Food and Recipes Recipes Church Homecoming Recipes Worth Praising By Mary Shannon Wells Mary Shannon Wells Mary Shannon is an Associate Digital Editor and has been on the Southern Living team since 2017. She helps run the brand's social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and TikTok, where she's happily behind the scenes. When she's not ruffling feathers with an etiquette poll via Instagram Stories, she's writing content for the website and assisting in various print projects like gift guides and home stories. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on April 4, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez Of all the food-centric gatherings that occur in the South, church potlucks are some of the most cherished events. We'd be lying if we said there wasn't a hint of competition at every Southern potluck, even the ones that follow Sunday service. Everyone knows that the church homecoming celebration calls for Sunday's best—in attire and recipes. What is it? Exactly what it sounds like: old church members who've moved away visit the church to share in worship and fellowship with current church members over a traditional meal. Like most Southern potlucks, these dinners are filled with casseroles, "salads" that don't contain a speck of green, and overflowing dessert tables. These timeless recipes are going to be a hit year after year. 01 of 38 Sausage Balls Southern Living Recipe: Sausage Balls It only takes 30 minutes to make eight dozen of these savory bites, so you have plenty to freeze for later. 02 of 38 Classic Sweet Tea Alison Miksch Recipe: Classic Sweet Tea Use homemade simple syrup for the absolute best tea at the Homecoming. A dash of baking soda takes out any bitterness. 03 of 38 Basic Deviled Eggs Southern Living Recipe: Basic Deviled Eggs We can bet countless varieties of the classic deviled egg recipe will be served at every Church Homecoming in the South. 04 of 38 Cheddar Cheese Straws Photo: Lee Harrelson Recipe: Cheddar Cheese Straws A bowl of cheese straws with a bit of bite are practically required at all social functions in the South. 05 of 38 Make-Ahead Yeast Rolls Laurey W. Glenn Recipe: Make-Ahead Yeast Rolls This recipe from our November 1995 issue is still our favorite. It has few ingredients, can be made ahead, and produces a high yield, which makes it the ultimate potluck roll recipe. 06 of 38 Basic Pimiento Cheese Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Basic Pimiento Cheese This simple pimiento cheese recipe will be eaten up at any gathering. Be sure to pair it with the best crackers and correct serving utensils. 07 of 38 Old-Fashioned Chicken Salad Southern Living Recipe: Old-Fashioned Chicken Salad Chicken salad, made the original way. If you don't use Duke's Mayonnaise for this recipe, make the mayo yourself. Generic just won't do! 08 of 38 Picnic Egg Salad Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele Recipe: Picnic Egg Salad We paired this 15-minute, 5-ingredient recipe with a sliced baguette for a twist on old-school egg salad sandwiches, but tea sandwiches would make for easy serving, too. 09 of 38 Shout Hallelujah Potato Salad Hector Sanchez Recipe: Shout Hallelujah Potato Salad This potato salad recipe will have the whole congregation singing its praises, so you might need to double the recipe. 10 of 38 Ham Salad Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Ham Salad Ham salad is a nostalgic recipe for many, and we think it's best served between our cheese puffs. 11 of 38 Three-Bean Pasta Salad Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Toni Brogan Recipe: Three-Bean Pasta Salad If you haven't noticed, most "salads" on the lineup at Church Homecomings in the South aren't green and leafy. Pasta salad recipes are easy to make and can be served chilled or at room temperature, so they're ideal for big get-togethers. 12 of 38 Permanent Slaw Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Toni Brogan Recipe: Permanent Slaw The longer this coleslaw recipe sits, the better the flavor, so save yourself the hassle on the day of and make it up to seven days (yes, a whole week!) in advance. 13 of 38 Ham Biscuits Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Recipe: Ham Biscuits There's something about ham biscuits that feels like home. These are delicious plain, but we prefer to serve them with our Creole Mayonnaise or even a generous swipe of pimiento cheese. 14 of 38 Mama's Fried Chicken Southern Living Recipe: Mama's Fried Chicken Sure, you could pick up a couple of boxes of fried chicken from Publix (it's one of the best places to buy it), but this simple five-ingredient recipe will get you homemade-dish brownie points at church. 15 of 38 Rum Baked Beans Hector Sanchez Recipe: Rum Baked Beans Make these baked beans up to two days ahead and bake just before the event. Just a half a cup of rum adds a sweet, smoky element to this five-bean recipe. 16 of 38 Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese Beth Dreiling Hontzas Recipe: Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese It would be concerning to arrive at a Church Homecoming and discover no one made mac and cheese. 