Holidays & Occasions Mardi Gras 50 Classic Mardi Gras Recipes To Let The Good Times Roll You don't have to be in New Orleans to enjoy the party with these recipes. By Lisa Cericola Lisa Cericola Lisa Cericola has been on staff at Southern Living since 2015. As Deputy Editor, Lisa manages the food and travel departments and edits those sections of each issue, as well as digital content. Previously, she was the features editor at Food Network Magazine and has more than 15 years of experience writing, editing, and managing photo shoots for print and digital lifestyle brands. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on January 29, 2024 Close You don't have to visit the Big Easy to enjoy its legendary Cajun and Creole flavors. With these Mardi Gras recipes for appetizers, main dishes, and desserts, every day can be a party. Try classic Mardi Gras recipes like shrimp étouffée, jambalaya, or red beans and rice, or fix something unexpected for a group of party guests like warm gumbo dip or cornbread hush puppies. No collection of Mardi Gras recipes would be complete without sweets. Don't forget to bake up our favorite King Cake recipe, but there's no need to stop there. If you're looking to get creative with desserts this year, try our Praline-Cream Cheese King Cake or King Cake Beignets; both are guaranteed to impress. Then of course, there's the crème de la crème of the dessert spread, our Praline Cream-Beignet Tower. Take a look through our best Fat Tuesday recipes and start planning your menu—there'll be something for everyone at this Mardi Gras feast. The Real Meaning Behind The Mardi Gras King Cake 01 of 50 Mardi Gras King Cake Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox Try this classic King Cake recipe at home for a taste of the Big Easy in your own kitchen. Get The Recipe 02 of 50 Chicken-Andouille Gumbo Iain Bagwell Andouille is a classic southeastern Louisiana ingredient – the best of this spicy pork sausage can can be found in the produce stands that line highways down in the lower portions of the state. This classic Cajun gumbo makes enough to please the crowd of out-of-towners that ascend down to the Louisiana boot during the weeks leading up to Mardi Gras. Make it ahead of time, and stock your freezer with the rich Cajun gumbo. Get The Recipe 03 of 50 Mini Muffuletta Sandwiches Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Invented at a New Orleans institution, Central Grocery, the Muffuletta sandwich combines the best of Italian and Creole food into one filling and very unique sandwich. Get The Recipe 04 of 50 Shrimp And Grits Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless This storied recipe is the right pick for a Mardi Gras weekend brunch or a favorite dish to eat on Mardi Gras if you don't have the time for a roux and gumbo. Get The Recipe 05 of 50 Instant Pot Jambalaya Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas This quick Jambalaya may taste like it's straight from the Big Easy, but it comes together faster than you can finish a hurricane cocktail. Get The Recipe 06 of 50 Crawfish Étouffée Greg DuPree Étouffée (pronounced ay-too-fay) is French for "smothered," and this dish is just that – crawfish smothered in a creamy, rich sauce that you can only get in Southeastern Louisiana. Get The Recipe 07 of 50 Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Kay E. Clarke; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey Don't have hours to wait? Use an Instant Pot to make this classic Creole dish in a flash without sacrificing flavor. Get The Recipe 08 of 50 Crawfish Dip Greg DuPree If you have some leftover crawfish tails but aren't in the mood for an entrée, this is a unique (and easy!) way to use them. Filled with flavor from a variety of spices, guests will be wowed by the flavor of this simple dish that lets the slow cooker do most of the work. Get The Recipe 09 of 50 Creole Seafood Jambalaya Juicy shrimp, meaty bacon, and tender sausage all come together in a favorite jambalaya. Get The Recipe 10 of 50 Cajun Mac And Cheese Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey This creamy macaroni and cheese has a nice kick thanks to Andouille sausage, pepper Jack cheese, and Cajun seasoning. Get The Recipe 11 of 50 New Orleans Beignets Micah A. Leal If you've never been to New Orleans, you can still get a taste of its cuisine with our recipe for New Orleans beignets, the official state doughnut