Sassafras Leaf, Cut & Sifted — Filé Powder

(Sassafras albidum)

Sassafras albidum — Sassafras, White Sassafras, or Red Sassafras — is one of the most distinctive and botanically remarkable trees of the eastern North American forest, a medium-sized deciduous tree of the family Lauraceae native to eastern North America from southern Ontario and Maine south to Florida and Texas. Sassafras is immediately recognizable by one of the most unusual leaf forms in the plant kingdom — a single tree produces three distinct leaf shapes simultaneously: simple oval leaves, two-lobed “mitten” leaves (with a single thumb), and three-lobed leaves — all on the same branch, making it one of the most visually distinctive trees in the eastern forest. Every part of the sassafras tree is intensely aromatic — the bark, roots, leaves, and twigs all release a characteristic warm, spicy, root beer-like fragrance when crushed, caused by the presence of safrole and other volatile compounds in the essential oil. Sassafras has been one of the most important trees in the botanical and culinary traditions of the Indigenous peoples of eastern North America for thousands of years — used by the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chippewa, and many other nations — and it was one of the first North American botanical exports to Europe, where it was traded as a valuable spice and aromatic in the 16th and 17th centuries.

The culinary use of sassafras leaf is inseparable from the story of filé powder — one of the defining ingredients of Louisiana Creole cuisine. Filé powder is made from the dried, ground leaves of Sassafras albidum, and it was introduced to Louisiana Creole cooking by the Choctaw people of the Gulf Coast, who had long used ground sassafras leaves as a thickening agent and flavoring. In Louisiana Creole and Cajun cooking, filé powder serves a dual purpose: it thickens gumbo and other stews with its mucilaginous properties, and it imparts a distinctive, earthy, slightly root beer-like flavor that is one of the signature tastes of Louisiana cuisine. Our Cut & Sifted Sassafras Leaf can be ground at home into filé powder — simply crush or grind the dried leaves to release their full flavor and thickening power.

Product Highlights

• Cut & sifted leaf of Sassafras albidum — Sassafras / Filé Leaf
• The source of filé powder — one of the defining ingredients of Louisiana Creole and Cajun cuisine
• Filé powder was introduced to Louisiana Creole cooking by the Choctaw people of the Gulf Coast
• One of the most botanically distinctive trees in eastern North America — produces three different leaf shapes on the same branch
• Intensely aromatic — warm, spicy, root beer-like fragrance from safrole and volatile essential oils
• One of the first North American botanical exports to Europe — traded as a prized spice in the 16th century
• Available in Cut & Sifted form — grind at home for fresh filé powder

How to Use — Filé Powder / Gumbo

Making Filé Powder: Grind or crush dried sassafras leaves in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle until a fine powder forms. Use immediately or store in an airtight container. Gumbo (Essential): Add filé powder at the end of cooking — remove the gumbo from heat, stir in 1–3 tablespoons of filé powder, and let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Do not boil after adding filé — it will become stringy. Filé thickens the gumbo and adds its characteristic earthy flavor. Soups & Stews: Use as a thickener and flavoring in other soups and stews in the Louisiana tradition.

Lucinda’s Filé Gumbo Recipe

Ingredients: 1 whole chicken (4 lb.) · ¼ cup olive oil · ¼ cup butter · ½ cup flour · 1¼ lbs. andouille or smoked sausage, sliced ½ inch thick · ½ lb. baked ham, cut in ½-inch cubes · 2 cups onion, chopped · 1 cup okra, sliced · ½ cup bell pepper, chopped · 1 can (16 oz.) chopped tomatoes · 2 tablespoons minced garlic · 2 teaspoons salt · 1 teaspoon black pepper · ⅛ teaspoon cayenne · 1¼ teaspoons dried thyme · 3 bay leaves · 3 tablespoons filé powder (ground sassafras leaf)

Directions: 1. Simmer chicken in water just to cover until cooked through. Remove chicken, reserve broth, debone and cut into bite-sized pieces. 2. In a large pot, melt butter with oil over medium-high heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until a medium-brown roux forms. 3. Add sausage, ham, onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, okra, and garlic. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes. 4. Add 4 cups reserved chicken broth, chicken, and all seasonings except filé. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 1 hour. 5. Remove from heat. Stir in filé powder and let stand 5 minutes before serving. Optional additions: celery, corn, black beans.

Available in Cut & Sifted (2 oz, 4 oz, 8 oz).

Keep out of reach of children. For culinary use only. Note: sassafras root bark and root bark oil contain safrole, which has been restricted by the FDA as a food additive; however, sassafras leaf (filé powder) contains negligible safrole and is considered safe for culinary use in normal amounts.