Cajun and Southern Recipes

Bowl of chicken and andouille sausage gumbo with white rice

The cooking of Louisiana and the Gulf Coast is built on seafood and smoke: shrimp, crawfish and Gulf fish, andouille sausage, and the holy trinity of onion, celery and bell pepper. Here are the classics, from a dark-roux chicken and sausage gumbo to Creole jambalaya and a buttery crawfish etouffee.

Shrimp and grits from the Lowcountry and a spicy blackened salmon round it out. For more Gulf flavor, see our seafood boil, chargrilled oysters and oysters Rockefeller.

8 Cajun and Southern recipes

Cajun and Creole

  • Chicken and Sausage Gumbo2 hr 25 min total | 8 servings

    A deep, dark-roux Cajun gumbo of chicken thighs, smoked andouille and the holy trinity, simmered with thyme and cayenne and served over rice. Serves 8.

  • Creole Jambalaya1 hr 10 min total | 6 to 8 servings

    A one-pot New Orleans rice dish of andouille, chicken and shrimp cooked with tomatoes, the holy trinity and Creole spices. Serves 6 to 8.

  • Crawfish Etouffee1 hr total | 6 servings

    Crawfish tails smothered in a rich, buttery blond-roux sauce with the holy trinity, garlic and Cajun spices, served over white rice. Serves 6.

  • Blackened Salmon15 min total | 4 servings

    Salmon fillets coated in a smoky Cajun spice blend and seared in a very hot cast-iron skillet until a dark, flavorful crust forms. Ready in 15 minutes; serves 4.

Lowcountry

  • Shrimp and Grits50 min total | 4 servings

    Creamy stone-ground Cheddar grits topped with shrimp sauteed with bacon, garlic and green onion in a spicy lemon pan sauce. The Lowcountry classic. Serves 4.

More Gulf Coast favorites

  • Cajun Seafood Boil55 min total | 6 servings

    Shrimp, snow crab legs, corn, red potatoes and smoked sausage boiled in a spicy Cajun-seasoned broth and tossed with garlic butter. Serves 6.

  • Grilled Oysters with Garlic Butter33 min total | 24 oysters, 4 servings

    Oysters on the half shell grilled until bubbling with garlic herb butter and Parmesan, the Gulf Coast way. Serves 4.

  • Oysters Rockefeller42 min total | 24 oysters, 4 servings

    Oysters on the half shell topped with a rich green herb and spinach butter and golden bread crumbs, baked until bubbling. The New Orleans classic. Serves 4.

Common questions

What is the holy trinity in Cajun cooking?
Chopped onion, celery and green bell pepper, the base of most Cajun and Creole dishes.
What is the difference between Cajun and Creole?
Creole cooking comes from New Orleans and often uses tomatoes; Cajun cooking comes from rural Acadiana and usually does not.
What is a roux?
Flour cooked in fat until it turns from blond to dark brown. It thickens and flavors gumbo and etouffee.

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