17 of 38 Chicken Spaghetti Casserole Hector Sanchez Recipe: Chicken Spaghetti Casserole There will be a multitude of chicken casseroles offered up, but this chicken spaghetti is a winner time and time again in our kitchen. 18 of 38 Classic Sweet Potato Casserole Beth Dreiling Hontzas Recipe: Classic Sweet Potato Casserole Sweet potato casserole isn't exclusively reserved for Thanksgiving tables. You'll find the marshmallow-topped dish at any church function or potluck. 19 of 38 Turkey-Noodle-Poppyseed Casserole Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Turkey-Noodle-Poppyseed Casserole This recipe from our November 1990 issue is full of pantry staples that can easily be swapped with the ingredients you have on hand. 20 of 38 Hashbrown Casserole Southern Living Recipe: Hashbrown Casserole Cornflake cereal-topped casseroles are as standard at Southern gatherings as "yes mam" and "yes sir." 21 of 38 Old-School Green Bean Casserole Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Old-School Green Bean Casserole You won't find a "cream-of" soup in this from-scratch recipe. If you want an updated version of our beloved green bean casserole, try our Bacon-Brussels Sprout-Green Bean Casserole. 22 of 38 Chicken-and-Wild Rice Casserole Becky Luigart-Stayner Recipe: Chicken-and-Wild Rice Casserole Whether you're enjoying this chicken casserole at dinnertime on a weeknight or at the church potluck, it's always comforting. 23 of 38 Old-School Squash Casserole Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Old-School Squash Casserole Creamy, buttery, and topped with Ritz crackers—that's how we take our yellow squash in the South. Healthy? Not exactly. Amazing? Every time. 24 of 38 Classic Candied Yams Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Classic Candied Yams Candied yams might sound outdated to younger attendees, but it will be love at first bite. 25 of 38 New Tuna Casserole Greg Dupree Recipe: New Tuna Casserole The new version of tuna noodle casserole has the flavor you love from the original. We're not retiring this recipe any time soon. 26 of 38 Pineapple Casserole Southern Living Recipe: Pineapple Casserole You're six ingredients, one dish, and around 30 minutes away from digging into this sweet and savory side that will make you think of Easter dinner at Grandma's. 27 of 38 Strawberry Pretzel Salad Southern Living Recipe: Strawberry-Pretzel Salad Remember this recipe? We guarantee you're not the only one. Nostalgic churchgoers will clean this dish off (after making their kids try it, of course). 28 of 38 Salted Caramel Banana Pudding Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Tami Hardeman Recipe: Salted Caramel Banana Pudding There's bound to be someone who volunteers to bring banana pudding to every church event, but if you show up with this salty-sweet version once, yours will be the favorite. 29 of 38 Hello Dolly Bars Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia DeGaris Pursell Recipe: Hello Dolly Bars This beloved bar recipe packs the perfect mixture of salty and sweet. Save one for yourself at home because they'll be gone quickly at Homecoming. 30 of 38 Texas Sheet Cake with Fudge Icing Iain Bagwell Recipe: Texas Sheet Cake with Fudge Icing Sheet cakes are the easiest way to serve dessert to a crowd, and this classic chocolate recipe never (ever!) disappoints. 31 of 38 Easy Peach Cobbler Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Easy Peach Cobbler Use up the last of those fresh summer peaches on this crowd-pleasing fruit cobbler recipe that only uses six ingredients. 32 of 38 Heavenly Key Lime Pie Jennifer Davick Recipe: Heavenly Key Lime Pie The name doesn't lie—this pie is positively divine, which makes Church Homecoming the most appropriate setting for serving. 33 of 38 All-Time Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas Recipe: All-Time Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies You've probably made chocolate chip cookies dozens of times, but did you know you might have been over baking them all along? Read here. 34 of 38 So Good Brownies Jennifer Davick Recipe: So Good Brownies There will never be a Church Homecoming without a batch of warm, homemade brownies present—ever. 35 of 38 Classic Southern Pound Cake Skyler Burt; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Karen Rankin Recipe: Classic Southern Pound Cake If you want to switch up this timeless pound cake recipe, we have plenty of options to choose from. 36 of 38 Luscious Lemon Bars Southern Living Recipe: Luscious Lemon Bars Lemon squares will never go out of style at Southern gatherings. Make these ahead and freeze for up to one month. 37 of 38 Mamie Eisenhower's Chocolate Fudge Southern Living Recipe: Mamie Eisenhower's Chocolate Fudge This foolproof fudge recipe was supposedly the go-to of President and Mrs. Eisenhower, and its simple ingredient list and creamy texture make it a go-to for us as well. 38 of 38 Peanut Butter-Banana Icebox Pie Photo: Jennifer Davick Recipe: Peanut Butter-Banana Icebox Pie Icebox cakes and pies are staples during hot summers in the South because they're cool and couldn't be easier to throw together. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit