Gumbo is a soupy starter dish made with rice, a thickening agent, diced bell peppers, celery, and onions. It often features smoked sausage and chicken, although seafood gumbos containing shellfish and crawfish are also common. A vegetarian option—[gumbo z’herbes](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/okra-gumbo-recipe-by-mashama-bailey)—is also popular. Cajun gumbo uses beef broth, while Creole <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-gumbo' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-gumbo","linkCopy":"gumbo recipes","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>gumbo recipes</a> opt for the addition of tomato-based ingredients.
Jambalaya is a white rice dish containing bell peppers, celery, onions, and generally Andouille sausage or tasso ham. It draws inspiration from [Spanish paella](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/classic-spanish-paella-recipe-tips-ingredients-and-techniques), another rice-based dish. Some people liven up their jambalaya with hot sauce, coupling that with Cajun seasoning for an even spicier smoked meal. As with gumbo, there are Cajun and Creole variations of [jambalaya](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-jambalaya). Cajun jambalaya recipes suggest using beef broth for a dark brown jambalaya appearance and meaty flavor. Creole jambalaya (or red jambalaya) swaps out the broth for tomato sauce and paste. 
There are key points of divergence between gumbo and jambalaya, including:

1. __Moisture__: Gumbo is watery like a soup, whereas most of the moisture simmers away when you cook jambalaya. Both recipes use broth, sauce, or juices to add flavor, but they figure much more plentifully in gumbo.
2. __Rice__: Perhaps the main difference between the two dishes is the point at which you add rice to the cooking process. You add rice to gumbo after you have finished cooking it. For jambalaya, you cook all the other ingredients while nestled into the rice. In other words, gumbo is primarily a soup with some rice, whereas jambalaya is a rice dish with a bit of soupy broth for moisture. 
3. __Thickness__: Gumbo is a lot thicker than jambalaya. For gumbo recipes, chefs use a dark [roux](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-basic-french-sauces) (a mixture of flour and fat), filé powder (ground sassafras leaves), or okra to add viscosity to the dish. Jambalaya omits any such thickeners. Additionally, the name “gumbo” derives from “gombo,” the Choctaw word for filé powder.
Despite their differences, gumbo and jambalaya have far more in common than not. Both dishes descend from a mishmash of the West African, French, Native American, and Spanish cuisines popular in Louisiana. You can use many different types of meat in either type of meal, and both jambalaya and [gumbo](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-gumbo) feature rice as well as what New Orleans chefs call “the holy trinity” of vegetables: green bell peppers, celery, and onions. It’s also common to use a Cajun seasoning of paprika and cayenne pepper for both gumbo and jambalaya. You might confuse either dish with [étouffée](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/etouffee-vs-gumbo)—a shellfish-based meal that combines aspects of both of these similar options—although it is a distinct food.
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Both gumbo and jambalaya conjure up the tastes and smells of the Louisiana Bayou; these fixtures of Cajun and Creole cuisine have plenty in common, but there are a few differences that make each a unique example of traditional Southern cooking. Learn more about the differences between gumbo and jambalaya.

Both gumbo and jambalaya conjure up the tastes and smells of the Louisiana Bayou; these fixtures of Cajun and Creole cuisine have plenty in common, but there are a few differences that make each a unique example of traditional Southern cooking. Learn more about the differences between gumbo and jambalaya.

Gumbo vs. Jambalaya: What’s the Difference Between the Two?

Gumbo is a soupy starter dish made with rice, a thickening agent, diced bell peppers, celery, and onions. It often features smoked sausage and chicken, although seafood gumbos containing shellfish and crawfish are also common. A vegetarian option—<a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/okra-gumbo-recipe-by-mashama-bailey' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/okra-gumbo-recipe-by-mashama-bailey","linkCopy":"gumbo z’herbes","category":null}'>gumbo z’herbes</a>—is also popular. Cajun gumbo uses beef broth, while Creole <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-gumbo' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-gumbo","linkCopy":"gumbo recipes","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>gumbo recipes</a> opt for the addition of tomato-based ingredients.

