These classic Southern recipes are perfect for feeding your family delicious cozy dishes loved throughout the South. From fried chicken to banana pudding, all the tastes you crave are here.
After living in the South for over a decade, this is what I can tell you about the best Southern recipes:
- Always Delicious: Southern food isn't fussy. It's real home cooking for family and friends, food that everyone will love.
- Fresh Produce and Local Ingredients: Southern recipes put the spotlight on the South's best fruit, vegetables, meats, and cheeses. Everything tastes farm fresh with just a few ingredients.
- Feeds a Crowd: Southern recipes tend to run on the large side because you're either planning a big family dinner or your fixing food to share with a friend. Have a small family like me? No worries, southern recipes often freeze really well!
If you want to try a taste of the south no matter where you live, I wanted to share with you my all time favorite Southern recipes for real family meals right at home.
Jump to:
- Southern Banana Pudding
- Southern Peach Cobbler
- Bourbon Pecan Pie
- Strawberry Pretzel Salad
- Blueberry Cobbler
- Shortbread Pecan Pie Bars
- Strawberry Shortcake
- Strawberry Cream Pie
- Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
- Southern Cornbread
- Deviled Eggs
- Pimento Cheese
- Southern Tomato Pie
- Southern Macaroni Salad
- Fried Green Tomatoes
- Southern Mac and Cheese
- Remoulade Sauce
- Chow Chow Relish
- Chick-Fil-A Sauce
- Blackening Seasoning
- Chicken and Dumplings
- Pulled Pork
- Baked Boneless Pork Ribs
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Old Fashioned Squash Casserole
- Savannah Red Rice
- More Southern Recipes
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Southern Banana Pudding
Perhaps one of the most southern recipes of all time, traditional banana pudding is served at every potluck and church picnic ever.
Do you even live in the South if you haven't spotted this at a local diner??
But what happens if you're like me? Well, then you need to go ahead and throw caution to the wind and make this banana pudding with no bananas . . .
Stop clutching your pearls. I included instructions for adding fresh bananas, if you must.
Southern Peach Cobbler
While you'll be tempted to bake this classic southern peach cobbler with Georgia peaches, I'm here to tell you the ones from South Carolina are even better. Check the fruit sticker to be sure!
Bourbon Pecan Pie
My easy pecan pie recipe has both Georgia pecans AND Kentucky bourbon in the mix.
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Another popular potluck or church dessert, every Southern baker needs to have a strawberry pretzel dessert ready to go in a pinch.
Blueberry Cobbler
We drove the North Carolina Sonker Trail just to get a taste of the local blueberry cobbler at mom and pop shops all along the way.
Shortbread Pecan Pie Bars
Don't wait for Thanksgiving to make pecan pie, enjoy these shortbread pecan pie bars when you're needing a fix.
Strawberry Shortcake
If there's a biscuit involved, we must be in the South. This classic strawberry shortcake is easy to bake and serve.
Strawberry Cream Pie
I've heard that this strawberry cream pie is the #1 most searched for dessert in the South! There's great reason for that, this makes such an excellent potluck dessert.
Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
Southern biscuits are so versatile. You'll see them served as a bread basket item with warm honey butter for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
But you'll also find them filled with fried chicken, spread with pimento cheese, and/or layers of fresh tomatoes.
Split them in half and serve them with a ladle of sausage gravy.
Southern Cornbread
All you need is a pat of butter and a drizzle of honey to enjoy a square of this southern buttermilk cornbread.
Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs are an essential southern party appetizer.
Think you made enough? You thought wrong.
Go ahead and make another batch.
Pimento Cheese
Is this pimento cheese recipe a spread for crackers?
Or does it go on inside a grilled sandwich?
Or is it a topping for fried green tomatoes?
Yes. Yes. and Yes.
Southern Tomato Pie
If you've got heirloom tomatoes, pimento cheese, and peppered bacon, then you must be making southern tomato pie!
Southern Macaroni Salad
When the southern summer heat goes skyrocketing, you'll find this chilled southern macaroni salad at all the barbecue parties.
Fried Green Tomatoes
Dine at any classic southern restaurant and you might find fried green tomatoes offered as an appetizer, tucked into a sandwich, or even served as a unique eggs benedict base.
I'm always amazed at the clever ways I find this awesome recipe put to use.
Southern Mac and Cheese
I know what you're thinking:
"Mac and cheese is southern? No, it's not. I eat it here in the Midwest/New England/West Coast!"
But do you eat baked mac and cheese as a Thanksgiving side??
If not, then you're not southern.
Remoulade Sauce
Remoulade sauce is my favorite southern condiment for crab cakes or an easy shrimp po'boy sandwich.
Chow Chow Relish
I bought my first jar of chow chow relish at a farm stand near Tybee Beach, Georgia. It's been a staple in my pantry ever since.
Spoon it over pork chops or chicken breasts, pile it high on a barbecue platter, or even top a hot dog.
Chick-Fil-A Sauce
It is my pleasure to offer you this Copycat Chick-Fil-A sauce. You best be baking a batch of waffle fries to go with it.
Blackening Seasoning
When you're at a southern restaurant anywhere near the shore, be sure to ask if you can have your fish sandwich blackened. It is our favorite way to have it prepared, especially if there's some remoulade sauce to go with it.
Not heading to the beach any time soon? Whip up your own blackening seasoning right at home and sprinkle it on grilled tilapia, baked chicken breasts, or shrimp in the air fryer.
Chicken and Dumplings
Southern food is nothing if not cozy dishes served with love.
This easy dutch oven chicken and dumplings is the perfect family dinner when you're folk are needing some extra lovin'.
Pulled Pork
While the choice of BBQ sauce you drizzle over it may cause a spirited debate, everyone loves a barbecue plate with pulled pork and sides.
You'll often see it listed as an option at a traditional "Meat and Threes" diner, then just pick your favorite sides to go with it.
Our favorites? Hush puppies, Mac and Cheese, and squash casserole.
Baked Boneless Pork Ribs
When pulled pork seems like too much effort, you can turn to the other southern favorite: oven baked boneless pork ribs!
Brush them with bbq sauce and broil them or serve it on the side as a dip. This is a quick 30-minute dinner for when you need a ribs fix on a weeknight.
Sweet Potato Casserole
My make ahead sweet potato casserole has been beloved by southern cooks because the key to a stunning Thanksgiving spread is lots of options.
You can prep this one far in advance of the holiday and freeze it making light work of all those side dishes.
Old Fashioned Squash Casserole
Creamy, cheesy, with breadcrumbs on top?! Yes, ma'am, I'll take a scoop of old fashioned squash casserole please.
This easy zucchini and yellow squash side dish works perfectly for family dinner any week but is right at home on the holiday table for Thanksgiving or Easter since it pairs so well with turkey or ham.
Savannah Red Rice
Another beach side favorite is this Savannah baked red rice with bacon. I love the tomato based rice dish when I'm enjoying grilled shrimp or fish during our annual beach vacations.
More Southern Recipes
While I've shared the vast majority of my favorite southern recipes with you, there are a few big classics I haven't had a chance to publish just yet.
Stay tuned for:
- Carolina Shrimp and Grits
- Chicken and Waffles
- Sausage and Gravy
- Chess Pie
- Hummingbird Cake
Did I miss a favorite? Leave a comment, I'd love to know!
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