount by half since dried herbs are more concentrated.
• Green pepper: Red or yellow bell peppers work just fine here, or you could use poblano peppers for a slightly different flavor profile.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest challenge when cooking okra gumbo is dealing with the vegetable’s natural sliminess – to minimize this, avoid overcrowding the pan and make sure to cook the okra at medium-high heat until it’s lightly browned before adding it to the gumbo. Another common mistake is rushing the cooking process – this gumbo needs time to develop its rich flavors, so let it simmer for at least an hour, stirring occasionally to prevent the bottom from sticking or burning. To get the most flavor from your ground beef, make sure to brown it properly in batches if necessary, and don’t forget to drain excess fat before adding other ingredients – overcrowded meat will steam instead of brown, resulting in less flavorful gumbo. For the best texture and taste, add the mushrooms during the last 20 minutes of cooking to prevent them from becoming too soft and losing their meaty texture.

What to Serve With Okra Gumbo?

A bowl of hot gumbo practically begs for a scoop of fluffy white rice – it’s the traditional way to soak up all that rich, flavorful sauce! For a true New Orleans experience, serve some warm, crusty French bread on the side for extra sauce-mopping duties. If you want to round out the meal, a simple side salad with crisp lettuce and a light vinaigrette helps balance the hearty flavors of the gumbo. Some folks also like to add a dash of hot sauce or file powder at the table to customize the heat level to their taste.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This hearty gumbo stays good in the fridge for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container. The flavors actually get better after a day or two as everything mingles together! Just make sure to let it cool completely before popping it in the refrigerator.

Freeze: Gumbo is perfect for freezing! Pour it into freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags, leaving a bit of space for expansion. It’ll keep well for up to 3 months. I like to freeze it in individual portions for easy weeknight dinners.

Reheat: To warm up your gumbo, simply heat it in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until it’s heated through. If it seems a bit thick after storage, you can thin it out with a splash of broth or water. For smaller portions, the microwave works well too – just heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	60 minutes
Total Time	75-80 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1400-1600
• Protein: 80-90 g
• Fat: 70-80 g
• Carbohydrates: 150-160 g

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2/3 cup sliced celery
• 2/3 cup diced green bell pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juices
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
• 2 cans (6 oz each) tomato paste
• 1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
• 3/4 lb okra, ends trimmed and larger pieces halved
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup red wine

Step 1: Heat the Oil

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Place a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat and add the vegetable oil.

Allow the oil to heat until it shimmers, ensuring the pot is evenly coated to prevent sticking during the next step.

Step 2: Brown the Beef and Sauté the Aromatics

• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2/3 cup sliced celery
• 2/3 cup diced green bell pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced

Add the ground beef, chopped onions, sliced celery, diced green bell pepper, and minced garlic to the heated oil.

Stir the ingredients together, using a spoon to break up the ground beef, and cook until the beef is fully browned and the vegetables begin to soften, about 8–10 minutes.

Once browned, carefully drain any excess oil from the pot to keep the final dish from being greasy.

Step 3: Add Remaining Ingredients and Seasonings

• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juices
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
• 2 cans (6 oz each) tomato paste
• 1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
• 3/4 lb okra, ends trimmed and larger pieces halved
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup red wine

To the browned beef and vegetables (from Step 2), add the diced tomatoes with their juices, tomato sauce, tomato paste, sliced mushrooms, trimmed and halved okra, bay leaves, dried basil, dried oregano, chili powder, ground cumin, and red wine.

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Stir thoroughly so everything is well mixed.

I find that adding the wine at this stage helps bring all the flavors together beautifully.

Step 4: Simmer the Gumbo

Bring the gumbo mixture from Step 3 to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Once simmering, reduce the heat to low and let it cook uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and to develop rich, deep flavors.

Step 5: Finish and Serve

After the gumbo has simmered for an hour, remove the bay leaves.

Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Serve the gumbo hot—it’s especially good ladled over freshly cooked rice.

For a personal touch, I enjoy garnishing with a bit more black pepper before serving.