Traditional Southern Recipes

Traditional southern cooking is a family affair: the best recipes get passed down from generation to generation. As you may know, the inspiration for many of my favorite recipes is my Granny Gray and her way with Southern cooking. Each staple of her kitchen, like grits and buttermilk, has become a staple of mine.

Cornbread in skillet and with butter on top
Cooking Southern Sweet Cornbread in an Iron Skillet gives a nice color and crust to the cornbread.

So what is Southern cooking, exactly? Southern cuisines vary widely, depending on the ingredients at hand. But from Louisiana to Alabama — from French cajun shrimp to fried green tomatoes — there’s one thing all Southern food has in common: it is comfort food. It is food that brings people together.

I hope you’ll try some traditional southern cooking, wherever you live! You don’t need to live in New Orleans to enjoy the kick of cayenne pepper in fried catfish, and you don’t need to live in Nashville to enjoy a country ham.

Traditional Southern Recipes

Southern Main Dishes

For casual family gatherings, you can't go wrong with barbecue and burgers, especially when you add the rich flavor of wild game into the mix. These traditional Southern recipes are a mix of everyday and holiday dishes, including chicken, fish, pork, venison, and beef. (And yes, everything can be better with sausage gravy.)

Southern Greens and Other Vegetables and Sides

From green beans to wholesome garden greens, these traditional recipes will add flavor and nutrition to the table. OK, they also will add a generous amount of butter and garlic.

Southern Breads, Cornbread, and Dressing

Cornbread, biscuits, and spoon rolls are essential on the traditional Southern table.

Traditional Southern Desserts

Dessert, anyone? Classics like peanut pie and pecan pie are famous throughout the South and beyond. Cobblers and crumbles--like my blackberry crumble--add light, fruity sweetness to the Southern table. For a special occasion, try this hummingbird cake.

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