With the recent record-low temperatures around the South, it’s exactly the right time to be digging into Cajun classics like gumbo, red beans and rice, shrimp pasta, and more. Here are eight comforting recipes from our recipe archives to try for the final hurrah of Mardi Gras season (and beyond).
Shrimp Boulettes, Shrimp Spaghetti & Shrimp Stew
These three crowd-pleasers come from the pages of Melissa Martin’s cookbook Mosquito Supper Club: Cajun Recipes from a Disappearing Bayou, inspired by her famed New Orleans restaurant of the same name.
The shrimp boulettes (pictured below) are lovely served as an appetizer or piled onto a roll with all the fixins. Make a meal of Melissa’s shrimp stew by serving it over rice, or opt for the shrimp spaghetti, which is a regular weeknight favorite in her own home. Get all three recipes here.
Shrimp boulettes are similar to a Thai fish cake — lovely served solo with a little hot sauce, or piled onto greens or a sandwich. Get the recipe here. Image: Denny Culbert / Mosquito Supper Club
Chicken & Andouille Sauce Picante with Tasso
Louisiana Chef Lyle Broussard’s ultra-flavorful Chicken & Andouille Sauce Picante can be served over white rice, pasta, with a side of stewed greens and okra, or with a simple loaf of crusty bread to soak up the sauce. Get the recipe here.
Learn to make authentic Chicken & Andouille Sauce Picante here. Image: Lake Charles L’Auberge Casino & Resort
Cajun Shrimp Pasta
This super-easy Cajun Shrimp Pasta is easily customizable for a variety of tastes and dietary needs. According to StyleBlueprint’s CEO and Founder, Liza Graves, “It’s so good you’ll cry.” Get the recipe here.
This Cajun Shrimp Pasta recipe comes with variations for a variety of dietary needs. Image: Liza Graves
Michael W. Twitty’s Red Beans & Rice
“Prepared in the days when kitchens and laundries shared the same building, this was the set-it-and-forget-it dish of the antebellum work week,”says Chef Michael W. Twitty. Still wildly popular today, this staple is inexpensive, easy to prepare, and undeniably comforting. Get Michael’s authentic from-scratch recipe HERE.
Learn to make authentic Louisiana red beans and rice HERE. Image: Nico Schinco / Recipes from the American South
Shortcut Red Beans & Rice for a Crowd
Short on time? Try this shortcut recipe instead, which leans on a few pre-prepped ingredients readily available at the grocery store. It comes together in about the time it takes for the rice to cook! Get the recipe here.
Learn a quick and easy method for delicious red beans and rice HERE. Image: Liza Graves
Vegan Gumbo (That Even Non-Vegans Will Love)
Gumbo is typically the star of the show come Mardi Gras season. This variation is vegan and vegetarian-friendly, so everyone’s happy! The recipe calls for an optional topping of sliced vegan sausages — you could even fry up some regular ones to serve on the side for staunch carnivores in your crew. Get the recipe here.
Get this ultra-flavorful, vegan-friendly gumbo recipe here. Image: Julie Grace & Lauren Hartmann / Southern Vegan
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Dining and Cooking