The word Mardi Gras is the French way of referring to Fat Tuesday, and traditionally it is the festive time to enjoy the rich foods, drinks, and desserts, before the beginning of Lent. As it is obviously not possible to travel to New Orleans for the Carnival celebration, here are 40+ amazing Mardi Gras food recipes that will definitely make you feel like you are in the French Quarter.
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This collection of Mardi Gras food recipes has something to please everyone, from New Orleans classics like Jambalaya and the muffuletta sandwich to the ultimate Mardi Gras dessert-King cake. The recipes are generally decorated with traditional Mardi Gras colors: purple (represents justice), green (represents faith), and gold (represents power).
It is no wonder that kids enjoy these recipes because they are appealing to the eye and full of fun. From the mask to the beads and the mardi gras colors, all are adored by kids. Now, let’s quickly get to these beautiful and delicious recipes without further ado.
1. Mardi Gras Cupcakes French Vanilla Butter Rum
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Servings: 24
No. of Ingredients: 20
These beautiful colored Mardi Gras Cupcakes flavored with French vanilla and buttered rum are perfect for Mardi Gras to celebrate Fat Tuesday! The best part about these cupcakes is that They are very delicious even without the frosting. So, if you fear that you might mess up with the food color and the colorful frosting, you can just skip that step!
2. Mardi Gras King Cake
Image and recipe by backtothecuttingboard
Prep time: 3 hour
Cook time: 25 min
Servings: 1 very large or two smaller king cakes
No. of Ingredients: 20
This dessert is actually the king of all the Mardi Gras food items. Though it’s not named bcoz of that reason, Mardi Gras isn’t complete without this colorful king cake packed with either fruit fillings or decadent cream cheeses. It adds the ultimate touch to the carnival celebration.
The name “king cake” comes from the Biblical story of the three kings who bring gifts to Baby Jesus. This cake which is a blend of coffee cake and cinnamon roll, is usually iced in the traditional (yellow, green, and purple) Mardi Gras colors.
3. Mardi Gras Jello Shots
Image and recipe by hoosierhomemade
Prep time: 10 min
Servings: 15
No. of Ingredients: 7
Jello Shots are packed with layers of jello, topped with Cool Whip, and sprinkled with (obviously) the traditional Mardi Gras colors. You can use confetti sprinkles, they are a little larger, and you’ll adore their cute look on the jello shots! These Mardi Gras Jello Shots are as fun to make as they are to eat. Besides being family-friendly, they can also be served alcohol to host an adult party for Mardi Gras.
4. Mardi Gras Cupcakes
Image and recipe by hoosierhomemade
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Servings: 18-24
No. of Ingredients: 8
These Mardi Gras Cupcakes perfectly showcase the three colors of New Orleans – purple, green, and yellow, and they are a real hit when topped with a luscious whipped cream frosting.
It’s quite easy to put them together, and they are truly impressive too. They are really fun to create and hence are immensely adored and enjoyed by kids!
5. Muffuletta Dip for Mardi Gras
Image and recipe by homeiswheretheboatis
Prep time: 10
Chill time: 1 hour
Servings: 4 cups
No. of Ingredients: 10
Muffuletta Dip, inspired by the quintessential New Orleans sandwich of cured meats, cheese, and tangy olive salad, is a quick appetizer to celebrate Mardi Gras! It can be prepared in very less time; it comes together in 10 minutes, with a minimum of 1-hour chilling time up to 24 hours, thus rendering the flavors to meld completely.
6. King Cake Mini Parfaits for Mardi Gras
Image and recipe by homeiswheretheboatis
Servings: 4 cups
No. of Ingredients: 6
These King Cake Mini Parfaits are just perfect for adding the ultimate fun to the tradition of King Cake. Instead of cinnamon-flavored cake, these parfaits have a yellow cake layered with a cinnamon buttercream frosting decorated in Mardi Gras colors. Serve your dessert parfait in 2.5-ounce tasting glasses or any size you like. The choice is obviously yours!
