30+ Classic Mardi Gras Food Ideas

Published: Jan 5, 2024 · Modified: Sep 20, 2024 by Melanie Cagle · Leave a Comment

It's time for Mardi Gras and the parties have started. These classic Mardi Gras Food Ideas will help you decide what to whip up for the next gathering. Laissez les bons temps rouler! (Let the good times roll).

Collage of four images of classic mardi gras food ideas with text overlay for pinterest. — Classic Mardi Gras Food Ideas

When it comes to a Mardi Gras celebration, the Cajuns sure know how to go about it... with food.

A lot of the recipes you see during this carnival season, are Cajun recipes.

The French Quarter in the 'big easy' is alive with party-goers, joining in the reveling.

The Cagle Diaries

The following easy Mardi Gras recipes are almost national treasures. It's why everyone craves them when the time starts getting closer, for Mardi Gras season.

1

A bowl of gumbo, showing What To Serve With Seafood Gumbo.

Seafood Gumbo

Deliciously tasty, New Orleans style Seafood Gumbo. The perfect blend of seafood and smokiness with just enough spice to get those lips tingling! It's the National dish of Louisiana and a favorite for many.

2

Close up of a slow cooker cajun red beans and rice recipe.

Slow Cooker Cajun Red Beans and Rice

Creamy, Cajun spiced Red Beans and Rice cooked low and slow in the slow cooker make for a delicious comforting meal.

Check out this recipe

3

Overhead shot of a Dutch Oven Jambalaya cropped square.

Dutch Oven Jambalaya

Mardi Gras Jambalaya is famous on the streets of New Orleans. This Dutch Oven Jambalaya cooks perfectly every time. The perfect level of moistness in the white rice, Cajun seasoning, spicy sausage and fresh shrimp makes this great southern comfort food. (Often mistaken for dirty rice - these dishes are totally different).

4

An image of a plate full of old fashioned pan fried okra with one or two cut in half to see the inside.

Old Fashioned Pan Fried Okra

A crispy and lightly seasoned southern classic, also known as Souther Popcorn.

5

Overhead close up of a bowl of catfish courtbouillon over rice.

Catfish Courtbouillon

A tasty Cajun masterpiece, a tomato based seafood stew full of catfish fillets and trinity. Catfish courtbouillon is a southern favorite.

Check out this recipe

6

Close up of a slice of Mardi Gras cheesecake with a king cake baby on the side.

Mardi Gras Cheesecake

A delicious and creamy Mardi Gras Cheesecake is a perfect dessert in celebration of Mardi Gras. Don't forget to include the Baby Jesus (it's a tradition).

7

Close up of some cajun corn maque choux with a big spoon digging in.

Cajun Corn Maque Choux

Cajun corn maque choux is a tasty cajun side dish made by smothering bell peppers, onions and corn into a heavenly mixture of perfectly spiced goodness.

8

Close up of fried crawfish on a bread dressed with lettuce tomatoes and mayonnaise.

Fried Crawfish Poboy

A delicious fried crawfish poboy is a treat from south Louisiana - you'll find it on the streets of New Orleans for Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest.

Check out this recipe

9

Overhead shot of a plate of Bananas Foster with a dollop of ice cream in the middle.

Bananas Foster

Bananas Foster is a decadent, warm dessert made with ripe bananas, vanilla ice cream, and a rich, buttery rum sauce.

Check out this recipe

10

An overhead shot of a bowl of crawfish stew with a heap of white rice in the middle.

Crawfish Stew

An authentic Cajun Crawfish Stew made with basic ingredients but full of southern flavor!

Check out this recipe

11

Some sweet hush puppies on a plate with a bite taken out of one, with a dip.

Southern Sweet Hush Puppies

The perfect southern sweet hush puppy, full of flavor and just the right level of sweetness. Perfect festival food.

12

close up of a crawfish pistolette

Crawfish Pistolettes

Cajun cheesy crawfish stuffed pistolettes, filled with sausage and seasoning to bring it up a notch or two. One will never be enough.

13

a close up image of a large bowl of Cajun potato salad with green onions sprinkled on top

Cajun Potato Salad Recipe

This Cajun Potato Salad Recipe is a deliciously creamy, full of flavor version that is typically made to accompany a good bowl of gumbo.

14

Close up of a stuffed crab with some boiled crabs on the outside.

Stuffed Crab

This stuffed crab recipe is a southern masterpiece! Tasty and piled high inside a real shell, stuffed crab is a deliciously moreish, tasty recipe with bold flavor.

15

a close up of a bowl of chicken and sausage gumbo with a spoon sitting in it, looks like it's about to lift up, with some rice too

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Recipe

This Louisiana Classic is famous for a reason. The combination of the smoked sausage and tenderness of the chicken in a tasty soup full of Cajun spices, is perfection.

16

close up of a dressed venison burger with a bowl of french fries in the background

Grilled Venison Burgers

Delicious and juicy these Grilled Venison Burgers are full of flavor and healthier than regular beef burgers. A classic Cajun meal on the barbecue pit on the side of the road, waiting for the floats to pass.

17

a close up image of biscuit beignets on a plate heaped high with powdered sugar

Biscuit Beignets

Not quite Cafe Du Monde, but close. Not bad for the fact you can make them in less than 5 minutes. Of all the Mardi Gras dishes these New Orleans classics makes it on to any list of favorites. New Orleans beignets are never forgotten.

18

Po Boy bread filled with crispy fried oysters and remoulade sauce drizzled over the top

Oyster Po'Boy

Delicious New Orleans inspired Fried Oysters, served on their own or on the traditional po'boy bread with Remoulade Sauce drizzled on top - a classic Southern favorite!

