Gator chillin' on a small pier. Doesn't it look yummy?

Here's a list of some of the most common traditional Cajun and creole dishes, or use the links below to jump to what you most want to learn about:

Alligator
Although the American alligator was once in danger of extinction in Louisiana, they have rapidly made a comeback and can be found in almost every waterway in the state. As a result, they are increasingly being found on menus and in markets. Alligator meat is still not as popular as many may expect. Often served fried as "alligator on a stick", it (like everything else) tastes like chicken yet is sort of tough. It is also served in stews, and sometimes as a broiled meat by itself. Alligator is usually found in certain seafood and meat markets and can also be ordered by mail from some companies. Back to top

Andouille
Pronounced " an-doo-ey", this spicy smoked pork sausage, similar to boudin, is enjoyed in the outlying Cajun country. Back to top

Beignets
The Café du Monde made beignets (pronounced "ben-yays")world-famous. These deep-fried hunks of flour are covered in powdered sugar and are eaten 24 hours a day as breakfasts, pastries, and late-night snacks. They are often consumed with a cup of "caf&ecaute; au lait" which is simply half coffee and half steamed milk. Although no longer widespread, some beignet companies make stuffed and filled beignets with everything from fruits to seafood. Back to top

Boudin
Boudin seems to be more popular in the outlying Cajun heartlands than in New Orleans, but it represents a spicy and unique style of food. Made with rice, pork, onions, peppers, seasonings and sometimes chicken, boudin (pronounced"boo dan") is a sausage (often very soft) which is often made fiery hot. Boudin is easily found in the Acadian areas west of Baton Rouge. It is especially popular in Lafayette, New Iberia, and Breaux Bridge, where it seems as if almost every place of business has a hot pan full of boudin ready. Somewhat similar to andouille, which can be found in New Orleans. Back to top

Corn Bread
The name pretty much sums it up: a simple bread made from corn flour. It is often served with various Cajun dishes and sometimes made with a few spices to add a little zing to it. "Corn Bread" is also the name of a popular Cajun song! Back to top

Just look at all that boiled crawfish. Shame, though, that it looks like there's only enough for one...

Crawfish
By far and large, crawfish are the most famous New Orleans food. Also known as mudbugs and crawdads (only tourists call them crayfish) New Orleanians eat millions of these little crustaceans every year. Often bought in 40- to 60- pound sacks, they are boiled alive with crab and crawfish boil (see below) and a variety of other items such as onions, potatoes, corn, hot dogs, and sausage.

At a "crawfish boil," the cooked critters are dumped onto the tables in enormous piles as everyone digs into the stack. Old newspapers are often used as throwaway tablecloths, and due to the mess at large gatherings crawfish are often eaten outside.

The meat is found in the tail by tearing it off and peeling the shell away. Locals often like to "suck the head" to get all of the yellowish fat out of the center of the body. It often contains the most spices. In the past, crawfish were plentiful and cheap, but freezes and cold weather in recent years have caused a shortage and skyrocketing prices. As a result, most locals have not been paying for the delicacy in the last two years, but things are certain to change in the next season. (Look for an upcoming article on crawfish in New Orleans.) Back to top

Deep-Fried Seafood
When New Orleanians travel around the rest of the country, they are often disappointed with the way seafood is fried. At home, it is heavily battered and deep-fried to a golden brown color with a subtle crunch to the crust. Oysters, shrimp and catfish (nuggets) are often fried in this way, as are soft-shell crabs. Back to top

Dirty Rice
Tourists often want to know if dirty rice is really "dirty". Its name simply comes from the dark, dirty color of the dish which is a rice mixed with onion, red and green pepper, garlic, and ground meat. Steak and sausages are sometimes used in substitution of the ground meat. Dirty rice is often served as a side dish in local restaurants; however, it makes a great meal on its own. Back to top

Etouffe (e-too-fay)
Derived from the French word "smother", etoufee is a stew-type substance which is often eaten with white rice. With onions, garlic, bell peppers, hot sauce, green onions, and crawfish, it can stand alone as a meal. Back to top

