Creole cuisine is the cooking tradition of Louisiana, especially New Orleans, blending French, Spanish, West African, Caribbean, and Native American influences.
It's built on the "holy trinity" of onion, celery, and bell pepper, and dishes are often thickened with a roux. Signature dishes include gumbo, jambalaya, and étouffée.
Creole cuisine is often confused with the related Cajun cuisine: Creole cooking developed in urban, multi-ethnic New Orleans and tends toward richer techniques and more use of tomatoes, while Cajun cooking developed among rural Acadian settlers, is generally more rustic, and uses tomatoes more sparingly.