Southern Recipes
376 recipes found
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A One-Pan Peach Cobbler with a Game-Changing Twist
This gently spiced peach cobbler receives a floral twist from saffron and honey. It's easy to make, adaptable, and perfect served warm with ice cream.
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This Creamy Broccoli Salad With Bacon and Cheddar Is a Southern Potluck Icon
This make-ahead Southern broccoli salad features bacon, cheddar, apples, and pickled raisins tossed in a creamy, tangy dressing.
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This Classic Mint Julep Has a Surprising Flavor Twist
This variation substitutes crème de cacao for the sugar, adding a chocolate flavor that pairs well with both bourbon and mint.
Fried Green Tomatoes and Tangy Basil Mayo by Mehreen Karim
Making a plant-based version of the classic dish substitutes for the usual eggy coating by dipping the slices in a chickpea flour batter. Some of summer’s finest produce—they’re flavorful yet uniquely sturdy, making them a great contender for frying.
Chantilly Lili
This dessert, named for Meghan’s daughter, Princess Lilibet, is based on a banana pudding recipe of Meghan’s grandmother. In the Southern classic, vanilla pudding is layered with cookies and sliced banana; Meghan’s version adds the sweet-tart sting of strawberries macerated with lemon. She happens to have a passion fruit vine in her garden, and its yellow seeds make a nice, juicy garnish. This layered pudding can be made in individual glasses for a party, or a big bowl for a family night in.
Old-Fashioned Coconut Cake
The variations of coconut cake in the South are nearly endless and depend a lot on where you live. Pecans make an appearance on occasion. The frostings range from cream cheese to buttercream. Yellow cake layered tightly with custard and topped with meringue is not uncommon either. This version, though, is simple and traditional, and about as delicate and old-fashioned as they come. It is pared down to a soft white cake and a delightful Swiss buttercream that centers the coconut. It’s a perfectly elegant way to celebrate spring and all of the holidays that come with it.
Burgoo
If you were to spend some time in Kentucky on Derby Day, or visit at a local restaurant like Shack in the Back BBQ, you’ll likely see people eating burgoo. Burgoo, a cousin of Brunswick stew and Minnesota booya, is a richly layered, slow-cooked stew that usually contains a mix of meats and vegetables such as corn, okra and lima beans, simmered with tomatoes. There’s a saying among “burgoo-masters” that goes,“If it walked, crawled or flew, it goes in burgoo,” and indeed, many traditional versions, cooked over an open fire, have included meats like mutton, squirrel, duck and rabbit. This version uses chicken, pork and beef. Burgoo takes as much effort as you’d imagine, with prep being the biggest hurdle. However, if you set aside a Sunday morning to tackle it, you’ll be rewarded with a rich and flavorful meal that will leave you fulfilled in more ways than one. A pot of burgoo needs just as much room as it needs time to cook, so consider using at least a 9-quart Dutch oven or stock pot for this recipe.
Sweet Potato Cornbread
Old-school Southern cornbread is good anytime and anywhere, but make it a bit more surprising with sweet potato. This cornbread is seasoned with caramelized sweet potatoes and warm spices, then smeared with a delicious sweet potato-brown sugar butter that’s reminiscent of classic sweet potato pie. To save time and energy, a can of sweet potato stands in for fresh ones that require roasting. When jazzed up by caramelizing in a skillet, its flavor instantly changes from back-up dancer to star.
Fried Cabbage
Southern fried cabbage smartly marries lean cabbage with pork in the form of rich, meaty bacon. First, you chop bacon into small pieces and cook until crispy. Next, the cabbage cooks right in the bacon fat with onion and garlic, quickly soaking up tons of smoky flavor. Covering the cabbage as it cooks helps it soften quickly and evenly, achieving a uniquely silky texture. A touch of stone-ground mustard gives a tangy lift. This easy side pairs well with roasted chicken, fried chicken, pork chops and grilled sausages.
King Cake With Strawberry and Cream Cheese Filling
King cake, a sweetened, yeast-raised bread eaten throughout the many weeks of Carnival season, is rolled and twisted like a cinnamon roll. Traditional king cakes are flavored with cinnamon and sugar, but today the flavor combinations are seemingly endless; this version pairs strawberry jam and cream cheese. The cream cheese filling is flavored with lemon zest and a little sugar; a spoonful of flour adds structure. Dollops of strawberry jam contribute a concentrated fruity bite; if you want more fruit presence, opt for canned strawberry pie filling. The whole pastry is bathed in a lemony glaze before being topped with green, gold and purple sugar, a visual cue that identifies this wreath of baked dough as a king cake.
Princess Pamela’s Sauce Beautiful
Summery, tart and slightly sweet, this sauce ingeniously uses peach preserves to make a perfect pairing for pork chops. It also works as a tart dressing for a kale or chicory salad, highlighting the fruit at its peak while also adding richness thanks to butter and oil. In the mid-60s, Pamela Strobel served this condiment, her signature sauce, alongside dishes like fried chicken, black eyed peas and smothered pork chops at her restaurant, Little Kitchen. Princess Pamela, a moniker given to Ms. Strobel when she asked a printer what the name of her business should be, wore the title well: She ruled over her minuscule soul food spot underneath her apartment in New York City’s East Village, deciding who was let in (and who was kicked out).
