A Simple, Fresh All-Day Cajun Menu

Summer is slowly but surely edging to a close. But that doesn’t mean you have to let up on summer’s bounty of flavorful dishes. Cajun cuisine offers you that summery flavor you crave at any time of the year as it uses an array of simple local foods and spices, many of which have longer growing seasons.

Cajun cuisine originates from the “les Acadians” — French colonists who were pushed out of their adopted home in the Acadia region of Canada and later settled in Louisiana. Since early Cajuns did not have access to many modern luxuries, they made do with what nature proved them.

Cajun food is known for its emphasis on seafood and meat, especially pork, yet many other meatless flavors dominate. Onion, celery and bell pepper are considered the “holy trinity” of Cajun cuisine. Other common ingredients include garlic, paprika, thyme, file (ground sassafras root), parsley and green onions.

You’ll surely find many Cajun ingredients like these already in your fridge and pantry. Instead of grabbing them to make the same old dishes, inject some spice into your meals with our custom Cajun-inspired menu that features mouth-watering vegan dishes from a corn and kidney bean salad to chia caramel pecan pie.

Breakfast

 Vegan Soufflé Omelet

This vegan soufflé omelet serves as a wonderful base for a flavorful Cajun breakfast. Eggs are commonly used in modern-day Cajun-inspired cuisine but if you prefer to go eggless, then this veg recipe is definitely the answer. It’s made with just a few ingredients, all quite healthy, and is simple to whip up. Fill your veg omelet with a mix of onion, bell peppers and paprika and you’ve got yourself a great Cajun start to your morning.

Lunch

Cajun Corn and Kidney Bean Salad

A quick trip to your local farmer’s market will get you what you need for this flavorful Cajun-inspired dish. It offers you simple, earthy flavors like corn, bell pepper, onion, celery, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano and kidney beans while also giving you a nice spice kick with smoked paprika and hot sauce.

Snack

 Cajun Quinoa Cakes

These quinoa cakes have both favorite Cajun ingredients and the highly coveted spice factor. The cakes are easily made from ground flax seeds, vegetable stock, quinoa, red onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic. Plus they’re topped with a delicious lemon-dill sriracha remoulade—a mix of garden, summer and Cajun flavors. Munch on them as a quick snack or prepare them as a full meal with a side of veggies and rice or pasta.

Dinner

 “Chicken” and “Sausage” Gumbo

Gumbo is definitely the quintessential Cajun dish. It fuses both African and Native American influences. A main gumbo ingredient is okra, which this recipe has, and meat, which our featured recipe is definitely without. In place of meat, this gumbo makes use of healthier vegan “chicken” flavored broth, Morning Star chik-n-strips, Tofurkey Italian sausage and vegan fish sauce. It’s the goodness of Cajun cooking made 100% vegan!

Dessert

 Chia Caramel Pecan Pie

Is a chia caramel pecan pie really Cajun? Actually it is considered a traditional Cajun dessert by many many who grew up eating Cajun foods. The addition of caramel gives this pie a more All-American feel while chia offers you a nice health boost of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants.