60 Iconic Southern Comfort Foods

From the Recipe Creator: Mother’s pies were always so memorable, with tender, flaky crusts. In summer the order of the day was lemon meringue! —Phyllis Kirsling, Junction City, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: Mississippi is the nation’s largest producer of farm-raised catfish. My family loves this dish, and asks for it often. One reason I like it is it’s so simple to prepare. —W.D. Baker, Starkville, Mississippi

From the Recipe Creator: Every good Southerner has their own easy pimiento cheese recipe. It’s wonderful on crackers, in a sandwich with a fresh summer tomato, inside a grilled cheese sandwich or plain with some crackers. —Josh Carter, Birmingham, Alabama

From the Recipe Creator: I think this recipe combines two of the best and most famous ingredients from the South: sweet tea and pecans! Using a cake mix simplifies prep and helps ease the holiday time crunch. —Melissa Millwood, Lyman, South Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: I created this Tex-Mex potato salad for one of my cooking classes, and it was a hit. It’s perfect for a cookout or potluck. The secret ingredient is pickled jalapenos—they add so much interest and flavor! Add a can of black beans for more protein. —Dianna Ackerley, Cibolo, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: When this spicy stew’s simmering on the stove, my family has a hard time waiting for dinner. It’s much like a thick tomato-based soup with a hearty mix of okra, brown rice and beans. Everyone leaves the table feeling satisfied—and eager to have it again soon. —Beverly McDowell, Athens, Georgia

From the Recipe Creator: I came up with this green tomato salsa so I could use up all the fresh tomatoes from my garden. —Vanessa Moon, Tucson, Arizona

From the Recipe Creator: This is a quick and easy side dish that will become a favorite of your family.—Anne Creech, Kinston, North Carolina

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: Here's my take on the famous Hot Brown sandwich. Guests quickly saddle up for juicy turkey slices and crispy bacon piled on toasted rye bread and then topped with a rich cheese sauce. —Annette Grahl, Midway, Kentucky

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: 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: I've always loved beignets, but never thought I could make them myself. Turns out they're easy! Sometimes I'll even make a quick berry whipped cream and pipe it inside for a fun surprise. —Kathi Hemmer, Grand Junction, Colorado

From the Recipe Creator: This potato salad with a southern twist is perfect for a church supper or potluck. The pickles add extra sweetness. —Gene Pitts, Wilsonville, Alabama

From the Recipe Creator: I tasted a similar dish at a local restaurant and later duplicated it pretty closely. I trimmed it down a bit and no one in my family seemed to mind. —Susan Wright, Champaign, Illinois

From the Recipe Creator: I just love this southern-style dessert, and so do dinner guests. With pecans, cherries and raisins in the filling and topping, this version reminds me of a fruitcake—only so much better! —Mabel Parvi, Ridgefield, Washington

From the Recipe Creator: These zippy shrimp bring a lot of pizazz to the table. Use as much or as little cayenne pepper as you'd like, depending on your family's tastes. We love ours served alongside rice pilaf. —Donna Thomason, El Paso, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: I’m really not big on tomatoes—but I do like them green and fried, so I decided to try them in a sandwich. It was a smash! If you’ve gotta have cheese, add sharp cheddar to this indulgent twist on the traditional BLT. —Stacy King, Rome, Georgia

From the Recipe Creator: Pecan pie is a Thanksgiving tradition in my house, and I was on a quest to create the ultimate version. This might be it!—James Schend, Taste Recipes Deputy Editor

From the Recipe Creator: There’s nothing like juicy meat served over creamy grits. And the pumpkin in these grits makes them taste like a spicy, comforting bowl of fall flavors. Your family will come running to the table for this one. —Erin Renouf Mylroie, Santa Clara, Utah

From the Recipe Creator: Now that I've retired from teaching, I have more time to bake. This buttermilk pound cake is the one I make most often. It is a truly southern recipe, and one I think can't be topped—once people taste it, they won't go back to their other recipes with buttermilk. —Gracie Hanchey, De Ridder, Louisiana

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: This impressive dessert looks lovely on a buffet table. It takes some time to prepare, but it’s worth the effort. —Lois Schlickau, Haven, Kansas

From the Recipe Creator: You need only five ingredients to fix this sweet and tender pork for sandwiches. Feel free to adjust the sauce ingredients to suit your family's tastes. —Connie Johnson, Springfield, Missouri

From the Recipe Creator: Cornbread mix and canned corn make this southern corn pudding casserole a snap to prepare. Now, this is real comfort food! —P. Lauren Fay-Neri, Syracuse, New York

From the Recipe Creator: This biscuits and sausage gravy is an old southern recipe that I've adapted. Homemade sausage gravy is a classic, hearty breakfast that takes you on a trip to the South every time it's served. —Sue Baker, Jonesboro, Arkansas

From the Recipe Creator: My Italian lasagna roll-ups are not complicated; they require only basic ingredients to assemble. Prepared spaghetti sauce helps me save time and get dinner on the table sooner. —Mary Lee Thomas, Logansport, Indiana

From the Recipe Creator: There's nothing better than this comforting bread pudding on a cold, wintry day. The bourbon sauce tastes extravagant, but it's really simple to prepare. The slow cooker does the most of the work for you! —Hope Johnson, Youngwood, Pennsylvania

From the Recipe Creator: As the stew of the South, jambalaya is a definite staple. For ages, home cooks have been making their own tweaks on the traditional recipe. This rendition is my favorite. —Judy Batson, Tampa, Florida

From the Recipe Creator: Cornbread is a staple here in the South. I added sausage and cheese to a cornbread recipe and came up with this satisfying dish. It goes especially well with soup.