19

A pot of red beans and rice with ham hocks, cropped square.

Red Beans and Rice with Ham Hocks

New Orleans favorite, this red beans and rice with Ham Hocks is a great version- giving a smoky, slightly spicy full of flavor taste to these popular beans.

20

A natchitoches meat pie cut in half.

Natchitoches Meat Pie

This recipe is straight out of Natchitoches Louisiana. The delicious flaky pastry along with the wonderfully seasoned meat filling makes these pies so addictive you'll be reaching for another, and another...

21

Close up of boudin balls with a hint of the mustard cream sauce peeking in, sprinkled with green onions on top.

Boudin Balls

Boudin Balls are a delicious snack from South Louisiana where balls of Boudin Sausage meat are rolled up then coated in breadcrumbs and fried. A treat that tastes great dipped in a Remoulade Sauce, or a Cajun Mustard Cream Sauce.

22

Cajun Muffuletta Sandwich close up, the image cropped square.

Cajun Muffuletta Sandwich

A classic New Orleans sandwich, the Cajun Muffuletta sandwich is full of cold cuts, olive salad and more.

23

a king cake with a piece cut out with the king cake baby sitting there

King Cake

This traditional Mardi Gras King Cake recipe has routes deep in New Orleans, filled with a variety of fillings - it's simple yet oh so yummy!

24

Overhead shot of a pot full of Cajun Pastalaya.

Pastalaya

Pastalaya is a Cajun recipe, originating from the traditional Jambalaya, replacing the rice with Pasta. This Pastalaya recipe is a hearty comfort food that will have you reaching for more!

25

close up of crawfish with corn and mushroom and carrots

Crawfish Boil

Crawfish Boil - you don't get any more Southern than that. A delicious blend of crawfish, seasonings and vegetables mixed with good friends, get ready to fall in love with this crawfish boil recipe.

26

crawfish pie in the middle of the image with bell peppers and cooked crawfish on the outside

Crawfish Pie

This delicious and juicy Crawfish Pie in one of our favorite things to do with leftover crawfish tails. Tasty pie crust with an etouffee-like filling.

27

a ladle full of alligator gumbo - with shrimp alligator and sausage

Alligator Gumbo

Delicious Cajun Alligator Gumbo with shrimp and sausage. Tasty, smoky and full of seasoning this dish is a surprising change from the usual.

28

close up of a plate of crawfish enchiladas with some avocado in the background

Crawfish Enchiladas Recipe

Delicious homemade crawfish enchiladas recipe that is a great use of those leftover crawfish tails.

29

Bowl of crawfish etouffee with rice scoop in the middle.

Crawfish Etouffee

Crawfish Etouffee is a classic Louisiana dish full of robust flavor. This dish is famous for its Cajun influence and surprisingly easy and quick to make.

30

a loaf of crawfish bread sliced

Crawfish Bread

Crawfish Bread is a great way to use up the yummy leftover crawfish tails from your crawfish boil. The crawfish is already seasoned how you like them which adds great flavor to this bread. A delicious creamy crawfish sauce topped with cheese. Pure comfort food.

31

close up shot from overhead of a large pot of shrimp and crawfish pastalaya.

Crawfish Pastalaya

Crawfish Pastalaya is a Cajun recipe, a change up of the familiar Jambalaya, but using pasta instead of rice. Using crawfish and shrimp instead of chicken and pork really gives it a unique and flavorful taste.

32

close up of crawfish monica on a plate with a fork digging in

Crawfish Monica

A favorite during New Orleans' Jazz Fest, Crawfish Monica is a delicious simple creamy pasta dish infused with crawfish tails and parmesan cheese. Tasty and so easy to make!

33

A tray of boiled crabs with veggies and dipping sauce.

Cajun Crabs

Cajun Crabs are seriously the best kind of boiled crabs you can eat. The seasoning is on point and the vegetables and smoked sausage are perfection.

34

overhead close up of a skillet of crawfish fettuccine

Crawfish Fettuccine Recipe

Deliciously creamy, cheesy and full of Cajun flavors this Crawfish Fettuccine Recipe is one of our favorite uses of leftover crawfish tails.

35

A dish with crawfish au gratin, a large part taken.

Crawfish Au Gratin

A tasty, creamy, cheesy crawfish au gratin recipe that can be served with garlic bread, salad or even as a stuffing for something else.

36

close up from the side of a boudin king cake with a king cake baby in front and some mardi gras stuff in the background

Boudin King Cake

A delicious savory treat based on the classic New Orleans dessert but made with a croissant dough filled with delicious boudin sausage and more.

37

A dish full of king cake cinnamon rolls cropped square.

King Cake Cinnamon Rolls

Delicious Cinnamon Rolls - with your choice of filling - topped with a vanilla icing and Mardi Gras colored sanding sugar.

38

Close up shot of some mardi gras beignets.

Mardi Gras Beignets

Delicious and easy these Mardi Gras Beignets are a cinch, and you don't have to make the dough. A simple hack that can have your Mardi Gras Beignets on the table within 10 minutes.

39

Little squares of king cake bites, an image cropped square.

King Cake Bites

Everyone loves King Cake during Mardi Gras. Change things up and serve these cute little flaky pastries filled with a cinnamon cream cheese filling. King Cake Bites are the perfect little Mardi Gras Treat.

40

Overhead shot of the corner of a plate full of pecan pralines.

Pecan Praline Recipe

Rich and buttery flavors of a Southern pecan praline recipe. Learn how to make this delicious Southern treat in the comfort of your own home.

Check out this recipe

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