Filé powder, also called gumbo filé, is a spicy herb made from the dried and ground leaves of the sassafras tree (Sassafras albidum),[1] native to eastern North America. It is used in the making of some types of gumbo,[1] a Creole and Cajun soup/stew often served over rice; other versions of gumbo use okra or roux as a thickener instead. Sprinkled sparingly over gumbo as a seasoning and a thickening agent, it adds a distinctive, earthy flavor and texture.[2] Filé can provide thickening when okra is not in season.[3] Filé translates to "string", suggestive of the powder's thickening ability.[2]
Unlike sassafras roots and bark, the tree's leaves, from which filé is produced, do not contain a detectable amount of safrole
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