Cajun Thanksgiving Menu Guide

Looking to jazz up the menu this Thanksgiving? In Louisiana, we give our holiday meals a little something extra — bold flavors, family traditions and plenty of Cajun flair. Read on for our top Louisiana Thanksgiving recipes!

Cajun Thanksgiving Breakfast Ideas

If Thanksgiving breakfast is your thing, try these buttermilk biscuits with andouille cream gravy or a Louisiana delicacy — shrimp and grits. Serve them with a hot cup of chicory-spiced coffee from New Orleans's own Cafe du Monde. Be sure to save room for a big lunch or dinner!

Thanksgiving Appetizer Recipes

Kick things off with a rich Creole crab dip that guests will love, or get fancy and serve these easy-to-make chargrilled oysters with artichoke-garlic cream sauce. Warm up with a cup of delicious Louisiana crab and brie soup, a flavorful mirliton and shrimp soup or a classic chicken and sausage gumbo. These are perfect starters that will be sure to hold you and your guests over until the next course.

Must-Try Cajun Thanksgiving Entrées

While the guests snack on appetizers, it’s time to turn the focus onto preparing the main event: the turducken. Turduckens have only been on the holiday menu since the ‘80s and have already warmed the hearts (and stomachs) of countless Louisiana families. The original is believed to have originated in Maurice at Hebert’s Specialty Meats but was brought to fame on a national level by Chef Paul Prudhomme. Not a fan of turkey? Try these pork chops glazed with Louisiana-made Steen’s Cane Syrup or crawfish-stuffed bayou chicken. 

Best Cajun Thanksgiving Sides

We all know that Thanksgiving is really about the sides. Pair your masterpiece with a jazzed-up cracklin' cornbread, or try out a Southern holiday favorite — oyster dressing, courtesy of the legendary Chef Leah Chase. Get a good helping of crawfish macaroni and cheese and round out your meal with an extra side of shrimp stuffed portobello mushrooms or these buttery, flaky oyster patties. 

Delicious Dessert Recipes

After the main course is finished, sweeten things up with a rum-soaked pound cake (we suggest using a local rum), dazzle your guests with a coffee and chicory crème brûlée, enjoy the flavors of the season with spiced fig cake or indulge in a cream cheese and chocolate chip bread pudding — or stick to the classics with a pecan pie. 

Cajun Thanksgiving Leftover Ideas

These tasty Louisiana treats don’t have to end after the meal is over! Turn your leftover turkey bones into a stock that’s perfect for turkey gumbo that’ll keep you warm through the new year. 

This menu will surely leave your guests full, happy and ready for that obligatory Thanksgiving nap!

Want even more menu ideas? Check our recipe collection and the Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board for more delicious recipes.