7. Mardi Gras Mini King Cake Biscuits
Image and recipe by 4theloveoffoodblog
Cook time: 14 min
Servings: 8 biscuits
No. of Ingredients: 2
These biscuits that resemble mini king cakes look so spectacular, and kids love to bake them. If you want to make a fast and easy Mardi Gras dessert that could also be used as a snack, then go create these fun Mini King Cake Biscuits using Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls and Trix cereal.
8. Mardi Gras Chicken Fingers
Image and recipe by blog.memeinge
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Servings: 4
No. of Ingredients: 6
Mardi Gras Chicken Fingers are breaded in Potato Chips in Mardi Gras Cajun Crawtators flavor. If you don’t have those in your pantry or in a nearby store, then you can obviously use a simple potato chip. These are absolutely tasty and a great way to celebrate the Mardi Gras festival. Though they are not a healthy treat, it’s ok to enjoy “fun foods” every now and then.
9. Mardi Gras King Cake Chia Pudding
Image and recipe by cultured.guru
Prep time: 10 min
Servings: 3
No. of Ingredients: 13
I would start by letting you know that this recipe will set you in the perfect Mardi Gras cheesecake vibes. This is because The way the cream layer in this pudding is made is very similar to the layer in a vegan cheesecake. So, Enjoy this lightly sweet, nutritious Mardi Gras king cake chia pudding for a snack or dessert. Additionally, it also has the advantage of being gluten-free and vegan.
10. Cajun Chicken with Mardi Gras Salsa
Image and recipe by iowagirleats
Servings: 4
No. of Ingredients: 8
Cajun Chicken with Mardi Gras Salsa is a perfect feast for the eyes and the tastebuds! And it’s one of the best chicken dinner recipes you would have ever tried. You can serve the chicken and salsa with spicy Sweet Potato Fries. A small sweet potato is sliced into fries, tossed with extra virgin olive oil, and roasted on a foil-lined baking sheet with Cajun seasoning. Spicy and sweet, they are the perfect accompaniment.
11. Mardi Gras Sweet Salty Bark
Image and recipe by cookingonthefrontburners
Prep time: 10 min
Additional time: 30 min
Servings: 24
No. of Ingredients: 8
It has salty pretzels chocolates all nestled in white melted bark and obviously topped with sprinkles! This sweet and salty bark is a great snack. The fritters are the size of donut holes and are flavored with grated lemon peel and anise. Using a tablespoon, the doughy batter is dropped into hot oil, and once the pancakes are cooked, warm honey is drizzled over them.
12. Mardi Gras Snack Mix
Image and recipe by pudgefactor
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 3 min
Servings: 20
No. of Ingredients: 10
Mardi Gras Snack Mix is salty and sweet and coated in white chocolate. It takes just a few minutes to put together and is the perfect snack to munch on for morning, noon, and night. The main ingredients for this Mardi Gras treat are Rice Chex, Cheerios, Pretzels, Bugles, salted mixed nuts, Mardi Gras colored M&M’s, and white chocolate chips. Besides, you can obviously include other ingredients that you like!
13. Mardi Gras Jambalaya Party Bar
Image and recipe by foodfanatic
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Servings: 5
No. of Ingredients: 9
The options for combining a jambalaya buffet are endless. Any type of meat will work in Jambalaya – leftovers are excellent, as are chicken or Andouille sausages. This recipe is great for roasting vegetables, cubing cornbread, or heating up canned beans. The possibilities are endless, and they can be customized to fit whatever you have in your pantry. Make your own bowl of Jambalaya with whatever you want in it!
14. Mardi Gras Macarons
Image and recipe by piesandtacos
Prep time: 2 hours
Cook time: 40 min
Servings: 20
No. of Ingredients: 11
These festive Mardi Gras Macarons are flavored with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. The shells are purple, green, and yellow, and you’ll be glad to know that all the colors can be made from just one batch of macarons! Make your macarons festive, vibrant, and colorful by decorating a few shells with sprinkles.
15. Mardi Gras Trifle
Image and recipe by cookcraftlove
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Servings: 12
No. of Ingredients: 9
These vibrant trifles are easy, and you can even get creative with the filling; you can use Buttercream, whipped cream, mascarpone frosting, and white chocolate ganache. Whatever lights your little heart right up! Whatever you decide and choose, they are gonna be a super hit.
