Food and Recipes Recipes 30 Underrated Southern Classics that Every Home Cook Should Master By Zoe Denenberg Published on May 11, 2020 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Alison Miksch Sure, you know the classics: Peach cobbler, buttermilk biscuits, barbecued pork, fried chicken. These are all signature Southern dishes, but they're certainly not the end-all, be-all of Southern cuisine. Southern food is complex, nuanced, and highly diverse, often varying greatly based on region and season. We're here to introduce you to some of our favorite Southern recipes that've managed to fly under the radar. Consider this your bucket list to gain a proper education in Southern cooking. Without further ado, let us introduce you to the unsung heroes of Southern cooking. They're the dishes that may not be as flashy, but deliver complex flavor and nuanced spice that'll keep you coming back for more. They're the dinnertime staples of countless Southern homes—the casseroles and stews that we whip up every week—and the party favorites that our families have been making for generations. And they're the regional staples—like Smoky Mountain Brunswick Stew and Shrimp-and-Okra Gumbo—that make up the diverse patchwork of Southern culture. From hush puppies to chicken pot pie, these recipes are near and dear to our hearts, and it's time to give them the recognition that they deserve. Master these underrated Southern classics and you'll be well on your way to a true Southern culinary education. 01 of 30 Best Deviled Eggs Hector Sanchez Recipe: Best Deviled Eggs You'll see a plate of these bad boys on every Southern appetizer spread. Once you've mastered the basic recipe, get creative with flavors like Bacon Deviled Eggs or a Tex-Mex version. 02 of 30 Pimiento Cheese Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Pimiento Cheese When it comes to Pimiento Cheese, we've got opinions. First off: it's spelled pimiento, not pimento. Now that that's settled, try out our best-ever recipe. 03 of 30 Ham Biscuits Photo: Tina Cornett Recipe: Ham Biscuits Fluffy, flaky homemade biscuits meet thinly-sliced ham and spiced-up condiments in this traditional appetizer that comes together in a flash. 04 of 30 Fried Green Tomatoes Jennifer Davick Recipe: Fried Green Tomatoes You've seen these crispy, craggy glories on countless Southern restaurant menus, but it's time to master this classic for yourself. We promise it's simpler than it seems. 05 of 30 Hush Puppies Southern Living Recipe: Hush Puppies These glorious, two-bite, golden-brown cornmeal nuggets may not typically be deemed star of the BBQ spread, but they're certainly a key component to any barbecue feast. We won't allow them to play second fiddle any longer. 06 of 30 Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings The South's best answer to chicken noodle soup? Comforting, stick-to-your-bones Chicken and Dumplings. 07 of 30 Smoky Mountain Brunswick Stew Southern Living Recipe: Smoky Mountain Brunswick Stew This hearty Southern stew comes with its fair share of debate—does it hail from Virginia or Georgia? Is it made with pork or chicken?—but one thing's for sure: It will be a new staple in your dinnertime repertoire. 08 of 30 King Ranch Chicken Casserole William Dickey Recipe: King Ranch Chicken Casserole All hail King Ranch. This superhero of a chicken casserole is one of our go-to suppertime solutions. 09 of 30 Best-Ever Macaroni and Cheese Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Best-Ever Macaroni and Cheese We'll take your standard mac and cheese and raise you hints of cayenne and nutmeg, a thick, creamy roux, and an obscenely cheesy melted topping. Once you try our Best-Ever Macaroni and Cheese, there's no turning back to the boxed stuff. 10 of 30 Southern Skillet Cornbread Southern Living Recipe: Southern Skillet Cornbread Do you like your cornbread sweet or savory? Smooth or studded with kernels? We may not be able to resolve these debates, but one thing's for sure: Cornbread just tastes better when it's made in a cast-iron skillet. 11 of 30 Buttermilk Grits with Country Ham and Shrimp Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Buttermilk Grits with Country Ham and Shrimp Grits may be the South's favorite side dish, but we're here to show that you can make a whole meal out of them. Find more of our favorite grits recipes here. 12 of 30 Old-Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Old-Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie A golden, crimped crust and a thick, veggie-studded filling are trademarks of this dinnertime favorite. 