Year after year, my Boudin King Cake is the top Mardi Gras recipe on Acadiana Table. And could this Boudin King Cake recipe be easier? Well, actually it could if we did a 1-minute video to demonstrate how simple it is. Take a look and then scroll down for all the details.
There are many great reasons to live in Louisiana, but Mardi Gras has to be near the top of the list. And king cake–the most regal cake of all–makes the carnival season even more special. This sugary confection comes out of hiding about three weeks before Mardi Gras day and is obsessed over by legions of passionate pastry aficionados who devour and debate their way through every king cake. And then it’s gone in a flash–into sweet hibernation.
Boudin King Cake: Cheese-stuffed boudin regally encased in crusty, pepper jelly-glazed bread–the king of all cakes. (All photos credit: George Graham)
But does king cake have to be sweet? Why not a savory and spicy version featuring boudin? After a few rounds of trial and error, I found the perfect balance–tasty and easy–for my Boudin King Cake. There are only six key ingredients in this Cajun recipe: Start with your favorite boudin or make your own; you’ll need a block of pepper jack cheese; pick up a couple packages of Crescent dinner roll sheets (not the rolls), open up a jar of red pepper jelly; chop some green onion tops; and fry up some crispy bacon.
Remove the casing from the boudin, stuff with cheese and wrap in a dough sheet — Boudin King Cake couldn’t be simpler.
Once you gather all your ingredients, the assembly of this Cajun recipe is easy, and this Boudin King Cake bakes up golden brown and spicy delicious in less than an hour.
Crispy bacon-topped crusty bread filled with spicy boudin oozing with pepper jack and glazed with a fiery sweet pepper jelly–this easy Cajun recipe for Boudin King Cake is reason enough for Mardi Gras to last year round.
- ½ cup red pepper jelly, such as Tabasco
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 pound boudin links
- 1 (8-ounce) package pepper jack cheese, cut into planks
- 2 (8-ounce) cans Pillsbury Crescent dough sheets or French bread sheets, 1 sheet per can
- 1 large egg, beaten, for brushing
- Kosher salt
- ½ cup crumbled bacon
- ½ cup diced green onion tops
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- For the glaze, in a saucepan over medium heat, add the red pepper jelly and let cook until it softens and begins to melt, about 2 minutes. Add the water and stir until it thins out. Turn off the heat and keep warm.
- Lay out 2 links of boudin, and with a sharp paring knife, slice down the length of the boudin casing. Peel off the casing and discard. Slice halfway into the boudin the full length of the link. Wedge a plank of cheese into the opening at intervals along the boudin. Push down and close up the boudin around the cheese.
- Open a dough sheet package and unroll the sheet. Place the cylinder of cheese-stuffed boudin on the sheet and roll the dough around. Cut off the excess and pinch the ends closed. Repeat with the second link of boudin.
- On a metal baking tray sprayed with non-stick spray, place the 2 dough-wrapped boudin cylinders and join them together at the ends to form a circle. Brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle with salt.
- Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven.
- With a spoon or brush, drizzle and paint the pepper jelly over the top of the hot pastry. Sprinkle the top with crumbled bacon and diced green onion tops.
- Serve on the baking tray by slicing the boudin king cake into portions and calling your guests while it’s piping hot.
Melted cheese and spicy boudin royally redefines the Mardi Gras king cake in this easy Cajun recipe for Boudin King Cake.
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Oh my Yummy! Will definitely have to make this!
This looks delicious!!!! Can’t wait to try it!!
I am very interested in making a King Cake that isn’t sweet. This looks fabulous! Someone here in the Los Angeles area must sell Boudin. I will start hunting for it now.
Or you can just have the good stuff shipped to you from The Best Stop in Louisiana. Just saying..
Little Jewel of New Orleans in Chinatown sells boudin and makes pretty good poboys too.
Proof positive there is a God and he loves Cajuns.
Looks good and Family is from Lafayette & Broussard. Thanks and can’t wait for more recipes and to try the Boudin King Cake. Happy Mardi Gras.
Can’t wait to try this 🙂
Can’t wait to try this king cake.
Can’t wait to try this great idea for a king cake.
Great recipe ….thanks
I am definitely going to make this real soon.
Thank you !
This sounds wonderful!!!! Making it for my husband’s birthday!!!
This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
Do you use pre-cooked store bought boudin?
Hey Bob-
Yes. Where I live in Lafayette, Louisiana, excellent boudin is just a 3 minute drive away, and within 15 minutes are dozens of different choices with varying flavor profiles. It’s not difficult to find a favorite to match your taste. If you do not have access to superior store-bought boudin, I urge you to go online and buy it, or follow my recipe on the story “On The Trail of the Perfect Boudin” and make your own. It is worth the effort. Best, George
I have been making boudin pepper jack filled King cakes for over 2 years …we use a local cane syrup and our own pepper jelly to make a glaze and top it off with spicy crackling crumbs..,our bread is homemade every day and we also stuff it with crawfish etoufee and jambalaya.
Excited to see this New blog. Looking forward to great foods.
Tried it tonight and it was delicious!!!! Thanks for the receipe. It won’t let me give a 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating but that’s what it deserves
Looks great. Have to try this.
Love your recipes, Thank You for Sharing
Hi, I’m from La. But now live in Arkansas and don’t get Boudin very much because it’s just about unheard around here. Your recipe sounds delious and I’m going to get the makings to make it. Thank you very much and looking forward to other recipes.
Do you precook your boudin at all prior to stuffing it in the dough ?
Hey Mike- No, that’s the ease of this recipe: There’s nothing to precook. When you purchase boudin, it is already cooked. If you make your own boudin following my recipe, it will be cooked as well. Baking the stuffed dough will heat the boudin and melt the cheese to perfection. Best, George
Good
Hey George – made this today and followed your recipe exactly with Poche’s boudin. Really, really good, so easy to make, and great presentation with the killer final touches of pepper jelly, crumbled bacon, and green onion. My wife & I loved it and will definitely be making this again soon. Cheers, much obliged.
Thanks so much for letting us know. It’s great hearing all the success stories with this recipe. While it’s a great combination of flavors, it is the ease of preparation that makes it work so well. Long after Mardi Gras, I’m thinking this “boudin bread” has a place on my table year round. All the best, George
Great recipe
Wonderful!!! and easy.
Can’t wait to try this boudin king cake. Bought the boudin today, and will get the rest tomorrow and make tomorrow night. I often stop on the way to work to buy boudin to my work mates….we call it the breakfast of champions! Thanks for sharing!
Recipe looks and sounds great, will definitely try it SOON
Making this for a Super Bowl party appetizer. Can’t wait to try it.
Look forward to trying this
Making now.