16. Mardi Gras Meal
Image and recipe by tonjastable
Prep time: 5 min
No. of Ingredients: 12
This quick New Orleans cuisine is full of flavor, heat, and seafood. This is because they have quite many cultural influences—France, Spain, Haiti, Germany, Italy, and the deep south. The cute little shrimps in this food swim in a buttery, spicy, smokey sauce. Filled up with a lot of sauce, It is insanely delicious. And the best part is you can obviously douse some good crusty bread with the leftover sauce.
17. Mardi Gras Jambalaya Stuffed Baked Potatoes
Image and recipe by fearlessdining
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Servings: 4
No. of Ingredients: 12
Jambalaya is a very popular cuisine for mardi gras. The spicy gluten-free Jambalaya is a tasty dish for other celebrations too! People prefer to serve it in many different ways, and it indeed has many forms. And while using rice in Jambalaya is the classic way to make Jambalaya, this recipe is made without rice so that it can be stuffed into baked potatoes.
18. Mardi Gras Pretzels
Image and recipe by catholicicing
These pretzels are easy and sure to impress at your party. Kids love them for their easy preparation, colorful look, and cute shape. Traditionally Pretzels are a Lenten food, but not when they’re covered in chocolate and powdered sugar. Additionally, you can also use these pretzels for a Mardi Gras party mix!
19. Mardi Gras Puppy Chow
Image and recipe by threeolivesbranch
Prep time: 20 min
Servings: 6
No. of Ingredients: 5
Mardi Gras Puppy Chow is a Vegetarian and gluten-free dessert recipe to celebrate! This recipe is prepared by covering Rice Chex mix in purple, green, and gold candy melts and then providing them with the desired shape. These muddy buddies flavored in many different flavors are sure to evoke your childhood memories. This Mardi Gras Puppy Chow is perfect for a Mardi Gras food representing the colors of the holiday.
20. Mardi Gras King Cake Cinnamon Rolls
Image and recipe by threeolivesbranch
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 30 min
Servings: 12 rolls
No. of Ingredients: 19
These Mardi Gras King Cake Cinnamon Rolls are a fun, festive way to enjoy Mardi Gras! Cinnamon, praline, and cream cheese are three of the most popular and common fillings for a King Cake. And since these ro[ls are inspired by the mardy Gras king cake, you’ll feel absolutely excited to find those king cake vibes in these King Cake Cinnamon Rolls!
21. MARDI GRAS CAKE
Cook time: 12 min
Servings: four 6-inch cake layers
No. of Ingredients: 10
This interestingly beautiful cake is inspired by Mardi Gras beads; the inside of the cake is a beautiful combination of the Mardi Gras colors. It looks a little bit like Mardi Gras-themed camouflage. So, the classic Mardi Gras colors and the sprinkles are what contribute to its inside as well as outside decoration.
Tip – Adding vivid colors inside may look pretty, but be careful that they do not mix together or turn brown.
22. Mardi Gras Masquerade Sugar Cookies
Image and recipe by bakelovegive
Servings: 36 cookies
No. of Ingredients: 8
These Mardi Gras Masquerade Sugar Cookies are a festive recipe that can be thrown for their preparation and get-together in almost no time. Bright sanding sugar on these cookies provides them a beautiful look as well as a super tasty sweet crunch. You can finish it off with a few edible gold sugar pearls to give it the Mardi Gras food touch.
The masks look just gorgeous when dropped in a cellophane treat sack and tied with metallic ribbon – just perfect for spreading Carnival cheer!!
23. Mardi Gras Milk Punch
Servings: 6-8
No. of Ingredients: 6
This milk punch is the perfect way to start off your meal — not too sweet, not too boozy. It’s quite easy to put together this cuisine with a simple recipe. Place milk, cream, bourbon, sugar, and vanilla in a blender. Add a handful of ice cubes. Blend until frothy and chilled. Serve with a drizzle of chocolate syrup.
Serve with cinnamon-cream cheese bars, a savory breakfast casserole, and homemade king cake to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth!
24. Mardi Gras Munchies
Image and recipe by stockpilingmoms
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 3 min
Servings: 50 pieces
No. of Ingredients: 3
Munching on These Mardi Gras Munchies is just perfect! Make these scrumptious sweet and salty dessert snacks for your mardi gras food. Quite easy to make; they are sure to be a hit! Just heat your oven, place your pretzels on a baking sheet, and put a Rolo on top of each one.
25. MARDI GRAS CHOCOLATE-DIPPED COOKIES
Image and recipe by whiskynsunshine
No. of Ingredients: 6
Oreo Double Stuff Sandwich Cookie, solid shortening, lavender chocolate melts, vibrant green chocolate melts, gold sugar sprinkles, and cookie/candy molds are the main ingredients of this Mardi Gras food recipe. And as soon as the cookies are baked, Sprinkle each cookie with gold sugar sprinkles.
26. Mardi Gras Ice Ring Using King Cake Soda
Image and recipe by premeditatedleftovers
Prep time: 3 hours
Servings: 1
No. of Ingredients: 8
One-of-a-kind and truly festive, the Mardi Gras Ice Ring will look absolutely gorgeous and delicious in your punch bowl. And the best part is it’s relatively easy to prepare. Furthermore, king cake soda itself has the flavors of vanilla glaze and cinnamon, and it is also quite sweet. So, if you feel like replacing it, then you can simply use vanilla soda and a pinch or two of cinnamon in its place.
27. Mardi Gras punch (non-alcoholic)
Image and recipe by madamedeals
Prep time: 2 min
No. of Ingredients: 5
The great thing about this recipe is that it’s a pour-and-go recipe! All you need to do is pour in your lemon-lime soda, grape soda, and pineapple juice. Mix it up and add your sliced lemons and limes. That’s it! With a few ingredients and 2 minutes of prep, you have a wonderful (nonalcoholic) Mardi Gras food recipe that you could enjoy with your kids, too, and they will surely love it!
28. Mardi Gras Cajun Beer Cheese Dip
Image and recipe by 4theloveoffoodblog
No. of Ingredients: 9
To celebrate Mardi Gras, I made a Cajun-inspired Beer Cheese Dip. I used local Abita beer, Louisiana favorite: Andouille sausage, Cajun spices, and Louisiana hot sauce! Finally, I served them with festive Mardi Gras chips from my local grocery store! Fun and colorful, just like Mardi Gras food! Creamy and with a kick, this dip is sure to be a hit!
29. Mardi Gras Creole Gumbo
Image and recipe by mommymusings
Cook time: 45 min
No. of Ingredients: 21
Though it involves a lot of ingredients, many can be purchased together. Once all the ingredients are combined, it only takes time and a little stirring to make this perfect gumbo. The wonderful part about this recipe is that you can modify it to your taste. Chicken, crawfish, or oysters can replace shrimp and sausage. Make a big pot, chow down, and freeze the leftovers to enjoy this dish even after the season of Carnival!
30. Mardi Gras King Cake Crescent Rolls
Image and recipe by mommymusings
Cook time: 10 min
No. of Ingredients: 11
These little gems with a pretty simple recipe are perfect for satisfying a sweet tooth during Mardi Gras season. Although a mini King Cake Crescent Roll with cream cheese filling isn’t a substitute for a real King Cake, they are a good substitute in a pinch. When you can’t bring your family to New Orleans, these King Cake Crescent rolls are a great alternative.
31. Mardi Gras King Cake Oreo Truffles (No Bake)
Prep time: 20 min
Chill time: 1 hour
Servings: 18
No. of Ingredients: 3
Want a king cake spin on Oreo truffles?? Make these Golden Oreo truffles with brown sugar and cinnamon cream cheese. Delish! This dessert offers the delicious flavors of sweet cream cheese and cinnamon king cake in a No-Bake Oreo Truffle.
32. Mardi Gras Monkey Bread
Image and recipe by spicysouthernkitchen
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Servings: 4
No. of Ingredients: 10
Monkey Bread is almost as good as no other type of bread. It is made out of refrigerated biscuits, thus making it pretty simple to put together. All the biscuits are cut into four pieces and rolled in a cinnamon, pecan, and sugar mixture. And then, the whole combination is drizzled with lots of butter and sugar before baking.
