It’s officially Carnival season, and you know what that means: Mardi Gras is just around the corner. If you’re throwing a party, you’ve got to have tons of beads and masks for decoration, a king cake (complete with good luck baby!), and enough Cajun-inspired food to feed your whole crowd… Speaking of, if your party is more of the, say, pigs in a blanket-type than a sit-down dinner, these Fat Tuesday appetizers are for you. They’ll keep you from getting stuck in the kitchen, are sure to get any kind of party started, and will keep the good times rolling all night long.

Every appetizer spread benefits from a little variety, and Mardi Gras is no different. You could just put out some chips and dip and call it a day, but it’s Mardi Gras, so over the top is always better. That means multiple options, people! We took inspiration from classic appetizers we know and love, then gave them New Orleans-, the South-, and all things Cajun and Creole-inspired twists. Looking for flavorful, creamy dips? Try our hot crab dip, our jambalaya dip, our Funfetti dip, or our Louisiana shrimp dip. Want more bite-sized options? Check out our shrimp po’boy sliders, our lobster-shrimp cakes, our boudin balls, or our fried okra.

Speaking of frying, we get that it’s not always feasible to pull out a massive pot of oil, so we’ve included a number of air fryer recipes for you here too. Our air fryer okra, crab cakes, and scallops get just as crispy as their counterparts, with half the work.

And don’t forget something sweet! Our beignets, king cake truffles, pecan pralines, and chocolate mint moon pies would all be perfect nestled in among your savory spread.

Want more Mardi Gras inspiration? Check out our favorite Mardi Gras foods, drinks, and desserts too.

These mussels will make you rethink if mushrooms are the only things that should be stuffed this Carnival season. Make your own cornbread or use store-bought—these are so good, no one will mind either way.

Get the Cornbread-Stuffed Mussels recipe.

In many households, sausage balls are a classic holiday appetizer. But many of you might be thinking: Wait, what even is a sausage ball?! The answer: savory, cheesy bites of cooked pork sausage, cheddar, and Bisquick that will be the most popular appetizer at your Mardi Gras party.

Get the Sausage Balls recipe.

Pralines are a delicious Southern caramel-like candy made with sugar, butter, vanilla, and some form of dairy (like heavy cream or evaporated milk, which is our choice). You can make them with any nut, but pecan is classic.

Get the Pecan Pralines recipe.

Long before the creation of fried oysters, oysters were considered a poor man’s food because they were so abundant in the waters off the East Coast of the United States. They were first breaded and fried in the Western Hemisphere in the mid-19th century and have since been upgraded with a crispy, crunchy cracker crust. TMYK!

Get the Southern Fried Oysters recipe.

Stuffed mushrooms are THE appetizer we make for every party, and while our classic recipe is great, sometimes we like to switch it up a bit. Enter French boursin cheese. It adds a little something to these that’ll have your guests coming back for more.

Get the Boursin-Stuffed Mushrooms recipe.

This recipe was adapted from the new 20th anniversary edition of Patti's cookbook, LaBelle Cuisine: Recipes to Sing About. You can make smaller patties to serve as an appetizer or side, or form larger portions for a more substantial dinner.

Get the Lobster-Shrimp Cakes recipe.

This Funfetti cake-inspired dip tastes just like the Dunkaroos you grew up with. 😍 It's perfect served with everything from pretzels to Nilla wafers... you could even try it with fruit.

Get the Funfetti Dip recipe.

Hush puppies—or fried balls of savory cornmeal batter—are a welcome addition to any seafood spread or fried food feast. These golden, crispy bites are so easy to make, they're the perfect last-minute appetizer for all your Mardi Gras festivities.

Get the Hush Puppies recipe.

Traditional New Orleans beignets are a fried pastry made from French pâte à choux, an eggy yeasted dough used for things like profiteroles and eclairs. To make things simpler, we made a unyeasted dough that comes together and fries up in minutes. Let the good times roll!

Get the Easy Beignets recipe.

The best part about these skewers? The sweet and spicy sauce doubles as a marinade and a glaze—don't forget to reserve some for basting the shrimp while it's on the grill!

Get the Spicy Grilled Shrimp recipe.

Beads are common to be thrown from Mardi Gras floats—to catch a moon pie? Now that's special. You won't believe how satisfying the combo of cookie, marshmallow, and chocolate can be, especially with this chocolate mint twist.

Get the Chocolate Mint Moon Pies recipe.

If you’re looking for a boozy treat to get the party started, these bourbon balls are calling your name. Made with finely chopped pecans, crushed vanilla wafer cookies, and of course, bourbon, these no-bake cookie truffles highlight the flavor of the bourbon while taming its typical burn.

Get the Bourbon Balls recipe.

Frying it really is the best way to enjoy okra. Dredging it in buttermilk and cornmeal, then frying it in a small amount of oil achieves an extra-crispy and golden crust you'll love. Don't want to fry it? Try it in your air fryer instead!

Get the Fried Okra recipe.

Okay, we'll say it: Hot crab dip belongs in the party dip hall of fame. Packed with melty cheese and sweet, tender crab meat, this rich dip may seem extra-fancy, but it's so easy to whip up. It's the perfect last-minute app to throw together with minimal effort and is best served hot straight out of the oven!

Get the Hot Crab Dip recipe.

There might be no better food to encompass Louisiana cooking than Boudin sausage. You can avoid the sausage making, but carry on the tradition of celebration with these boudin balls, the perfect appetizer to bring to any Mardi Gras party.

Get the Boudin Balls recipe.

Everything you love about jambalaya—in DIP form. It's perfect for Mardi Gras celebrations, or just any time you've got a craving for Cajun flavors.

Get the Jambalaya Dip recipe.

Hard-boiled eggs get pickled with purple cabbage to dye the whites naturally and a little Cajun seasoning goes in the yolk mixture to make these deviled eggs New Orleans-approved!

Get the Mardi Gras Deviled Eggs recipe.

We turned our shrimp boil foil packs into an awesome party skewer. If you're using wooden skewers, don't forget to soak them first so they don't catch fire on the grill!

Get the Party Shrimp Boil recipe.

We've done some crazy things to pickles, but this might be our favorite yet. Dill pickles covered in crunchy chips, fried until crispy, and doused in hot sauce and ranch. ARE. YOU. SERIOUS? For pickle lovers, it just doesn't get any better.

Get the Hot Fried Pickle Spirals recipe.

Celebrate Mardi Gras with these fun twists on traditional king cake. We went ahead and made these boozy with a little bit of bourbon because why not? You can leave it out if you'd prefer.

Get the King Cake Truffles recipe.

When you want to take your pigs in a blanket to the next level, there's nothing better than giving them a Cajun spin with andouille sausage and a creamy, spicy, tangy remoulade dipping sauce.

Get the Cajun Pigs In A Blanket recipe.

If you're a fried pickle fanatic, you know the disappointment of having a soggy, less-than-crisp pickle. No need to worry here—this recipe includes our top tips and tricks for the crispiest, most flavorful fried pickle out there. Step aside French fries—there's a new side in town.

Get the Fried Pickles recipe.

Who said you need a romantic occasion to eat scallops? Not us. These air-fried scallops are the perfect way to get a crispy fried treat any time, without any hot oil hassle. Don’t forget the remoulade!

Get the Air Fryer Scallops recipe.

We prefer almost everything in slider form. These mini sandwiches are probably a quarter of the size of the shrimp po'boys you'd find in New Orleans, but they're packed with just as much crunch and flavor. The best things really do come in small packages.

Get the Shrimp Po'Boy Sliders recipe.

Crab cakes are the best because you get all the deliciousness of crab without all of the tedious, messy work of pulling meat from the shells. Since you're already skipping that mess, go even further and skip the pan-fry too. These are the ideal dish to cook in the air fryer, because you can get that perfect crispy texture without oil-logged cakes.

Get the Air Fryer Crab Cakes recipe.

We know a thing or two about delicious dips, and we REALLY love this one. It's cheesy, garlicky, and full of Cajun seasoning. You'll quickly see why it's a Southern favorite. To make sure that you get a bit of shrimp with each bite, chop it before you sauté it. Also, don't skip the lemon juice! It brightens up all the flavors.

Get the Louisiana Shrimp Dip recipe.

This recipe is delicious, crispy, and healthy, thanks to your air fryer. 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. We bet you'll be making batch after batch.

Get the Air Fryer Okra recipe.

We love these skewers for many reasons: They're FULL of flavor, they're hearty, and most of all, they provide the PERFECT bite. Sausage + shrimp = a match made in Cajun heaven. It's like Jambalaya on a stick!

Get the Cajun Butter Shrimp Skewers recipe.

The word croquette certainly has French origins, but we’ve taken these a distinctly Southern direction by using hot sauce and Cajun seasoning. Serve them with your favorite tartar sauce, remoulade, or spicy mayo.

Get the Salmon Croquettes recipe.