Fried Chicken
Along with the traditional down-home Southern fried chicken is "Popeye's Fried Chicken", also known as the Cajun McDonald's. Sort of like a KFC, Popeye's serves fried chicken but with a New Orleans spicy kick to it. Back to top

Garlic Bread
Most Cajun and Creole dishes are served with buttered garlic bread, either sandwich or poboy bread. The bread is often put at the bottom of deep fried dishes to suck up the grease and seasoning. Back to top

Gumbo
The most often-asked question in regards to gumbo is "what the hell is a roux?" A roux (aka Creole napalm) is simply a mixture of flour and butter or oil. Serving as a basis for many dishes, it is used to thicken and flavor a gumbo. The longer a roux is cooked, the darker and tastier it is. A gumbo without a roux usually ends up a simple watery soup. Along with the roux comes many options for gumbo. Most popular are chicken sausage gumbo and seafood gumbo. Back to top

Jambalya
The locals pronounce it "jumbalya," but either way it is almost a cross between red beans and rice and dirty rice. Orange in color, it is made with stewed tomatoes, onions, garlic, bay leaves, green peppers, white rice, chicken, diced ham, and shrimp. Jambalya is one of the most common dishes served at festivals and family get-togethers. Back to top

King Cake
An oval shaped cake often decorated with purple, green, and gold sugar for Mardi Gras celebrations. Locals at work and school often have "King Cake Days" during the Mardi Gras season. Each King Cake has a small baby inside. Whoever gets the baby has to buy the next King Cake. Some local bakeries serve elaborately decorated cakes stuffed with all kinds of fruits. Back to top

Muffelatas (muffs)
The Central Grocery Company on Decatur Street is known as the home of the "original" muffelata. Served on a giant bun, muffelatas are a combination of ham, mozzarella, salami, and olive salad. The olive salad varies from place to place, but often includes, green olives, black olives, onions, oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Muffelatas can be eaten cold, but are often baked in an oven until the cheese is melted. The olive salad is put on last. The word "muffelata" is also often used to describe anything put on a muffelata bun: seafood muffelata, hamburger muffelata, ham muffelata, etc... Back to top

Nutria
When the McIlhenny Company (makers of Tabasco) brought in a few Nutrias from Argentina, they sure didn't picture what would be going on today. Nutrias, similar to South American capybaras, are giant rodents which look like a cross between a rat and a beaver. Their rapid reproduction has caused population explosions, and their feeding habits have contributed to the erosion of Louisiana's valuable coastline. As a result, a war has been declared on Louisiana nutrias, with many groups and organizations trying to promote their meat. Nutrias have long been eaten by back-country locals, but they are now being found in a few city markets. Back to top

Po-Boys
Although po-boys (or poor boys) may be widespread, New Orleans seems to enjoy putting just about anything and everything on a po-boy. Most popular are seafood po-boys such as catfish, shrimp, oyster, and soft-shell crab po-boys. Along with the standard cold-cut po-boys are meatball, hot roast beef (often made very sloppy), chicken, chicken-fried steak, veal, and hamburger. Tabasco is often a popular choice for the seafood po-boys. Back to top

Red Beans and Rice
This dish is pretty much just as it sounds. Red beans and rice is often accompanied with sliced smoked sausage, hot sausage, and chicken. Also popular is white beans and rice. This dish is often eaten as an entree by itself, along with a salad and a piece of garlic bread. Because of its easy preparation, a good bowl of red beans and rice can usually be found anywhere in the city. Back to top

Soft-Shell Crabs
For a short period during the molting process of a saltwater blue crab, its shell is as soft as jelly. Due to the difficulty in locating crabs at that specific moment in time, soft-shell crabs are often raised in farms, where they are carefully monitored and harvested at the right time. The crabs are often kept alive until the final moment when the eyes and gills are plucked out. Thrown into a bowl of milk and battered, the crab is deep fried and eaten whole - shell, legs and everything in between. Back to top

Soul Food
With African Americans being a majority in New Orleans, and due to the Haitian and Creole influence, traditional soul food such as collard greens and corn bread is popular in the inner city. Back to top

Questions?
If you want more information about this area you can email the author or check out our North America Insiders page.