47 Cajun and Creole Classics to Spice Up Dinnertime

Recipe: Fried Shrimp-and-Okra Po'Boys

Smashes and flattening the okra, instead of chopping it up and then frying it, makes them easier to fit onto the sandwich.

Recipe: Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice

Since the Instant Pot rose to insane popularity, our Test Kitchen has been hard at work recreating Southern classics that can be made using it.

Recipe: Jambalaya

Classic one-pot dish is loaded with Creole spices and comes together in three easy steps.

Recipe: Grilled Creole Chicken & Okra

Ingredients like Andouille sausage and fresh okra only taste more delicious after a little time on the grill.

Recipe: Cajun Shrimp Foil Packets with Red Potatoes and Zucchini

The best part about foil packet dinners? No cleanup!

Recipe: Instant Pot Jambalaya

This recipe combines one of our favorite old-school dishes with our favorite new-school kitchen tool.

Recipe: Collard Green Creole Dirty Rice

Two Southern favorites that are often served separately meet in this dish that's incredibly flavorful and hearty enough to be a main dish.

Recipe: Crawfish Étouffée

Enriched with crawfish fat, the recipe closely resembles the original 20s dish created by Mrs. Charles Hebert at the eponymous Breaux Bridge Hebert Hotel. 

Recipe: Smoked Turkey-and-Andouille Gumbo

Beau Beaullieu and Andy Soileau's New Iberia Kiwanis Club team has taken first place 11 times at the World Championship Gumbo Cookoff. This recipe for their mélange gumbo won in 2015, 2017, and 2018, so you know it's incredible.

Recipe: Emily's Red Beans and Rice

Rich, tender beans cooked with a smoked ham hock are beautiful with buttery, fluffy rice.

Recipe: Jambalaya de Covington

This jambalaya recipe (which is made with smoked turkey, ham, and sausage) comes from Covington, Louisiana, the parish seat of St. Tammany Parish, north of Lake Pontchartrain. 

Recipe: Big-Batch Cajun Lemonade

Every Southerner needs a house cocktail, and we suggest this refreshing sipper that's perfect for porch sitting.

Recipe: Muffuletta

We made our version of this New Orleans sandwich on a large loaf that can be cut into mini sandwiches and shared with the whole family.

Recipe: Old Bay Rémoulade with Crudités and Shrimp

Test Kitchen Pro Ivy Odom turned this classic sauce into a delicious dip that's ideal for happy hour at the beach.

Recipe: Shrimp Rémoulade Deviled Eggs

Give your deviled egg recipe a dose of Creole flair with shrimp, spicy mustard, and lots of garlic.

Recipe: Viet-Cajun Crawfish Boil

We have Houston's migrant populations from Vietnam and Louisiana for incredible culinary creations like this crawfish boil.

Recipe: Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

Our Test Kitchen developed this jambalaya recipe as a quick dish you can whip up on a busy weeknight.

Recipe: Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

Our Test Kitchen doesn't claim that this is the best gumbo recipe you'll ever try—they know that's the one you grew up eating. But this one is their absolute favorite, and we know you'd love how easy it is to make.

Recipe: Creole Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

This dessert from the late New Orleans culinary legend Leah Chase proves you can have Creole flavor even at dessert.  

Recipe: Jenné Claiborne's Cajun Blackened Tofu Sandwich

Georgia-born chef and food blogger Jenné Claiborne took inspiration from her mom's love of Cajun seasoning to create this vegetarian sandwich.

Recipe: Shrimp Creole

This classic dish combines two Louisiana loves—fresh shrimp and spices. We recommend adding a dash of hot sauce for a little extra oomph.

Recipe: One-Pot Cajun Chicken Alfredo

Spice up your usual pasta night with Cajun seasoning. This one-pot pasta comes together with a handful of pantry staples.

Recipe: Ms. Clara's New Orleans Red Beans and Rice

Craving comfort food? There's no dish that feels more like a hug than red beans and rice.

