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Home » Sweets-recipes

25 Mardi Gras Food Recipes To Help You Celebrate

Published: Jan 21, 2023 · Modified: Feb 15, 2024 by Louisiana Woman · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

Join in on the Fat Tuesday festivities with 25 Mardi Gras Food Recipes. No matter where you are in this great, big, beautiful world, you can experience a taste of Southern Louisiana's rich tradition. Feast yourself before the fasting Lenten season with these classic Mardi Gras recipes.

A collage of favorite dishes from 24 Mardi Gras Food Recipes.

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Jump to:
  • Mardi Gras Food Recipes Fit For A King!
  • Mardi Gras APPETIZERS to Start With
  • SALADS on the Lighter Side
  • MAIN DISHES
  • LAGNIAPPE! (Something Extra)
  • SWEETS for the finish
  • Comments

Mardi Gras Food Recipes Fit For A King!

Mardi Gras celebration in Cajun country wasn't always an elaborate carnival season as it is today. This Catholic holiday is observed the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, a time of consecration during the weeks before Easter.

That's how it was at our house: a fun day (no school) spent with family and friends. Sometimes, the biggest celebrations were attending the Kaplan Mardi Gras parade, but we usually settled for family dinners with our favorite Cajun cuisines (many from the list below) for a simpler observance. 

The traditional Mardi Gras originated in medieval Europe and is prevalent throughout Louisiana because of the strong influence of Catholicism. Today, Mardi Gras is a festival of parades and parties celebrated worldwide starting weeks before Ash Wednesday.

With many tourists pouring into New Orleans and other festival cities, the foods of Louisiana have become synonymous with Mardi Gras. Here are 25 traditional and not-so-traditional Cajun and Creole recipes appropriate for Mardi Gras season.

Click the highlighted dish's name above its picture, and you'll be taken to the recipe post. Enjoy!

Mardi Gras APPETIZERS to Start With

Muffuletta Cheese Ball

A cheese ball covered with chopped chives on a plate with crackers for Mardi Gras Food Recipes.

This Muffuletta Cheese Ball is like the New Orleans classic muffuletta sandwich. Spread it on a cracker or cut veggies for a quick and easy snack food fit for a Mardi Gras party or any occasion! The flavors of salty olive salad, provolone cheese, and salami meld with cream cheese and Italian seasonings make for an appetizing appetizer.

Crawfish Nachos

A dish of cheesy crawfish dip on top of tortilla chips with lime slices for Mardi Gras Food Recipes.

Spicy Cajun seasoning and cheesiness are in these Crawfish Nachos. Along with tasty bites of crawfish, you'll find the flavors of lime, cilantro, and more jalapeno peppers. Yes, more!

Cajun Roasted Pecans

Roasted pecans in a star-shaped bowl for Mardi Gras Food Recipes.

These Roasted Pecans are buttery, crispy, and SPI-CEY! It takes some unique Louisiana flavors and only minutes to roast these nuts into delicious snackers. Make sure you have plenty of pecans before you start; you'll want to make multiple batches to keep and share!

Chunky Cheesy Creamy Crawfish Dip

A bowl of Chunky Cheesy Creamy Crawfish Dip with tortilla chips for Mardi Gras Food Recipes.

This Crawfish Dip is perfect for parties or as an appetizer before a meal. You can serve this spicy dip with chips or crackers for a memorable gathering. Yum

Cajun Firecracker Ranch Crackers

A bowl is full of seasoned saltine crackers.

These spicy crackers are baked saltines packed with flavor. They're easy to make and a great Mardi Gras food recipe for your party. Oh, yeah, and with a link of hot boudin, too. Smack! 

SALADS on the Lighter Side

My Mardi Gras Salad

My Mardi Gras Salad is a tossed salad of peas, asparagus, onions, and peppers for Mardi Gras Food Recipes.

With bright and festive colors of purple, gold, and green, here's a tasty marinated dish tossed in a sweet and tangy dressing. Fat Tuesday reminds me of celebrations with parades, as does this fun salad I discovered years ago. It's perfect for Mardi Gras season and anytime, especially during the holidays.

Muffuletta Pasta Salad

A large bowl of muffuletta pasta salad for Mardi Gras Food Recipes.

Like the famous New Orleans muffuletta sandwich, this Muffuletta Pasta Salad packs a punch of flavor. It has the same combination of spicy cold cuts, Italian cheeses, and salty olives found in that classic muffuletta recipe from the Big Easy. The salad is perfect for a light lunch, appetizer, or side dish at any meal.

Easy Crab Salad

A bowl of mock crab meat in a salad.

Whether picnicking or eating in, this Easy Crab Salad will satisfy your hunger for something light and refreshing. It has flavorful veggies, imitation or real crab meat dressed in a creamy mayo and Greek yogurt dressing spiked with hot sauce.

MAIN DISHES

GUMBOS, SOUPS, and a BISQUE

Chicken Gumbo Recipe: Classic Cajun

A white bowl full of rice, potato salad, sausage, and a chicken leg made from the Chicken Gumbo, Simply Classic Cajun recipe.

Gumbo is the most well-known classic dish of all Cajun meals, and this Chicken Gumbo recipe is a traditional sausage gumbo from my Momma's kitchen. It's easy to follow and makes good gumbo every time.

Shrimp Okra Gumbo Recipe: Made With Smothered Okra

A bowl of Shrimp Okra Gumbo with rice for Mardi Gras Food Recipes.

The combination of shrimp and okra makes Shrimp Okra Gumbo a unique dish. The classic Cajun recipe thickens with smothered okra instead of a traditional flour and oil roux. This makes a healthful, gluten-free recipe. You can serve it as a main dish, a side dish, or a most amazing appetizer.

Seafood Gumbo

A bowl full of Seafood Gumbo

Nothing compares to my Momma's seafood gumbo! So far, I have not tasted one as good as hers. That's why I'm happy to share her recipe with you in hopes you become a fan of her seafood gumbo, too!

Shrimp And Corn Soup

A white bowl filled with Shrimp And Corn Soup for Mardi Gras Food Recipes.

A steamy bowl of Shrimp and Corn Soup is the perfect antidote for bone-chilling, wet winter days. This soup is a favorite dish in south Louisiana made with its spicy tomatoey broth that balances the sweetness of the corn and shrimp flavor. Warmth for the body, good for the soul!

Seafood Bisque

A spoon in a blue bowl of seafood bisque with lumps of crab and shrimp. on a wooden table with small salt and pepper shakers.


A delicious creamy seafood bisque with lumps of crabmeat and shrimp flavored with a kick of cayenne pepper and a hint of sherry. So good!

STEWS and ETOUFFEE

Crawfish Etouffee Recipe: To Étouffée Is To Smother

A serving of Crawfish Étouffée on white rice.

The Crawfish Étouffée is a classic Cajun dish that cooks the holy trinity of onions, celery, and green bell peppers in butter, smothering the seafood with this flavorful buttery sauce. Serve it over a bed of white rice. Ca c'est Bon! You can substitute the crawfish with shrimp for delicious shrimp étouffée. 

Va Vite Red Beans and Rice

A plateful of white rice topped with "Va Vite" Red Beans And Rice for Mardi Gras Food Recipes.

Va Vite means "go quickly" in Cajun French, a fitting name for these Red Beans And Rice made in the Instant Pot. This dish is flavored with spicy sausage, adding pizzaz to the sauce served over white rice. Traditionally this New Orleans meal is served on Mondays, known as wash day. Perfect for a list of Mardi Gras Food ideas. 

Shrimp Creole

A pot of shrimp creole garnished with lemon wedges for Mardi Gras Food Recipes.

Shrimp Creole is a spicy-delicious thick stew. You make it with a slow-cooked tomatoey sauce flavored with seasonings, fresh herbs, and the Cajun trinity.