of Louisiana. Get The Recipe 12 of 50 Hot Crawfish Dip Will Dickey A creamy base for this dip bolsters the flavor and texture of sweet, tender crawfish instead of overpowering it. Get The Recipe 13 of 50 Shrimp-and-Sausage Gumbo Photo: Iain Bagwell When this smoky, spicy, classic shrimp and sausage gumbo is ready, it's best served over a bed of herbed rice. Get The Recipe 14 of 50 Crawfish Boil Greg DuPree Nothing screams spring in New Orleans quite like a crawfish boil. Let our recipe make yours easier than ever. Get The Recipe 15 of 50 Jambalaya Stacy K. Allen, Props: Josh Hoggle, Food Stylist: Melissa Gray Build deep flavors in Jambalaya by sautéing the aromatic trinity of onion, celery, and pepper in the Andouille drippings with herbs, garlic, and spices. Make a double batch of cooked rice to spin this inexpensive staple into countless meals. Get The Recipe 16 of 50 Chicken-and-Sausage Gumbo Southern Living There are countless ways to make a good gumbo, but chicken and sausage might be our favorite. There's something about the simplicity of cooked chicken and spicy sausage simmered in a homemade roux that's pure comfort in a spoon. Get The Recipe 17 of 50 Brennan's Bananas Foster Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Karin Olsen Bananas Foster was invented in a New Orleans restaurant, and it is still a favorite dessert in Louisiana and across the South for its unmatched richness and sugar-sweet flavor. Get The Recipe 18 of 50 Muffuletta Deviled Eggs Hector Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham A twist on two classic Southern favorites, this deviled egg rendition will stand out on your appetizer table during Mardi Gras. They're bite-size versions of our favorite Italian sandwiches! Get The Recipe 19 of 50 Slow-Cooker Red Beans and Rice Howard Lee Puckett According to an age-old tradition, Red Beans and Rice are eaten on Mondays in Louisiana. If it's Monday and you forgot to soak your beans overnight, but you are still craving the savory dish, then this recipe can be whipped up in your slow cooker with minimal effort. Get The Recipe 20 of 50 King Cake Monkey Bread Easily made with a can of cinnamon rolls, this sweet and Southern recipe is a modern twist on a classic king cake. Get The Recipe 21 of 50 Mini Crab Cakes with Cajun Sauce Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall These crab cakes pack a serious flavor punch in one bite-size appetizer. Topped off with Cajun Sauce, you're sure to love this recipe. Get The Recipe 22 of 50 Praline-Cream Cheese King Cake Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop styling: Claire Spollen; Food styling: Chelsea Zimmer Toasted pecans and rich cream cheese make this King Cake irresistibly delicious. Get The Recipe 23 of 50 Cornbread Crab Cakes This recipe combines two of our favorite Southern dishes: crab cakes and cornbread. It's truly the best of both worlds. Get The Recipe 24 of 50 Crispy Andouille Hush Puppies Hector Manuel Sanchez This crunchy, bite-size cuisine is the perfect side dish for any barbecue or fish fry. Get The Recipe 25 of 50 New Orleans Red Beans and Rice Southern Living Quintessentially Southern, this Red Beans and Rice dish is simple, classic, and oh-so delicious. Get The Recipe 26 of 50 Praline Cream-Beignet Tower Photo: Linda Pugliese This Praline Cream-Beignet Tower is much easier than it looks. Delicious and striking, it's sure to impress your Mardi Gras guests. Get The Recipe 27 of 50 King Cake Beignets Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Two Mardi Gras sweet treats—king cake and beignets—combine to make one adorable and delicious dish for your Fat Tuesday menu. Get The Recipe 28 of 50 Jambalaya de Covington Jambalaya de Covington This recipe came from Covington, Louisiana, the parish seat of St. Tammany Parish, north of Lake Pontchartrain, in 1987, and it's just as delicious today. Get The Recipe 29 of 50 Emily's Red Beans and Rice Peter Frank Edwards New Orleans Chef Alon Shaya is the main cook of the house, but his wife Emily's red beans and rice are the star of the show. Get The Recipe 30 of 50 Homemade Moon Pies Shelbie Tunnell Sure, you can catch Moon Pies from a float during Mardi Gras, but why not spend an afternoon with the kids making this copycat recipe from scratch? Get The Recipe 31 of 50 Shrimp Creole Southern Living This Louisiana classic truly packs a punch, but those who like extra spice, toss in a little hot sauce