Healthy and Light Southern Classic Recipes

We cut the the calories—but not the flavor—in your favorite dishes.

That dish may taste delicious and look decadent, but imagine your surprise when you learn how healthy it is. These recipes take Southern classics and lighten them up without losing any of their flavors, using healthy substitutions to keep them tasting great. Light cornbread crumbs and reduced-fat mayonnaise mean you’ll be keeping our Cornbread Crab Cakes on the menu. If you prefer a comfort-food classic, you will love the recipe for Lean Lasagna. But for truly healthy Southern recipes, you will marvel at the Shrimp and Grits: this Lowcountry delight now weighs in at a lean 235 calories per serving, and the Grilled Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches which will keep you devouring all the mouthwatering ’cue you want. So plan your favorite meal because these healthy Southern recipes will mean you won’t have to give up a thing.

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Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups

Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups

Leftover chicken gets a fresh makeover with crisp lettuce leaves, toasted walnuts, and dried cherries. Freeze any extra meat in portion sizes, and use in future recipes. We love the convenience of whipping up a batch of this easy-to-make chicken salad to have on-hand throughout the week. Serve in lettuce cups, like we did here, or with crackers and fruit.

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Chicken-Broccoli Mac and Cheese with Bacon

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Chicken-Broccoli Mac and Cheese with Bacon

A little bit of turmeric enhances the color here; it's a bit of a trick that makes you perceive the sauce as cheesier than it actually is.

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Cornbread Crab Cakes

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Cornbread Crab Cakes

Enjoy a guilt-free serving of these hearty crab cakes with a rich dollop of cilantro-jalapeño sour cream. Add fresh greens to your plate for extra goodness.

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Healthy Turkey Lasagna

Hector M Sanchez

Recipe: Healthy Turkey Lasagna

Our favorite recipe from the Cooking Light column, this lightened-up lasagna tastes every bit as flavorful as the traditional version.

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Home-style Green Bean Casserole

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Home-style Green Bean Casserole

This green bean casserole gets a much-needed makeover from fresh veggies and a lightened (but super-rich!) homemade sauce. And the best part: It's under 200 calories per serving!

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Shrimp and Grits

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Shrimp and Grits

Enjoy this Lowcountry favorite without the guilt! We reduced the calories to 235 a serving. It seems too good to be true!

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Mac and Cheese with Ham

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Mac and Cheese with Ham

This delicious mac and cheese is light on butter and cheese yet still melts in your mouth. Change the flavor profile of the recipe with combinations such as sweet peas and proscuitto or ham and broccoli.

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Cornflake, Pecan, and Marshmallow-Topped Sweet Potato Casserole

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Cornflake, Pecan, and Marshmallow-Topped Sweet Potato Casserole

This sweet potato casserole is always going to be amazingly nutty and crunchy, but adding cornflakes cereal to the pecan-brown sugar topping gives the casserole extra crispiness. Each topping tastes beautifully toasty, and comes together in a medley of flavors all rolled into a single bite. The Cornflake, Pecan, and Marshmallow-Topped Sweet Potato Casserole is a rich and filling dish, sweet and savory at the same time. Set this down on the sideboard for a buffet-style Thanksgiving meal and your friends and family will be piling their plates high. They’ll also marvel at how beautiful it looks with its rows of cornflakes, pecans, and marshmallows spread diagonally across the top.

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Chocolate Pudding

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Chocolate Pudding

This chocolate pudding is everything you dream of—chocolaty rich, silky smooth, and light on calories!

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Smoky Pork Stir-Fry

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Recipe: Smoky Pork Stir-Fry

This zesty stir-fry offers restaurant-style flavor for a fraction of the calories. Smoked paprika and dark sesame oil add depth to this stir-fry. Serve over precooked brown rice or soba noodles.

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Sage-and-Pecan Pork Tenderloin Cutlets

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Sage-and-Pecan Pork Tenderloin Cutlets

Instead of fried pork chops, try these pork tenderloin cutlets. Tenderloin is low in fat, and this recipe is "fried" with just enough heart-healthy oil for the crispy crunch you crave!

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Turnip Greens Stew

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Turnip Greens Stew

Lean ham and fat-free broth offer the good flavor of the original dish minus the added saturated fat. Beans add extra fiber too!

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Roasted Vegetable Pizza

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Roasted Vegetable Pizza

If you're craving a loaded-out pizza, give this veggie pizza a try! A whole wheat crust topped with roasted sweet potatoes and other colorful veggies ups the good-for-you-factor without skimping on flavor.

