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Smothered Okra & Tomato Gravy

A little New Orleans. A little Acadiana. A whole lot of home. A Louisiana-inspired smothered okra and tomato gravy made with smoked sausage, fresh vegetables, and simple pantry ingredients. Rich, comforting, and perfect served over rice.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: dinner, Main Course, sauce
Cuisine: American, Cajun, Creole

Ingredients
  

Ingredients
  • 1 pound smoked sausage andouille or your favorite smoked sausage, sliced
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 1 celery stalk diced
  • 1 pound fresh okra sliced into ½-inch rounds
  • ¼ cup water plus more as needed
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 to 1½ cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • Cooked white rice for serving

Method
 

Instructions
  1. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced sausage and cook until browned. Remove the sausage to a plate, leaving the drippings in the skillet.
  2. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
  3. Stir in the sliced okra. Cook over medium to medium-low heat, stirring often. If the skillet becomes dry, add about ¼ cup of water. Continue cooking for 15–20 minutes, adding small splashes of water as needed, until the okra has softened and begins to break down.
  4. Stir in the vinegar and cook for another 2 minutes.
  5. Add the garlic, Cajun seasoning, black pepper, and cayenne. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  6. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute.
  7. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and 1 cup of the chicken broth. Stir until combined.
  8. Return the sausage to the skillet. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the gravy becomes too thick, add additional chicken broth until it reaches your preferred consistency.
  9. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot over steamed white rice.

Notes

 
I almost always make this with peppers from my garden.
Bell peppers are traditional, but Cubanelle, Anaheim, or another sweet pepper works beautifully too.
Don't rush the okra. Letting it slowly smother is what creates that rich, silky gravy.
This dish tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to come together.

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