Comfort Food: Our Top 25 Southern Recipes (2024)

By: Nate Maisel, Editor, RecipeLion.com

American cuisine changes from region to region, and it's because of this diversity that it's widely considered to be one of the best in the world. Some of our favorite recipes come from all over the country, from the chowder and fresh fish dishes found on the east coast, to the Mexican inspired dishes of the west coast.

However, some of our favorite foods are the ones we grew up with, the comfort food of the South, or the kind of food Mom used to make that has become southern staples and a dire part of American Cuisine. In our collection of Comfort Food: Our Top 25 Southern Recipes we bring you some of our reader’s favorite southern recipes that we know you all will love.


Comfort Food: Our Top 25 Southern Recipes (2)


A lot of these southern recipes are ones that we are very familiar with and have grown fond of. They have become the comfort food that is found in American households throughout the country. This collection of southern recipes has something for everyone. If you are looking for great southern recipes for dinner, dessert, as a side, or looking to have a southern-style feast, this collection of Comfort Food: Our Top 25 Southern Recipes will help you put the best southern recipes on your dinner table.

Make the comfort food that has been passed down from generation to generation, and treat your family to some great southern recipes for dinner. The best part is that you don’t have to travel anywhere to enjoy these delicious southern recipes. We hope that you enjoy our collection and happy eating!

Our Top Southern Recipes for the Family

Table of Contents

Top Southern Recipes for Dinner

Southern Recipes for Sides

Southern-Style Recipes for Dessert

Top Southern Recipes for Dinner

You may not even notice that some of your favorite dinner recipes are actually inspired by southern recipes. Here is our collection of delicious southern recipes that are perfect for a main dish portion of dinner. You're going to have trouble to decide which one you would like to make first. From casseroles to classic meatloaf recipes, these southern recipes are going to be a real treat for the family. Enjoy.

Comfort Food: Our Top 25 Southern Recipes (4)

Mama's Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole (pictured) - A staple to any collection of southern recipes.

Chicken Salad Casserole (pictured) - A cheesy chicken casserole that you'll love.

Classic Meatloaf - Southern recipes like this one will remain famous.


Best Oven Fried Chicken - Crunch away with this perfectly seasoned chicken recipe.

Crispy Chicken Fried Steak - A quick fix weeknight meal.

Old Fashioned Salisbury Steak - Great with gravy and a side of mashed potatoes

Dixie Pork Chops - We're not just whistling dixie. This is one of the best southern recipes

Southern Fried Cabbage - A budget friendly meal that's full of flavor, and will become your new favorite comfort food.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings - Sit back and let the slow cooker do most of the work in this wonderful comfort food recipe.

Four Layer Hamburger and Macaroni Casserole - The cheesiest of all southern recipes.

Country Oven Fried Chicken - There's nothing more to say other than it's delicious.

Southern Recipes for Sides

Here are the bread and butter of southern recipes. There are so many different side dishes that we just absolutely adore. They are not just found in the south, but are found all across the country because of how delicious they are. Sometimes we could skip the main course and stick to the side dishes. Bring on the gravy with these tasty southern recipes and enjoy comfort food the way it was meant to be enjoyed.


Ultimate Baked Mac and Cheese - An extra easy version of a southern masterpiece.

Ultimate Mashed Potatoes - Add gravy and you'll be in comfort food heaven.

Country Biscuits and Sausage Gravy - Typically a breakfast item, but it's so good you'll want it any time of day.

Brandied Sweet Potatoes - Throw some brandy on them and see what happens next.

Southern Style Collard Greens - A staple of the south.

American Home Fries - Great for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It may be the most versatile of southern recipes.

Creamy Green Bean Casserole - Great for your holiday bashes.

Country Style Peas - Taste the south in this homemade classic dish.

Southern-Style Recipes for Dessert

Once you have finished all of your southern recipes for dinner, it's time to move on to the next course, dessert! Some of the classic southern recipes for dessert are ones that we grew up with. We hope that these heavenly desserts remind you of pie cooling on the windowsill and all of your other comfort food favorites. Enjoy and indulge in these wonderful sweets.


Peach, Raspberry, and Blueberry Cobbler - Made with cinnamon biscuits and loads of fruit this may be one of the fruitiest southern recipes.

Southern Comfort Hummingbird Cake -. This tasty layered cake is made with crushed pineapple, bananas and pecans and, here's the best part, topped with a cream cheese frosting.

Oatmeal Peach Cobbler - Fresh peaches, brown sugar, and oatmeal give this peach cobbler recipe something that others don't have.

Homestyle Bread Pudding - Seasoned with cinnamon, vanilla and brown sugar, it has just the right amount of sweet to satisfy your cravings.

Oklahoma Cake - Tropical flavors are blended together in this moist cake recipe.

Deep South Sweet Potato Pie - The further south you go, the better southern recipes you get.

