Looking for new orleans food inspiration? Start with sugar-covered beignets, a shrimp po’boy piled high or a bowl of gumbo with rice.
These pictures have plenty to tempt you, from savory plates to colorful desserts.
You can plan a whole meal or just pick something sweet. I especially love the pecan-covered treats, but those saucy shrimp deserve a spot on the list too. Leave a little room for both!
New Orleans Food Ideas Worth Saving
a tower of beignets
We’re starting off strong with this gorgeous pile of beignets. The golden edges are almost hidden beneath all that powdered sugar. I love how they’re stacked a little unevenly instead of lined up on a plate.
For your own serving, try a smaller stack with coffee on the side. Don’t forget the extra napkins!
shrimp and sausage gumbo
How good does this bowl look? There are shrimp, thick sausage slices and chopped vegetables all around that mound of white rice.
The deep brown sauce is dotted with green herbs.
Keep the rice in the middle when you serve yours if you like this same presentation.
étouffée-style rice plate
If you love a saucy rice dish, this one is worth saving. The orange-colored sauce surrounds a tall mound of rice, with little pieces of seafood and chopped herbs throughout.
Those golden toast slices are my favorite extra touch. Add some alongside your own étouffée-style plate for scooping up the sauce.
loaded muffuletta wedges
I am obsessed with the layers in this muffuletta-style sandwich. You can see folded meats, thick pale cheese and chopped olive filling tucked inside the bread.
Cut yours into wedges for a sharing board. A little bowl of mixed olives on the side follows this setup without needing lots of extra dishes.
fried shrimp po’boy
This shrimp po’boy may just be one of my favorites here. I love the golden coating on the shrimp with the shredded lettuce, tomato slices and pickles above it.
The pinkish sauce runs right through the filling. If you’re putting together your own sandwich, spoon your chosen sauce over the shrimp before closing the bread.
red beans rice and sausage
Don’t want a sandwich? This red beans and rice plate gives you another idea to save.
Browned sausage slices sit over the beans, with rice tucked along one side.
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I especially love the sliced green onions scattered over the top. Try that same finishing touch on your own bowl.
chicken and sausage gumbo
This is another gumbo idea, but it’s a little different from the shrimp bowl above. Here, chicken pieces and thick sausage rounds sit in brown sauce beside the rice.
The scalloped dish is so pretty too. Use a shallow bowl if you want the pieces to show rather than disappear beneath the rice.
oysters with lemon and bread
Calling all oyster fans! These oysters have browned edges and a golden, herb-speckled topping, with sauce pooling around the shells.
The lemon wedges and big piece of bread keep the serving simple. I’d keep both if you’re taking inspiration from this plate.
saucy bananas and ice cream
Who else is going straight to dessert? These banana halves sit in a glossy amber sauce with a big scoop of pale ice cream on top.
Save this for a bananas Foster-inspired dessert presentation. I love how the ice cream is already melting into the sauce around the edges.
crawfish corn and potatoes
If you are looking for a spread to share, then this one is for you. Bright red crawfish cover the middle of the table, with yellow corn sections and little potatoes scattered between them.
For your own crawfish spread, use food-safe table paper or a large serving tray. Set out bowls for the empty shells too.
purple green and gold cake
How gorgeous is this Mardi Gras-themed cake? The green tiers have gold-colored diamonds while the purple tiers are covered in curling gold designs.
This is a decorated celebration cake rather than a traditional ring-shaped king cake. For a smaller version, borrow the colors and a single mask decoration instead of the whole towering design.
shrimp over grits
I love this shrimp and grits presentation. The shrimp sit right on top of the pale grits, with tan sauce spooned around them and chopped herbs across the bowl.
A deep oval dish like this is a lovely choice if you want to keep the sauce gathered around the center.
pecan praline platter
These pecan pralines are just too tempting not to include. I love the uneven little edges and all the pecan pieces showing on top.
Pile yours loosely on a platter instead of trying to make a perfect arrangement. The paper doily underneath is a cute touch if you’re putting out sweets for guests.
bread pudding with pecans
If you like a dessert with plenty of sauce, this one is for you. A thick square of bread pudding is topped with chopped pecans while golden sauce pours over the center.
Serve your own portion on a plate with a little rim. You’ll have room for the sauce that gathers around the bottom.
brown soup with green garnish
Sometimes a simple bowl is all you need. This reddish-brown soup has pale crumbles and thin green strips scattered across the top.
The exact soup isn’t clear from the photo, but the serving idea is worth borrowing. Keep the garnish near the center and leave the wide white rim uncluttered.
golden fried tomato rounds
How pretty is this fried green tomato-style platter? The golden breaded rounds sit over leafy greens, with a little bowl of pinkish dipping sauce tucked beside them.
I’d keep the sauce separate just like this. Arrange your slices around the bowl so everyone can reach a piece.
beignets and a café cup
Don’t want the whole beignet tower? No problem!
This little plate has the same generous coating of powdered sugar, with a café cup waiting behind it.
I love this simpler pairing. Save it as inspiration for a sweet breakfast or an afternoon coffee break.
golden breaded bites
These little golden bites would look so cute on a sharing plate. Each one has a rough crumb coating, with loose crumbs scattered over the paper.
The filling isn’t visible, so the photo alone doesn’t confirm whether they’re boudin balls or another fried snack. For a similar serving idea, add a small bowl of your favorite dipping sauce.
a colorful sno-ball
How cute is this piled-high frozen treat? Pink and yellow streaks run through the ice, with a white topping and a bright red cherry above it all.
The colors don’t tell us the exact flavors, but there’s plenty of sno-ball inspiration here. Pick your favorite syrup combination rather than trying to guess this one.
shell-on shrimp skillet
Last but definitely not least, we have this gorgeous skillet of shell-on shrimp. I love the browned lemon halves and the sprigs of herbs tucked between them.
There’s a halved garlic bulb in the pan too, with bread waiting alongside. Keep some bread on your own table for that sauce.