13 New Orleans Recipes to Celebrate Mardi Gras

Just because you can't make it to New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras this year, doesn't mean you can't enjoy the festivities — and food — of the Big Easy at home. From savory crowd-pleasers like jambalaya, gumbo, and po'boys to traditional sweet treats like King Cake and bananas foster, these delicious New Orleans recipes are perfect for a Mardi Gras party at home or any time you want to let the good times roll.

Everyone will find something to love in this classic, one-pot rice dish. Andouille is a smokey, spicy sausage and its fat flavors the whole dish, so don’t skip it. Don’t forget to put out a bottle of Crystal or Tabasco hot sauce for guests! 

Recipe: Food & Wine

Sure, this recipe is a little complicated, but it's worth it. An electric deep fryer would make quick work of the fried oysters, but it isn’t necessary. The creamy remoulade adds a tangy, briny note to these rich and crunchy sandwiches. 

Recipe: Food Network

This is a very economical recipe, since the majority of it is dried beans. They’re flavored with smoky, tasty meats like andouille and ham hocks. Simmer it all together for a while and it’s a match made in heaven. 

Recipe: Serious Eats

Traditionally, muffulettas are big sandwiches on round loaves of bread that are cut into wedges for serving, so they’re perfect for parties. This recipe has you whip up a batch of your own olive salad, but you can also find it jarred at some grocery stores or Italian specialty shops. 

Recipe: AllRecipes

This shrimp dish is deceptively easy to make. It starts out with the holy trinity of Cajun cooking — onions, celery, and bell peppers — and has a tomato-based sauce seasoned with thyme and cayenne. Serve it over rice or with plenty of crusty French bread for dipping. 

Recipe: Tastes Better From Scratch

Forget what you think of as barbecue sauce, because this recipe from famous NOLA chef Paul Prudhomme is nothing like that. Instead, it’s shell-on shrimp cooked in a butter sauce that’s heavy with seasoning, spice, and beer. Trust us, it’s amazing. 

Recipe: Cajun Creole Chef

A homemade king cake makes for a festive and impressive centerpiece for any kind of party. Choose from cinnamon or cream cheese filling, and cover the whole thing with frosting and colorful sugar. Don’t forget to tuck a little plastic baby inside for someone to find! 

Recipe: House of Nash Eats

You’ll need a huge pot for this big crawfish boil recipe, and an equally large newspaper-covered table to hold it all when it’s done. While that’s perfect for a crowd, you can also use this recipe as inspiration for a smaller boil that feeds fewer people. 

Recipe: Southern Living

Bananas Foster was created at Brennan’s restaurant in New Orleans, and though it’s pretty fast to make, it’s very impressive. Sliced bananas are cooked briefly in a butter, brown sugar, and rum sauce, with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Serve it all over vanilla ice cream for one of the best desserts ever. 

Recipe: Tastes Better From Scratch

No Cajun gathering is complete without a big, comforting pot of gumbo. This recipe includes chicken and andouille for maximum flavor, and fresh okra which also acts as a natural thickener. Make sure you cook the roux to a deep chocolate brown for best results.  

Recipe: Serious Eats

What’s a party without a cocktail? In NOLA, you’ll see hurricanes everywhere. Make your own with light and dark rum, plus lots of fruit juices. Add a little bit of grenadine to the glass for a beautiful sunset color. 

Recipe: Liquor.com

This is a very simple bread pudding recipe that you can customize however you like. It calls for chopped pecans, but you can add raisins instead, or even chocolate chips. The four-ingredient sauce is a must have, whether made with whisky, bourbon, or rum. 

Recipe: AllRecipes

Debris is the name given to the bits of shredded, tender roast beef that fall into the gravy while cooking. It ends up on the sandwich in this garlic-studded roast beef. This is an Instant Pot recipe to save time, but you can also slow roast it in the oven or braise the beef in a slow cooker. 

Recipe: Southern Living

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