What is a Creole Tomato?

If you have spent any time in Louisiana, you know we love our food. We enjoy big meals, little meals, and everything in between. We love the tradition of family recipes, finding a great cut of meat, and farmers’ markets offering fresh fruit and vegetables, like Creole tomatoes. What is a Creole tomato you ask?

The Creole tomato is a variety associated with Louisiana, especially around New Orleans. It is more than just a tomato. It is a key ingredient in many traditional Louisiana dishes, adding a robust flavor unique to the region.

Known to thrive in southern Louisiana’s hot, humid climate and rich, fertile soil, Creole tomatoes are typically medium to large. They have a deep red color and a slightly flattened shape. They are known and enjoyed for their firm flesh, juiciness, and perfect balance of sweetness and acidity.

Peak season is typically late spring through summer, and many say the best place to grow these southern favorites is south of Lake Pontchartrain. Louisianians enjoy them so much that there is even a festival to celebrate them, the Creole Tomato Festival in New Orleans.

A versatile ingredient that elevates the flavor of many dishes, this tomato variety is enjoyed on refreshing salads, hearty sandwiches, in flavorful sauces, and zesty salsas, inspiring creativity in the kitchen. They are also a staple in Creole cuisine, adding flavor to dishes like gumbo, jambalaya, and étouffée.

Creole tomatoes have a unique taste making them a loved ingredient in Louisiana cooking and a symbol of southern Louisiana’s rich agricultural heritage. Stop by a local market to grab a few to enjoy or select a dish with Creole tomatoes at a local eaterie when they are in season.