33. Mardi Gras Lime Swamp Punch
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 2 hours
Servings: 16
No. of Ingredients: 6
Lime Swamp Punch is a creamy and tart punch that is loved both by children and adults. Despite being quite tart, it is not overly so. The citrusy flavors of lemon and lime blend nicely with the tartness of lime sherbet.
34. Shrimp Mardi Gras Pasta
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 17 min
Servings: 8
No. of Ingredients: 17
A heart full of delicious Cajun flavors is combined to make this Shrimp Mardi Gras Pasta. The dish is tossed with fettuccine, shrimp, andouille sausage, saluted vegetables, and a white wine cream sauce. Sprinkle Parmesan on top for garnishing and adding an extra bit of flavor.
35. Easy Mardis Gras Cookies
Image and recipe by momlovesbaking
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Servings: 24
No. of Ingredients: 3
These Mardis Gras cookies are super simple and put together out of refrigerated sugar cookies, vanilla, creamy ready-to-spread frosting, And sprinkles. Bake cookies according to the package instructions. After the cookies are cooled, frost and decorate them with traditional Mardi Gras colored sprinkles. So festive and easy peasy!
36. Easy Mardi Gras Hot Muffuletta Dip
Image and recipe by gritsandpinecones
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Servings: 8
No. of Ingredients: 9
This easy Mardi Gras appetizer is filled with tasty green olives, cheese, and tangy giardiniera. These yummy ingredients are then combined with cream cheese to make this hot and delicious muffuletta dip. They are perfect for any Mardi Gras food, game day, or Super Bowl party.
37. A perfect pre-Mardi-Gras-parade treat
Image and recipe by theadvertiser
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Servings: 4-6
No. of Ingredients: 9
Get a couple of Crescent dinner roll sheets (not the rolls), open up some red pepper jelly, and chop up some green onion tops. As soon as you combine all these ingredients, the assembly is easy, and it bakes up golden brown and spicy delicious in less than an hour.
38. Mardi Gras Lemon Bliss Bundt Cake
Image and recipe by pudgefactor
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 hour
Servings: 12
No. of Ingredients: 14
This bliss bundt cake tastes absolutely amazing under a layer of lemon glaze. You’ll actually amaze your guests while you cut into the cake. Every piece is a surprise. The designs are just awesome, and on top of that, the cake tastes incredibly delicious.
Furthermore, What sets this moist and fluffy Lemon Bliss Bundt Cake apart the most are the two types of lemon flavoring – lemon oil for the actual cake and real lemon juice for the lemon syrup.
39. MARDI GRAS RECIPE
Image and recipe by lucismorsels
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Servings: 6
No. of Ingredients: 6
This recipe is the best option for you if you love making festive food in natural colors. These green and yellow squash combined with red onion (that looks purple) are no doubt the perfect way to celebrate Mardi Gras food in a healthy manner.
40. Mardi Gras Pasta
Image and recipe by spicysouthernkitchen
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Servings: 5
No. of Ingredients: 17
This rich, creamy, buttery recipe is quite easy to put in. Mardi Gras Pasta is a wonderfully spiced New Orleans-style dish loaded with shrimp, andouille sausage, peppers, and garlic. It’s basically fettuccine alfredo Cajun-style, and it can be made from start to finish in just 20 minutes.
41. MARDI GRAS TORTE
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 45 min
Servings: 8-12
No. of Ingredients: 10
Mardi Gras Torte is actually the fancy speak-for uber-rich Chocolate Cheesecake filling with brown sugar meringue layers. It indeed is a Vegan chocolate cheesecake and is pretty much the best. The best thing about this cake is not only is it the ultimate Mardi Gras celebration dessert, but it can also be the best Christmas Dessert too!
These recipes are sure to rock your Mardi Gras celebration. So, try them for your family this year to welcome the spirit of Mardi Gras to your home. Or you can just make your own Mardi Gras party at home by trying out one (or more) of these delicious, colorful recipes.
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