New Orleans is an absolute foodies heaven! With a mix of mainly French and West African influences, you will also find some Spanish and Native American flavours too. New Orleans food is sure to tickle your taste buds with its Cajun spices, sweet treats and rustic flavours. It is next level. You’ll forget so quickly you’re even in America tasting all these goodies.
The Creole cuisine, flavours and soul food on offer, draw crowds to this amazing and eclectic city every year.
New Orleans food is the most recognisably distinct cuisine in the United States. It is something they’re proud of, and something everyone must try and include in their USA itinerary.
Here is my top list of New Orleans food you absolutely must-try during your stay
Gumbo
Gumbo is actually the state cuisine of Louisiana (#fastfacts) so you know you’ve got to try it at least once while in NOLA. Made from the “holy trinity” of veggies, which is bell peppers (capsicum), onions and celery. Add in meat or shellfish, such as sausage, shrimp or chicken.
You can add other vegetables, maybe some bacon, whatever flavours take your fancy. Most families and restaurants have their own unique take on the recipe, as you can imagine.
Red Beans and Rice
This dish is also synonymous with Louisiana Creole Cuisine. Red Kidney beans, the “holy trinity”, pork bones and some spices make up the dish. And served with, you guessed it, RICE!
Made on a Monday from leftovers from Sunday nights dinner, traditionally. Some restaurants in Louisiana still serve this dish as a Monday lunch/dinner special.
Beignets
Pronounced Ben-Yays, these are deep-fried square doughnuts covered in powdered sugar. Order with a Chicory coffee or a Cafe au Lait (coffee with hot milk).
The most popular place to enjoy them in New Orleans is at Cafe Du Monde if you can stand the lines. These delicious doughnut delicacies have been the official state doughnut of Louisiana since 1986!
I went later in the day so was able to nab a seat pretty quickly. It’s also best to avoid weekends too.
Check out their website Cafe Du Monde, for a full history of this famous food and famous shop in New Orleans
Po’ Boys
A Po’Boy is a baguette-style sandwich filled with catfish, fried shrimp, roast beef or maybe even oysters. Order it with just the meat or have a “dressed” Po’Boy. Therefore, it will come with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and mayonnaise.
The name dates back to the 1960s when this style of sandwich was given to the “poor boys” for free. They were busy striking against the Streetcar Company in New Orleans.
I was a little nervous trying the Catfish Po’Boy as all I could picture were the ugly whiskers on the fish but it was absolutely delicious…..Especially dressed!
Etouffee
Pronounced Ay-too-fay. This is a chicken or shellfish dish and the word means to smother/simmer in a sauce made from a light roux. Again, like most creole dishes, this is served over rice and is traditionally jazzed up with Cajun spices
Jambalaya
Jambalaya finds its roots in French Provencal, Spanish and West African cooking. It is made up of meats, rice and vegetables. The main protein is generally sausage, crawfish and shrimp and spiced with chilli, garlic and of course the “holy trinity”.
If you’re thinking this dish sounds the same as gumbo, you’d be right, but it’s actually not. Gumbo makes use of okra and Jambalaya does not. The rice is mixed throughout the other ingredients, whereas gumbo is served on top of the rice.
I tried Jambalaya as part of a tasting plate. I wasn’t sure if I would like Gumbo, Jambalaya or Red Beans and Rice. Therefore, I asked if I could try a little bit of each. Thankfully, most restaurants will serve a small dish of each, so you can have a little ‘taster”
This is such a traditional New Orleans Food, you can’t leave without trying it!
Blackened Food
The term means the food has been rubbed in seasoning and quickly flash fried over a very hot grill. This technique leaves the outside “blackened” and cooked and the inside still soft and tender. This could be blackened crawfish, fish, steak or chicken.
Praline
The French brought pralines to Louisiana in the 1800s. These delicious candies are predominantly made with pecans and a mixture of sugar, buttermilk (or cream) and butter.
The hot mixture is poured over the pecans on marble slabs and left to cool. You’ll see them in the many windows along the streets of New Orleans. Fun fact: they ALL give out free samples, so go get your fill!
I tried so much pecan praline whilst in NOLA. Seriously the free samples are amazing. Oh did I mention the pecan praline ice cream too!
Crawfish
This is the American term for the fresh-water variety of crayfish that we call yabbies in Australia. They are hugely popular in Louisiana and can be found in many dishes and date back hundreds of years in its cooking culture. The Craw-fish is also the official crustacean of Louisiana.
There are many more amazing regional culinary delights, too many to mention. However, these are the few that I tried during my first trip and thoroughly enjoyed.
I intend to try many more next year when I head back to New Orleans In May.
Why not try them on a foodie tour around New Orleans?