This sweet and tangy marinated Mardi Gras Salad features the traditional colors of a Fat Tuesday celebration: purple, green, and gold. It's served cold with a crisp bite, perfect for Mardi Gras season, but can be enjoyed anytime.
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Mardi Gras And Lent
The traditional Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday festivities are near and dear to many Cajuns since it marks the day before entering the Lenten season. That's why there's much celebrating with costumes, parades, and good food. It's one last party before Lent.
Lent is the time set to consecrate the heart, remembering the forty days Jesus fasted in the desert. Similarly, the season lasts about forty days, starting with Ash Wednesday and ending on Easter Sunday to commemorate our Lord's resurrection from the grave. A day most worthy of celebration!
For more recipes to go with this salad all year round, check out 20 Cajun Thanksgiving Recipes For Your Holiday Menu. From appetizers to desserts, they may steer you away from your traditional Thanksgiving meal, but they won't disappoint!
And for more New Orleans-inspired recipes, here are 24 Mardi Gras Food Recipes.
Making The Mardi Gras Salad
This beautiful salad is so easy to assemble. It all starts with making the vinegar and oil dressing with sugar and turmeric. You may be expecting paprika, but turmeric is delicious and good for fighting inflammation. I like incorporating it into my diet as much as possible, and this is a delightful way.
Next is the simple task of blanching frozen green peas and fresh asparagus. The veggies are then tossed with the dressing then marinated in the refrigerator for hours.
More Recipes From Louisiana Woman Blog!
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- How To Boil Crawfish
- Muffuletta Pasta Salad
- Crawfish Nachos
- Shrimp Okra Gumbo
- Shrimp Creole
- 24 Mardi Gras Food Recipes
Mardi Gras Salad With Asparagus
This brightly colored marinated salad of purple, gold, and green are the colors of Mardi Gras. It makes a delicious addition to any meal any time of year.
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: serves 6
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon water
- ½ cup vegetable oil
Salad
- 1 bunch of fresh asparagus, cleaned, snapped, and cut into fourths; see notes
- 1 16-ounce bag frozen green peas
- 2 cups thinly sliced celery
- 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
- 1 small purple onion, sliced thin
- 1 4-ounce jar chopped pimientos
Instructions
- Add all ingredients for the dressing except for the oil into a quart jar; close the lid, shake well, open the jar, add the oil, and shake some more; set aside.
- Pour water into a large pot, fill the pot halfway, and bring water to a boil.
- Place asparagus and peas into boiling water and cook for 3 minutes.
- Remove vegetables from heat and drain vegetables into a colander, rinse with cold water.
- Put the rest of the salad ingredients with cooked vegetables into a large sealable container and pour dressing over the salad.
- Toss the ingredients together and store them, sealed in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours before serving.
Notes
- Snap the asparagus toward the end of the spear to get rid of the tough part.
- Store covered in the refrigerator for up to five days.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Category: salads
- Method: mixing
- Cuisine: American
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It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness and pain of someone unloved in our own home. Bring love into your home for this is where our love for each other must start.
Mother Teresa
Lisa Atkins says
Yes...this looks and sounds awesome. I am ready for a new salad....broccoli salad recipe is getting old.
Bonnie says
This was a wonderful salad and I am passing recipe along. I doubled the recipe (10 guests) and it turned out wonderful with leftovers for everyone to take home. I did make the dressing in (2) separate batches. The combination of vegetables and flavors (sweet/sour) just made the salad. I was on a time crunch and only had it marinate for 4 hours, but it was fantastic. It tastes just as good the next day as it did the first. Definitely will serve this again, a real crowd pleaser. Thank you.
Louisiana Woman says
So glad you liked it and that it was a blessing to your table! Thanks for letting me know and thanks for passing it on.
irecruitb4iretire says
GREAT recipe! I brought it to a Mardi Gras Party and they loved it. I marinated for 6 hours, and it was really good. But I think it was even better the next day. The real test in knowing if someone really likes it? They ask for the recipe! And 2 people asked for the recipe. I doubled the ingredients but kept the same amount of dressing. Very yummy!!!
Louisiana Woman says
Awe, thank you! Sounds like it was a hit. Glad to know about only needing half of the dressing when doubling the recipe. I will put it in the recipe notes. Thanks again!
Peggy Moss says
Do you have book in print?
Louisiana Woman says
No, not yet! Thanks. ?