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Layered Carrot Cake

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Layered Carrot Cake

For this healthier version of carrot cake, we reduced the fat in the batter by using less vegetable oil and sugar, yet it is still as moist as traditional cakes. We also reduced the butter and used reduced-fat cream cheese for the frosting, without losing the flavor!

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Lightened Squash Casserole

Photo: Becky-Luigart Stayner

Recipe: Lightened Squash Casserole

Take advantage of this golden veggie in a lightened version of squash casserole. The combo of cornflakes and French fried onions adds an irresistible crunch without adding too many calories.

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Key "Light" Pie

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Key "Light" Pie

If you love Key lime pie, you'll hear angels sing (Jimmy Buffett tunes) when you taste how rich this version is without all the fat!

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Slow-Cooker Red Beans and Rice

Photo: Howard Lee Puckett

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Red Beans and Rice

Smoked turkey sausage, bell peppers, and red beans come together in this classic, easy slow-cooker recipe. Serve over long-grain rice for an amazing meal.

Cooking Video: Quick-Fix Red Beans and Rice

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Lightened Hot Browns

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Lightened Hot Browns

Grab a knife and fork, and dig in. There's no guilt behind these hot browns—they're lightened and full of flavor. Typically, this open-faced Kentucky classic is made with a heavy cheese sauce, but we found a way to deliver the same richness without all the saturated fat.

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Lightened Hummingbird Cake

Southern Living

Recipe: Lightened Hummingbird Cake

We lowered the fat and calories by substituting applesauce for some of the oil, using less butter and sugar, fewer eggs, and substituting light for regular cream cheese.

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Grilled Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches

Photo: Van Chaplin; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Recipe: Grilled Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches

These simply-seasoned grilled pork tenderloin sandwiches are topped with a sweet onion barbecue sauce and served on whole wheat buns. Add vitamin-rich leafy greens, such as romaine lettuce, Bibb lettuce, or peppery arugula.

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Light King Ranch Chicken Casserole

Southern Living

Recipe: Light King Ranch Casserole

If you think cutting calories means giving up the foods you love, think again. This top-rated makeover is every bit as creamy and satisfying as the full-fat original.

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Layered Bean Dip

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Layered Lima Bean Dip

A hearty serving of Layered Lima Bean Dip clocks in at only 172 calories. Top lightly with shredded cheese and bacon. You’ll be surprised at how fast it will disappear.

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Herbed Potato Salad

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Herbed Potato Salad

This updated Southern classic is made with a creamy herb mixture that has fewer fat grams but still all the flavor of the traditional recipes.

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Crispy Oven-fried Drumsticks

Photo: Ralph Anderson

Recipe: Crispy Oven-fried Drumsticks

These oven-fried chicken drumsticks have a satisfyingly crunchy texture. We loved the flavor results when we used 1/2 tsp. red pepper. Use 1/4 tsp. for kids.

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Cornbread Stuffing With Sweet Potato and Squash

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Cornbread Stuffing With Sweet Potato and Squash

Increase both the color and the flavor of your cornbread stuffing by adding cubed butternut squash, sweet potato, and Granny Smith apple.

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Slightly Sweet Tea

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Slightly Sweet Tea

Serve refreshing sweet tea to guests without a tinge of guilt. This green tea version is sweetened with honey and flavored with orange and lime. At 68 calories per cup, you may find a new summer favorite.

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Cream Cheese-Banana-Nut Bread

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Cream Cheese-Banana-Nut Bread

Enjoy banana bread without all the guilt with this healthy banana bread recipe. For more recipes like this, see our Quick Bread Recipes.

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Banana Pudding

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Banana Pudding

This pudding delivers a velvety rich custard, ripe banana flavor, vanilla wafers so soft they melt in your mouth, and an irresistible golden-baked meringue topping. All this, and it's lower in fat and calories than traditional versions. These make great individual party desserts, or make it in an 8-inch square pan. We love it with extra wafers.

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Succotash Salad

Photo: Van Chaplin; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Recipe: Succotash Salad

Put a summertime spin on this traditional Southern dish of beans and corn by mixing with lemon juice and chives and serving cold. It’s easy to prepare in advance and pull out of the fridge to serve with meat hot off the grill.

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Fresh Vegetable Lasagna

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Fresh Vegetable Lasagna

This vegetable lasagna showcases a plethora of fresh veggies from zucchini, to mushrooms, to red and yellow bell peppers.

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Stovetop Red Beans and Rice

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Stovetop Red Beans and Rice

Here's a low-fat version of the Louisiana favorite with all the classic, cue-the-trombones flavor you'd expect in this hearty dish.

