Best Cajun Cookbooks

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Everyone loves some delicious Cajun food. Their robust seasoning, intense flavors, and overall concept are one of a kind. If you are a fan of Cajun and Creole cuisine and love trying new recipes but are unsure where to find tasty, reliable, authentic ones, check out the list below of the best Cajun cookbooks you can get.

Cajun and Creole culture is closely related (native to Louisiana), especially concerning food. When you think of Cajun dishes, the classics like Gumbo, Crawfish, Jambalaya, and Catfish often come to mind among hundreds of lip-smacking, finger-licking foods.  

Cajun food is known for the spicy notes from onion, garlic, green bell peppers, and celery as the base. They use bold spices like cayenne and paprika to add richness and earthiness with herbs in their recipes without the spiciness being overpowering or taking away from the flavor.  

In this best list of Cajun cookbooks below, you will find a variety of old, new, classic, and modern Southern and New Orleans food recipe books, including some vegan options. There is something for all to try with the best, tastiest, and most exciting recipes that are easy to follow.  

Kevin Bolton’s New Orleans Celebrations

  • Total Recipes: 100
  • Total Pages: 176
  • Recipes Preview: Bacon an BBQ Quiche, Crawfish Enchiladas, Creole Tomato, Crawfish Macaroni and Cheese
  • The Best Recipe We Want To Try: Ham Croquettes with Pear Pepper Jelly

Kevin Bolton, the chef, is recognized as one of the top 30 chefs of Louisiana by the American Culinary Federation. The book has delicious recipes from fantastic Louisiana festivals like the French Market Creole Tomato Festival, the Crescent City Blues and BBQ Festival, and more. Kevin shows you a way to cook that can be incorporated into anything. 

You can find recipes like bacon and barbecue quiche, crawfish macaroni and cheese, ham croquettes with pear pepper jelly, crawfish enchiladas, creole tomato, and other fantastic dishes. The recipes are quick, simple, and easy to follow, especially if you are a beginner with Cajun and Creole recipes, and the food comes out delicious every time. 

Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen

  • Total Pages: 352
  • Recipes Preview: Shrimp Etouffee, Cajun Meatloaf, Shrimp Creole, Turtle Soup
  • The Best Recipe We Want To Try: Cajun Meatloaf

Chef Paul is known as one of America’s best chefs. He authored 7 other cookbooks and hosted television cooking series on cable tv and PBS. Chef Paul made the world known for dishes like etouffee, tasso, and jambalaya when the world had no idea what those words meant. He made Cajun cooking a trend and introduced spice to recipes for many. 

Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen includes Chef Paul’s four kinds of roux, cheese rolls, Cajun meatloaf, Jalapeno and cheese rolls, and shrimp etouffee. He even adds old-fashioned red beans, rice, and the unforgettable sweet potato pecan pie. Chef P tested all his recipes at home, ensuring it is feasible for the ordinary home cook as long as they can handle the loaded amounts of spicing! 

Cajun Cookbook: Discover The Heart Of Southern Cooking With Delicious Cajun Recipes

  • Total Pages: 104
  • Recipes Preview: Quick Cajun Gumbo, Spicy Mayo Salad, Bourbon Street Potato Salad
  • The Best Recipe We Want To Try: 5-Ingredient Creole Stew 

This is the cookbook you want for simple Cajun recipes that keep a robust flavor. It has recipes for pressure cookers and ethnic, cultural, and authentic food. The cookbook offers simple ingredients and easy step-by-step instructions and makes it possible for anyone to throw together delicious Cajun food. 

You will find unique Cajun recipes such as quick Cajun gumbo, jambalaya, Shreveport stew, Louisiana shrimp boil, catfish, and more. It is the cookbook you want for minimal effort, easy-to-find ingredients, and great-tasting food. The recipes are easily amendable for different diets and palette choices. 

Mosquito Supper Club: Cajun Recipes From A Disappearing Bayou

  • Total Pages: 368
  • Recipes Preview: Lucien’s Shrimp Spaghetti, Louisisana Crab Cakes, Oyster Bisque, Ponchatoula Strawberry Pie
  • The Best Recipe We Want To Try: Supper Club Gumbo

Ms. Martin, the author, created this cookbook almost as an album of devotion to her family and a love story to beautiful Louisiana. It is more than a collection of recipes but doesn’t fear that every dish is lovely and nothing in Cajun cuisine is left out. There is a photo of every dish with easy instructions and simple, easily accessible ingredients. 

If you think you know Cajun cooking, you need to get this cookbook. It will introduce you to a whole world of Cajun culture food that has been filtered out in mainstream media and many other recipe books. The recipes take time to make, but they are well worth it, reminding you of authentic, old-fashioned Southern home cooking. Every dish results in a plate of phenomenal tasting food. 

Modern Cajun Cooking: 85 Farm Fresh Recipes With Classic Flavoring

  • Total Recipes: 85
  • Total Pages: 200
  • Recipes Preview: Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo with Fried Okra Dippers, Crawfish Eggs Benedict, Raosted Sweet Potato Pancakes
  • The Best Recipe We Want To Try: Rosemary Grapefruit French Gimlet  

This cookbook was developed by Leigh Ann, author and recipe developer, helping you gain confidence in the kitchen while making recipes from scratch. The recipes are stress-free, delicious, family-friendly, adjustable, and quick to make. 

This is for the modern-day cook who likes to incorporate classic Southern recipes with modern-day dishes. It has recipes like jambalaya pot pies, brie pizza, spicy crawfish boil soup, and even Cajun spiced pork burgers. It is a fusion of traditional flavors and Cajun ingredients. That way, you can enjoy modern Cajun cooking with the whole family anytime, anywhere. 

Justin Wilson Looking Back: A Cajun Cookbook

  • Total Pages: 256
  • Recipes Preview: Baked Mac and Cheese, Okra and Tomatoes and Baked Cabbage Rolls
  • The Best Recipe We Want To Try: Boiled Shrimp In Shell 

Here is a cookbook created by a culinary trendsetter with a collection of some of his favorite recipes from previous cookbooks. He shows development in his cooking style and the Cajun cuisine that he helped influence decades ago. Some recipes in the cookbook date back to the 1960s, yet they still hold up today in the best way. 

This book will cover everything you know or have ever tried, from authentic Cajun cuisine, especially if you have been to Louisiana and had the food there. If you cook every recipe in this book, you will realize that no one will fail you because every one of them comes out finger-licking good – every time! 

Cajun Recipes From Shreveport To New Orleans

  • Total Pages: 104
  • Recipes Preview: Creole Country Hens, Cajun Rice Casserole, Saint Claude Quiche, Fat Tuesday Pecans
  • The Best Recipe We Want To Try: Louisiana Chicken Wings 

Cajun recipes by BookSumo Press is a collection of unique and simple dishes that taste phenomenal. You can find meals like Cajun rice casserole, blackened potato crusted shrimp, Houma potato pie, Cajun pilaf, Baton Rouge bisque, 11-ingredient jambalaya, Cajun aioli, and much more. 

The recipe directions are explained well and easy to follow. They are unique, so you can try new things with the combination of traditional Cajun culture. The cookbook is aimed at simplifying cooking in an effortless nature while still providing delicious, flavorful food. 

The Ultimate Guide Recipes Of Louisiana

  • Total Recipes: 31
  • Total Pages: 54
  • Recipes Preview: Gumbo, Jambalaya, Crawfish, Catfish
  • The Best Recipe We Want To Try: Traditional Gumbo 

Louisiana’s ultimate recipe guide is a beautiful cookbook for everyday treats and meals to add to anyone’s collection. The book has every recipe from chicken to jambalaya. There are so many exciting and authentic recipes to try; it is a great way to dip your toes into Cajun cuisine. 

The recipes are easy to make, they turn out yummy, and you will get to wow your family and friends with every meal you create from the cookbook. Every recipe starts with a table of contents broken into food groups. There are serving amounts, prep and cook time (which are accurate), and a summary of the dish, which is terrific for understanding the dish better. 

Old South Cajun & Creole Cookbook Down Home Southern Recipes

  • Total Recipes: 230+
  • Total Pages: 240
  • Recipes Preview: Vegan Gumbo, Vegan Jambalaya, Vegan Cajun Pasta
  • The Best Recipe We Want To Try: Creole Jambalaya  

Old South offers recipes with everyday ingredients that give you an authentic Southern taste in every meal. It teaches you to use fresh meat, vegetables, and seafood to make hearty meals. The cookbook has old and popular recipes like gumbo, jambalaya, sourdough bread, dessert, and seafood. 

There are over 230 old-fashioned home cooking recipes from scratch. It is like a getaway from the modern-day gourmet dishes for those who crave traditional Cajun and Creole food. There is an entire section on making roux, rubs, sauces, and gravies. There are also vegetarian options, such as green tomato Po’boy without the bacon, and the whole cookbook will remind you of childhood Southern food. 

Plant-Based Vegan Cajun + Creole Cooking Guide

  • Total Recipes: 12
  • Total Pages: 50
  • Recipes Preview: Sourdough Bread, Oyster Bacon Po’Boy, Creole Jambalaya
  • The Best Recipe We Want To Try: Vegan Jambalaya 

If you are vegan but love Cajun and Creole food, this cookbook guide offers 12 amazing simple, transitional recipes for everyone in the plant-based, soy-free, and gluten-free categories. You get to enjoy Southern cooking health-consciously and change the way you think and feel about food with sugar, high fat, and gluten. 

The author illustrates how to prepare and enjoy famous Cajun and Creole dishes using ingredients that suit your dietary needs, restrictions, and budget. The primary components are whole foods with brown rice, quinoa, chickpea flour, and spelt flour. It allows you to enjoy mouthwatering Southern meals without compromising flavor. The recipes are easy to understand and follow through. 

Skinny Louisiana… In The Kitchen

  • Total Pages: 192
  • Recipes Preview: Stuffed Mushrooms, Sizzling Sweet-Potato Fries, Mardi Gras Mambo Cajun Rice Dressing, Skinny Louisiana Cajun Chicken Pasta
  • The Best Recipe We Want To Try: Skinny Crockpot Cajun Bean Soup

Skinny Louisiana is a cookbook created by culinary dietician Shelley Marie Redmond. She researched the method of combining delicious and authentic flavors of Louisiana with the principles of healthy cooking methods. She provides a list of pantry staples and essentials to help you follow through and stick to the plan, like using Greek yogurt instead of butter. 

You get to enjoy hearty recipes of Cajun staples like crawfish bisque, seafood pasta, and jambalaya packed with all the spice and flavors you crave in Cajun culture – but with the added healthy eating benefits. The recipes are easy to follow, give you wonderful ideas you can amend as needed, and each recipe comes out delicious every time.

Chasing the Gator: Isaac Toups And The New Cajun Cooking

  • Total Recipes: 100
  • Total Pages: 240
  • Recipes Preview: Creole Mustard, Trotters and White Beans, Smoked Duck Gumbo
  • The Best Recipe We Want To Try: Braised Lamb Neck with Black Eyed Peas

Now here is a cookbook from the top chef Isaac Toups. He came up with Chasing the Gator as a badass modern Cajun cookbook. It features 100 full-flavor recipes and stories. He portrays how Cajun culture is the last bastion of authentic American regional cooking. He grew up in Louisiana and brought his ancestors and childhood to be the backbone of the cookbook. 

The cookbook teaches you how to stir up a dark roux in only 15 minutes and add Cajun ingenuity to everything. Isaac tells salty stories from his fishing trips while guiding you to create an on-the-fly barbecue pit and enjoy deep, traditional Cajun culture and meals. The entire cookbook is a treat, from the stories to the recipe and the dish of mouthwatering food you end up with. 


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