The cuisine of New Orleans encompasses common dishes and foods in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is perhaps the most distinctively recognized regional cuisine in the United States. Some of the dishes originated in New Orleans, while others are common and popular in the city and surrounding areas, such as the Mississippi River Delta and southern Louisiana. The cuisine of New Orleans is heavily influenced by Creole cuisine, Cajun cuisine, and soul food. Later on, due to immigration, Italian cuisine and Sicilian cuisine also has some influence on the cuisine of New Orleans. Seafood also plays a prominent part in the cuisine. Dishes invented in New Orleans include po' boy and muffuletta sandwiches, oysters Rockefeller and oysters Bienville, pompano en papillote, and bananas Foster, among others.

Influences Creoles are descendants of the settlers in colonial Louisiana, especially New Orleans. Before Louisiana became a part of the United States in 1803, it was colonized for more than a century, first by France and then by Spain. The Creoles were the American-born offspring of these European settlers. Some Creoles are people of mixed race who also have West African and Native American ancestry. The Creoles, most of whom originally spoke a dialect of French, created a sophisticated and cosmopolitan society in colonial New Orleans.Bernard, Shane K. (December 8, 2010). "Creoles" , KnowLA: Encyclopedia of Louisiana History, Culture, and Community. Retrieved December 16, 2015.Ewell, Barbara, et al. "Kate Chopin – Creoles", Loyola University New Orleans. Retrieved December 16, 2015.Bauman, Harriet J. "French Creoles in Louisiana: An American Tale", Yale–New Haven Teachers Institute. Retrieved December 16, 2015.

Creole cuisine is a fusion, unique to the New Orleans area, of French, Spanish, West African, and Native American cuisine. It was also influenced by later immigrants from Germany, Italy (particularly Sicily), and other locations. Like French food, it sometimes makes use of rich sauces and complex preparation techniques. Creole dishes often include onions, bell peppers, celery, tomatoes, and okra.Ducote, Jay D. (April 24, 2012). "Cajun vs. Creole – What's the Difference?", Huffington Post. Retrieved December 16, 2015.Wuerthner, Terri. "Creole and Cajun Cookery: Different Yet Similar" , About Food. Retrieved December 16, 2015.Beggs, Cindy; Gipson, Bridget; Shaw, Sherrie. "Cajun and Creole Cuisine", University of West Florida. Archived from the original on April 29, 2001. Retrieved December 16, 2015.

Cajun cuisine is also based partly on French cuisine and also makes use of local ingredients such as bell peppers, and celery. It tends to be hearty, rustic fare, complex in flavor but easier to prepare. The Cajuns are descendants of the Acadians, French-Canadian colonists who were expelled from the Maritimes by the British. Some of the Acadians settled in rural areas of southern Louisiana in the 1760s and 1770s. The Cajuns spoke their dialect of French.Bernard, Shane K. (July 26, 2011). "Cajuns" , KnowLA: Encyclopedia of Louisiana History, Culture, and Community. Retrieved December 16, 2015.LaBorde, Judy. "A Short History of the Acadians and Cajuns", Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. Retrieved December 16, 2015.Meaux, Jason (October 14, 2006). "Cajun Country", University of Wisconsin at Madison. Retrieved December 16, 2015. Cajun cuisine uses less fish and more shellfish, pork, and game than Creole cuisine. While not always spicy, Cajun food is known for its unique use of many seasonings, including garlic, hot peppers, and filé powder.

Soul food was created by the African-American descendants of slaves. It is closely related to the cuisine of the Southern United States, but its origins trace back to West Africa. It often features hearty, flavorful dishes made with economical ingredients. Soul food is very popular in New Orleans.Anderson, Brett (July 3, 2014). "6 Great Soul Food Restaurants in New Orleans", Times-Picayune. Retrieved December 16, 2015.Anderson, Brett (July 8, 2015). "When It Comes to Soul Food, Does Race Matter?", Times-Picayune. Retrieved December 16, 2015."African-American History in New Orleans", New Orleans Online. Retrieved December 16, 2015.

