Throwing the Perfect Mardi Gras Party at Home
I’m not from Louisiana, nor do I have any family ties to the area, but years ago, I started a small tradition of making jambalaya on or around Fat Tuesday. My church always celebrated with fun activities for the kids—burying the Alleluias and hosting a pancake supper—which gave me the idea to bring some of that festive spirit home. I'm always looking for ways to liven up the winter months, and this seemed like a fun tradition to start.
What began as just cooking a pot of jambalaya with some New Orleans jazz playing in the background has since evolved into an annual dinner with guests, a themed appetizer, and beignets for dessert. I also make sure to have masks, beads, and a fun candy dice game for the kids.
If you’re looking to throw a simple yet festive Mardi Gras celebration at home, here’s how I do it:
Set the Scene
When your guests arrive, you want them to feel like they’ve stepped into a little slice of New Orleans!
✔️ Play some New Orleans jazz (I love putting on a playlist while I cook).
✔️ Hand out beads and masks at the door—this instantly sets the party mood.
Start with an Appetizer
I like to have something ready for guests to snack on while I finish cooking dinner. In the past, I’ve made these delicious Muffuletta Pinwheels. They’re easy to prep ahead of time and have that classic muffuletta flavor.
This year, I’m putting together a Mardi Gras-inspired charcuterie board. Here’s what I’m including:
Pepper Jack & sliced cheddar
Giardiniera
Olives
Sliced bell peppers
Salami
Thinly sliced ham
Candied pecans
Grapes
Sourdough pretzels
Grainy mustard
Baguette & assorted crackers
Main Course: Jambalaya
For the main event, I always make this Jambalaya recipe from Gimme Some Oven. It’s flavorful, not too spicy (so the kids enjoy it too), and serves a crowd.
I don’t tweak the recipe at all because it’s perfect as is! However, when it was just my husband and me, I would halve it. Now, I find that it serves about 4 adults and 4 kids comfortably.
I usually serve it alongside a simple green salad—just mixed greens, vinaigrette, and some feta or goat cheese.
A Fun Game for the Kids
While I’m cooking, I set up a candy dice game for the kids. It’s super easy!
Buy assorted candies in Mardi Gras colors (purple, gold, and green). Here are some ideas:
Gold: Werther’s Originals, Hershey’s Gold Nuggets, Ferrero Rocher
Purple: Dark chocolate Hershey Kisses, Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Squares
Print out a candy dice gameboard.
Grab a die from one of your board games and let the kids take turns rolling for candy.
If you’d rather not do a game, you could package up the candies with beads as party favors instead!
Dessert: Beignets or King Cake
I love ending the night with something sweet. You have a few great options:
✔️ Make a King Cake – This recipe from House of Nash looks amazing!
✔️ Beignets – My favorite! I found this Half Baked Harvest recipe for chocolate-filled beignets, but if I’m keeping it easy, I use the Café du Monde beignet mix.
We also make a simple chocolate sauce by melting my favorite Ghirardelli 60% chocolate chips with heavy cream. Now that my girls are older, they love helping with dessert while I sit back and relax with the adults. It’s messy, but worth it!
I typically serve dessert with Café du Monde decaf coffee for the adults and milk for the kids.
I hope this inspires you to bring a little Mardi Gras fun into your home this season! The winter months can feel long, and I love any excuse to gather friends for a casual, festive dinner.
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