29 Southern Favorites Grandma Always Had Ready

Forget new tricks, the oldest recipes are best. The real heart of Southern cooking is found in simple, powerful family favorites. Here are awesome 29 classics that always taste amazing. Get back to the delicious, comforting food that matters!

Best Roasted Potato Salad

There’s something about that warm mix of texture and seasoning that makes it hard to skip. You’ll know what I mean once you try Best Roasted Potato Salad alongside baked chicken or ribs. It holds up just as well on its own as it does in the middle of a full spread.
Get the Recipe: Best Roasted Potato Salad

Southern Fried Cabbage with Bacon

Cabbage and bacon in white serving bowl. — Southern Fried Cabbage with Bacon. Photo credit: Little Bit Recipes.

This one smells like someone’s been cooking all day. Southern Fried Cabbage hits that salty-sweet spot with bacon cooked down until it coats every bite. It doesn’t need much else.
Get the Recipe: Southern Fried Cabbage with Bacon

Peach Cobbler with Pie Crust

The edges go golden while the filling bubbles underneath. Peach Cobbler with Pie Crust sticks to the old-fashioned way with a real crust on top. You won’t need to ask twice for seconds.
Get the Recipe: Peach Cobbler with Pie Crust

Vegan Cornbread

You’d never guess there’s no dairy or eggs involved. Vegan Cornbread keeps that same golden crumb and sturdy bite grandma always served with beans or greens. No one ever stops at one slice.
Get the Recipe: Vegan Cornbread

Banana Pudding Cupcakes

Mashed potatoes on a white plate. — Banana Pudding Cupcakes. Photo credit: Baking Beauty.

These feel familiar the second you bite in. Banana Pudding Cupcakes pack all the classic flavor into a neat little wrapper. You don’t even need a spoon.
Get the Recipe: Banana Pudding Cupcakes

Southern Oven-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Herb Crust

Slices of roasted pork tenderloin on a wooden board, garnished with fresh herbs. A jar of mustard is in the background, along with peppercorns scattered around the meat. The scene is warmly lit and appetizing. — Southern Oven-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Herb Crust. Photo credit: Not Entirely Average.

The outside crisps up perfectly while the inside stays juicy and tender. Southern Oven-Roasted Pork Tenderloin works for weeknights or family dinners without much fuss. Leftovers make a solid sandwich, too.
Get the Recipe: Southern Oven-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Herb Crust

Gluten Free Stuffing

You’d never guess this one skips the wheat. Gluten Free Stuffing still brings that classic, herby flavor with a soft middle and golden top that fits right in on any holiday plate. It’s the kind of dish you serve once, then keep getting asked for year after year.
Get the Recipe: Gluten Free Stuffing

Zesty Butter Beans

These aren’t your basic beans—they’re bold, creamy, and full of depth. Zesty Butter Beans have that comforting southern backbone with just a little extra kick. They always show up with cornbread on the side.
Get the Recipe: Zesty Butter Beans

Southern Sweet Potato Pie Bars

Every square holds that nostalgic balance of sweet and spice. Southern Sweet Potato Pie Bars cut cleaner than a full pie and serve up just as much comfort. They’ve got potluck written all over them.
Get the Recipe: Southern Sweet Potato Pie Bars

Pigs in a Blanket

Hot dog buns with little smokies on a plate. — Pigs in a Blanket. Photo credit: The Keto Option.

Soft bread wrapped around smoky sausage never really goes out of style. Pigs in a Blanket make the rounds at every potluck and party with good reason. They’re gone by the second pass.
Get the Recipe: Pigs in a Blanket

Air Fryer Hush Puppies (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

These cook up golden and crisp without a drop of oil. Air Fryer Hush Puppies keep things traditional in taste while leaning modern in technique. They go fast every single time.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Hush Puppies (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

The Best Beans and Cornbread Recipe

They’re better together and that hasn’t changed in decades. Beans and Cornbread fill the plate with something hearty that doesn’t need dressing up. It’s a full meal in two scoops.
Get the Recipe: The Best Beans and Cornbread Recipe

Praline Poke Cake

Sweet, sticky, and packed with pecan flavor, this cake never lasted more than a day. Praline Poke Cake soaks in the richness and leaves behind an empty tray. That’s usually the sign of a keeper.
Get the Recipe: Praline Poke Cake

Pimento Cheese Sandwich

Sharp, creamy, and made for white bread, this one always popped up on picnic tables. Pimento Cheese Sandwich is just as good straight from the fridge or packed in foil. It’s never tried to be more than it is.
Get the Recipe: Pimento Cheese Sandwich

Easy One Pot Stewed Potatoes

That soft, buttery bite brings back memories with each forkful. Easy One Pot Stewed Potatoes are simple but feel like something someone cared enough to simmer all day. They’ve been part of Sunday dinner for as long as I can remember.
Get the Recipe: Easy One Pot Stewed Potatoes

Green Bean Casserole

A white plate with green beans on it. — Green Bean Casserole. Photo credit: The Keto Option.

