Emeril Lagasse’s Easy 2-Ingredient Snack Is a Southern Staple

When I’m eating at a world-renowned chef’s restaurant, I wouldn’t expect the items on the menu to be made with only five ingredients or less. If something tastes amazing, I immediately assume it’s practically impossible to recreate at home.

I’ve been proved wrong countless times—like with Gordon Ramsay’s lobster risotto—but never as badly as I was at Emeril Lagasse’s restaurant. On a recent visit to the newly renovated Caesars New Orleans hotel, I ate at one of Lagasse’s nine restaurants, Emeril’s Brasserie. Everything I ate, from the French onion soup to peanut butter pie, was delicious, but (ever the easy-to-please home cook) one of my favorite parts of the meal was the simple appetizer of Blue Crab Timbale.

The crab on a bed of avocado was delicious, but what stole the show were the crackers that accompanied the seafood dip: Lagasse’s fire crackers.

I know Lagasse draws from Creole and Cajun cuisine, but who knew he’d be serving an Alabama classic on his menus? And a classic that is so easy it only takes two ingredients?

Emeril Lagasse's Fire Crackers

Fire crackers—also known as Alabama fire crackers—are the easiest way to elevate a boring saltine cracker. Traditionally, they’re made with ranch dressing seasoning to add a zesty flavor and red pepper flakes to add some heat—hence the name “fire.”

However, Lagasse adds a little Louisiana flair to his crackers, which are exclusive to the New Orleans menu, by replacing the ranch dressing packet and red pepper flakes with Cajun seasoning. The seasoning adds a mildly spicy, deep garlicky flavor to the crackers—which makes them so delicious I found myself eating the crackers alone without any crab and avocado.

Lagasse also takes his fire crackers one step further than most recipes. Many recipes don’t call for the fire crackers to be baked—which is what makes them so appealing. Instead, you just marinate the crackers in canola oil and spices for a few hours to incorporate the flavors, then allow them to dry out overnight before serving. If you want a crispier bite, you can bake them or even air fry them for about 15 minutes, but it’s not necessary.

Lagasse, on the other hand, chooses to deep fry his saltines. It may sound over the top, but it’s what takes these crackers to a whole new level of flavor and deliciousness.

The Emeril’s Brasserie team at Caesars New Orleans shared Lagasse’s fire crackers recipe—and it’s as simple as, “Deep fry saltine crackers in 350-degree oil for one minute. Place on a rack and sprinkle with your favorite Cajun seasoning.”

If you don’t want to deep fry the crackers, you can follow the regular fire crackers recipe and simply marinate the crackers in oil and Cajun seasoning before setting them on a baking sheet to dry overnight.

Personally, I could just eat these crackers on their own, but as evidenced by Lagasse’s appetizer, they make a great accompaniment to any dip. Whether you deep fry the crackers or simply replace your ranch seasoning with Cajun spices next time you try fire crackers, you’ll want this easy snack at every and any occasion from here on out.

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