It’s Time To Celebrate Mardi Gras With These Festive Recipes

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Get ready to party! Mardi Gras is March 1st and we’re celebrating with the best Louisiana-approved food out there. People often associate Mardi Gras with endless parties, colorful beads, amazing parades, and all kinds of fun in cities like New Orleans. Mardi Gras, also known as Fat Tuesday, is the last day of Carnival season and the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Whether you’re out with your friends or celebrating Mardi Gras at home, let’s make it one to remember!

Want to throw your own Mardi Gras celebration? Here are some items to get you started!

Traditional King Cake

Thank you The Stay at Home Chef for the recipe!

Ingredients

Dough:

• 1 cup warm milk

• ½ cup granulated sugar

• 2 Tbsp active dry yeast

• 3-4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup salted butter (melted)

• 5 large egg yolks

• 1 + ½ tsp vanilla extract 

• 1 + ½ tsp lemon zest

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon 

• ½ tsp ground nutmeg

• A plastic baby

Filling:

• 4 Tbsp salted butter (softened)

• ⅓ cup granulated sugar 

• 1 + ½ tsp ground cinnamon 

Icing: 

• 2 cups powdered sugar

• 3-4 Tbsp milk 

• Gold, green, and purple sprinkles

Directions

1. Pour the warm milk into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk in the sugar and yeast and let it proof for 10 minutes. Whisk in your butter, egg yolks, vanilla, lemon zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Use the dough hook or wooden spoon to mix in the flour and knead until it forms into a dough ball. The dough should be greasy and solid but not sticky. 

2. Transfer the dough to a large un-greased mixing bowl. Cover and let it rise until it doubles in size for about an hour. 

3. Once the dough has risen, turn it onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a 10” x 20” rectangle. Cut the dough lengthwise into 3 roughly equal long strips. 

4. For your filling, mix your sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Spread your butter over each of the dough strips and sprinkle them with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. 

5. Roll each strip up lengthwise and seal the edges to create three long ropes. Don’t forget to place a plastic baby in one of your ropes. Braid your strips together and bring the ends together to create a circle or oval. Place the cake on a large parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover the cake and let it rise again for about 30 minutes. 

6. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

7. Once the dough has risen, bake it for about 30-35 minutes, or until the top is slightly golden. Take it out of the oven and let it cool. 

8. Add the powdered sugar to a mixing bowl and whisk in the milk until the icing can be easily drizzled on the cake. Pour the icing over the cooled cake and immediately add your sprinkles to the top in any other colorful designs!

New Orleans-Style Beignets

Thank you Pure Wow for the recipe!

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour 

• ⅓ cup granulated sugar

• ½ tsp salt 

• 1 Tbsp active dry yeast

• ¾ cups warm water

• ½ cup evaporated milk 

• 1 egg

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter (room temperature) 

• Vegetable oil (for frying) 

• Confectioners’ sugar (for garnish)

Directions

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the flour with the sugar, salt, and yeast. Add the warm water, evaporated milk, egg, and butter. Mix on medium speed until the mixture forms a smooth, but sticky dough for 4-5 minutes. 

2. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased medium bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours. 

3. Once the dough has risen, heat 2-3 inches of vegetable oil in a medium pot. Heat it until the oil reaches 350°F. Line a baking sheet with several layers of paper towels. 

4. While the oil heats up, divide the dough in half and roll out each piece of dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¼-inch thick. Cut the dough into 2-inch squares. 

5. Fry the dough in batches until it’s golden brown and puffed. This should take 5-6 minutes. Turn the dough over while it fries to make sure it browns evenly. 

6. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beignets from the oil to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Cool slightly, then finish with a generous sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar. Serve immediately.

Fat Tuesday Donuts

Thank you Delish for the recipe!

Ingredients

• Cooking spray 

• 1 cup whole milk 

• 1 packet active dry yeast

• 3 + ½ cups all-purpose flour 

• 1 large egg

• 2 large egg yolks

• 4 Tbsp melted butter

• 1 + ½ cups granulated sugar 

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• ¾ tsp kosher salt 

• 1 jar raspberry preserves

• Canola oil (for frying)

Directions

1. Grease a large bowl with cooking spray and set it aside. Add the milk to a small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until it’s lukewarm, roughly 40 seconds, then pour it into the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast over it and let it sit until it’s frothy. About 8 minutes. Mix in 1 cup of flour and let it rest, loosely covered with plastic until it’s bubbly, 20-30 minutes. 

2. Add melted butter and ¼ cup of sugar to the flour mixture. Mix the ingredients with a dough hook attachment until combined. Mix in the vanilla, salt, and whisked eggs. Gradually add in the remaining 2 + ½ cups of flour ½ cup at a time, until the mixture is moist. Continue to beat the dough until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl. 

3. Transfer the dough onto a work surface and knead a few times. If it feels too sticky, knead in 1 tablespoon of flour. Form it into a smooth ball and cover it with a clean dish towel. Let the dough rise in a warm spot in your kitchen until it’s doubled in size, about an hour. 

4. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Punch down the dough, then turn onto a lightly floured work surface and roll it out into a ½”-thick rectangle. Use a 3” cookie cutter to punch out the doughnuts. Knead the scraps together and punch them out as well. Place the doughnuts onto baking sheets, cover with a dish towel, and let them rise again for 40 more minutes. 