What Is Gumbo?

Jambalaya is a white rice dish containing bell peppers, celery, onions, and generally Andouille sausage or tasso ham. It draws inspiration from <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/classic-spanish-paella-recipe-tips-ingredients-and-techniques' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/classic-spanish-paella-recipe-tips-ingredients-and-techniques","linkCopy":"Spanish paella","category":null}'>Spanish paella</a>, another rice-based dish. Some people liven up their jambalaya with hot sauce, coupling that with Cajun seasoning for an even spicier smoked meal. As with gumbo, there are Cajun and Creole variations of <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-jambalaya' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-jambalaya","linkCopy":"jambalaya","category":null}'>jambalaya</a>. Cajun jambalaya recipes suggest using beef broth for a dark brown jambalaya appearance and meaty flavor. Creole jambalaya (or red jambalaya) swaps out the broth for tomato sauce and paste.

What Is Jambalaya?

There are key points of divergence between gumbo and jambalaya, including:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Moisture: Gumbo is watery like a soup, whereas most of the moisture simmers away when you cook jambalaya. Both recipes use broth, sauce, or juices to add flavor, but they figure much more plentifully in gumbo. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Rice: Perhaps the main difference between the two dishes is the point at which you add rice to the cooking process. You add rice to gumbo after you have finished cooking it. For jambalaya, you cook all the other ingredients while nestled into the rice. In other words, gumbo is primarily a soup with some rice, whereas jambalaya is a rice dish with a bit of soupy broth for moisture. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Thickness: Gumbo is a lot thicker than jambalaya. For gumbo recipes, chefs use a dark <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-basic-french-sauces' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-basic-french-sauces","linkCopy":"roux","category":null}'>roux</a> (a mixture of flour and fat), filé powder (ground sassafras leaves), or okra to add viscosity to the dish. Jambalaya omits any such thickeners. Additionally, the name “gumbo” derives from “gombo,” the Choctaw word for filé powder. </li></ol>

Gumbo vs. Jambalaya: 3 Key Differences

Despite their differences, gumbo and jambalaya have far more in common than not. Both dishes descend from a mishmash of the West African, French, Native American, and Spanish cuisines popular in Louisiana. You can use many different types of meat in either type of meal, and both jambalaya and <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-gumbo' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-gumbo","linkCopy":"gumbo","category":null}'>gumbo</a> feature rice as well as what New Orleans chefs call “the holy trinity” of vegetables: green bell peppers, celery, and onions. It’s also common to use a Cajun seasoning of paprika and cayenne pepper for both gumbo and jambalaya. You might confuse either dish with <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/etouffee-vs-gumbo' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/etouffee-vs-gumbo","linkCopy":"étouffée","category":null}'>étouffée</a>—a shellfish-based meal that combines aspects of both of these similar options—although it is a distinct food.

What Do Gumbo and Jambalaya Have in Common?

Become a better chef with the <a href='https://www.masterclass.com' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com","linkCopy":"MasterClass Annual Membership","category":null}'>MasterClass Annual Membership</a>. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Mashama Bailey, Gabriela Cámara, Niki Nakayama, Chef Thomas Keller, Yotam Ottolenghi, Dominique Ansel, Gordon Ramsay, Alice Waters, and more.

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Both gumbo and jambalaya conjure up the tastes and smells of the Louisiana Bayou; these fixtures of Cajun and Creole cuisine have plenty in common, but there are a few differences that make each a unique example of traditional Southern cooking. Learn more about the differences between gumbo and jambalaya.

Both gumbo and jambalaya conjure up the tastes and smells of the Louisiana Bayou; these fixtures of Cajun and Creole cuisine have plenty in common, but there are a few differences that make each a unique example of traditional Southern cooking. Learn more about the differences between gumbo and jambalaya.


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Gumbo vs. Jambalaya: What’s the Difference Between the Two?