Bring NOLA to you this year.
We know we can't be alone in wishing that, if we could teleport ourselves to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, you know we would. Between the beignets and the fun co*cktails and the jambalaya, we could spend a whole week just eating through the city alone. Which is why we were determined to crack the code on some of our favorite Creole and Cajun Mardi Gras foods. No lie, one bite of our one-pot Cajun orzo with sausage recipe will have you feeling like you've been transported right to the French Quarter. These 31 Creole and Cajun Mardi Gras recipes are wayyyy cheaper than a flight down South and taste just as good, promise!
So what is Creole cuisine, and how is it different from Cajun cuisine? To be clear, both Cajun and Creole food come from Louisiana. That said, Cajun food can be traced to "the Acadiana region of southwest Louisiana," Southern Living reports. It can also be found across the state, but is typically referred to as "country food," distinguishable by its hearty, mostly one-pot dishes (like gumbo and crawfish boils). As for Creole dishes, The Spruce Eats confirms that Creole food is "city food." It began in New Orleans and is associated more with seafood than with meat and includes favorites like shrimp and grits and shrimp creole. For a full explanation of the difference between Cajun and Creole food, head here, but know that both have French roots, are crazy flavorful, and you can find it served all around the state of Louisiana.
For even more NOLA-inspired recipes, check out our amazing Mardi Gras food ideas, including our favorite Mardi Gras co*cktails, Mardi Gras appetizers, and super-easy Mardi Gras desserts.
1
Crawfish Étouffée
Crawfish étouffée is an easy one-pot Cajun and Creole dinner made with a simple roux, veggies, and fresh seafood. The word étouffée is French for “smothered,” which makes sense here. This brothy dish features crawfish and vegetables completely covered in a savory butter-and-flour-based gravy. Pro tip: Serve this over white rice to soak up all that flavor.
Get the Crawfish Étouffée recipe.
2
Creole Seasoning
Craving that NOLA flavor? Forget the pre-packaged spice mix—it's quick and easy to make Creole seasoning right at home. This spice mix only requires 5 ingredients (besides salt and pepper), and you most likely already have them on hand. Make it once, and add it to all your favorite Mardis Gras recipes, weeknight dinners, and seafood dinners for months and months (and months) to come!
Get the Creole Seasoning recipe.
3
Smoked Sausage Cajun Alfredo
This dish expands on what we all love about fettuccine Alfredo, amping it up with the punchy spices and andouille sausage commonly found in Cajun cuisine. If you love gumbo and jambalaya, this recipe has got to be next on your list.
Get the Smoked Sausage Cajun Alfredo recipe.
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4
Air Fryer Okra
This okra is so delicious and crispy, you'll be making batch after batch. Here, you'll toss the long, slender green pods with a Cajun-spiced cornstarch coating, which allows oil to adhere to the okra and makes each bite deliciously crunchy. Serve with other Louisiana-inspired recipes like Creole jambalaya, Cajun chicken, or Cajun butter steak, or simply enjoy this easy appetizer on its own with co*cktails.
Get the Air Fryer Okra recipe.
5
Fried Catfish
Our top secret for the most flavorful, extra-crispy catfish? A buttermilk and hot sauce marinade. We know, it may sound odd, but the result is an extra-flavorful, slightly spicy catfish that, once coated and fried, results in crispy fillets that'll rival even your favorite seafood restaurants.
Get the Fried Catfish recipe.
6
Shrimp Creole
Similar to shrimp étouffée, but with a tomato-based sauce, this recipe will transport you to the balcony-lined streets of New Orleans. Aromatic onion, green bell pepper, and celery form the holy trinity of flavor on top of which you'll build this saucy little number.
Get the Shrimp Creole recipe.
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7
New Orleans-Style Beignets
Want to celebrate Mardi Gras from the comfort of your kitchen? Make beignets. Liberally dusted in confectioners’ sugar, these pillowy deep-fried doughnuts will make you feel like you're at the famous Cafe du Monde in just one bite.
Get the New Orleans-Style Beignets recipe.
8
Crawfish Boil
Between the fun of Mardi Gras in February and tunes of Jazz Fest in May, crawfish is the common thread through the food seasons of New Orleans. So we thought what better way to celebrate the flavors by bringing the boil to you, no matter if you can make it to NOLA or not. This boil recipe is pared down for a stovetop rather than the large outdoor gas burners intended for group boils. The recipe cooks 5 pounds of live crawfish, plus fixings like corn, sausage, and mushrooms. The resulting portion will sufficiently feed 3 people, considering the average portion is 2 to 2 1/2 pounds of crawfish per person, although you might find us eating way more. This recipe is that good.
Get the Crawfish Boil recipe.
9
Cajun-Spiced Chicken & Gnocchi
Let the good times roll because this chicken and pasta skillet will take you straight to Louisiana. Just like our other gnocchi skillet dinners, this one is absolutely craveable; plus, it brings all the flavors we associate with New Orleans into your kitchen, just in time for Mardi Gras.