5. Line a large baking sheet with paper towels. In a large dutch oven over medium heat, heat 2” of oil to 350°F. Cook up the doughnuts, up to 3 per batch, until they’re deeply golden on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. 

6. Transfer the doughnuts to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain for 30 seconds, then immediately roll in the remaining sugar and let it cool completely. 

7. Once it’s cooled, use a sharp knife to poke a small hole on the side of each donut. Use a pastry bag with a large plain tip to pipe the jam inside.

Bananas Foster

Thank you Spend with Pennies for the recipe!

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter 

• ¾ cups brown sugar

• ¼ cup white sugar

• ½ tsp cinnamon 

• 3 bananas (halved lengthwise)

• 3 oz. dark rum 

• Ice cream (for serving)

Directions

1. Combine the butter, brown sugar, white sugar, and cinnamon over medium heat in a large saucepan. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bananas and cook until softened, about 4-5 minutes. 

2. Add in the rum and use a long lighter to ignite the rum. Allow it to burn out. 

3. Serve the bananas over ice cream and spoon the sauce over them.

Louisiana Crawfish Etouffee

Thank you All Recipes for the recipe!

Ingredients

• 2 cups long-grain white rice

• 4 cups water

• ½ cup butter

• ⅔ large onion (chopped)

• ⅔ garlic clove (chopped)

• 2 + ½ Tbsp + ½ tsp all-purpose flour

• ⅔ lb. crawfish tails 

• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp canned tomato sauce

• ⅔ cup water

• 4 green onions (chopped)

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 Tbsp cajun seasoning

Directions

1. Pour the rice and 6 cups of water into a saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the rice is tender and the water has been absorbed. 

2. While the rice is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until it’s transparent. Stir in the garlic and cook for one minute. Stir in the flour until everything is well blended. Gradually stir in the tomato sauce and the remaining 1 cup of water, then add the crawfish tails and bring them to a simmer. Add the green onions and season with salt, pepper, and cajun seasoning. Simmer for 5-10 minutes over low heat until the crawfish is cooked but not tough. 

3. Serve over hot, cooked rice.

Jambalaya with Shrimp and Chicken

Thank you All Recipes for the recipe!

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil 

• 14 oz. andouille sausage (sliced)

• 1 medium onion (chopped)

• 2 garlic cloves (crushed)

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cubed)

• 1 green bell pepper (chopped)

• 2 stalks celery (chopped)

• 1 can diced tomatoes

• 1 lb. uncooked medium shrimp (peeled and deveined)

• ½ tsp dried thyme

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp seasoned salt

• ¼ tsp pepper

• ¼ tsp hot sauce

• 2 Tbsp chopped green onions

Directions

1. Turn on the Instant Pot and select the ‘Sauté’ function. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and cook the sausage slices until it’s browned on both sides for 3-4 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pot and set it aside. 

2. Add the remaining olive oil to the pot, followed by the onion and garlic. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Add the chicken, bell pepper, and celery. Cook until the chicken starts to brown on the edges, about 2-3 minutes. Add the browned sausage, diced tomatoes with their liquids, shrimp, thyme, salt, seasoned salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Stir well to combine and turn off the ‘Sauté’ function. Close and lock the lid. 

3. Select high pressure, according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and set the times to 7 minutes. Allow 10-15 minutes for the pressure to build. 

4. Release the pressure carefully using the quick-release method for about 5 minutes. Unlock and carefully remove the lid after the pressure has been released completely. 

5. Serve the jambalaya garnished with chopped green onions.

Dirty Rice

Thank you Grandbaby Cakes for the recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 + ½ cups basmati rice

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil 

• 8 oz. chicken livers (trimmed)

• 1 lb. bulk pork sausage

• 1 onion (finely chopped)

• 1 green bell pepper (diced)

• 1 red bell pepper (diced)

• 1 Tbsp minced garlic

• 1 Tbsp chopped jalapeño chile

• ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

• 2 bay leaves 

• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme 

• 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tsp kosher salt 

• ½ tsp paprika 

• A pinch of cayenne pepper

• 4 green onions

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cover the rice with 2-3 inches of cold water. Stir the rice with your hand and drain. Repeat five or six times, until the water runs clear. 

2. Transfer the washed rice to a medium-heavy bottomed pot. Add enough fresh water to cover the rice by about 1 inch. Bring it to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cover and cook until the rice is tender. This should take about 20 minutes. Don’t overcook it. 

3. In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high what until it shimmers. Add the livers and sausage to cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up the sausage with the back of a spoon until the meat is no longer pink for 7-8 minutes.

4. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the livers and sausage to a small bowl. Add the onion, bell peppers, garlic, and jalapeño to the pan and cook over medium-high heat until the vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. 

5. Meanwhile, chop the chicken livers into small dice. Return them to the sauté pan, along with the sausage, Worcestershire sauce, and the cooked rice, Stir until the rice is fully incorporated. Stir in the bay leaves, thyme, black pepper, salt, paprika, cayenne, and green onions. Partially cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the flavors are well-blended about 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaves, discard, and serve immediately.

How are you celebrating Mardi Gras? Are you excited to try these recipes? Comment below!

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