Seafood plays an important part in the cuisine of New Orleans. The city is located where the Mississippi River flows into the Gulf of Mexico, so its residents have access to a rich variety of both saltwater and freshwater fish and shellfish.Anderson, Brett (April 16, 2015). "15 Best New Orleans Seafood Restaurants, from Borgne to Vera's", Times-Picayune. Retrieved December 16, 2015.

Popular cuisine items

Entrees and side dishes

Andouille—a smoked sausage made with pork shoulder roast, garlic, and other spices; often used as an ingredient in dishes such as gumbo and jambalayaMcNulty, Ian. "LaPlace Is "the Place" for Andouille", WWNO. Retrieved December 11, 2015. Blackened redfish—a redfish filet, coated with a mixture of seasonings and flash-fried in a red hot cast-iron skillet; the skin of the fish is charred black, while the inside is moist and tenderHaddix, Carol (February 14, 1985). "New Orleans Blackened Redfish Sets Food World On Fire", Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 29, 2015.Bragg, Rick (May 16, 2001). "New Orleans Is Singing the Redfish Blues", New York Times. Retrieved November 29, 2015. Boiled seafood—boiled shellfish such as crawfish, shrimp, and crabs, often served with boiled corn and potatoes"Best Boiled Seafood Restaurants in New Orleans", Explore New Orleans. Retrieved November 27, 2015. Boudin—sausage made with pork, rice, and Cajun spices. Calas—dumplings composed primarily of cooked rice, yeast, sugar, eggs, and flour; the resulting batter is deep-fried, traditionally a breakfast dish, served with coffee or cafe au lait Couche-couche—a fried cornmeal dish that is traditionally eaten for breakfast; ingredients such as eggs, raisins, milk, or syrup are sometimes added Dirty rice—a traditional Cajun and Creole dish made from white rice that gets a "dirty" color from being cooked with small pieces of chicken liver or giblets, green bell pepper, celery, and onion, and spiced with cayenne and black pepper. Eggs Sardou—poached eggs with artichoke bottoms, creamed spinach, and hollandaise sauce, sometimes with other ingredients such as anchovies or chopped hamClaiborne, Craig; Franey, Pierre (November 3, 1985). "Eggs Sardou", New York Times. Retrieved November 8, 2015. Étouffée—crawfish (or sometimes other shellfish such as shrimp or crabs) cooked using a technique called smothering, with roux, Cajun spices, and other ingredients, and served with riceCason, Colleen (February 13, 2009). "From Swamp to Swank: Flavor Elevates Crawfish Étouffée", Ventura County Star. Archived from the original on October 21, 2014. Retrieved December 16, 2015. Gumbo—a stew of meat and/or shellfish, with celery, bell peppers, onions, and a stock made with either okra, filé powder, or rouxDry, Stanley. "A Short History of Gumbo", Southern Foodways Alliance. Retrieved January 1, 2016.Vogt, Justin (December 29, 2009). "Gumbo: The Mysterious History", The Atlantic. Retrieved January 1, 2016.Moss, Robert (September 11, 2014). "The Real Story of Gumbo, Okra, and Filé", Serious Eats. Retrieved January 1, 2016. Hot sausage Jambalaya—a dish of rice and meat (often a combination of andouille sausage, chicken, and shrimp) cooked with vegetables and Creole spicesDry, Stanley (2009). "Jambalaya" , Louisiana Life. Retrieved January 1, 2016. Maque choux—a creamy corn stew, usually made with bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes; it is sometimes braised with bacon or tasso"Maque Choux Recipe", Nola Cuisine, May 12, 2007. Retrieved November 29, 2015. Muffuletta—a sandwich on a muffuletta bread (a round Italian bread with sesame seeds), with olive salad spread on the bread, filled with various meats and cheeses such as ham, capicola, salami, mortadella, mozzarella, and provoloneLempert, Phil (September 17, 2007). "Is the Best Sandwich in America the Muffuletta?", Today. Retrieved January 1, 