Jambalaya is the Louisiana rice dish that traditionally combines rice with chicken, sausage, or seafood in one pot.
Jambalaya is prepared by cooking rice with meat, seafood, vegetables, and seasonings so the grains absorb the surrounding flavors. Common ingredients include onions, celery, bell peppers, smoked sausage, chicken, shrimp, and other local seafood.
Two broad styles are commonly identified. Creole jambalaya, associated especially with New Orleans, includes tomatoes, while Cajun jambalaya generally does not. Individual recipes vary, and the boundary between the styles is not absolute.
Jambalaya is often confused with gumbo, but the dishes have different structures. Gumbo is a stew usually served over separately cooked rice; jambalaya cooks the rice in the same pot as the other ingredients. The dish reflects Louisiana’s mixture of African, French, Spanish, Caribbean, and regional American influences.