Home Recipes Cooking Style Comfort Food
Julie MeyersUpdated: Feb. 23, 2024
Bring a touch of the south to dinner tonight with these classic southern recipes. We've got you covered from the main course right through dessert.
Green Tomato BLT
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I absolutely love tomatoes, any kind, any size. Being from the South, that includes fried green tomatoes. I created a special summer sandwich to show them off. —Hillian Holmgren, Del Rio, Texas
Sausage and Mushroom Cornbread Dressing
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I learned about corn bread dressing while living in the south for a few years. I decided to combine it with a few of my favorite stuffing ingredients to give it my own spin. —James Schend, Food Editor, Taste of Home
Carolina Shrimp Soup
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Fresh shrimp from the Carolina coast is one of our favorite foods. We add kale, garlic, red peppers and black-eyed peas to complete this wholesome, filling soup. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Columbia, South Carolina
Sweet Potato Pie
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This creamy sweet potato pie is subtly spiced and slices beautifully! We suggest baking up a few sweet potato pies around the holidays to give to friends and family. — North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission
Southern Cornbread Salad
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To feed a crowd, especially when I want to make a good impression, I make this eye-popping cornbread salad. It’s beautiful in a trifle bowl. I love it in summer, when we can make it with our own garden produce. —Debbie Johnson, Centertown, Missouri
Southern Peach Upside-Down Cake
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A dear friend from the South gave me the idea for this peachy cake. I add bourbon and top each slice with vanilla or cinnamon ice cream. —Trista Jefferson, Batavia, Ohio
Strawberry-Chicken Salad with Buttered Pecans
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Having lived in several states in the South, I love tossing pecans into recipes for a little added flavor and crunch. Fresh berries and other nuts round out this hearty salad. —Lisa Varner, El Paso, Texas
Southern Fried Chicken with Gravy
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Fried chicken may have been perfected in the South, but it is loved everywhere! Seasonings add a little something extra to this recipe, as does a rich gravy. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Mom's Sweet Potato Bake
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Mom loved sweet potatoes and fixed them often in this creamy, comforting baked sweet potato casserole. With its nutty topping, this side dish could almost be served as a dessert. It's a yummy treat! —Sandi Pichon, Memphis, Tennessee
Southern Shrimp and Grits
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A southern specialty, sometimes called breakfast shrimp, this shrimp and grits recipe tastes fantastic for brunch or dinner, or anytime company’s coming. It’s down-home comfort food at its finest. —Mandy Rivers, Lexington, South Carolina
Sour Cream Peach Pecan Pie
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Fresh peaches, good southern pecans and real vanilla make this pie a special summertime treat. —Sherrell Dikes, Holiday Island, Arkansas
Country-Fried Steaks
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This down-home recipe reminds me of my mother, who was raised in the South. It calls for cube steak instead of round steak, so there's no need to pound the meat. I just dip and coat the beef, then cook it in my cast-iron skillet.-Bonnie Malloy, Norwood, Pennsylvania
Black-Eyed Peas with Bacon
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A real Southern favorite, black-eyed peas are traditionally served on New Year's Day to bring good luck. The bacon and thyme in my mom’s recipe make them extra special. —Ruby Williams, Bogalusa, Louisiana
Chicken and Okra Gumbo
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We used to live in New Orleans, but our taste buds don't know we moved yet. I still make many Creole dishes, and gumbo is one of our favorites. —Catherine Bouis, Palm Harbor, Florida
Creole Jambalaya
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Jambalaya is a traditional Louisiana dish, coming from our Spanish and French culture. Rice is the main ingredient, with different meats or seafood mixed in. I particularly like this variation with shrimp and ham. —Ruby Williams, Bogalusa, Louisiana
Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits
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The recipe for these four-ingredient homemade buttermilk biscuits has been handed down for many generations. —Fran Thompson, Tarboro, North Carolina
Pulled Pork Taters
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This recipe is as hearty as it gets—part barbecued pork, part potatoes, but completely delicious. My family can't get enough of this comforting, warm-you-up baked potato dish. —Shannon Harris, Tyler, Texas
Southern Sweet Potato Pie
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This Mississippi sweet potato pie is very popular in the South. It's a particular favorite at our house because we always have plenty of sweet potatoes in our garden. Try it with a dollop of whipped cream. —Bonnie Holcomb, Fulton, Mississippi
Peppery Hush Puppies
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For our family, a good fish dinner just isn't complete without these zesty hush puppies. You can also serve them alone as a satisfying snack. —Carolyn Griffin, Macon, Georgia
Creole-Spiced Shrimp Po'Boys
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My father is Cajun, and I grew up eating Cajun food. This easy recipe makes me think of happy childhood memories. Sometimes I use oysters or crawfish instead of—or in addition to—the shrimp. —Stacey Johnson, Bonney Lake, Washington
Bacon Collard Greens
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Collard greens are a staple vegetable of southern cuisine. This side dish is often made with smoked or salt-cured meats, such as ham hocks, pork or fatback. —Marsha Ankeney, Niceville, Florida
Collard greens are a staple vegetable of southern cuisine. This side dish is often eaten alongside smoked or salt-cured meats, such as ham hocks, pork or fatback. —Marsha Ankeney, Niceville, Florida[/rms_recipe]
Banana Pudding
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I didn’t see my son, Lance Corporal Eric Harris, for more than two years after he enlisted in the Marines after high school. And when I saw him arrive at the airport, I just grabbed hold of him and burst out crying. When we got home, the first thing he ate was two bowls of my easy banana pudding recipe. He’s a true southern boy! It’s a dessert, but you can have it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. —Stephanie Harris, Montpelier, Virginia
Jalapeno Buttermilk Cornbread
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If you’re from the South, you have to have a good cornbread recipe. Here’s a lightened-up version of my mom’s traditional cornbread that tastes just as delicious. —Debi Mitchell, Flower Mound, Texas
White Sausage Gravy
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A Southern specialty, this hearty pork sausage gravy uses sausage drippings, milk and flour to make a thick creamy gravy traditionally served over biscuits. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Lemon Chess Pie
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This bright and creamy lemon chess pie cuts beautifully and has a smooth texture. It’s one of my favorites. —Hannah LaRue Rider, East Point, Kentucky
Southern Pecan Catfish
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I coat the catfish in pecans, then top it with a thick, rich cream sauce. It looks like you spent all day on it, but it's actually very speedy to prepare. Garnish it with lemon wedges, parsley or more chopped pecans if you desire. —Mary Ann Griffin, Bowling Green, Kentucky
Aunt Ione's Icebox Cookies
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Whenever we went to visit my Aunt Ione in south Georgia, her icebox cookies were our favorite treat. My mother later make these cookies, and I remember begging for a slice of the raw dough—I thought the unbaked cookies tasted just as great as the baked! —Jenny Hill, Meridianville, Alabama
Originally Published: July 26, 2018