What do mac and cheese, fried chicken and cornbread have in common? They’re all ridiculously delicious comfort foods our friends from the South have pretty much perfected. Here, we’ve rounded up the best Southern recipes on the planet for your enjoyment. All that’s left for you to do? Whip up a big pitcher of sweet tea (or better yet, watermelon sweet tea) and enjoy.
31 Southern Recipes Everyone on Earth Should Make
•
Published Jun 22, 2023
PureWow editors select every item that appears on this page, and some items may be gifted to us. Additionally, PureWow may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story. All prices are accurate upon date of publish. You can learn more about the affiliate process here.
1. Sprightly Biscuits
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes
The secret to light and fluffy biscuits isn’t butter or buttermilk (although both help). It’s actually a can of lemon-lime soda, which yields the fluffiest-ever results.
2. Buttermilk-Battered Pan-Fried Fish Fillets
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, high protein
Frying fish at home sounds daunting, until you realize you can do it on the stove with a cast iron skillet (and not a ton of oil, at that). Try it once and you’ll be a pro.
3. Blackberry-Raspberry Skillet Cobbler
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Southerners are experts at crafting simple-yet-satisfying desserts that feed a whole host of people. This lightly sweet cobbler fits the bill, and it’s ready in all of 30 minutes.
4. Hummingbird Cupcakes with Pineapple ‘Flowers’
- Time Commitment: 4 hours
- Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Hummingbird cake—a lightly spiced banana-pineapple treat—is considered a Southern classic, but it’s actually a version of the Jamaican “Doctor Bird Cake” (named after the island’s national bird) introduced to the U.S. sometime in the ’60s. The more you know!
5. Watermelon Sweet Tea
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients
There’s no better way to wash down barbecue than with this make-ahead beverage, which is sweetened with plenty of fresh summer fruit.
6. Southern Fried Green Tomatoes
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
FYI, green tomatoes are just unripe regular tomatoes. The only thing that’s better than battering them until crisp is dipping them in remoulade (or turning them into an OTT sandwich).
7. Southern Hush Puppies
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, <30 minutes
They’re like sweet, fried morsels of cornbread…and we have no complaints about that. They come together quickly and disappear even faster, especially when served with honey butter.
8. Pimento Cheese
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: <15 minutes, crowd-pleaser
We love cheese, and we love dips. Naturally then, pimento cheese is the stuff of dreams. Serve this spicy easy appetizer with carrots, celery stalks, crackers or pork rinds for dipping.
9. Vanilla Bean Buttermilk Pie
- Time Commitment: 2 hours, 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser
The crust is relatively hands-off, the filling is foolproof and the whole thing will have you going back for a second slice.
10. Shrimp Po’ Boy with Creole Remoulade Sauce
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: high protein, special occasion-worthy
This hefty sammie will transport you to New Orleans on first bite. (Not to mention, you’ll want to dip everything in the tangy remoulade sauce.)
11. Banana Pudding Cups
- Time Commitment: 4 hours, 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, make ahead
There are a lot of ways to make banana pudding, but to keep things quick and easy (and to let the fresh ’nanas shine), we went with a cornstarch-thickened pudding instead of an egg-based custard.
12. Easy Homemade Pickles
- Time Commitment: 48 hours
- Why I Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly
They may not be as intense as a jar of Wickles, but they’re tangy and crisp in their own right. (And you could totally add crushed red pepper flakes for some heat.)
13. Southern Baked Mac and Cheese
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
We love a stovetop mac as much as the next person, but if it’s not baked until bubbly and golden, it’s not really a Southern recipe. Not for nothing, this version contains four types of cheese.
14. Bourbon Apple Crisp à la Mode
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Maple syrup and a touch of brown sugar keep this Southern classic from being cloying. Translation: We can eat the leftovers for breakfast, right?
15. Mini Chicken and Waffles
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Behold, everyone’s new favorite appetizer for a crowd. They’re so small, you have permission to go in for seconds (er—fourths).
16. Buttermilk Skillet Corn Bread with Tomatoes and Green Onions
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: one skillet, crowd-pleaser
To make this a more authentically Southern cornbread, you should skip the small amount of sugar in the batter. (Sorry, we don’t make the rules!)
17. Shrimp Boil Skewers with Corn, Sausage and Potatoes
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
All the appeal of a classic backyard seafood boil, without so much of the mess…although you should still serve the skewers on a newsprint-lined picnic table, sans plates.
18. Skillet Peach Cobbler
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, one skillet
Great news: Thanks to this skillet upgrade, you can satisfy your pie craving in under an hour (no rolling or cutting necessary).
19. Savory Tomato Tart
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
A riff on the Southern tomato pie, this one is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Bonus points if you seek out the ripest heirloom tomatoes you can find at the farmers market.
20. Seven-Layer Dip
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser
What do all parties have in common? They’re the ideal opportunity to make this Tex-Mex dip. Pass the chips, please and thanks.
21. Chicken and Waffle Sandwiches
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, kid-friendly
What do you get when you combine fried chicken and cheese waffles? The best open-face on the planet.
22. Shrimp and Grits
- Time Commitment: 48 minutes
- Why I Love It:
The grits are smooth and creamy, the shrimp is perfectly seasoned and the andouille sausage adds a hint of smoke. This is comfort food at its finest.
23. Buttermilk Fried Chicken
- Time Commitment: 5 hours, 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Fact: Nobody does fried chicken like our friends in the South. This version is finished with a spicy honey glaze, which is optional…but not really.
24. Spicy Orange-Glazed Ham
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
Sure, it’s our go-to meal for special occasions, but did we mention the amazing sandwiches you can make with the leftovers?
25. Light and Tangy Coleslaw
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Hear that noise? It’s your coleslaw calling out for a big plate of fried chicken. (See above.)
26. Southern Deviled Eggs
- Time Commitment: 23 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
With relish and jalapeños, these bites have just the right balance of sweet and heat. Plus, once the eggs are boiled, the assembly is a breeze. (Psst: Try this technique to peel boiled eggs faster.)
27. Silver Dollar Corn Cakes with Smoked Honey Butter
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, vegetarian
Introducing the best thing for scooping up saucy food since biscuits and tortilla chips. They pair just as well with meaty mains (like pulled pork, brisket or ribs), as they do with sides like baked beans and collards.
28. Chicken and Chicken Sausage Jambalaya
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: one pot, <500 calories, crowd-pleaser
Jambalaya sounds complicated, but this version comes together in a single pot. Make a big batch and enjoy it all week long—the flavor just gets better.
29. Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Pie
- Time Commitment: 3 hours, 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, make ahead
Sweet potato pie is a Southern holiday staple, and in our humble opinion, the orange spud only makes pumpkin taste better. The bourbon marshmallows are optional, but certain to wow your guests.
30. Real Deal Southern Caramel Cake
- Time Commitment: 2 hours, 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
Speaking of Southern staples, we’d like to request this sweet cake for every celebration here on out. The icing requires a bit of patience and care, but the final results are worth it.
31. Southern Collard Greens
- Time Commitment: 2 hours, 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, gluten free
Traditional in Southern and Black cuisine, these greens usually flavored with ham hocks—you can also try smoked turkey wings if you don’t eat pork. (Just make sure the meat is smoked for the most authentic flavor.)
