Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday — no matter what you call it, it’s all about uninhibited celebration full of indulgent eats. If you can’t make it to New Orleans to take part in the annual parades, bring a taste of the experience into your kitchen wherever you are with dishes incorporating the official Mardi Gras colors: purple, gold and green.

For dessert, there’s always Louisiana-style king cake — a ring-shaped confection decorated with colored sugar that’s popular with the locals. This Shortcut King Cake made with store-bought crescent roll dough is good in a pinch! If you’re planning a more elaborate feast, try working the Mardi Gras rainbow into your main course or your sides. Trust us — it’s not as hard as it sounds!

This Flatbread with Charred Broccoli and Roasted Grapes is like king cake’s savory cousin: The purple, green and gold are all here, minus the frosting and sprinkles. Instead, crisp green broccoli florets and sweet purple grapes are piled on top of a golden flatbread crust that’s perfect for sharing with friends.

Looks like the gang’s all here, too! Food Network Kitchen’s Beet-Orange Salad unites sunny blood oranges and deep-purple beets on a bed of fresh arugula. Keep the dressing simple — some olive oil and sherry vinegar will do. That way, the beets and orange slices will really shine.

This rustic Grape Galette with Almond Cream is a more subdued alternative to king cake. It features a mix of green and red grapes nestled into a golden galette crust, reminiscent of the Mardi Gras color scheme.

You can even prepare a bevy of sides, each representing a different color. Purple represents justice, and these naturally purple foods deserve a spot on the table.

Here, purple cabbage lends a satisfying crunch to this simple Fennel and Cabbage Slaw.

These Purple Potatoes with Rosemary and Olives will also make a bold statement at your Mardi Gras feast. When boiled, the potatoes are more likely to retain their rich violet hue, so don’t worry about making room for them in your oven.

Food Network Kitchen’s Beety Pickled Eggs have you covered on the purple and the gold. Serve them as a snack or on the side of a leafy green salad to complete the color scheme.

According to Mardi Gras tradition, gold represents power — and these golden-hued dishes have some powerfully tempting qualities.

Nothing says “party time” like crisp, golden drumsticks and thighs. Exhibit A: Food Network Magazine’s buttermilk Fried Chicken. Go ahead and customize your own spice blend; we really like the combination of spicy chile powder, smoked paprika and cumin.

It doesn’t get more golden than Food Network Kitchen’s Baked Macaroni and Cheese. Mustard powder, hot sauce and cayenne make for a robust and flavorsome cheese sauce. Top it off with crushed Ritz crackers before baking — the buttery crunch is unbelievable.

This easy Butternut Squash Soup with Fontina Cheese Crostini is ready in under an hour when pureed in your stockpot using an immersion blender. Blend some chopped carrot into the soup to enhance the golden color.

Cornmeal and honey lend the this moist Honey Cornbread Muffins their golden hue. You can toast up any leftover muffins and crumble them into soups and salads.

Don’t forget green! The most-obvious way to incorporate the color into your meal is through vegetables. Fried chicken and cornbread are tough acts to follow, we know. But if you’ve lost faith in greens, these dishes will surely restore it.

Give Mardi Gras the festive celebration it deserves with Bobby Flay’s indulgent Creamed Kale, flavored ever so subtly with nutmeg and black pepper.

You’ll kill two birds with one stone by serving these Braised Collard Greens and Butternut Squash. The golden cubes of squash provide the perfect sweet complement to the buttery collards.

It isn’t a party without guacamole. Bobby gets his Guacamole with Cumin-Dusted Tortilla Chips Mardi Gras-ready by serving the guac with a combination of yellow- and blue-corn tortilla chips. The blue-corn chips actually look quite purple — so you’ll fit all three colors into one easy appetizer!

Laissez les bons temps ruler – “let the good times roll” – with more of our best Mardi Gras recipes.