Get the .
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10
Dirty Rice
Dirty rice (or rice dressing as it’s referred to in the bayou) is a delicious Louisiana staple made mainly of rice, ground pork sausage, ground beef, the holy trinity of vegetables (onion, bell pepper, and celery), and sometimes offal such as liver. While many traditional recipes will include livers, we find it a bit harder to source (and they’re not always a crowd-pleaser), so livers are noticeably absent from this recipe. But that won't make this dish any less enjoyable. The combination of pork sausage and beef provides just enough fat that you won’t even need oil to brown the meats, either.
Get the Dirty Rice recipe.
11
Shrimp & Sausage Gumbo
You might be wondering why we call for shrimp with the tails on for this Louisiana classic. Though it won’t make or break your gumbo, shrimp shells have SO much flavor, so we always prefer to keep them on.
Get the .
12
Creamy Cajun Stuffed Salmon
Blackened and stuffed, these salmon fillets are packed with Cajun flavor and are quite easy to prepare for a last-minute, weeknight dinner. Tip: Ask the fish counter for pieces of salmon from the head side of the fish (opposed to the tail side). These fillets will be thicker, easier to stuff, and will match the cooking time in our recipe, whereas thinner fillets will cook faster and are more likely to tear when you stuff them.
Get the Creamy Cajun Stuffed Salmon recipe.
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13
Remoulade Sauce
Now synonymous with Cajun and Creole food, remoulade is a cold sauce with French origins that can be used to add flavor to anything from fried foods to your favorite sandwich. Always creamy, tangy, and spicy with a hint of sweetness, this sauce is guaranteed to become a fast favorite.
Get the Remoulade Sauce recipe.
14
Fried Okra
Frying okra is the best way to enjoy the intimidating vegetable. Dredging it in buttermilk and cornmeal, then frying in a small amount of oil achieves that extra-crispy and golden crust. It's a Southern staple that's the perfect appetizer for any get-together.
Get the Fried Okra recipe.
15
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Gumbo is an undisputed Louisiana staple, right up there with jazz and fluffy beignets. But what exactly is gumbo? Like all Cajun and Creole cooking, gumbo pulls its flavors and techniques from a diverse combination of African, Native American, French, and Spanish cultures. Every Cajun household has its own bespoke recipe. But the true spirit of Cajun gumbo is using what you have on hand. If you can’t find andouille, grab some kielbasa. Prefer drumsticks or chicken breast? Go for it.
Get the Chicken and Sausage Gumbo recipe.
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16
Viet-Cajun Boil
Fusing Vietnamese flavors with the art of the Cajun crawfish boil, Vietnamese-Cajun is perhaps one of the greatest new American cuisines of the 21st century. Like its Cajun inspiration, the Southeast Asian rendition of a boil starts simply with a Cajun spice blend. But once the seafood is boiled and left to cool, Vietnamese cooks will toss it in a plethora of sauces, spices, and fresh ingredients, creating intense spice and flavor. With plenty of garlic, fragrant lemongrass, and a hint of cayenne pepper, this sauce is an irresistibly perfect balance of sweet, salty, and slightly spicy.
Get the Viet-Cajun Boil recipe.
17
Shrimp and Grits
There's a lot of richness going on here. Bacon! Butter! Cheese! To cut all the fat, you need some acid. Enter: freshly squeezed lemon juice. It brightens these bowl up BIG TIME—so don't skip it.
Get the Shrimp and Grits recipe.
18
Sweet Potato Tots with Cajun Sauce
Turns out, homemade tater tots are surprisingly easy, and these crispy bites are a fun twist on the classic. The most important step is parboiling your potatoes. It'll make them easier to shred and will also help bind them together. The results are a tot that is crispy on the outside while soft (and almost creamy) on the inside. Don't be discouraged if they take on color on each side—that is not a bad thing here! Don't skip out on the remoulade here either, it really makes the dish sing.
Get the Sweet Potato Tots with Cajun Sauce recipe.
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19
Louisiana-Style Red Beans & Rice
Red beans & rice is a traditional Creole dish made with red beans, veggies, and, often, leftover pork bones. It's traditionally made with soaked dried beans and simmered for hours, but this recipe uses some shortcuts so you can have it on the table in under an hour. And instead of using a ham hock, we sauté andouille sausage. If you've got access to ham hock, it'll add a whole new dimension to the dish.
Get the Louisiana-Style Red Beans and Rice recipe.
20
Shrimp Stew
Shrimp stew is a Cajun dish from Louisiana. This quick one-pot dinner is flavored with Cajun seasoning, packed with green bell pepper and fennel, and has a garlic-infused tomato broth. Serve it with a New Orleans-inspired co*cktail like a Hurricane or a Cherry Sazerac.
Get the Shrimp Stew recipe.
