Top Sausage Brands to Elevate Your Gumbo Experience

Gumbo, a rich and flavorful dish rooted in Creole culture, relies heavily on its components to deliver that authentic taste. One of the key ingredients in this beloved recipe is the sausage, which adds depth and spice to the overall flavor. Choosing the right brand can make a significant difference, ensuring that each bite is as savory and satisfying as the last. Curious to know which sausage brands can elevate your gumbo to the next level? Check out the list below for our top recommendations.

Illustration of sausage for gumbo

Best brands of sausage for gumbo in 2025

Andouille by Aidells

Andouille sausage by Aidells is highly regarded for its rich, smoky flavor and spicy kick, making it an ideal choice for gumbo recipes. This Cajun-style sausage is praised for its high quality and taste, with many users noting it as a favorite alternative to traditional andouille sausage. Aidells Cajun Sausage is known for its balanced blend of spices and its ability to add depth to gumbo without overpowering other ingredients. It is often recommended as a substitute when traditional andouille sausage is not available, and its popularity is evident in various recipes and user reviews. The sausage's flavor profile, which includes a blend of Cajun spices, makes it a staple in many gumbo recipes. For an easy chicken and sausage gumbo recipe, check out this detailed guide.

Cajun Style by Zatarain’s

Zatarain's Cajun Style Smoked Sausage is a top choice for gumbo, offering 100% pork with no artificial colors, flavors, or MSG, and is gluten-free. Introduced in 2019, this sausage has quickly gained popularity for its bold, delicious New Orleans flavor. It is widely available, including in over 1,135 Walmart stores, along with other major retailers like Kroger and Sam's Club. Each 2-oz serving contains 170 calories, 15g of total fat, and 7g of protein. This sausage is a key ingredient in traditional Cajun dishes like chicken and smoked sausage gumbo. For more information, visit the Zatarain's Cajun Style Smoked Sausage page.

Johnsonville Andouille

Johnsonville's Andouille Sausage Slices are a top choice for gumbo, offering a bold, Cajun-flavored profile that capitalizes on the growing demand for spicy foods, with Andouille Sausage penetration increasing by 9.5% over the last four years. Made from fresh, never frozen, premium pork, these fully cooked slices are convenient for foodservice and retail menus, enhancing dishes with their smoky, spicy flavor. Johnsonville, the No. 1 national sausage brand, ensures these slices are flame-grilled and sliced on a bias for a chef-prepared appearance. The sausage is a key ingredient in traditional gumbo recipes, adding a unique flavor that is essential to the dish. Johnsonville's products are widely used, including in 125 professional, college, and semi-pro sports stadiums across the U.S. For more details, visit their Johnsonville Andouille Sausage Slices page.

Savoie's Sausage

Savoie's Sausage is renowned as one of the best producers of sausage for gumbo, offering a range of hickory-smoked sausages made from lean cuts of meat and infused with traditional Cajun seasonings. Their Andouille sausage, in particular, is a staple in Cajun cuisine, made from pure pork meat and featuring a rich, smoky flavor. With products like the Smoked Pork Mild Sausage, which contains 220 calories and 10g of protein per 2oz serving, Savoie's ensures high quality and nutritional value. Their sausages are ideal for gumbo recipes, as seen in the Chicken & Savoie's(r) Andouille Gumbo recipe that requires a 1 lb slice of their sausage. Savoie's products are widely available and often come with discounts, such as a 10% reduction on various items. For more details on their offerings, visit Savoie's Sausage online store.

Conecuh Cajun Smoked Sausage

Conecuh Cajun Smoked Sausage is a top choice for gumbo due to its extra spicy flavor and high-quality ingredients. Smoked over pure hickory fire since 1947 by the Sessions family in Evergreen, Alabama, this sausage is a key component in traditional Southern dishes like Gumbo, Red Beans & Rice, and other Cajun favorites. Its patented blend of seasonings and all-natural ingredients without MSG or added nitrates make it a preferred option. The sausage is available in various varieties, including Cajun, Spicy & Hot, and All-Natural Hickory Smoked. Ensuring freshness, Conecuh Sausage products are shipped via UPS, with strict guidelines for perishable items. For more details, explore their Conecuh Cajun Smoked Sausage.

Richard’s Andouille

Richard's Andouille Sausage is renowned for its high-quality, coarse-grained smoked sausages made from 100% premium pork cuts and a blend of spicy Cajun herbs and spices, slow-smoked with Hickory wood for hours. This Certified Cajun product is a staple in Louisiana cuisine, particularly in gumbo recipes. With ingredients like pork, water, salt, dextrose, and granulated garlic, it offers an authentic flavor. Available in various package sizes, including 12oz, 16oz, and 48oz, Richard's Andouille Sausage is a preferred choice for many, with a discounted price of $7.49 for purchases of 12 or more units. Its manufacturing process ensures no soy or chicken by-products are included, making it a true Cajun sausage. For more information or to purchase, visit the product page.

D’Artagnan Andouille Sausage

D'Artagnan Andouille Sausage is a premium choice for gumbo, made from heritage-breed pork that is humanely raised without antibiotics or hormones. This Cajun-style sausage is smoked over real hardwood, ensuring a rich, smoky flavor. It is fully cooked, ready to use, and contains no artificial ingredients, nitrates, or nitrites. With its edible collagen casing and gluten-free status, it is versatile for various dishes, including jambalaya, rice and pasta dishes, and seafood pairings. The sausage comes in 12 oz packs with 4 links each, making it convenient for any recipe. For more information, visit the D'Artagnan Andouille Sausage product page.

Tasso Cajun Sausage by Cajun Grocer

Tasso Cajun sausage by Cajun Grocer is a specialty of south Louisiana Cajun cuisine, made from the hog's shoulder, which is highly flavorful due to the constant use of the muscle. This spicy smoked ham is perfect for seasoning dishes like gumbo, stew, and other Bayou cuisine favorites. It contains 67% fat and 33% protein per 2 oz serving, making it a rich and protein-rich addition to any meal. Tasso is traditionally used to add depth and spice to soups, grits, rice, and gravies. Its unique blend of spices has been a staple in South Louisiana cooking for generations.

Manda Fine Meats Andouille

Manda Fine Meats, founded in 1947 by the Manda brothers, is renowned for its high-quality Andouille sausage, a staple ingredient in traditional Louisiana gumbo. Their Cajun-style, smoked pork sausage is seasoned with basic yet flavorful ingredients and contains less than 10% preservatives. Each 12oz package of Manda Andouille Links provides 8 servings, with each serving containing 120 calories and 10g of protein. This sausage is a key component in many gumbo recipes, adding a rich, smoky flavor. The company, now operated by the grandsons of Vincent Manda, continues to uphold its legacy of authentic Cajun deli meats. For more information, visit the official product page of Manda Andouille Links.

Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage

Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage is a highly regarded brand for gumbo, known for its flavorful and spicy sausages that enhance the dish's richness. In recipes like the Crock Pot Smoked Sausage Gumbo and the One Pot Gumbo, Hillshire Farm's smoked sausage is a key ingredient, adding a depth of flavor that is hard to replicate. The brand's popularity is reflected in the growing demand for smoked sausages, with the market expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.8% from 2024 to 2030, reaching nearly USD 4633.70 million by 2030. Hillshire Farm's products are often chosen for their quality and taste, making them a staple in many gumbo recipes. The brand's smoked sausage, particularly the spicy variety, is favored for its jalapeno-infused flavor, adding a spicy kick to the gumbo. For more details, visit their official website.