2016. Oysters Bienville—a traditional dish in New Orleans cuisine, it consists of filled, baked oysters; ingredients include shrimp, mushrooms, bell peppers, sherry, a roux with butter, Parmesan cheese and other lighter cheese, as well as bread crumbs Oysters en brochette—a classic dish in New Orleans Creole cuisine, raw oysters are skewered, alternating with pieces of partially cooked bacon; the entire dish is then broiled or breaded (usually with corn flour) then either deep fried or sautéed Oysters Rockefeller—oysters on the half-shell that have been topped with parsley and other green herbs, a rich butter sauce, and bread crumbs, and then baked or broiled Pistolette—either of two bread-based dishes in Louisiana cuisine: one is a stuffed and fried bread roll (sometimes called stuffed pistolettes) in the Cajun areas around Lafayette, the other is a type of submarine shaped bread about half the size of a baguette that is popular in New Orleans for Vietnamese bánh mì and other sandwiches Po' boy—a submarine sandwich on a wide piece of French bread; popular fillings include fried seafood such as shrimp, oysters, or catfish, and the more traditional roast beef with brown gravy; usually topped with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and remouladeEdge, John T. (November 10, 2009). "Saving New Orleans Culture, One Sandwich at a Time", New York Times. Retrieved January 1, 2016. Pompano en papillote—a pompano filet cooked en papillote, i.e. in a sealed parchment paper envelope, with a white sauce of wine, shrimp, and crabmeatBienvenu, Marcelle (August 23, 2012). "Pompano Is Traditional en Papillote, but Other Fish Work as Well", Times-Picayune. Retrieved November 25, 2015. Red beans and rice—kidney beans cooked with Cajun spices, ham, and vegetables such as bell peppers, onions, and celery, served together with white rice"Red Beans and Rice", New Orleans Online. Retrieved November 25, 2015. Rice and gravy—small pieces of beef, or sometimes chicken or pork, simmered for a long time with onions, peppers, and other seasonings, and served over white riceMeche, Michelle (October 8, 2008). "Good Gravy! That's Rice & Gravy", Ms enPlace. Retrieved November 27, 2015. Shrimp Creole—cooked shrimp in a mixture of tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, and celery, spiced with hot pepper sauce and/or cayenne-based seasoning, and served over steamed or boiled white rice"Shrimp Creole Recipe", Nola Cuisine, April 13, 2008. Retrieved November 27, 2015. Turtle soup—a thick soup made with turtle meat and Creole spices; the local species are now protected so turtle meat from other states is used; alternatively, a mock turtle soup is made with veal or other meatFitzmorris, Tom (January 21, 2014). "Turtle Soups–12 Best Restaurants", New Orleans Menu. Retrieved November 28, 2015. Yaka mein— a soup of stewed beef in broth with noodles, garnished with half a hard-boiled egg and chopped green onions, with Creole seasonings

Desserts and sweets

Bananas Foster—a dessert made from bananas and vanilla ice cream, with a sauce made from butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, dark rum, and banana liqueur; often served as a flambé; created in 1951 by Paul Blangé at Brennan's restaurant in New OrleansPrice, Todd A. (November 28, 2014). "Ella Brennan, for the First Time in 40 years, Visits Brennan's", Times-Picayune. Retrieved November 25, 2015. Beignet—a square-shaped pastry made with deep-fried dough and topped with powdered sugar."Beignets: From Scriblita to the Big Easy", National Geographic Education. Retrieved November 9, 2015. Bread pudding—a sweet dessert made from bread, milk, eggs, and sugar, often served warm and topped with whiskey sauce, rum sauce, or caramel sauceRosofsky, Meryl (November 16, 2012). "7 Sensational Bread Puddings in New Orleans", Saveur. Retrieved November 27, 2015.