Sardine and Egg Sandwich
In 1939, New Orleans chef Lena Richard self-published a cookbook to meet the demand for her recipes. She was the first Black person to host a cooking show and also owned restaurants, had a line of frozen foods and founded a catering company and cooking school. In addition to showcasing the Creole dishes of New Orleans, “Lena Richard’s Cook Book” included a whole chapter on sandwiches for luncheons and tea time. This four-ingredient mix comes together easily and tastes both complex and comfortingly simple. The recipe below reflects her book’s version and the tips added here offer guidance for cooks today.
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Homemade Beignets
Make fresh, pillowy, powdered sugar–coated beignets at home that rival the classic beignets at Café du Monde in New Orleans and other cafés in South Louisiana.
Red Velvet Cookie Bars
These bar cookies have all of the flavors of your favorite red velvet cake, in a cute, compact form that is quick and easy to make. Their flavor and texture falls somewhere between a vanilla sugar cookie and chewy brownie. A generous layer of fluffy cream cheese frosting is a tangy and delicious cap to the bars, but feel free to reduce the frosting as you like. Enjoy these at room temperature or cold from the refrigerator. The food coloring in the recipe brightens their warm, chocolaty tone, but you can add extra for a more vibrant hue.
Oysters Mosca
In this one-pan gratin, inspired by a favorite appetizer at Mosca’s, an Italian restaurant just outside of New Orleans, fresh oysters are covered in a garlicky butter sauce, topped with a mélange of breadcrumbs and freshly grated Parmesan and baked until tender yet juicy. It’s a hit with those who love oysters — and even those who aren’t fans of raw ones. The shellfish are full of flavor from the Creole seasoning that accents the sauce, with a hint of Italian influence from the herbs and Parmesan. At Mosca’s, they use plump Gulf oysters from nearby waters, a variety that’s especially good cooked and worth seeking out if you live near the Gulf Coast. Otherwise, any oysters work: Using preshucked oysters packed in their liquor at your local grocer or fishmonger makes preparing this dish a breeze. Best enjoyed warm from the oven, this appetizer is meant to be shared with a group.
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Crispy Southern Fried Shrimp
Recipe developer Craig Ruff employed a number of techniques to make the juiciest, crispiest Southern fried shrimp, but this one tip seals the deal—and it requires zero effort.
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These Mini Southern Pies Will Be the Talk of Your Holiday Party
These little pecan pies triple-down on the pecan flavor in the crust, the filling, and as a topping. They're buttery, gooey, nutty, and ready for your holiday party.
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This Citrusy Spiced Southern Tea Is the Perfect Winter Warmer
A warm drink of citrus, black tea, and warm spices, Southern friendship tea—aka Russian tea—is tangy, robust, and perfect for a cold winter’s morning or a festive holiday party.
Crispy Trout With Creek Sauce
When researching her family history, the chef Ashleigh Shanti found aunts and cousins that fried fish and sold it on the streets of Virginia Beach, yelling “Good hot fish!” to people walking or driving by. This recipe, from her book “Our South” (Union Square & Co., 2024), is Ms. Shanti’s version of fish sticks, featuring crunchy, savory and salty trout, fried until golden brown and served with the chef’s take on Alabama white barbecue sauce. Serve as part of a spread with salad or hush puppies as Ms. Shanti does at her Asheville, N.C., restaurant.
Kilt Lettuce
“Kilt, as in ‘killed,’ is how mountain folk describe once-lively lettuce that has been forgotten and left to wilt on the counter (or in the back of the fridge for the modernists),”the chef Ashleigh Shanti explains in her cookbook, “Our South” (Union Square & Co., 2024). This dish speaks to the resourcefulness of Appalachian cooks, who found a way to make delicious meals out of produce that may have been past its prime. With a few staple ingredients, a head of iceberg lettuce becomes a tangy and slightly sweet salad that pairs well with a simple roast chicken or mustard-glazed pork tenderloin, and can also serve as a main course with simply cooked rice or roasted vegetables alongside.
Carla Hall’s Creamed Kale
I love creamed spinach, so I figured I’d really love creamed kale. I was right! Because the leaves are so much sturdier, they don’t break down in the sauce or release much water. That means a more satisfying chew with each bite, and more nutrients, too. This may sound like a trendy take on a classic, but kale’s been a soul food staple for hundreds of years. Everyone’s figuring out now what we’ve known forever: Kale really is delicious.
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Cheesy Southern Sausage Balls
Cheesy, meaty, and tender sausage balls are staple passed hors d'oeuvres at holiday parties throughout the South. This easy sausage ball recipe takes mere minutes to prepare, and the result is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.
Fire Crackers
This spicy, savory snack, also known as Alabama fire crackers or comeback crackers, is of unclear origin but beloved in the South. Though fire crackers are traditionally prepared using saltines, oyster crackers are also common — and the choice here because they’re fun to devour by the handful. Classic fire crackers are marinated with store-bought ranch seasoning and red pepper flakes then baked until crisp and golden. This version calls for a quick, homemade ranch-inspired blend. These crackers will stay fresh for up to one week, making them ideal for impromptu holiday gatherings and gifting alike.
Coffee and Maple Chess Pie
This pie is like enjoying maple-soaked pancakes with a cup of coffee, but it’s great any time of day. A hint of bourbon, or vanilla if you please, enhances a custardy chess pie base that’s then topped with a slightly sweetened espresso-infused whipped cream. Candied orange, while optional, makes for an especially festive, sparkly finish. You can make the chess pie up to a day ahead of time and store it tightly wrapped at room temperature if it’s not topped with the whipped cream. (Watch me make my Thanksgiving pies on YouTube.)