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Mixed Fruit Chicken Salad

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Mixed Fruit Chicken Salad

For extra fiber and a boost of antioxidants, serve over dark greens. Drizzle salad with Orange-Raspberry Vinaigrette.

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Greek Chicken Salad

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Greek Chicken Salad

Mediterranean flavors abound in Greek Chicken Salad. Serve this chicken salad on toasted pita bread wedges.

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Lemon-Basil Chicken Salad

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Lemon-Basil Chicken Salad

Baby spinach and sun-dried tomatoes add flavor and color to this tasty chicken salad. Serve on whole grain flatbread.

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Curried Chicken Salad

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Curried Chicken Salad

This chicken salad is full of bold flavor with ingredients such as red curry paste, fresh cilantro, and golden raisins mixed together. Try it on baked egg roll wrappers.

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Fried Green Tomatoes

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Fried Green Tomatoes

Get that familiar golden crunch of fried green tomatoes with heart-healthy oil and a nonstick pan.

Classic Version: Fried Green Tomatoes

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Classic Pimiento Cheese

Photo: Erin Adams

Recipe: Classic Pimiento Cheese

To all you pimiento cheese purists, we dare you not to love this healthier twist.

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Roasted Vegetable Loaded Potatoes

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Roasted Vegetable Loaded Potatoes

A healthy spin on the traditional loaded baked potatoes. Replace the restaurant-size scoops of butter and sour cream with these good-for-you toppings.

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Fried Pork Chops with Caramelized Onion Gravy

Photo: Melina Hammer

Recipe: Fried Pork Chops with Caramelized Onion Gravy

Pound chops into thin cutlets to create more surface area, then pan-fry them, rather than deep-fry, to crispy perfection.Try this versatile technique with chicken, beef, or veal cutlets.

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Roasted Cherry Hand Pies

Photo: Melina Hammer

Recipe: Roasted Cherry Hand Pies

No need to fry these pies! Vodka enhances the crusts' flakiness, so you can use less butter. Chill the dough to help it hold its shape as it bakes.

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Gumbo Gravy over Stone-ground Grits

Photo: Melina Hammer

Recipe: Gumbo Gravy over Stone-ground Grits

Browned flour makes a low-fat gravy, while the slow cooker creates the creamiest grits without cheese or butter. And with a light gravy, you can indulge in andouille sausage.

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Vegetarian Enchilada Pies

Photo: Melina Hammer

Recipe: Vegetarian Enchilada Pies

Dried hibiscus flowers and black beans give these vegetarian enchiladas their meaty texture. Find dried hibiscus flowers (Flor de Jamaica) at Hispanic markets and amazon.com. You can omit them if desired.

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Chicken and Sweet Potato Dumplings

Photo: Melina Hammer

Recipe: Chicken and Sweet Potato Dumplings

Sweet potato creates pillowy, gnocchi-like dumplings and adds Vitamin C, Beta Carotene, Calcium, and Potassium. Start with a whole chicken to create a flavorful, refined broth.

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Lasagna Roll Ups

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Lasagna Roll Ups

Canned artichokes give the rich filling its meaty heft. Feel free to sub sautéed 'shrooms or spinach.

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Lighten Up! Southern Classics

1 of 45

Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups

2 of 45

Chicken-Broccoli Mac and Cheese with Bacon

3 of 45

Cornbread Crab Cakes

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Healthy Turkey Lasagna

5 of 45

Home-style Green Bean Casserole

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Shrimp and Grits

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Mac and Cheese with Ham

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Cornflake, Pecan, and Marshmallow-Topped Sweet Potato Casserole

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Chocolate Pudding

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Smoky Pork Stir-Fry

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Sage-and-Pecan Pork Tenderloin Cutlets

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Turnip Greens Stew

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Roasted Vegetable Pizza

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Layered Carrot Cake

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Lightened Squash Casserole

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Key "Light" Pie

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Slow-Cooker Red Beans and Rice

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Lightened Hot Browns

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Lightened Hummingbird Cake

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Grilled Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches

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Light King Ranch Chicken Casserole

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Layered Bean Dip

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Herbed Potato Salad

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Crispy Oven-fried Drumsticks

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Cornbread Stuffing With Sweet Potato and Squash

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Slightly Sweet Tea

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Cream Cheese-Banana-Nut Bread

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Banana Pudding

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Succotash Salad

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Fresh Vegetable Lasagna

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Stovetop Red Beans and Rice

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Mixed Fruit Chicken Salad

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Greek Chicken Salad

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Lemon-Basil Chicken Salad

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Curried Chicken Salad

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Fried Green Tomatoes

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Classic Pimiento Cheese

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Roasted Vegetable Loaded Potatoes

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