13 of 30 Tomato Aspic Southern Living Recipe: Tomato Aspic It's time for this vintage Southern recipe to have its revival. All your party guests will be absolutely charmed by this nostalgic, gelatinous dish. 14 of 30 Turkey-Noodle-Poppyseed Casserole Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Turkey-Noodle-Poppyseed Casserole All Southerners grew up with some variety of the poppyseed casserole, and this version will quickly become a new family favorite. 15 of 30 Old-School Squash Casserole Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Old-School Squash Casserole In the summertime, we're making this Old-School Squash Casserole over and over again. 16 of 30 Shrimp-and-Okra Gumbo Southern Living Recipe: Shrimp-and-Okra Gumbo This recipe is a tried-and-true reflection of the South's Cajun cooking community; if possible, use fresh Gulf shrimp, but frozen works in a punch. 17 of 30 Chicken-and-Biscuit Cobbler Alison Miksch Recipe: Chicken-and-Biscuit Cobbler Bring new life to that rotisserie chicken with this creative spin on a Southern cobbler that'll feed the whole family. 18 of 30 Instant Pot Ribs Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis; Food Stylist: Karen Schroeder-Rankin Recipe: Instant Pot Ribs We've taken a BBQ favorite and made it extra-easy to prepare (with the help of our favorite multi-cooker). 19 of 30 Southern-Style Potato Salad Southern Living Recipe: Southern-Style Potato Salad Our Editors call this "the quintessential Southern side dish," and we have to agree. It's known to make appearances at picnics, church potlucks, and neighborhood cook-outs. 20 of 30 Tee's Corn Pudding Jennifer Davick Recipe: Tee's Corn Pudding Corn pudding may have already earned its spot on your holiday table, but we're serving this classic dish all year round. Meet your newest use for fresh summer corn, y'all. 21 of 30 Southern-Style Collard Greens Photo: Jim Franco Recipe: Southern-Style Collard Greens In our opinion, this hearty, nutrient-rich side doesn't get nearly enough credit. Especially when plenty of bacon is involved. 22 of 30 Southern Living Bloody Mary Jennifer Causey Recipe: Southern Living Bloody Mary No Southern soiree is complete without a signature cocktail—make this spiced Bloody Mary, complete with an Old Bay-Bacon Salt rim, your daytime house drink. 23 of 30 Caramel Cake Jennifer Davick Recipe: Caramel Cake Southerners may be known for our fuss-free desserts (we're talking banana pudding and peach cobbler), but no true Southern celebration is complete without a stunning layer cake. 24 of 30 Cakey Strawberry Cobbler Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Cakey Strawberry Cobbler You've tried peach cobbler, but have you tried mixing it up with other fruits or berries? This Cakey Strawberry Cobbler combines the best components of a cobbler, a sheet cake, and a strawberry shortcake. 25 of 30 The Ultimate Carrot Cake Alison Miksch Recipe: The Ultimate Carrot Cake This triple-layered, extra-moist Carrot Cake is what we dream all of our birthday cakes will look like. 26 of 30 Creamy Peach Icebox Cake Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling; Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Creamy Peach Icebox Cake Southerners love our pies and our Bundt cakes, but in the sweltering summer heat, it becomes unthinkable to turn on the oven. That's where this simple icebox cake comes in. 27 of 30 Cream Cheese Pound Cake Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Ana Kelly Prop Stylist: Kay Clarke Recipe: Cream Cheese Pound Cake Keep a batch of this decadent cake on the counter at all times for spontaneous snacking. 28 of 30 Banana Pudding Southern Living Recipe: Banana Pudding Okay, we'll admit it, this recipe is not exactly underrated. But you can't call yourself a Southern cook until you've mastered this timeless dessert. 29 of 30 Easy Skillet Apple Pie Luca Trovato Recipe: Easy Skillet Apple Pie This Easy Skillet Apple Pie is the perfect project for beginner bakers (and a brilliant way to use up all those fall apples). 30 of 30 Hummingbird Cake Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Hummingbird Cake Last but certainly not least, one of the South's most storied cakes: The Hummingbird Cake, which was first featured in Southern Living in 1978. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit