Southern Recipes Everyone Should Make in 2020

By Mary Shannon Wells
John Lee
Many people make resolutions to cook more in the new year, and these Southern recipes are the best place to start. Recipes like Mini Bananas Foster Sticky Buns and Croissant Breakfast Casserole will be a hit for weekend brunch. When it’s time to have company over, Southern appetizers like Fried Deviled Eggs and Egg Salad Sandwiches will keep your guests happy. At dinnertime, these Southern recipes will come to the rescue on the busiest weeknights. Homestyle Ground Beef Casserole and Sheet Pan Fried Pork Chops will fill your family up and save you tons of time in the kitchen. When it’s time for something sweet, turn to the classic oldies like Oatmeal Cream Pies and newcomers like Spiced Pecan Pie Bars for stealing the show. Count on these classics for making mealtime feel more like home.
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Chubba Bubba's Broccoli Salad

This easy version of broccoli salad features frozen broccoli plus cauliflower and chopped carrot for added color and crispness.

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Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Caitlin Bensel

Recipe: Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Get that cinnamon roll taste you love without kneading a single piece of dough. We call that a win.

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Crustless Ham and Spinach Quiche

Antonis Achilleos

Recipe: Crustless Ham and Spinach Quiche

This easy quiche can stand in as weekend brunch, lunch meal prep, or quick dinner.

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Dutch Baby Pancake

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Dutch Baby Pancake

Get acquainted with the Dutch baby, because it’s going to be your new favorite Saturday morning brunch treat.

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Sausage-Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos

Recipe: Sausage-Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole

This foolproof breakfast casserole recipe is the trustiest one in our recipe box.

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Buttermilk Breakfast Scones

Southern Living

Recipe: Buttermilk Breakfast Scones

These tender scones look and taste fresh from the bakery, but they only take 30 minutes from start to finish.

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Sorghum-Pecan Monkey Bread Muffins

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Sorghum-Pecan Monkey Bread Muffins

Southern-favorite sorghum and pecans star in this sweet breakfast recipe that your guests will love.

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Croissant Breakfast Casserole

Victor Protasio

Recipe: Croissant Breakfast Casserole

If you need a make-ahead breakfast to serve a crowd, trust us and make this one.

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Shrimp and Grits Casserole

Antonis Achilleo; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos

Recipe: Shrimp and Grits Casserole

You can enjoy this Southern classic gone casserole at brunch or dinner.

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Mini Bananas Foster Sticky Buns

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos

Recipe: Mini Bananas Foster Sticky Buns

We turned this famous New Orleans dessert into a bite-size delight you can enjoy at breakfast.

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Cinnamon Roll Casserole

Antonis Achilleos

Recipe: Cinnamon Roll Casserole

Big-batch cinnamon rolls? Sign us up.

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Fried Deviled Eggs

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Fried Deviled Eggs

We totally went there, and you have to try it, too.

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Pimiento Pickle Poppers

Southern Living

Recipe: Pimiento Pickle Poppers

This Southern spin on jalapeno poppers will be the talk of the party.

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Southwest Black-Eyed Pea Dip

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christina Lane; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos

Recipe: Southwest Black-Eyed Pea Dip

Consider this Southwest-meets-Southern dip your new go-to tailgate recipe for the year.

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Georgia-Style Boiled Peanuts

Alison Miksch

Recipe: Georgia-Style Boiled Peanuts

Take me out to the ballgame, take me out with the crowd. These boiled peanuts will make you feel like you’re in the stadium stands, munching on your favorite ballpark snack.

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Egg Salad Sandwiches

Jen Causey

Recipe: Egg Salad Sandwiches

Southern luncheons, showers, and picnics are practically required to have an egg salad recipe on the lineup, and you’re going to love this finger-sandwich version.

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Smoky Field Pea-and-Greens Dip

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Smoky Field Pea-and-Greens Dip

If you’re in need of a tailgate recipe that showcases Southern ingredients, look no further than this warm, cozy dip.

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Alabama Hush Puppies

Southern Living

Recipe: Alabama Hush Puppies

This year’s cookout challenge? Make your own hush puppies from scratch—it’s easier than you think.

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Gourmet Grilled Cheese with Bacon

Callie Nash

Recipe: Gourmet Grilled Cheese with Bacon

Everything is better with bacon, including a classic grilled cheese. Pair it with our Roasted Tomato Soup for an incredible lunch.

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Clementine-and-Collard Greens Salad

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Clementine-and-Collard Greens Salad

This light, beautiful salad is an easy way to use up that rotisserie chicken we know is sitting in your fridge.

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Classic Macaroni Salad with Ham

Jen Causey

Recipe: Classic Macaroni Salad with Ham

If you like vintage recipes, this cold pasta salad is reminiscent of popular layered salads of the past.

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Buttermilk Spoon Bread

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Buttermilk Spoon Bread

Every Southern cook should try their hand at a vintage spoon bread recipe at least once.

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Melting Potatoes

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Melting Potatoes

Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, melting potatoes are going to be the side dish you can’t get enough of this year.

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Homestyle Ground Beef Casserole

Southern Living

Recipe: Homestyle Ground Beef Casserole

Ground beef is a budget-friendly weeknight favorite at dinnertime, and this oh-so-comforting casserole will be your new favorite way to use it.

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Skillet Vegetable Pie with Goat Cheese

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Skillet Vegetable Pie

If you’re aiming for meatless Mondays or simply want to add more veggie-forward dinners to your lineup this year, a one-dish recipe is the easiest place to start.

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Oven-Fried Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos

Recipe: Oven-Fried Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans

This easy sheet pan supper gets you crispy fried pork chops plus sides in less than an hour.

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Meatloaf Casserole

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Meatloaf Casserole

Meatloaf casserole is our Southern-ized version of Shepherd’s Pie, and it’s seriously delicious.

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Lemon-Garlic Butter Shrimp and Broccoli

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos

Recipe: Lemon-Garlic Butter Shrimp with Broccoli

Healthy, easy, and ready in a flash, this recipe checks every box we look for in a successful supper.

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Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup with Bacon

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup with Bacon

There’s nothing better than a warm, comforting soup straight from the slow cooker on a chilly night—unless you add bacon, then it is better.

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Healthy Turkey Lasagna

Southern Living

Recipe: Healthy Turkey Lasagna

This lasagna recipe will satisfy carb cravings without blowing your health goals out of the water.

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Mom’s Roast Beef

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Mom’s Roast Beef

Tender roast beef, straight from your oven—just be sure to let this dish rest before slicing so you don’t lose all that flavorful juice.

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Ham and Noodle Casserole

Jen Causey

Recipe: Ham and Noodle Casserole

Whether for a potluck or busy weeknight supper, this comfy casserole uses whatever pantry staples you have on hand.

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Easy Catfish Tacos with Slaw

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos

Recipe: Easy Catfish Tacos with Slaw

Fried catfish is a Southern mainstay, but we lightened it up by oven “frying” it and pairing it with a light slaw for a tasty Southern taco.

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Buttermilk-Soaked, Bacon-Fried Chicken in Gravy

John Lee

Recipe: Buttermilk-Soaked, Bacon-Fried Chicken in Gravy

Can you say cheat day? If you’re going to go all-out comfort food, this supremely Southern dish is always here for you.

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Chicken Salad-Stuffed Tomatoes

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Chicken Salad-Stuffed Tomatoes

This old-school recipe takes just five ingredients and is perfect for a quick dinner or least depressing desk lunch ever!

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Smoky Mountain Brunswick Stew

Southern Living

Recipe: Smoky Mountain Brunswick Stew

Cozy up on a cold winter’s night with a Southern classic (wherever you think the recipe was born).

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Skillet Pot Pie with Chicken and Spring Vegetables