Food and Recipes Quick and Easy Dinner 47 Cajun and Creole Classics to Spice Up Dinnertime By Southern Living Editors Southern Living Editors Since 1966, the editors of Southern Living have been carrying out the mission of the brand: to bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and inspiration to our readers by celebrating life in the South. We inspire creativity in their homes, their kitchens, their gardens, and their personal style. We are a friend they can trust, a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a relentless champion of the Southern way of life. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on July 3, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Cedric Angeles Different regions in the South are known for certain flavors and dishes. Heck, each area even has its own barbecue sauce. Of course, Louisiana is the proud home of the Cajun and Creole recipes Southerners love. Cajun cooking is legendary in the South, and for good reason. Spice up your dinner table with classic Cajun and Creole recipes like gumbo, étouffée, jambalaya, and more. We even have Cajun and Creole recipes straight from culinary legend Leah Chase herself. Whip up a mini muffulettas for a batch of lunches or warm up on a cold winter night with a serving of shrimp Creole. Even though many old-school Cajun and Creole recipes take hours to simmer and meld together, we've got quick-fix solutions using your cast-iron skillet and store-bought shortcuts. Host a Cajun crawfish boil for the family or kick up your summer cookout with Creole burgers. If you've never attempted one of these zesty Cajun or Creole recipes at home, now is the time. Bring Louisiana to your table with these recipes. 01 of 47 Fried Shrimp-and-Okra Po'Boys Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall 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. 02 of 47 Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Kay E. Clarke; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey 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. 03 of 47 Jambalaya Melina Hammer Recipe: Jambalaya Classic one-pot dish is loaded with Creole spices and comes together in three easy steps. 04 of 47 Grilled Creole Chicken & Okra Photo: Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Grilled Creole Chicken & Okra Ingredients like Andouille sausage and fresh okra only taste more delicious after a little time on the grill. 05 of 47 Cajun Shrimp Foil Packets with Red Potatoes and Zucchini Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry Recipe: Cajun Shrimp Foil Packets with Red Potatoes and Zucchini The best part about foil packet dinners? No cleanup! 06 of 47 Instant Pot Jambalaya Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Recipe: Instant Pot Jambalaya This recipe combines one of our favorite old-school dishes with our favorite new-school kitchen tool. 07 of 47 Collard Green Creole Dirty Rice Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Mary-Claire Britton 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. 08 of 47 Crawfish Étouffée Southern Living 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. 09 of 47 Smoked Turkey-and-Andouille Gumbo Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Torie Cox 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. 10 of 47 Emily's Red Beans and Rice Peter Frank Edwards Recipe: Emily's Red Beans and Rice Rich, tender beans cooked with a smoked ham hock are beautiful with buttery, fluffy rice. 11 of 47 Jambalaya de Covington Jambalaya de Covington 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. 12 of 47 Big-Batch Cajun Lemonade Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Big-Batch Cajun Lemonade Every Southerner needs a house cocktail, and we suggest this refreshing sipper that's perfect for porch sitting. 13 of 47 Muffuletta Southern Living 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. 14 of 47 Old Bay Rémoulade with Crudités and Shrimp Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry 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. 15 of 47 Shrimp Rémoulade Deviled Eggs Jennifer Davick Recipe: Shrimp Rémoulade Deviled Eggs Give your deviled egg recipe a dose of Creole flair with shrimp, spicy mustard, and lots of garlic. 16 of 47 Viet-Cajun Crawfish Boil Cedric Angeles Recipe: Viet-Cajun Crawfish Boil We have Houston's migrant populations from Vietnam and Louisiana for incredible culinary creations like this crawfish boil. 17 of 47 Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya Greg DuPree Recipe: Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya Our Test Kitchen developed this jambalaya recipe as a quick dish you can whip up on a busy weeknight. 18 of 47 Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo Photo: Iain Bagwell 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. 19 of 47 Creole Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce Jennifer Davick 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. 20 of 47 Jenné Claiborne's Cajun Blackened Tofu Sandwich Sidney Bensimon 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. 21 of 47 Shrimp Creole Southern Living 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. 22 of 47 One-Pot Cajun Chicken Alfredo Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis 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. 23 of 47 Ms. Clara's New Orleans Red Beans and Rice Southern Living 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. 24 of 47 Muffuletta Deviled Eggs Hector Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham Recipe: Muffuletta Deviled Eggs The Louisiana sandwich gets the appetizer treatment when turned into an over-the-top deviled egg recipe. 25 of 47 Cajun Mac and Cheese Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Kay E. Clarke; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey 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. 26 of 47 Shrimp Étouffée Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Recipe: Shrimp Étouffée Our Test Kitchen's tip for creating this Creole dish? Have all the ingredients prepped before you start cooking. 27 of 47 Mini Crab Cakes with Cajun Sauce Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall 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. 28 of 47 Maque Choux with Sausage Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry 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. 29 of 47 Grilled Cajun Shrimp Kabobs with Sausage Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Grilled Cajun Shrimp Kabobs with Sausage These pretty kabobs are the ideal summer dinner—light, fresh, and made outside on the grill. 30 of 47 Shrimp-and-Andouille Gumbo Dip Brian Woodcock; Styling: Rachael Burrow Recipe: Shrimp-and-Andouille Gumbo Dip We gave gumbo a gameday-worthy spin with this addicting dip recipe. 31 of 47 Grilled Shrimp Po'Boys with Quick Rémoulade Sauce Max Kelly 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. 32 of 47 Cajun Chicken Cassoulet Photo: Iain Bagwell 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. 33 of 47 Chicken-Andouille Gumbo Iain Bagwell 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. 34 of 47 Creole Jambalaya Recipe: Creole Jambalaya This simple version of jambalaya comes together with just two steps. 35 of 47 Shrimp and Okra Gumbo Southern Living 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. 36 of 47 Mini Muffulettas Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Amy Burke Recipe: Mini Muffulettas Take the New Orleans sandwich to the tailgate or picnic with these mini, portable versions of it. 37 of 47 Cajun Shrimp Boil Pasta 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. 38 of 47 Creole Burger Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Creole Burger Your cookout deserves an upgrade with Creole seasonings and a tangy burger sauce. 39 of 47 Cajun Shrimp Casserole Southern Living 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. 40 of 47 Okra Creole 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. 41 of 47 Chicken-and-Sausage Gumbo Ralph Anderson 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. 42 of 47 Leah Chase's Gumbo Z'Herbes Robbie Caponetto 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. 43 of 47 New Orleans Red Beans and Rice Southern Living 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. 44 of 47 Cajun Chicken Pasta Ralph Anderson 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. 45 of 47 Creole Shrimp Deviled Eggs Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Lydia DeGaris Pursell Recipe: Creole Shrimp Deviled Eggs Deviled eggs are a mainstay on our tables, and a Creole shrimp topping only makes them more delicious. 46 of 47 Seafood Gumbo Recipe: Seafood Gumbo This seafood-packed version of gumbo comes together in your Dutch oven on the stovetop. 47 of 47 Vietnamese-Cajun Fried Rice Cedric Angeles 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. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit