22 Southern Recipes That’ll Leave You Completely Content

You can smell the butter, spice, and slow-simmered goodness before the first bite. These Southern classics promise crisp edges, tender centers, and sauces you will chase with a biscuit. You will learn the little moves that make each dish sing, from the right oil for frying to the best pot for simmering. Get ready to cook the kind of food that makes you sigh with contentment.

1. Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Start with bone-in chicken soaked overnight in seasoned buttermilk so every bite turns juicy and tender. Dredge in a well-seasoned flour blend, pressing to build a shaggy, craggy crust. Fry in hot peanut oil until the exterior sings with crunch and the interior stays perfectly moist.

Rest on a rack so the crust stays crisp, then shower with flaky salt. You can add a touch of paprika and garlic powder for warmth, or a pinch of cayenne for heat. Serve with lemon wedges, hot sauce, and a pile of pickles for balance.

2. Lowcountry Shrimp & Grits

Cook stone-ground grits low and slow with milk and stock until creamy and lush. Sauté bacon until crisp, then bloom garlic and scallions in the drippings. Toss in shrimp, splash with lemon, and let the pan sauce turn glossy and rich.

Spoon the shrimp and bacon over the grits so the juices sink into every spoonful. Finish with more scallions and a grind of black pepper. You get silky grits, briny shrimp, and smoky pops of bacon in each bite.

3. Chicken & Dumplings (Slippery or Fluffy)

Simmer chicken with onion, celery, and carrot until the broth turns deeply savory. For slippery dumplings, roll thin noodle-like strips; for fluffy, drop soft dough clouds into the bubbling pot. Either way, the dumplings soak up flavor while staying tender.

Finish with lots of black pepper and a splash of cream if you like it richer. The broth should be silky, not gloopy, with shredded chicken throughout. Ladle it hot and watch the dumplings disappear fast.

4. Red Beans & Rice (Monday Pot)

Soak red beans, then simmer them with andouille, the trinity of onion, celery, and bell pepper, plus bay and thyme. Let time do the work until the beans turn creamy and the sausage seasons every spoonful. Mash a few beans against the pot to thicken naturally.

Serve over hot, fluffy rice with green onions and a shake of hot sauce. The Monday ritual tastes like comfort and thrift. Leftovers taste even better the next day as flavors deepen.

5. Nashville Hot Chicken

Fry chicken until the crust is audibly crisp, then whisk hot cayenne with brown sugar and frying oil. Brush the fiery oil over the pieces until glossy and red. The sweet heat builds, balanced by the crunchy coating.

Serve on soft white bread with cold pickles to cut through the fire. Choose your spice level, but do not skimp on cayenne. You will sweat and grin at the same time, exactly as intended.

6. Pulled Pork (Carolina Vinegar or Memphis Style)

Smoke a pork shoulder low and slow until it shreds under the fork. For Carolina style, toss the meat with a tangy vinegar-pepper sauce that cuts the richness. For Memphis style, glaze with a tomato-molasses sauce for sticky-sweet edges.

Chop or pull the pork and pile it onto soft buns. Add slaw for crunch and brightness. The bark, the smoke ring, and the sauce together make unbeatable sandwiches.

7. Cast-Iron Cornbread

Heat a slick of fat in a screaming-hot cast-iron skillet so the batter sizzles on contact. Use coarse cornmeal for hearty texture and keep the crumb pleasantly crumbly. Some add a touch of sugar, others do not, but good corn flavor leads.

Bake until the edges brown and the top turns gold with crackly peaks. Turn it out to keep the crust intact. Serve warm with butter and honey or alongside beans and greens.

8. Pimento Cheese (The House Spread)

Grate sharp cheddar for maximum melt and mix with chopped pimentos and mayo. Add a pinch of cayenne and a splash of pickle brine or Worcestershire for lift. The texture should be spreadable, not stiff, with visible shreds of cheese.

Chill so the flavors mingle, then slather on crackers, sandwiches, or burgers. You get creamy, tangy, and gently spicy in one bite. It is the house spread you will keep in the fridge.

9. Hoppin’ John

Simmer black-eyed peas with bacon, onion, and a bay leaf until tender. Fold in cooked rice so the juices coat every grain. Add scallions for freshness and a squeeze of lemon if desired.

Tradition says serve it with collard greens for luck and prosperity. You get smoky, savory comfort with gentle bite from the peas. It is humble, hearty, and perfect for feeding a crowd.

10. Braised Collard Greens

Strip tough stems and slice collards into ribbons, then sweat onions in a slick of oil. Add smoked turkey or bacon, pour in stock, and simmer low until tender. Finish with cider vinegar and a pinch of red pepper.

Do not toss the potlikker because it is liquid gold. Sip it, spoon it over cornbread, or save for beans. These greens are silky, savory, and bright at the end.

11. Biscuits & Sausage Gravy

Cut cold butter into flour, fold gently, and let buttermilk bring the dough together. Bake tall biscuits with crisp tops and soft middles. Brown sausage, then stir flour into the drippings and whisk in milk for a creamy gravy.

Season with plenty of black pepper and a pinch of sage. Pour generously over hot biscuits and let everything soak. Breakfast for dinner never tasted so right.

12. Gumbo (Creole or Cajun)

Whisk flour and oil until the roux turns dark like chocolate, stirring patiently. Build flavor with the trinity, garlic, and smoky andouille. Add stock, then shrimp and chicken, plus okra or filé to thicken.

Simmer until glossy and rich, spoon over rice, and pass hot sauce. Creole skews tomato and seafood, Cajun leans rustic and stock-driven. Either way, the depth of the roux makes the magic.

13. Jambalaya

Sweat onion, celery, and bell pepper, then brown andouille and chicken for fond. Stir in rice to toast, add stock, and for Creole style, tomatoes. For Cajun, skip tomatoes and let the stock carry the flavor.

Simmer until the rice is tender and the pot smells irresistible. The grains should be separate, not mushy. A quick flourish of green onions makes it pop.

14. Fried Green Tomatoes

Slice firm green tomatoes and salt them to draw out moisture. Dredge in seasoned flour, dip in egg, then coat with cornmeal for grit and crunch. Pan-fry until golden with a gentle sizzle.

Drain on a rack so they keep their crisp bite. Serve hot with remoulade and a squeeze of lemon. The tart tomato meets a crackly crust you will crave.

15. Catfish Po’ Boy

Season catfish, dredge in cornmeal, and fry until the crust shatters under your teeth. Split a light, crackly loaf of French bread and smear with remoulade. Tuck in lettuce, tomato, and pickles for crunch and tang.

Assemble while the fish is hot so the remoulade warms slightly. Every bite balances crisp, creamy, and bright. Wrap it in paper and eat over the counter like a local.

16. Smothered Pork Chops

Sear thick pork chops until browned, then soften onions in the fond. Sprinkle flour to make a roux and whisk in stock for a silky gravy. Nestle the chops back and simmer until fork-tender.

Season with thyme, black pepper, and a splash of Worcestershire. Spoon over rice or mashed potatoes so nothing goes to waste. The onions melt into sweetness that hugs every bite.

17. Country Ham with Red-Eye Gravy

Fry slices of salty country ham until edges crisp. Deglaze the skillet with hot coffee, then swirl in butter and a pinch of sugar. The savory-salty drippings meet bitter coffee for a thin, punchy gravy.

Spoon over grits with eggs on the side. It is bracing and bold in the best way. A small drizzle goes far, waking up every plate.

18. Cajun Maque Choux

Shave fresh corn and scrape the milk from the cobs for extra body. Sauté onion and peppers, then add tomatoes and corn to soften. A splash of cream rounds the sweetness and binds the skillet together.

Season with Cajun spice and finish with green onions. Serve beside grilled fish or spoon over rice. The dish tastes like summer cooked low and slow.

19. Chicken Bog (Carolina)

Simmer a whole chicken with aromatics until the stock is rich. Add rice and smoked sausage coins so the grains absorb all that flavor. The texture lands between pilaf and stew, cozy and spoonable.

Season simply with salt, pepper, and a bay leaf. You can finish with butter for gloss. It is humble, hearty, and exactly what a cool night needs.

20. Hush Puppies

Whisk cornmeal with a touch of flour, scallions, and buttermilk to make a thick batter. Scoop into hot oil and fry until the outsides turn deep brown. The centers stay tender with a gentle corn sweetness.

Drain well and serve immediately while they sing with heat. Dip in honey butter or tartar sauce depending on your mood. They are bite-size joy with seafood or barbecue.

21. Peach Cobbler (Biscuit-Top or Batter-Style)

Toss juicy peaches with sugar, lemon, and a pinch of cinnamon. For biscuit-top, drop buttery rounds over the fruit. For batter-style, pour a simple batter into hot butter, then add peaches so they float and caramelize.

Bake until the top turns golden and the juices bubble at the edges. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. Every spoonful blends tart fruit, crisp edges, and syrupy goodness.

22. Banana Pudding (Layered Dessert)

Layer vanilla wafers, sliced bananas, and creamy custard or pudding in a glass dish. Let it chill so the wafers soften into cake-like layers. A crown of whipped cream or meringue finishes the top.

Use ripe bananas for big flavor and do not rush the set. Each spoonful tastes cool, nostalgic, and silky. It is the dessert everyone asks to take home.