How to Make the Ultimate King Cake for Mardi Gras (and More Mardi Gras Recipes!)

If there’s one image we associate with Mardi Gras in New Orleans, it’s parades. The dancing, the floats and the seas of purple, yellow and green are enticement enough to hightail it straight to the French Quarter come Fat Tuesday. But that’s not the only parade we’re thinking of: There’s also the endless stream of incredible dishes, many of which draw influence from French, African and Caribbean cuisines, among others. If you can’t make it to Bourbon Street this year though, you can at least try your hand at some of these iconic Mardi Gras recipes.

Consider this list our ode to the big flavors of the Big Easy, from comfort food like fried oyster-stuffed po-boys and rib-sticking stews to classic cocktails. You'll also find tons of fresh seafood, bountiful rice dishes and hearty sandwiches. End the day on a sweet note with treats like sugar-dusted beignets and bananas foster.

Not sure where to start? If you're only going to make one thing, try king cake, a Mardi Gras tradition. According to the Christian faith, Jesus first appeared to the Three Wise Men on the night referred to as the Epiphany (also known as Three Kings Day or Twelfth Night). This is the day Mardi Gras season officially kicks off, and when revelers start eating king cake. Some bakers put a miniature plastic baby, symbolizing the baby Jesus, inside of the cake. While you can eat almost all of these dishes any time of year, this colorful ring-shaped cake is a true Mardi Gras food — meaning some consider it sacrilege to eat it before Three Kings Day. So study up on some quintessential Mardi Gras facts, then get your grocery lists ready: It’s almost Fat Tuesday.