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    Home » Holidays » Mardi Gras

    27 Mardi Gras Recipes and Menu Ideas 2025

    Modified: Jan 22, 2025 · Published: Jan 11, 2024 by Sharon Rigsby · 2 Comments

    Pinterest pin collage with four images including gumbo, hurricane cocktail, boulettes, and jambalaya.

    Let the good times roll (laissez les bon temps rouler) with this ultimate collection of 27 Traditional and Classic Mardi Gras Recipes and Menu Ideas for 2025!

    From Cajun and Creole-inspired dishes to iconic New Orleans favorites, these recipes are perfect for celebrating Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday whether you’re soaking up the festivities in New Orleans or bringing the party to your own home.

    I’ve teamed up with my sister Chula from the Pudge Factor Blog to curate these mouthwatering recipes. Each one includes easy step-by-step instructions and, in most cases, helpful videos to ensure your cooking experience is as stress-free as possible.

    A collage of five different Mardi Gras dishes including a King Cake and Hurricane.

    From King Cake and beignets to savory classics like gumbo, jambalaya, and shrimp étouffée, this collection has everything you need to capture the spirit of Mardi Gras.

    Whether you’re planning a Mardi Gras menu for a crowd or need ideas for a festive lunch, dinner, appetizer, or dessert, you’ll find plenty of inspiration here. And even if you’re not celebrating Mardi Gras, these quick and easy recipes are perfect for any special occasion or to surprise your family and friends with a taste of New Orleans cuisine.

    Get ready to dive into this delicious roundup of Cajun and Creole recipes, Mardi Gras desserts, and more. Let’s celebrate in style with dishes that bring the flavors of the Big Easy straight to your table!

    Hurricane Cocktail

    A hurricane cocktail garnished with cherries.

    Hurricane Cocktails were first created at the legendary Pat O’Brien’s Bar in New Orleans in the 1940s as a creative way of utilizing large stocks of rum. Legend has it that the Hurricane got its name because the cocktail was first served in the glass piece of a hurricane lamp. And, as they say, the rest is history.

    Hurricane Cocktail

    Cajun Shrimp and Grits

    Cajun shrimp and grits in a white bowl garnished with chopped parsley.

    Easy Cajun Shrimp and Grits is a classic Southern shrimp and grits recipe. It features creamy parmesan cheese grits topped with perfectly seasoned, sautéed Cajun shrimp swimming in a decadent sauce with butter, garlic, and lemon juice.

    Cajun Shrimp and Grits

    Blackened Chicken Alfredo with Pasta (Cajun)

    Blackened Chicken Alfredo on a bed of fettuccine.

    Blackened Chicken Alfredo is the ultimate comfort food and features juicy chicken breasts coated in a deliciously spicy, homemade Cajun blackening seasoning.

    They are then pan-seared to perfection and served on a bed of fettuccine pasta smothered in a creamy Alfredo sauce.

    Blackened Chicken Alfredo

    Cajun Onion Strings with Spicy Dipping Sauce

    Cajun Onion Strings with a bowl of dipping sauce.

    Crispy Cajun Onion Strings with Spicy Dipping Sauce are as easy to make as they are addictive to eat. The Onion Strings are amazing on their own and delicious when piled high on a juicy burger or as a crunchy topping for your favorite casserole.

    Cajun Onion Stings

    Ultimate Oysters Rockefeller – Grits and Pinecones

    Ultimate Oysters Rockefeller is for you if you are looking for an outstanding appetizer to impress your guests or a light, healthy dinner entree! This classic dish is a must-try for seafood lovers and, like my recipe for Southern Crispy Fried Oysters, is perfect for showcasing oysters’ briny and succulent flavors.

    Oysters Rockefeller
    Three oysters Rockefeller on a bed of rock salt.

    Creole Seafood Jambalaya 

    A white serving bowl full of seafood jambalaya.

    Creole Seafood Jambalaya with succulent shrimp, tender chicken, and spicy andouille sausage is an easy, make-ahead, flavorful, one-pot recipe.

    Found all along the Gulf Coast but especially in New Orleans and Southern Louisiana, this seafood jambalaya also includes perfectly seasoned long grain rice, iconic “holy trinity vegetables,” luscious tomatoes, and the bold punch of Creole seasoning.

