11 Mardi Gras Recipes to Help You Celebrate Fat Tuesday

gumbo shrimp okra peppers — Credit: Martyna Szczesna

If you're not in New Orleans this year, but want to celebrate at home, these Mardi Gras recipes will bring the party to your kitchen. Just what should you serve for Fat Tuesday? Perhaps fried shrimp in a po'boy sandwich, or shrimp and rice cooked with andouille sausage, similar to how they do in Cajun country. A pot of gumbo packed with shrimp and crab is a good one-and-done, make-ahead dish; the rich flavors develop if you cook it the day before. These Mardi Gras recipes will help you let the good times roll.

01 of 11

Vegetarian Gumbo

Why should meat and seafood eaters get all the gumbo? This colorful vegan take combines okra, summer squash, black-eyed peas, and other produce with Creole seasoning for a flavorful bowl.

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02 of 11

Quick Jambalaya

This streamlined take on the ultimate Mardi Gras one-pot recipe means you can enjoy jambalaya on a weeknight. Our recipe uses boneless, skinless chicken breasts and smoky andouille sausage.

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03 of 11

Shrimp Maque Choux

A rich shrimp and corn dish that's served at some of New Orleans most famous restaurants but is simple to make at home—our recipe takes just 40 minutes. Shrimp Maque Choux balances a creamy broth with spicy peppers.

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04 of 11

Sazerac

sazarac in rocks glass on black plate — Bryan Gardner

The cocktail of the Big Easy, the Sazerac is a cousin of the Old Fashioned. It balances whisky or bourbon with sugar, orange bitters, and an anise-flavored liqueur.

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05 of 11

Quick Shrimp Po' Boys

Made with the New Orleans version of French bread that's crusty outside and fluffy within, po' boys are generously sized sandwiches often with fried seafood. For our easy-to-make-at-home po' boy, we use cornmeal-crusted flounder fillets and we "dress" the sandwiches with lettuce and tomato.

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06 of 11

Bananas Foster Split

A flaming dessert makes the party and this just might be the most classic. The renowned Brennan's restaurant in New Orleans is credited with creating this dish. Bananas are cooked in buttery brown sugar syrup then flambéed with rum and served with ice cream.

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07 of 11

Muffaletta

The specialty of the famed Central Grocery in New Orleans French Quarter, this mega sandwich includes numerous Italian cured meats such as coppa, salami, and mortadella, plus olive salad, cheese, and piquant pickled peppers. It needs to be made ahead and refrigerated so the flavors have time to meld. Because it's prepped ahead and easy to share, we think it's a perfect party food.

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08 of 11

Half-Hour Chicken Gumbo

A few hacks like rotisserie chicken, smoked sausage, and frozen okra help this classic dish to come together much faster than usual.

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09 of 11

Jambalaya

This favorite dish starts with the holy trinity of Louisiana cooking: onions, celery, and bell peppers. Our version features chicken thighs and andouille sausage plus plenty of thyme and cayenne pepper.

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10 of 11

Cajun Shrimp and Rice

A quick dish that takes jambalaya as its inspiration, this shrimp and rice dish starts with the traditional trio of onion, celery, and bell pepper, adds andouille sausage for spicy flavor, and is ready to eat in just over an hour.

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11 of 11

Grasshopper

Usually enjoyed after-dinner, this three-ingredient drink gets its color from its main ingredient, crème-de-menthe. Its other main ingredient is heavy cream and there's a touch of cream de cacao, so we like to think of it as dessert in a glass.

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