or crushed red pepper. Get The Recipe 32 of 50 Creole Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce Jennifer Davick This dessert recipe comes from the Queen of Creole Cuisine herself, Leah Chase. Get The Recipe 33 of 50 Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya Greg DuPree Serve your family a warm and comforting Creole dinner with this easy take on jambalaya. Get The Recipe 34 of 50 Foil Packet Red Beans and Rice Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry Foil packet dinners are an ingenious way to make a filling dinner with barely any cleanup afterward. Get The Recipe 35 of 50 Grilled Cajun Shrimp Kabobs with Sausage Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer This 20-minute recipe is perfect for an al fresco dinner with the family. Serve the kabobs over rice or grits for a full meal. Get The Recipe 36 of 50 King Cake Bread Pudding with Chicory Ice Cream Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox This dessert mashup recipe is the sweetest ode to New Orleans you could serve. Get The Recipe 37 of 50 Sheet Pan Jambalaya Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner We did it y'all: We figured out how to get you all that spicy, classic jambalaya flavor in one easy pan and just 35 minutes. Get The Recipe 38 of 50 Seafood Gumbo Packed with seafood, this classic Creole gumbo is one of our best heart-warming seafood dishes to date. The more spices, the better. Get The Recipe 39 of 50 Mini King Cake Cupcakes Jennifer Davick; Prop Styling: Lydia Degaris-Pursell; Food Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns Why risk everyone not getting a slice of king cake this Fat Tuesday? Make these personal, mini versions of the classic dessert instead. Get The Recipe 40 of 50 Shrimp Étouffée Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas To make the meal come together even faster, you can cook the rice ahead of time and reheat it before serving. Once dinner's done, all you'll need is some hot sauce and plenty of crusty bread for mopping up all the rich, velvety sauce. Get The Recipe 41 of 50 Pecan Pralines Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Torie Cox New Orleans is famous for their pecan pralines, a sugary confection balanced with toasty pecans. Make your own as gifts or Mardi Gras treats. Get The Recipe 42 of 50 Fried Shrimp-and-Okra Po'Boys Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Po'boys are a classic Louisiana sandwich, and our recipe packs them full of shrimp and okra, a delicious combination. Get The Recipe 43 of 50 Collard Green Creole Dirty Rice Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Mary-Claire Britton You don't have to spend all day over the stove to make this fantastic side dish, which is infused with the Creole flavors you know and love. Get The Recipe 44 of 50 Smoked Turkey-and-Andouille Gumbo Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Torie Cox You may think you have all the gumbo recipes you need, but one taste of this recipe, and you'll be thinking again. Get The Recipe 45 of 50 Big-Batch Cajun Lemonade PHOTO: ANTONIS ACHILLEOS; PROP STYLIST: CHRISTINE KEELY; FOOD STYLIST: EMILY NABORS HALL A touch of heat characterizes this fantastic quencher, which makes enough to treat a crowd. Get The Recipe 46 of 50 Leah Chase's Gumbo Z'Herbes Robbie Caponetto Many of Leah Chase's recipes are New Orleans classics, but one of the best might be her remarkable Gumbo Z'Herbes. Get The Recipe 47 of 50 Shrimp-and-Andouille Gumbo Dip Brian Woodcock; Styling: Rachael Burrow Kick off your party with a decadent dip. This Shrimp-and-Andouille Gumbo dip will do just the trick. Get The Recipe 48 of 50 Cajun Shrimp Boil Pasta Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay. E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox If you're hoping to make a Mardi Gras-inspired recipe for a weeknight dinner, look to this pasta recipe, which is filled with the flavors of a Cajun shrimp boil. Get The Recipe 49 of 50 Old Bay Rémoulade with Crudités and Shrimp For lighter fare that still has the zing of flavor you crave, whip up a rémoulade and a selection of your favorite crudités for swirling. Get The Recipe 50 of 50 Crawfish Rolls Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell Nothing beats a handheld roll for a party, and these are stuffed with the most flavorful herby crawfish filling. Get The Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit