If there is one thing Louisianians know how to do, it’s to eat! Louisiana is a state filled with history, culture, and delicious flavors. Besides airboat tours (swamp tours) and plantation tours, Creole cuisine is one of Louisiana’s best features, and while there is also iconic jazz music and the festive Mardi Gras, Louisiana’s true gem is the culinary treasure that is Cajun food.
How would we describe Cajun food? Well, it’s spicy and soulful. Cajun cooking originates from the combination of different culinary techniques from around Louisiana, specifically Southwest Louisiana. Cajun food begins with the Acadians, who are descendants from France who were sent to Louisiana in the 1600s. The Acadians brought with them their style of cooking and culinary traditions. When they were met with the local array of ingredients in Louisiana, Cajun food was born. Cajun food combines fresh produce with local Louisiana ingredients mixed with bold spices. The history of Cajun food is important to understand when trying to figure out why it’s so tasty. Years of culinary prowess and imagination have been perfected and packed into the wonder that is Cajun cuisine.
In this blog, we will detail the intricacies of Cajun food from its history, unique flavors, popular recipes, and even some delicious Cajun restaurants in New Orleans. We will distinguish Cajun vs. Creole (a common confusion), and describe everything we know about Cajun cuisine.
Gumbo: Gumbo is the main character of Cajun cuisine. Gumbo is a filling stew that features roux, aromatic vegetables, and the dealer’s choice of protein. Roux is flour and fat, and is traditionally made by combining flour and butter over a low heat. A good roux is the key to a good gumbo. Cajuns usually add an array of spices (or Tony’s) into the roux and mix them until the roux turns dark. Once the roux darkens, they add bell pepper, onions, celery, and garlic, then you let all those vegetables soften and mix into the roux, then you add your choice of meat. Popular meat choices for gumbo include: Sausage, chicken, or seafood, sometimes all three! After all these ingredients melt together and come to a light simmer, you just add rice and water and wait for the rice to soften. Then serve it up and enjoy!
Jambalaya: Jambalaya is next up on our list of classic Cajun dishes. Jambalaya is basically a dry gumbo, and has mostly the same ingredients but is prepared differently. Jambalaya is one of the easier foods to create. There are usually starter boxes available in any Louisiana grocery store, but if you want to make it from scratch, it’s really not that difficult. To make the perfect jambalaya, you start by sauteing a protein, this could be sausage or chicken, or whatever you’d like. Then you would add your choice of veggies, but traditional jambalaya would be made with bell peppers, onion, celery, okra, and garlic. Cook these ingredients till they are soft and then add uncooked rice, chicken stock, and crushed tomatoes. Let these flavors melt together and once everything is soft and cooked, enjoy the perfect comfort meal!
Étouffée: Étouffée (et-oof-ay), is a creamy sauce that is a combination of butter, flour, and seafood stock. Étouffée is traditionally made with seafood like shrimp or crawfish and is served over rice or pasta as a delicious sauce. To prepare Étouffée, you must start with a roux and saute bell peppers, onion, and celery. You will notice that bell pepper, onion, and celery is used quite a lot in cajun cooking and is referred to as the “holy trinity” of Cajun cuisine. Once your roux is darkened, you add some seafood broth and your choice of shellfish to the mix. Once the sauce thickens you can add your spices like Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, and paprika to perfect your Étouffée. This sauce pairs perfectly with rice or as a pasta sauce. You can make delicious pasta using this recipe and impress your friends with this deliciously creamy meal.
Boudin: Boudin (boo-dan) is a unique sausage that combines spiced pork, rice, and green onions, stuffed into a casing. You can usually buy boudin at any Louisiana grocery store, because the process to make it is quite exhaustive. But, if you do buy a case of boudin, you would boil the sausages until the insides are cooked and then serve it with another side. The best thing about boudin is it’s a meal all in one casing. You have rice, meat, and vegetables all inside a pork casing. We recommend enjoying boudin with a side of gumbo, or making your gumbo with boudin balls inside. Also, boudin ball gumbo is the best way to cure any sickness.
Po’boys: Po’boys are a classic New Orleans sandwich. They come in all different shapes and sizes with a wide variety of meats. But a classic po’boy features roast beef or fried shrimp dressed with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, mayo, and spicy remoulade sauce.
The two main types of cuisine in Louisiana are Cajun and Creole cuisine. They are both delicious styles of cooking and contain similar flavors but have key differences. Cajun food originates from Louisiana and was perfected in regions of Louisiana. Cajun cooking uses spices like cayenne pepper and paprika and uses traditional cooking methods such as making roux and mixing whole ingredients together to create a final product. While Creole cuisine originated in Spain, France, and the Caribbean. Creole food uses ingredients like tomatoes, sassafras, and a lot of okra. Realistically, you won’t be able to tell the difference between these two cooking methods, but just trust us when we say they are both delicious!
Now that you are at least familiar with cajun cuisine, let’s explore some of the best spots in New Orleans to experience authentic cajun flavors.
Atchafalaya: Acthafalaya is more of an upscale restaurant that features a refined take on Cajun cuisine. They use fresh seasonal ingredients and create beautiful culinary presentations. This is a good restaurant for a date or a celebration, the atmosphere is lively but sophisticated and perfectly captures the lavish feeling of New Orleans
Jacques-Imo’s: A neighborhood classic, Jacques-Imo’s offers traditional Cajun menu items such as crawfish pie, shrimp and grits and delicious gumbo.
Mulate’s: Another classic in Cajun cuisine, Mulate’s serves classic Cajun dishes like gumbo and jambalaya (The fried-chicken is also a must-try).
Cochon: Cochon is the perfect spot if you are a meat lover. In this restaurant, you will find everything from boudin to suckling pig, all bursting with cajun spices.
If you want to truly immerse yourself in Cajun culture, consider traveling outside of New Orleans to Lafayette, Louisiana, the heart of Cajun Country and culture. There, you can explore local farmers markets, visit boudin bakeries, and attend delicious crawfish boils which are the center of all Cajun social events. After all, Cajun food is more than just a meal, it’s a culture and way of life. So, on your next trip to New Orleans, delve into the world of Cajun cuisine and culture and embrace all the spiciness while you are doing it!
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