Pork Jambalaya With Sausage: A Traditional Cajun Dish

A pot of Pork Jambalaya.


Cooking authentic Cajun food should be a simple and convenient experience, just like this Pork Jambalaya recipe. If you can chop vegetables and stir in a pot, you can make this tantalizing rib-sticking meal of tender pork, smoked sausage, and perfectly seasoned rice. 

Comforting Cajun Meastball Stew

A white plate of cajun meatball stew over rice.

If you're looking for a satisfying meal to feed your family, I highly recommend this Cajun Meatball Stew. The moist and tender meatballs cooked in a dark, rich roux gravy are another one of those creative meals with Cajun flavors birthed from necessity.

LAGNIAPPE! (Something Extra)

How To Boil Crawfish: With Helpful Tips

Bowl with dip and crackers in a pan of crawfish for Mardi Gras Food Recipes.

A crawfish boil is a Cajun's delight and makes for a great Mardi Gras party. It's my pleasure to share our family's methodology on how to boil crawfish. I have included helpful tips and a short video on peeling those tasty tails at your next crawfish boil. 

Barbecue Shrimp Bowl

Cooked shrimp, sausage, and mushrooms in a spicy sauce in a pan stirred with a wooden spoon.

If you're a fan of the southern shrimp dish, barbecue shrimp, tune in to this Barbecue Shrimp Bowl recipe. It has all the flavor of the saucy New Orleans classic with spicy andouille sausage and a bit of lagniappe. That means something extra!

Crawfish Pot Pie, A cajun Delight

A spoonful of Crawfish Pot Pie with pot pies.

This crawfish dish is a special treat, like the famous Louisiana crawfish pie. It's filled with tasty crawfish in a spicy and luscious sauce, topped with a buttery puffed crust. The filling has a few unique ingredients that put it above the rest. You may find yourself making double batches 'cause they're just that good!

SWEETS for the finish

King Cake Recipe: A Traditional Version

A King Cake with colored sugars of purple, green, and gold for Mardi Gras Food Recipes.

The rich traditions of Louisiana are fun to explore, mainly when they include celebratory foods like this traditional King Cake Recipe. It's filled with the classic flavors of cinnamon sugar swirled in tender bread dough, baked to perfection, and then iced with sprinkles of purple, green, and gold sugar. It's the perfect Mardi Gras King cake for the list of mardi Gras food recipes!

Cajun Cake, An Immoderate Indulgence

A piece of Cajun Cake on a purple plate and a bite-sized piece on a fork for Mardi Gras Food Recipes.

I'm excited to bring you this luscious cake recipe, the Cajun Cake. It's a "made from scratch" treat of simple ingredients you may already have in your kitchen. Its canned pineapple and coconut topping make it a moist and easy-to-make dessert.

Galette Des Rois: Traditional French King Cake Recipe

A round pastry cake with a slice cut out exposing a whole almond.

This traditional Galette Des Rois of northern France is an original king cake. It's a simple and easy-to-make pâtisserie of golden buttery puff pastry. The filling is a creamy frangipane tucked with a hidden prize and full of meaningful symbolism.

Noelie's Pecan Pralines, Homemade Cajun Candy

A dish of pecan pralines next to a festive mini-snow man statue.

My Maw Maw Noelie's Pecan pralines are among many favorite sweet treats in Cajun cooking. This homemade candy is cooked with white sugar, evaporated milk, and pecans. The creamy, fudge-like candy is melt-in-your-mouth good.

And That's a Wrap of 25 Mardi Gras Food Recipes, Enjoy!

Collage of 4 mardi gras dishes.

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Have a nice day!

“Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."  

Nehemiah 8:10

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At Louisiana Woman Blog, I share recipes and stories about life in South Louisiana. The food here is authentic and easy to prepare. I hope you enjoy a taste of my rich Cajun heritage with recipes that preserve the precious culture of South Louisiana.

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Collage of 4 mardi gras dishes.