Louisiana’s Best-Kept Culinary Secret Is a Dish Out-of-Staters Never Heard Of

The list of unique foods in Louisiana could go on forever. Gumbo, red beans and rice, crawfish étouffée, oysters Rockefeller, bananas Foster, po’boys… Seriously, we could be here a while. While countless foodies from across the globe visit Louisiana to savor the flavor of the Bayou State, there is one traditional Louisiana dish that tends to go overlooked, and that’s the Natchitoches meat pie. It’s one of Louisiana’s official foods, and you need to add it to your culinary bucket list as soon as possible. 

What Is a Natchitoches Meat Pie?

A Natchitoches meat pie (pronounced NACK-UH-TISH) is a regional turnover filled with ground beef, ground pork, vegetables (the holy trinity), and spices. All of these ingredients come together in a pastry dough before being fried to a golden perfection. Think of it like Louisiana’s version of an empanada. They’re the perfect savory handheld snack for festivals, though it’s not uncommon to see them peppering menus across Louisiana, especially in central and northern Louisiana. 

The key to making them at home is prep. The best Natchitoches meat pies need time, and it’s a 2-day process. Make the meat filling the day before and keep it in the fridge so the flavors can come together. Plus, the filling needs to be cool so it doesn’t ruin the pastry dough. It’s not exactly a dish you can make quickly—not, at least, if you’re planning on doing it correctly.

Why This Dish Is So Important in Louisiana

The Natchitoches meat pie originated sometime in the late 1700s and is a perfect example of how Louisiana’s culinary landscape was shaped by diverse cultures. Almost every culture in the world has some version of the meat pie. The Natchitoches meat pie was shaped by a few different cultures that crossed paths during this time: Native Americans, the French, the Spanish, and Creoles. It’s widely believed that Native Americans laid the groundwork, with Spanish soldiers and French settlers adding in their own versions along the way. When you think about the history of Natchitoches and how much Spanish and French influenced the region, it makes sense that these cultures would combine food cultures.

For most of the 19th and 20th centuries, meat pies were sold from home kitchens and pop-up street vendors. They were a popular addition at church fairs and community gatherings, and still are today! It wasn’t until 1967, when James Lasyone opened up Lasyone’s in Natchitoches, that the meat pie was put on the map and gained popularity. In many ways, it was one of the first viral food trends.

Where To Try This Dish in Louisiana

There are plenty of restaurants in Louisiana (and even several gas stations) where you can order meat pies, but I think this is one dish that requires you to go straight to the source, and that’s Lasyone’s in Natchitoches. Lasyone’s continues to serve its iconic Natchitoches meat pies today, and they’ll even ship them right to your door if you can’t make it into the restaurant. They also added a crawfish pie to the menu many years ago, and it’s just as delicious as it sounds. The menu at Lasyone’s includes plenty of local dishes in Louisiana to round out your meal, including crawfish étouffée, chicken and sausage gumbo, and their signature red beans and rice. 

If you can’t make it to Louisiana’s oldest settlement, don’t worry. From Jazz Fest to the Rayne Frog Festival, you can find these handheld treats at just about any festival in Louisiana. They’re kind of the perfect festival food since they’re so portable. Speaking of festivals, the Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival takes place every September, and it’s one of the best free festivals in Louisiana.

Visiting Natchitoches just for the meat pie isn’t a bad idea, though you’ll find plenty of things to do in Natchitoches to keep you entertained. Swing by Kaffie-Frederick, the oldest general store in Louisiana. Just be sure to give yourself enough time in here because this place is massive. And don’t forget that Natchitoches during Christmas is one of the most magical places in the country during the holiday season.