    Creole Seafood Jambalaya

    Lemon Bliss Bundt Cake

    Lemon Bliss Bundt Cake with with slices showing yellow, green and purple swirled throughout the cake..

    Brighten your celebrations with this rich and moist Lemon Bliss Bundt Cake. It feels like springtime and tastes amazing under a layer of lemon glaze. Every piece is a surprise. Laissez les bon temps rouler!

    Lemon Bliss Bundt Cake

    Easy Mardi Gras Hot Muffuletta Dip

    Easy Mardi Gras Hot Muffuletta Dip-7

    This easy hot muffuletta dip is a tantalizing dip made with tasty green olives, salami, provolone cheese, and tangy giardiniera. These yummy ingredients are combined with cream cheese to make a hot and delicious dip that is guaranteed to make you swoon and is perfect for a party.

    Hot Muffuletta Dip

    Bite-Size King Cakes

    Bite-sized king cake with Mardi Gras colors and a baby.

    Bite-Sized King Cakes are the perfect solution for those who want to enjoy the traditional taste of King Cake but on a much smaller scale. They are a fun and convenient option for Mardi Gras parties, festivities, or just a sweet treat.

     I like to package my Bite-Sized King Cakes in clear plastic bags tied with purple, green, and yellow ribbon with Mardi Gras beads for an added treat to give to coworkers or friends.

    Bite Sized King Cakes

    Mardi Gras Macaroons

    Green and Purple Mardi Gras Macaroons on a plate.

    Laizzez les bons temps rouler with these melt-in-your-mouth macarons filled with a light and airy lemon buttercream.

    Mardi Gras Macarons

    Southern BBQ Shrimp and Cheese Grits

    BBQ Shrimp and Cheese Grits in a black cast iron pan garnished with parsley and lemon slices

    One taste of Southern BBQ Shrimp and Cheese Grits, a divine combination of creamy parmesan cheese grits and succulent, briny gulf shrimp sautéed in a bold and spicy BBQ sauce, and you will be transported to the French Quarter in New Orleans!

    BBQ Shrimp and Grits

    Shrimp Étouffée

    Shrimp Etoufee in a white bowl over rice.

    Shrimp Étouffée is classic New Orleans at its best. It’s perfect for your Fat Tuesday dinner with spicy shrimp cooked in a delicious roux-based sauce.

    Shrimp Etouffee

    Homemade Pecan Praline Ice Cream

    Pecan Pralines and Cream Ice Cream in a glass bowl on red and white napkins

    A festive and decadent holiday dessert, luscious Pecan Pralines and Ice Cream will make a sweet ending to any meal! Sometimes it’s called Pralines and Cream Ice Cream, or even simply Praline Ice Cream, but no matter what you call it, the combination of pralines and cream is the perfect balance of richness and sweetness. 

    Pecan Praline Ice Cream

    Mardi Gras King Cake

    A mardi gras king cake decorated in yellow, green, and purple.

    The King Cake is a quintessential confection that is decorated in Mardi Gras colors. Traditionally, a tiny plastic baby is hidden in the King Cake. Whoever ends up with the baby is named “King” for a day and bound by custom to host the next party and provide the King Cake.

    Mardi Gras King Cake

    Mardi Gras Snack Mix

    Mardi Gras snack mix with mini pretzels, bugles, and green, purple, and yellow M&Ms.

    This snack mix is simple to make, full of delicious sweet and savory treats, and festive with Mardi Gras’s colors, which are purple, green, and gold.

    Mardi Gras Snack Mix

    New Orleans Beignets

    Three beignets topped with powdered sugar on a white plate.

    New Orleans Beignets – In New Orleans, beignets are a fried yeasted dough served with confectioners’ sugar on top. They are traditionally prepared right before they’re served to be eaten fresh and hot.

    New Orleans Beignets

    New Orleans-Style Shrimp Creole with Spicy Cajun Cream Sauce

    Shrimp Creole in two bowls garnished with lemon wedges and parsley.

    A unique recipe, this New Orleans-style Shrimp Creole features succulent shrimp drenched in a Spicy Cajun Cream Sauce made with sour cream, tomato paste, and Creole or Cajun seasoning. Mushrooms, peppers, and tomatoes round out this mouth-watering Louisiana-inspired entree.

    Creamy Shrimp Creole

    Old-Fashioned Pecan Pralines

    Praline candy on a bronze plate.

