Louisiana's Food: An Insider's Guide
Like our music, great food is everywhere.
Ask anyone what they like the best about Louisiana and they'll mention our food. While our reputation for tasty cuisine invites travelers here, our excellence makes them return.
Before your trip, learn a few of our most curious culinary terms:
- Gumbo (GUM-bo) is a hearty stew thickened with a browned roux (ROO), a flour and oil mix; okra; and filé (FEE-lay), ground sassafras leaves.
- Jambalaya (jum-buh-LIE-uh) is a seasoned rice dish made with meat or seafood, similar to Spanish paella.
- Étouffée (eh-too-FAY), which literally means smothered, is a dish of seafood or game, bechamel and chopped vegetables.
- Andouille (AHN-do-ee) is a spicy sausage.
- Boudin (BOO-dan) is a spicy rice-and-meat-filled sausage.
- Maque choux (MOCK-shoo) is a corn, pepper and onion medley served as a side dish.
Creole and Cajun Food in Louisiana
Louisiana’s most popular cuisines, Creole and Cajun, reflect the area’s rich heritage and cultural diversity. Creole cuisine, which originated in New Orleans, blends European, African and Caribbean cooking techniques, while Cajun cuisine was developed by 18th-century French-Acadian exiles who settled in the swamps and prairies of southwest Louisiana. Distinguishing the two cuisines can be difficult: There is Creole and Cajun gumbo and Creole and Cajun jambalaya, for example. One insider tip? Creole cuisine often highlights tomatoes, while Cajun dishes rarely do.
Seafood in Louisiana
Louisiana seafood shines within our signature dishes. The state has hundreds of miles of coastline along the Gulf, making it one of North America’s most productive shrimp, oyster and crab fisheries. Meanwhile, inland marshes and swamps contribute catfish (a white freshwater fish typically served in fried filet strips), crawfish (akin to miniature freshwater lobsters served in dishes or boiled whole) and exotic reptile meats such as alligator (usually fried) and turtle (served in soup).
Louisiana Culinary Adventures
Experience Louisiana’s diverse culinary scene yourself: Road trip through New Orleans for delicious Creole fare or to the southwest part of the state for Cajun delights. Want a mix of both? See Baton Rouge. For a variety of delightful Southern eats, like barbecue with down-home plate lunches or regional delicacies such as Natchitoches meat pies, visit north Louisiana.
