The last beads have been thrown, the floats have rolled away, and the music that once filled the streets of Universal Studios Orlando has finally faded into the background. Another season of Universal Orlando Mardi Gras has come and gone—but if you’ve ever been, you know the flavors stay with us, teasing our taste buds.
Because long after the parade ends, it’s the food you keep dreaming about…the crispy fried green tomato po’boy, the creamy Cajun mac and cheese, the powdered sugar from hot, fresh beignets that lingered on your fingertips long after the last bite.
So if you’re already missing it—like this author is—these copycat recipes bring the best bites of this year’s Mardi Gras celebration back to life at home. Bon appetit!
🍅 Fried Green Tomato Po’Boy
Flash Fried Tomatoes • Cajun Remoulade • Classic Crunch
Crispy, tangy, and layered with texture, this vegetarian-friendly po’boy delivers that perfect mix of crunch + creaminess + acidity.
Copy-Cat Recipe
Ingredients (serves 2):
- 2 green tomatoes, sliced ¼-inch thick
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup cornmeal
- ½ cup flour
- 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
- Oil for frying
- 2 hoagie rolls
- 1 cup shredded lettuce
- ¼ cup sliced pickles
- ¼ cup sliced onions
Cajun Remoulade:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp hot sauce
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp pickle relish
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions:
- Heat oil to 350°F.
- Dip tomato slices in buttermilk, then dredge in cornmeal, flour, and Cajun seasoning.
- Fry 2–3 minutes until golden and crisp.
- Mix remoulade ingredients.
- Assemble sandwich: bread, remoulade, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, and onions.
🥪 Crispy, tangy, and perfectly messy — exactly what you want between parade stops.
🍸 Drink Pairing: Pair with the Phantom Punch from your drinks post — the citrus cuts through the fried coating beautifully. (Internal link to drinks blog)
🧀 Baked Cajun Mac & Cheese
Andouille Sausage • Holy Trinity • Spicy Cream Sauce
This is comfort food turned festival-ready: rich, creamy mac loaded with smoky sausage and Cajun spice.
Copy-Cat Recipe
Ingredients (serves 4):
- 12 oz cavatappi pasta
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 cup diced andouille sausage
- ½ cup diced onion
- ½ cup diced bell pepper
- ¼ cup diced celery
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella
- 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 2 tbsp chopped scallions
Instructions:
- Cook pasta and set aside.
- In a skillet, cook sausage until browned. Add onion, pepper, and celery. Sauté until soft.
- Stir in butter and flour to form a roux.
- Slowly whisk in milk and cream until thickened.
- Add cheese and Cajun seasoning, stir until melted.
- Combine with pasta, transfer to baking dish.
- Bake at 375°F for 15–20 minutes until bubbly.
- Top with scallions before serving.
🧀 Creamy, smoky, and just spicy enough — a Mardi Gras must.
🍸 Drink Pairing: Pair with the Category 5 Punch — the citrus and rum balance the richness of the cheese.
🍫 Tres Leches
Chocolate Cake • Three Milk Soak • Almond & Meringue Finish
A Mardi Gras twist on a Latin classic—ultra-moist, chocolatey, and topped with texture.
Copy-Cat Recipe
Ingredients (serves 6–8):
- 1 box chocolate cake mix (or homemade equivalent)
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup toasted sliced almonds
- 1 cup whipped cream or meringue
Instructions:
- Bake cake according to cake mix directions in a 9×13 pan.
- While warm, poke holes all over the cake.
- Mix evaporated milk, condensed milk, cream, and vanilla.
- Pour the mixture slowly over the cake and let it soak completely.
- Chill for at least 2 hours.
- Top with whipped cream or meringue and toasted almonds.
🍫 Rich, soft, and soaked with sweetness—pure dessert indulgence.
🍸 Drink Pairing: Pair with the King Cake Espresso Martini—coffee + chocolate = perfection.
🍩 Beignets
Pillowy Fried Dough • Powdered Sugar Snowfall
No Mardi Gras celebration is complete without beignets—and these are exactly what you expect: warm, airy, and covered in powdered sugar.
Copy-Cat Recipe
Ingredients (serves 4):
- 2¼ tsp active dry yeast
- ¾ cup warm water
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ cup milk
- 3½ cups flour
- ½ tsp salt
- Oil for frying
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions:
- Dissolve yeast in warm water with a pinch of sugar. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Mix in sugar, egg, milk, flour, and salt.
- Knead into a soft dough. Let rise 1–2 hours.
- Roll out the dough and cut into squares.
- Fry at 350°F for 2–3 minutes until puffed and golden.
- Drain and dust heavily with powdered sugar.
🍩 Light, fluffy, and messy in the best way—a true New Orleans classic.
🍸 Drink Pairing: Pair with the Royal Street Refresher Mocktail—fruity and refreshing against the sweetness.
🥩 Picanha
Char-Grilled Sirloin Cap • Farofa • Vinaigrette
This Brazilian-inspired dish brings something savory and bold to the festival lineup.
🧾 Copy-Cat Recipe
Ingredients (serves 3–4):
- 1½ lbs sirloin cap (picanha)
- 1 tbsp coarse salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Farofa:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 cup toasted cassava flour (or breadcrumbs as a substitute)
- ¼ cup diced onion
Vinaigrette:
- 1 tomato, diced
- ¼ cup onion, diced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- Salt & pepper
Instructions:
- Season the beef with salt and pepper.
- Grill over high heat to desired doneness (medium rare recommended).
- Rest, then slice thickly against the grain.
- For farofa: sauté the diced onion in butter, stir in cassava flour until toasted.
- Mix vinaigrette ingredients.
- Serve beef with farofa and vinaigrette on the side.
🥩 Smoky, juicy, and full of texture—a standout savory bite.
🍸 Drink Pairing: Pair with the King Gator Bayou Blast—herbal and citrus notes complement the richness of the beef.
🎉 Final Bite
Mardi Gras at Universal Studios Florida always feels like it disappears too quickly. One minute you’re catching beads and debating your next booth stop, and the next, the floats are gone, and the streets feel just a little quieter.
But the best part about a festival like this is that it doesn’t have to end completely. Not really. Because the flavors—the ones that made you stop mid-bite, the ones you still dream about—those are the easiest souvenirs to bring home with you.
Recreating these dishes at home becomes its own kind of tradition. A way to relive the night; it’s almost like stepping back into the crowd for just a little while longer. Because even after the beads are gone, the feast continues.
See you in the Single Rider Lane 😉