Classic Southern Recipes

From the Recipe Creator: 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

From the Recipe Creator: 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, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: 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

From the Recipe Creator: 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

From the Recipe Creator: 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

From the Recipe Creator: Folks have been flipping over this peach upside-down cake for generations. This dessert is very popular with my family and guests. —Terri Kirschner, Carlisle, Indiana

From the Recipe Creator: 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

From the Recipe Creator: This is one of our favorite recipes to take along on a picnic. We like to eat the chicken cold, along with a salad and watermelon. It's a real treat!

From the Recipe Creator: 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

From the Recipe Creator: Our pulled pork recipe uses a slow cooker to produce flavorful and juicy meat. When it's done cooking, shred the pork shoulder, toss it with barbecue sauce and serve it on sandwiches. —Julie Andrews, Rockford, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: An instant pot cuts down the time it takes to cook this pulled pork by at least three hours. It's still just as irresistibly flavorful, though! —Julie Andrews, Rockford, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: After tasting these grits, you'll want to make them any time you need a dinner side. Try them for breakfast, too, where they're popular with butter, cinnamon and a touch of brown sugar. —Julie Andrews, Rockford, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: These zesty, briny okra pods just might become your favorite new pickle! Use them as a sandwich topping, a Bloody Mary garnish or alongside cheese and sausage on a charcuterie board. —Angela Lively, Conroe, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: This recipe creates the most tender and succulent Mississippi pot roast of all time, and the instant pot cuts down the cooking time to just above an hour. Serve it with a side of potatoes and green beans, and it's a perfect weeknight dinner. —Julie Andrews, Rockford, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: This powerful breakfast will stick with you all morning. Add shredded cheddar cheese to the grits for a little something extra. —Julie Andrews, Rockford, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: This recipe cooks raw chicken thighs and canned biscuits in just 35 minutes. After that, you're left with a creamy, warming and rich soup that will stick to your bones all night. —Julie Andrews, Rockford, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: I never buy them roadside cause mine are better! —Sharon McDonald, Astatula, Florida

From the Recipe Creator: When you want to cook okra without frying it, roast it with lemon juice for a lighter version. Smoked paprika gives the dish even more oomph. —Lee Evans, Queen Creek, Arizona

From the Recipe Creator: Cajun-seasoned red beans are made quicker thanks to the instant pot. Don't forget the rice, hot sauce and green onions! —Margaret Knoebel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: Paprika and Cajun seasoning flavor the rice and beans so well that this dish tastes just like gumbo! Oh, and did we mention it’s completely vegan? —Margaret Knoebel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: This collard greens recipe uses vegetable broth to make it vegan and vegetarian-friendly. With an earthy base and a pinch of spice from paprika and crushed red pepper flakes, they're great to incorporate into stews or soups for an added depth of flavor. —Margaret Knoebel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: Verdant, grassy okra pods get a little crispy and lightly charred after a quick turn on the grill. The skewers make a fresh and welcome addition to a backyard cookout and can convert even those who aren't okra fans. Just sprinkle with lemon juice and salt for a simple and sublime finish. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: We are from the South and love cooked greens, but I do not always have the time to simmer them for several hours. Then I realized that they can be sauteed in a skillet for less than 15 minutes and still be delicious. I serve these collards with vinegar drizzled over top and a dash of hot sauce. That makes them extra delicious! —Donna Gribbins, Shelbyville, Kentucky

From the Recipe Creator: These collard greens simmer for almost an hour with smoked turkey in chicken broth. Onions, garlic, red pepper flakes and apple cider vinegar deepen the flavor beautifully. —Sue Draheim, Waterford, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: A southern specialty sometimes called breakfast shrimp, this shrimp and grits recipe tastes fantastic for brunch or dinner, or any time company’s coming. It’s down-home comfort food at its finest. —Mandy Rivers, Lexington, South Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: Fresh peaches, good southern pecans and real vanilla make this pie a special summertime treat. —Sherrell Dikes, Holiday Island, Arkansas

From the Recipe Creator: 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

From the Recipe Creator: 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

From the Recipe Creator: 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

From the Recipe Creator: 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

From the Recipe Creator: The recipe for these four-ingredient homemade buttermilk biscuits has been handed down for many generations. —Fran Thompson, Tarboro, North Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: This recipe is as hearty as it gets. Part barbecued pork, part potatoes, the taters are as wholesome as they are delicious. My family can't get enough of this comforting dish. —Shannon Harris, Tyler, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: 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

From the Recipe Creator: 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

From the Recipe Creator: 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

From the Recipe Creator: 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

From the Recipe Creator: 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

From the Recipe Creator: 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

From the Recipe Creator: 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 Recipes Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: 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

From the Recipe Creator: 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

From the Recipe Creator: This cookie recipe from my 91-year-old grandmother was my grandfather's favorite. She still makes them and sends us home with the dough so that we can make more whenever we want, I love to make a fresh batch when company drops in. —Chris Paulsen, Glendale, Arizona