    Old-fashioned Pecan Pralines are a classic Southern candy and a unique treat. These luscious, crunchy bites of heaven taste a little like a combination of creamy butterscotch, caramel, and roasted pecans, all wrapped up in a sugary, fudgy package!

    Pralines

    Red Beans and Rice

    New Orleans Red Beans and Rice on a white plate with a piece of french bread.

    In New Orleans, red beans are a cultural tradition dating back hundreds of years. Through the years, Red Beans and Rice was the quintessential dish associated with Mondays. Whatever day of the week, however, Red Beans and Rice is sure to please the pickiest of eaters.

    Red Beans and Rice

    Cheesy Creole Shrimp Toast

    Shrimp toast on a serving plate.

    Cheesy Creole Shrimp Toast is a delicious, quick, and easy (and mostly make-ahead) seafood appetizer perfect for a Mardi Gras party.

    Shrimp Toast

    Creamy Cajun Shrimp and Boursin Grits

    Boursin grits with shrimp cooked in a cream sauce.

    Creamy Cajun Shrimp and Boursin Grits is an easy-to-prepare but elegant dish to serve for any occasion. Succulent fresh shrimp are cooked to perfection in creamy garlic and parmesan sauce.

    Shrimp and Boursin Grits

    Spicy Buffalo Shrimp Po’Boy

    Spicy Shrimp Po' Boy Sandwiches topped with blue cheese crumbles

    What better way to celebrate Fat Tuesday than with my Spicy Buffalo Shrimp Po’Boy Sandwich, a quintessential New Orleans dish and a Po’Boy of your dreams?

    Buffalo Shrimp Po’ Boy

    Cajun Pork Boulettes with Spicy Dip

    Cajun Pork Boulettes on a white serving plate with a dip.

    Cajun Pork Boulettes with Spicy Dip is an amazing appetizer. They are perfect for your Fat Tuesday celebrations and are easy to put together, albeit a bit time-consuming. The Cajun Pork Boulettes can be made ahead of time and freeze beautifully.

    Pork Boulettes

    Classic Cajun Dirty Rice with Sausage

    Dirty rice topped with parsley and a glass of wine.

    Classic southern comfort food at its finest, Dirty Rice is a delicious blend of cajun spices, vegetables, rice, sausage, and, yes, chicken livers. Hailing from Louisiana, this one-pot wonder can be served either as a side or main dish.

    Dirty Rice

    Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo

    Chicken and sausage gumbo in a bowl topped with a spoonful of rice.

    Indulge in the rich, authentic flavors of New Orleans’s iconic gumbo without the guilt. This low-fat chicken and smoked sausage gumbo is a healthier twist on the classic Cajun dish.

    Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

    Best Blackened Shrimp

    A cast-iron skillet full of blackened shrimp and garnished with lime slices.

    In this flavor-packed Blackened Shrimp recipe, fresh shrimp are coated with a spicy blackening seasoning blend and pan-seared in butter until they are tender, juicy, and simply amazing. It’s the perfect low-carb main course or appetizer and takes just minutes to make. 

    Blackened Shrimp

    Beef Grillades And Smoked Gouda Grits

    Beef Grillades over grits.

    Beef Grillades (pronounced gree-hahds) and Grits is a classic New Orleans dish. The beef is cooked in a flavorful gravy accented with onions, celery, bell pepper, and garlic until it is fork-tender. It’s made extra special when served with Smoked Gouda Grits.

    Beef Grillades & Grits

    New Orleans Shrimp Remoulade

    Shrimp remoulade in shrimp cocktail glasses.

    Shrimp Remoulade (pronounced ruma-lahd) is a quintessential New Orleans dish composed of cold-boiled shrimp with a spicy mustard-based dressing. It is generally served as a first-course appetizer, making it perfect for Fat Tuesday celebrations.

    Shrimp Remoulade

    Frequently asked questions

    What is Mardi Gras?

    Mardi Gras, or “Fat Tuesday,” is a festive celebration rooted in Christian traditions, marking the day before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.

    Known for its vibrant parades, colorful masks, beads, and lively music, it’s a time of indulgence in food, drink, and revelry before the season of fasting. While celebrated worldwide, it’s most famously associated with New Orleans, Louisiana, where it showcases rich cultural traditions, including jazz music and iconic dishes like King Cake.