From the Recipe Creator: A classic southern comfort food, this spread is used as an appetizer with crackers, corn chips or celery. It is also smeared between two slices of white bread for sandwiches and as a topping for hamburgers and hot dogs. —Eileen Balmer, South Bend, Indiana.

From the Recipe Creator: At our holiday parties, Bourbon Slush is definitely a favorite. Have fun experimenting with different teas when you make it. We like black tea, green tea and orange spice. —Darcene Sigler, Louisville, Ohio

From the Recipe Creator: At the National Hard Crab Derby in Crisfield, Maryland, these scrumptious crab cakes won me first place. I entered them on a whim after trying many crab cake recipes for my family. —Betsy Hedeman, Timonium, Maryland

From the Recipe Creator: Homemade chicken and dumplings from scratch hearken back to my childhood and chilly days when we devoured those cute little balls of dough swimming in hot, rich broth. It's one of those types of soup you'll want to eat again and again. —Erika Monroe-Williams, Scottsdale, Arizona

From the Recipe Creator: My grandmother made the best southern collard greens recipe in the world. Eating them with a slice of buttermilk cornbread is pure bliss. —Sherri Williams, Crestview, Florida

From the Recipe Creator: Simple, southern and scrumptious, this pie will be a definite hit even with people who dislike grits. It has the perfect custardy texture.—Victoria Hudson, Pickens, South Carolina

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: Bring back the taste of days gone by with this ooey-gooey classic. A little ground mustard and hot pepper sauce give this old-fashioned baked macaroni and cheese just the right spice. —James Backman, Centralia, Washington

From the Recipe Creator: Marinades sometimes use coffee or espresso, and that inspired me to try tea and apple juice to perk up this sauce. —Kelly Williams, Forked River, New Jersey

From the Recipe Creator: As a child, I learned from my grandmother how to make these chicken-fried steaks. I taught my daughters, and when my granddaughters are older, I’ll show them, too. —Donna Cater, Fort Ann, New York

From the Recipe Creator: Skip standard bake-and-serve dinner rolls this year and try my fast-to-fix biscuits studded with cheddar and corn. It’s almost impossible to resist eating one right from the oven! —Susan Braun, Swift Current, Saskatchewan

From the Recipe Creator: My mother received this peach cobbler recipe from a friend of hers many years ago, and fortunately she shared it with me. Boise is situated right between two large fruit-producing areas in our state, so peaches are plentiful in the summer. —Ruby Ewart, Boise, Idaho

From the Recipe Creator: Shrimp and grits are a house favorite—if only we could agree on a recipe. I stirred things up with cheddar and Cajun seasoning to find a winner. —Charlotte Price, Raleigh, North Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: If you have picky eaters who worry about texture, roasted okra is marvelous. It's OK to crowd the pan. Okra shrinks as it cooks. —Anna Katsoulis, Greenville, North Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: When my wife asks what she should make for a gathering, she's always told to bring this—and a couple of copies of the recipe! — Robert Saulnier, Clarksburg, Massachusetts

From the Recipe Creator: I came up with these everything-in-one seafood packets for a family reunion, since the recipe can be increased to feed a bunch. The packets steam up inside, so open them carefully. —Allison Brooks, Fort Collins, Colorado

From the Recipe Creator: For a change of pace, you can substitute fresh or frozen peach slices for the pineapple in this old-fashioned recipe. —Bernardine Melton, Paola, Kansas

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: For a taste of a southern classic, we make sweet potatoes stuffed with pulled pork and coleslaw and manage to sidestep the calorie overload. —Amy Burton, Cary, North Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: The tattered recipe card for this buttermilk cornbread proves it's been a family favorite for years. It's my daughter's top request. —Judy Sellgren, Grand Rapids, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: This pot is a fun way to feed a crowd for a tailgate. You can serve it two ways: Drain the cooking liquid and pour out the pot on a paper-lined table so folks can dig in, or serve it as a stew in its liquid over hot rice. —Melissa Pelkey Hass, Waleska, Georgia

From the Recipe Creator: Just one bite of these fritters takes me back to when my kids were young. Nowadays for our get-togethers, I sometimes triple the recipe. Serve fritters with maple syrup or agave nectar. —Marina Castle Kelley, Canyon Country, California

From the Recipe Creator: I remember my Grandmother Voltie and Great-Aunt Ophelia making this southern-style pie for Thanksgiving. It was always one of the many cakes and pies lined up for dessert. —Angie Price, Bradford, Tennessee

From the Recipe Creator: Always a picnic favorite, this deep-fried chicken recipe is delicious either hot or cold. Kids call it my Kentucky Fried Chicken! —Jeanne Schnitzler, Lima, Montana

From the Recipe Creator: I made these light, tangy cupcakes on a chilly day to remind me of our vacation in southern Florida, where Key lime pies are star attractions. —Jennifer Gilbert, Brighton, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: Here's a lightened-up take on the classic southern comfort-food dish: chicken and gravy. This recipe has been a hit at our house since the first time we tried it! —Ruth Helmuth, Abbeville, South Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: I have wonderful memories of eating bananas Foster in New Orleans, and as a dietitian, wanted to find a healthier version. I combined the best of two recipes and added my own tweaks to create this southern treat. —Lisa Varner, Charleston, South Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: Sweet potatoes take a different twist in this whipped side dish that pairs them with carrots. Subtly sweet, it has just a hint of garlic, while the nut and crumb topping adds a fun crunch to any holiday meal. —Diane Molberg, Calgary, Alberta

From the Recipe Creator: Cornbread is a staple of Cajun and Creole cuisine. This version is an old favorite, and it really tastes wonderful. I found the recipe in the bottom of my recipe drawer. —Enid Hebert, Lafayette, Louisiana