Comfort Food:  Our Top 25 Southern Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are considered traditional Southern Comfort foods? ›

Some favorite Southern comfort recipes
  • Quick Hoppin' John Soup.
  • Brunswick Stew.
  • Ham with Redeye Gravy.
  • Great-Grandmother Steinbeck's Johnnycake (Cornbread)
  • Chicken and Dumplings IV.
  • Grandma Oma's Pickled Okra.
  • Southern Style Holiday Greens.
  • Oklahoma Cheese Grits.
May 20, 2021

What are six popular Southern dishes? ›

10 iconic dishes to try in the Southern states
  • Shrimp po'boy, Louisiana.
  • Banana pudding, Tennessee.
  • Burgoo stew, Kentucky.
  • Fried green tomatoes, Alabama.
  • Fried catfish, Arkansas.
  • Biscuits, Tennessee.
  • Beignets, Louisiana.
Jul 18, 2023

What to eat for dinner Southern style? ›

33 Essential Southern Recipes
  • 02 of 33. Southern-Style Mac 'n' Cheese. ...
  • 05 of 33. Biscoff Banana Pudding. ...
  • 08 of 33. Cheese Grits. ...
  • 11 of 33. Nashville Hot Chicken. ...
  • 14 of 33. Brunswick Stew. ...
  • 17 of 33. Boiled Peanuts. ...
  • 20 of 33. Cheese Straws. ...
  • 23 of 33. Deviled Eggs with Country Ham.
Jan 30, 2024

What are stereotypical Southern foods? ›

It is often full of classic comfort dishes like fried chicken, collard greens, black-eyed peas, baked macaroni and cheese, candied yams, cornbread, sweet iced tea, and some type of cake or pie, like a 7-up pound cake or pecan pie to round off the meal!

What are the top five comfort foods? ›

Become a Jetsetter
  • 1 Chicken and Waffles.
  • 2 Spaghetti and Meatballs.
  • 3 Chicken Fried Steak.
  • 4 Mac and Cheese.
  • 5 Hotdish.
  • 6 Chicago Deep Dish Pizza.
  • 7 Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup.
  • 8 Matzo Ball Soup.
Mar 1, 2020

What is a Southern good luck dinner? ›

In the south your New Year meal must include collard greens, black-eyed peas, pork and cornbread. They're said to bring good health, wealth and good luck. Black-eyed peas in some form, always. They can be made in Hoppin' John, a salad, or just cooked like regular beans (some people add ham, bacon, or other pork.)

What is a Southern good luck dish? ›

And our tastiest superstitious tradition is eating Hoppin' John on New Year's Day. This classic Southern dish, a one-pot meal of black-eyed peas, ham hock, and rice, is believed by many (not just the Sterlings) to ensure wealth and bring good luck in the upcoming year.

What is the #1 comfort food in the US? ›

Interestingly, although pizza was named the No. 1 comfort food by a wide swath of Americans — topping the list across age, gender and locale — there was one group that seemed impervious to its charms. Adults age 70 and above didn't even rank it in their top three, favoring ice cream, steak and chocolate instead.

What is the ultimate comfort food? ›

No other dish describes comfort quite as well as chicken pot pie. Made with tender chicken, mixed veggies, satisfying spices, and a delicious pie crust, this is the perfect easy weeknight dinner.

What is a cowboy dinner? ›

Cowboy dinner is a hearty casserole of flavorful beef, corn and beans topped with soft, fluffy cornbread and a layer of cheese. So delicious! This easy, comfort food casserole has been a family favorite for over 20 years! After that long, you know the recipe has to be a keeper!

What is the best comfort food of all time? ›

Our 20 all-time favorite comfort foods
  • 1 of 20. Chicken noodle soup. Joshua Resnick / shutterstock.com. ...
  • 2 of 20. Chicken pot pie. Charles Brutlag / shutterstock.com. ...
  • 3 of 20. Chicken tenders. ...
  • 4 of 20. Chili. ...
  • 5 of 20. Chocolate chip cookies. ...
  • 6 of 20. Cinnamon buns. ...
  • 7 of 20. Cornbread. ...
  • 8 of 20. Fries.
Apr 17, 2024

What do you serve at a Southern cookout? ›

Easy Southern Style Soul Food BBQ Cookout Recipes including potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans, ribs, chicken, brisket, macaroni salad, and more!

What are some common American comfort foods? ›

Other comfort foods that were popular across many states were fried chicken, chicken and waffles, chili, and pot roast. Certainly, Americans love to get their protein in the form of stick-to-your-bones soul food.

What is the most popular comfort food in America? ›

Nearly 15 percent of the 2,252 adults surveyed by Harris listed pizza as their top comfort food, more than twice as many as said chocolate (7 percent) or ice cream (7 percent) and more still than said mac and cheese (5 percent), chips (4 percent), hamburgers (3 percent), steak (3 percent), or either popcorn, pasta or ...

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