Creamy, crunchy, and always part of the table spread, this one goes back generations. Green Bean Casserole shows up at holidays but holds its own any night of the week. The crispy top always disappears first.
Get the Recipe: Green Bean Casserole

Baked Gouda Mac and Cheese

A little smoky, super creamy, and still unmistakably southern. Baked Gouda Mac and Cheese slides right into the mix like it’s always belonged. People usually go quiet when it hits their plate.
Get the Recipe: Baked Gouda Mac and Cheese

Gluten Free Pecan Pie With Maple Syrup And Maple Dulce De Leche Cream

Close up of pecan pie with dulce de leche cream. — Gluten Free Pecan Pie With Maple Syrup And Maple Dulce De Leche Cream. Photo credit: At the Immigrant's Table.

Sticky and rich with that signature crunch, this version trades corn syrup for maple. Gluten Free Pecan Pie still delivers on every bite without missing a beat. It’s just as sweet and even easier to slice.
Get the Recipe: Gluten Free Pecan Pie With Maple Syrup And Maple Dulce De Leche Cream

Creamy Dill Potato Salad (Vegan Option)

Don’t be surprised if folks ask for the recipe before you sit down. Creamy Dill Potato Salad packs plenty of flavor without the heaviness. It fits right into any family gathering like it’s always been there.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Dill Potato Salad (Vegan Option)

Squash Casserole

Buttery, cheesy, and full of that soft squash texture that works with everything. Squash Casserole bakes up warm and golden with just enough crunch on top. It’s always been part of the mix.
Get the Recipe: Squash Casserole

Old Fashioned Southern Pecan Pralines

A plate of holiday-themed cookies is placed on a red and white checkered cloth. The cookies are drizzled with red and green icing over a caramel-colored base, surrounded by red and white candy beads. — Old Fashioned Southern Pecan Pralines. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Soft and crisp in all the right places, these are the kind of treats that came wrapped in wax paper. Southern Pecan Pralines melt quick in your hand but leave a lasting impression. They were always in the candy dish near the stove.
Get the Recipe: Old Fashioned Southern Pecan Pralines

Hummingbird Cake

Banana, pineapple, and spice all rolled into one old-school favorite. Hummingbird Cake is the kind of layered dessert that always felt special but never flashy. You don’t forget it once you’ve had it.
Get the Recipe: Hummingbird Cake

Easy and Tasty Roasted Okra Recipe

This version finally wins over the okra skeptics. With charred edges and just enough crunch, Easy and Tasty Roasted Okra works whether you’re keeping things light or going full southern spread. It might be the first side gone.
Get the Recipe: Easy and Tasty Roasted Okra Recipe

Southern Mash

Creamy, rich, and always familiar, this dish shows up without being asked. Southern Mash delivers that buttery base everyone reaches for first. It’s the foundation of a proper plate.
Get the Recipe: Southern Mash

Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread (or Quiche!)

Baked golden with those crisp edges, this version sticks to tradition with a twist if you want it. Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread can double as quiche and still feel like it came straight from grandma’s kitchen. It’s reliable either way.
Get the Recipe: Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread (or Quiche!)

Southern Mac and Cheese

Baked macaroni and cheese topped with breakcrumbs in a casserole dish. — Southern Mac and Cheese. Photo credit: Baking Beauty.

There’s no such thing as leftovers when this hits the table. Southern Mac and Cheese brings creamy layers and that baked-in crisp that’s always been a favorite. Every spoonful tastes like home.
Get the Recipe: Southern Mac and Cheese

Cinnamon Roll Bites with Bacon

Three cinnamon roll cakes on a white plate. — Cinnamon Roll Bites with Bacon. Photo credit: The Keto Option.

Sweet rolls baked into bites with a salty kick from the bacon crumbles. Cinnamon Roll Bites with Bacon walk the line between breakfast and dessert. They usually don’t last past the first round of coffee.
Get the Recipe: Cinnamon Roll Bites with Bacon

Oven Baked Sweet Potato Slices

That hint of sweetness and caramelized edge makes them easy to love. Oven Baked Sweet Potato Slices never needed extra toppings or added fuss. They just belong next to whatever’s coming out of the oven.
Get the Recipe: Oven Baked Sweet Potato Slices

Southern Cream Cheese Pound Cake - Old Fashioned Recipe!

A large pound cake with sugar glaze dripping over the edges and down the sides. — Southern Cream Cheese Pound Cake - Old Fashioned Recipe!. Photo credit: Not Entirely Average.

One thick slice with a cup of coffee always felt like a proper treat. Southern Cream Cheese Pound Cake comes out dense and smooth with that crackly top. It’s the kind of dessert that didn’t need an occasion.
Get the Recipe: Southern Cream Cheese Pound Cake - Old Fashioned Recipe!