Recipe: Muffuletta Deviled Eggs

The Louisiana sandwich gets the appetizer treatment when turned into an over-the-top deviled egg recipe.

Recipe: Cajun Mac and Cheese

We're always looking for new ways to enjoy classic recipes, and this mac and cheese with andouille sausage and Cajun seasoning is a keeper.

Recipe: Shrimp Étouffée

Our Test Kitchen's tip for creating this Creole dish? Have all the ingredients prepped before you start cooking.

Recipe: Mini Crab Cakes with Cajun Sauce

There's not much you can do to make a good crab cake better, but this Cajun sauce absolutely does it.

Recipe: Maque Choux with Sausage

This Lousiana dish with Native American and Creole-French roots is a delicious way to use your trusty skillet and fresh summer corn and okra.

Recipe: Grilled Cajun Shrimp Kabobs with Sausage

These pretty kabobs are the ideal summer dinner—light, fresh, and made outside on the grill.

Recipe: Shrimp-and-Andouille Gumbo Dip

We gave gumbo a gameday-worthy spin with this addicting dip recipe.

Recipe: Grilled Shrimp Po'Boys with Quick Rémoulade Sauce

We lightened up the classic po'boy and opted for grilled shrimp instead of fried, but we kept the Cajun flavor you love.

Recipe: Cajun Chicken Cassoulet

We took this classic French dish and made it fit for a Louisiana table with Cajun smoked sausage and seasoning and okra.

Recipe: Chicken-Andouille Gumbo

Make Chicken-Andouille Gumbo the day ahead to save time. Fresh andouille and crusty french bread are essential to this dish.

Recipe: Creole Jambalaya

This simple version of jambalaya comes together with just two steps.

Recipe: Shrimp and Okra Gumbo

Feel free to use fresh okra when it's in season, but this recipe calls for frozen okra to ensure you can make it during the winter months, too.

Recipe: Mini Muffulettas

Take the New Orleans sandwich to the tailgate or picnic with these mini, portable versions of it.

Recipe: Cajun Shrimp Boil Pasta

No one has time for a shrimp boil on any weeknight, but this pasta recipe brings all the flavor in just 35 minutes.

Recipe: Creole Burger

Your cookout deserves an upgrade with Creole seasonings and a tangy burger sauce.

Recipe: Cajun Shrimp Casserole

We offer make-ahead and freezing instructions on this luscious Cajun Shrimp Casserole. Serve with spring mix lettuce drizzled with red wine vinaigrette.

Recipe: Okra Creole

Serve flavorful Okra Creole as a side or over rice for an easy entrée. This recipe uses frozen okra as a budget and time saver.

Recipe: Chicken-and-Sausage Gumbo

After preparing the roux, most of the time spent making gumbo is basically hands-free. You'll just need to stir the pot occasionally to prevent sticking. This flavorful stew recipe is worth the effort.

Recipe: Leah Chase's Gumbo Z'Herbes

Every year on the Thursday before Easter, New Orleans culinary great Leah Chase used to cook up to 100 gallons of her Gumbo Z'Herbes, and the masses would flock to get a serving.

Recipe: New Orleans Red Beans and Rice

Though Southerners have created countless iterations of this Creole dish, this is our easy go-to that you can make your own with additional ingredients.

Recipe: Cajun Chicken Pasta

For cleanup in a snap, serve Cajun Chicken Pasta right out of the pan. Add salad and dinner rolls to complete your menu.

Recipe: Creole Shrimp Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are a mainstay on our tables, and a Creole shrimp topping only makes them more delicious.

Recipe: Seafood Gumbo

This seafood-packed version of gumbo comes together in your Dutch oven on the stovetop.

Recipe: Vietnamese-Cajun Fried Rice

Houston-born writer Dan Q. Dao shared his aunt Van's fried rice recipe with us, and boy, are we lucky to have it. Andouille sausage, crawfish, Cajun seasoning, and plenty of garlic make this more flavorful than any fried rice you've ever had.