8 Mardi Gras Recipes to Celebrate Carnival in Cajun Style We're sharing our favorite Mardi Gras recipes including King Cake, gumbo, and classic New Orleans desserts. By Katlyn Moncada Katlyn Moncada Katlyn Moncada is the associate food editor at BHG.com, sharing food news and tutorials on becoming better home cooks. She is a writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience in digital media, photography, and video production. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process and Sarah Martens Sarah Martens Sarah Martens is the Senior Editor overseeing food at Better Homes & Gardens digital. She has been with the BHG brand for more than 10 years. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on January 31, 2025 Close Credit: Alison Miksch Vibrant, cultural, and full of delicious food, there's no place quite like New Orleans. To help you celebrate the Southern Louisiana city's famous Mardi Gras (and Fat Tuesday) wherever you are, we've gathered some of our best Mardi Gras recipes. Traditional New Orleans dishes, such as gumbos, jambalayas, and the famous King Cake, are enjoyed during the season. We’ll share twists on classic fare with spicy Cajun flavors and delicious Mardi Gras food inspired by Louisiana restaurants. This Shrimp and Sausage Boil Recipe Is a Buttery, Cajun-Inspired Feast 01 of 08 Shrimp and Sausage Boil View Recipe Save Credit: Alison Miksch Put on a delicious seafood boil to pay tribute to the Cajun South on your Mardi Gras food list. Shrimp, sausage, potatoes, and corn get fantastic flavor thanks to concentrated shrimp boil seasoning. Line the table with butcher paper and simply throw your seafood on the table so everyone can easily grab and eat. (The cleanup is a breeze, too!) This Shrimp and Sausage Boil Recipe Is a Buttery, Cajun-Inspired Feast 02 of 08 Cajun-Seasoned Vegetarian Gumbo View Recipe Save Credit: Jason Donnelly Gumbo is usually chock-full of seafood and/or meat, but this vegetarian Mardi Gras recipe for the thick, heavily spiced soup is a BH&G favorite. Thanks to tons of black beans, stir-fry veggies, and okra, you won't even notice there's no meat. Bonus: This gumbo's flavor develops beautifully in your slow cooker. Caribbean Chili with Black Beans 03 of 08 King Cake View Recipe Save Credit: Rachel Marek Mardi Gras recipes are full of fun and tradition. Decorated in the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and yellow, King Cake is first served on January 6, the Twelfth Night. If you want to follow the Carnival tradition, whoever gets the hidden token (usually a mini plastic baby, but in this case a pecan) in their piece becomes the king or queen for the week and bakes another King Cake. This festive ritual continues each week until Mardi Gras, the day before Lent. How the King Cake Tradition Began—and Why There's a Plastic Baby 04 of 08 Lemon Icebox Pie View Recipe Save Credit: Andy Lyons New Orleans restaurant Clancy's is known for its signature lemon icebox pie. So, if you can't make it to Louisiana, make your own no-bake version. The tangy citrus-infused custard pie will help cool you down after enjoying all those spicy Mardi Gras recipes. Use juice from real lemons for a true lemon-y tang. 05 of 08 Pralines View Recipe Save Credit: Blaine Moats If you’re looking for sweet treat Mardi Gras recipes, pralines are a rich, sugary confection made from cream, pecans, and butter, popular in the South. Work quickly to drop the pralines onto parchment or wax paper once the mixture is at the correct temperature because it tends to harden fast. Pecan Tassies 06 of 08 Chicken and Sausage Gumbo View Recipe Save Credit: Scott Little This jazzy gumbo is a great Mardi Gras recipe for any menu. A deep, coppery-brown roux and slices of okra are the secret to the dish's rich flavors and signature thick texture. A roux is a mixture of equal parts fat and flour cooked over low to medium heat. It is the first step to making a gravy. How to Cook Okra—5 Methods That Show How Delicious It Is 07 of 08 Doberge Cake View Recipe Save Credit: Mike Dieter The doberge (pronounced DO-bash) cake is one of many Mardi Gras recipes with European roots. Ingenious New Orleans bakers took the famous European dobos torte and fashioned this super-rich dessert. The traditional homemade treat is a tall confection constructed of many thin layers of moist cake separated by creamy custard and iced with different frostings. 12 Dreamy Cream and Custard Pie Recipes You'll Make on Repeat 08 of 08 Cheesy Grits Bowl View Recipe Credit: Blaine Moats This take on classic Southern-style grits, loaded with smoked Gouda and white cheddar cheese, is a comfort-food Mardi Gras recipe. We've topped our bowl with sauteed wild mushrooms, but it's equally good with creme fraiche and fresh herbs. Cook with stone-ground grits for better flavor and texture instead of the quick-cook or instant variety. How to Cook Grits That Would Make Even a Southern Chef Proud Celebrate More Holidays with These Recipes When you’re ready to make your meal plan for upcoming holidays from Easter to July 4th, we’ve got you covered from feasts to seasonal sides. 24 Easter Dinner Ideas Including Glazed Ham and More features family-gathering dishes like Sunday brisket and lemon-roasted tuna. For a splash of green fun, 15 Festive Green Drinks for St. Patrick's Day That Aren't Beer offers creative options from mint matcha milkshakes to Hugo spritz cocktails. Show your love on Mother’s Day with 21 Mother's Day Menus That Will Melt Her Heart, including elegant dishes like shrimp scampi and petite beef Wellingtons. Need inspiration for Memorial Day? 18 Easy Ideas for Memorial Day Side Dishes presents crowd-pleasers like bean, corn, and tomato salad or grilled potato slices. Finally, for a sweet touch, Make This Apple Pie Spice Recipe for Your Tastiest Desserts teaches you how to create your own apple pie spice, perfect for baking on the 4th of July. Explore more: Holidays & Entertaining Mardi Gras Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Better Homes & Gardens is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources—including peer-reviewed studies—to support the facts in our articles. Read about our editorial policies and standards to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. “Taste the Tradition of a New Orleans King Cake.” New Orleans.