Creole tomato recipes!

Bursting with flavor and South Louisiana sunshine

The Louisiana Creole tomato is legendary no matter how you slice it. But what makes it so special? For starters, it’s not a specific cultivar that makes a tomato ‘Creole,’ but rather it’s the soil that it grows in. Tomatoes must be grown in the rich, alluvial Mississippi River delta soil south of Lake Pontchartrain (which borders New Orleans) to be considered Creole, according to second-generation Creole-tomato farmer Ben Becnel. Plus, since they’re sold locally, they can ripen on the vine – which means you will be enjoying a really rich and juicy, great-tasting tomato.

Ben and Ben Becnel's Market, shelves with jams, jellies and boxes of creole tomatoes with store sign in background.

Creole Tomatoes on display at Ben & Ben Becnel’s Louisiana Farmers Market.

4 Delicious Creole tomato recipes to celebrate the season

Creole tomato season starts around May and can last through January if there’s not a hard freeze, and locals celebrate them all season long at their kitchen tables, on restaurant menus, and even with a festival. Plus, it’s no secret that where there’s a sliced Creole tomato, the Blue Plate Mayonnaise won’t be far away! Here are some great recipes that are sure to bring juicy Creole tomato flavor to your table.