    The first celebration in America took place on March 3, 1699

    When is Mardi Gras celebrated in 2025

    Mardi (French for Tuesday) Gras (French for Fat) refers to Shrove or Fat Tuesday, which is the day before Ash Wednesday. In reality, it refers to the Carnival celebrations that begin on January 6 (the Epiphany) and ends on Fat Tuesday which falls on Tuesday, March 4.

    What are the Mardi Gras colors?

    The traditional Mardi Gras colors are purple, green, and gold, and each has a specific meaning:
    Purple: Represents justice.
    Green: Represents faith.
    Gold: Represents power.
    These colors were chosen in 1892 for a Mardi Gras parade theme, “The Symbolism of Colors,” and have since become iconic symbols of the celebration. You’ll see them prominently displayed in decorations, costumes, beads, and floats during the festivities.

    Where is Mardi Gras celebrated?

    Mardi Gras is celebrated in many places around the world, but it is most famously associated with New Orleans, Louisiana. This city hosts grand parades, balls, and street parties that showcase its rich cultural heritage.
    Other notable celebrations include:
    Mobile, Alabama: The oldest Mardi Gras celebration in the U.S., with its own unique traditions.
    Venice, Italy: Known for its elaborate masks and sophisticated masquerade balls.
    Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Famous for Carnival, a larger-than-life celebration with samba music, elaborate costumes, and massive parades.
    Nice, France: Hosts the “Carnaval de Nice,” featuring flower parades and floats.
    Binche, Belgium: Celebrates with traditional costumes and the tossing of oranges during parades.
    Mardi Gras, or Carnival, is also observed in many Catholic-majority countries, including Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, and parts of the Caribbean, as well as cities worldwide with French or Spanish heritage.

    More Mardi Gras recipes and menu ideas

    If you can’t make it to New Orleans to participate in the annual celebrations, here are more recipes you might like to make at home. Whether you are looking for appetizer, dinner, side dish, or dessert recipes, I have you covered.

    • Three scoops of bourbon ice cream in a glass dessert dish.
      Bourbon Ice Cream
    • Buffalo shrimp on a plate with cocktail forks.
      Crispy Buffalo Shrimp Recipe
    • A piece of Southern Pecan Praline Cake with Pecan and Praline topping being drizzled over it
      Southern Pecan Praline Cake – Easy and Delicious
    • A slice of Southern Pecan Praline Cheesecake ready to serve with a dollop of whipped cream
      Southern Pecan Praline Cheesecake Recipe

    For even more menu ideas, videos, and cooking tips check out all of my Mardi Gras Recipes.

    ⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ If you make any of these Mardi Gras recipes, I’d be thrilled to hear what you thought! Did you add your own twist or have a tip to share?

    Drop a comment below—I read every one—and don’t forget to leave a star rating. Your feedback not only makes my day but also helps others find and perfect this recipe.

    Thanks for stopping by Grits and Pinecones! Your visit means the world to me. I hope you’ll swing back soon for more Southern-inspired goodness. 💛

    **This post was originally published on February 19, 2017.

    More Mardi Gras Recipes

    • A Dutch oven full of Seafood Jambalaya topped with shrimp.
      Creole Seafood Jambalaya Recipe – Shrimp and Sausage)
    • Blackened Chicken Alfredo on a bed of fettuccine.
      Blackened Chicken Alfredo Recipe with Pasta (Cajun)
    • Cajun shrimp and grits in a white bowl garnished with chopped parsley.
      Best Cajun Shrimp and Grits Recipe (Creamy & Cheesy)
    • Blackened shrimp in a cast iron skillet garnished with lime wedges.
      Quick and Easy Blackened Shrimp Recipe (10 minutes)

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    1. Janice

      February 06, 2024 at 7:22 pm

      OK I’m really excited to try out a number of these recipes! Putting together a Mardi Gras celebration, and look forward to sharing some of these recipes. Happy Mardi Gras and upcoming Easter. Thanks so much for sharing!

      Reply
    2. Michele Butler

      February 16, 2023 at 7:08 am

      Marvelous recipes with great added tips !

      Reply

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    Sharon Rigsby, blogger at GritsandPinecones.com

    Hello, I'm Sharon Rigsby, blogger, content creator, videographer, and photographer for Grits and Pinecones®. I have over 50 years of experience in the kitchen, and I like nothing better than developing and reimagining recipes for my family, friends, and you!

    More about me →

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