Louisiana Food and Culinary Traditions
![]() |
Louisiana’s cuisine is influenced by a myriad of cultures including French, Spanish, African, and more, with names to suit those cultures like étouffée, boudin, andouille, maque choux, and jambalaya.
It also includes some of Louisiana’s fresh seafood that visitors may never have sampled like crawfish or alligator. It’s no wonder that Louisiana food draws such interest and curiosity from outsiders.
Excellent Cajun cooking abounds in Louisiana, whether your tastes tend to seafood gumbo, crawfish etouffee, crawfish bisque, crawfish pie, fried crawfish, boudin or maybe even fried alligator!
The two most popular types of cuisine in Louisiana are Creole and Cajun, and telling them apart is difficult for locals and tourists alike because you can often find both variations of the same dish.
And don't forget Natchitoches meat pies, grilled oysters, red beans and rice, jambalaya, great peach pies from Ruston, fried catfish, great BBQ, soul food, and so much more.
Good food is found everywhere in Louisiana. Ask any visitor—or resident for that matter—what they like the best about this state, and they will say either "the food and the music" or vice versa.
A common denominator in our cuisine is often Louisiana seafood. The state has 400 miles—actually thousands of miles if you count bays and inlets—of coastline along the Gulf of Mexico, making it one of North America’s most productive shrimp, oyster and crab fisheries.
In Louisiana, we don’t stop with our unique culinary creations. The state is also home to craft breweries, distilleries and wineries. All across the state fresh brews and wines are being concocted that showcase local ingredients like blueberries, strawberries, roasted coffee, and honey. In some cases, such as Bayou Teche Brewing, these libations are crafted to pair with Louisiana cuisine. And in south Louisiana, distilleries are utilizing the state’s sugarcane and rice to create spirits like vodka, rum, gin, and whiskey.
Whether you are dining at Antoine's or Commander's Palace in New Orleans, Middendorfs at Pass Manchac, Prejeans in Lafayette, Hot Tails in New Roads, or one of hundreds of other Louisiana restaurants, a great culinary experience is to be enjoyed!
Always a popular meal in the Bayou State ... Seafood Gumbo (photo courtesy of LouisianaTravel.com |
![]() |
Louisiana Chefs
Louisiana has so many famous chefs and culinary gurus, it's difficult to make a list! Well known chefs include Emeril Lagasse, John Besh, Paul Prudhomme, John Folse, Susan Spicer and Ryan Andre, and the list goes on and on!
Sam and Cody Carroll of Louisiana premiered their new Food Network show, “Cajun Aces" on December 2, 2017.
Hot Tails in New Roads was the two chefs’ first restaurant, which is located at 1113 Hospital Road. Scenes in the TV series are filmed at the restaurant, and at the family farm in nearby Batchelor.
Gulf to Table New Orleans Style - Video from Louisiana Travel
New Orleans chefs and restauranteurs tell the story of Gulf to table cuisine in the Crescent City.
Watch more videos at the Louisiana Office of Tourism - LouisianaTravel.com
A Recipe for a Louisiana Favorite: Crawfish Etoufee
Ingredients-
Louisiana Crawfish Etoufee
- 1 stick butter
- 1 c. onions, chopped
- 1/2 c. shallots
- 1/2 c. celery
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 c. green pepper, diced
- 1 T. flour
- 1 small can tomato sauce ( 8 oz.)
- 2 c. water
- 1 T. Worcestershire sauce
- Salt
- Pepper
- Tabasco sauce
- Cayenne pepper
- Saute vegetables in butter until tender.
- Add garlic and cook one minute more; do not burn.
- Add flour and stir until golden brown.
- Add tomato sauce.
- Stir in water and crawfish; simmer 10 minutes or until crawfish are tender.
- Season to taste with salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne.
- Cook slowly 10-15 minutes more.
- Serve over cooked rice.
- Serves 4-6
Video on How to Make Crawfish Etoufee
YouTube video from Louisiana Travel |
|
![]() Shrimp boat off the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico (Photograph courtesy of the LA Office of Tourism) |
More Louisiana Information | ||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Visit LouisianaTravel.com for more information about Louisiana food and culinary traditions