If there’s any sure thing around here, it’s that food traditions in the South tend to stick, and for good reason. Cookbooks are passed down from mothers and grandmothers, recipes are exchanged by word of mouth, techniques are taught by hand, and Southern food endures as a way of keeping the communities, stories, and memories alive.
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Morgan Hunt Glaze; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf
Copper pennies are sweet, tangy, and a little savory—with a charming name to boot. Take it from our Southern Living Test Kitchen: a retro dish like this is made for being sopped up with cornbread.
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Brittney Cottrell; Food Stylist: Renu Dhar; Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong
There’s a reason this 128-year-old dessert is still popular today. With a cherry sauce, a splash of bourbon, and vanilla ice cream, what’s not to love?
Feel free to swap the bourbon for brandy or dark rum. You can also omit it entirely for an alcohol-free version.
Southern hosts have long served cheese wafers to keep arriving guests held over until the main event. We think they should always be homemade.
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Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey; Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell
We trust just about anything the Carter family does. Roslyn Carter’s famous pimiento cheese recipe is no different.
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Fred Hardy II; Food Stylist: Sally McKay; Prop Stylist: Prissy Montiel
This vintage dessert is ideal for those hot summer days when a richer dessert just feels like too much. With a crisp yet marshmallowy crust, it almost melts in your mouth.
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Hannah Hufham; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray; Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong
These “onion boils” are viral social media sensations, but Southern grandmas have been making the same dish by a different name for years. Whether you know them as baked onions or an onion boil, this side dish is a classic for a reason.
Credit: Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Torie Cox
With the rise of establishments like beloved Chicken Salad Chick, Southern “salads” are staying mainstream, but do you remember Ham Salad? If not, it’s time to resurrect this retro luncheon favorite.
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
No one can resist the soft, minty, melt-in-your-mouth flavor of homemade butter mints. This retro treat never goes out of style as far as we’re concerned.
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Greg Dupree, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Tea sandwiches are a hallmark of Southern luncheons. While you might see pimiento cheese or chicken salad versions around, we miss these perfectly pretty cucumber sandwiches.
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Tami Hardeman
If you recognize this old-school snack, you’re not alone. These salty bites keep coming back because they’re just that good.
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Okra and tomatoes are a Southern combination as beloved as peanuts and Coca-Cola or chicken and dumplings. Serve this over rice for a main dish or hearty side.
Credit: William Dickey
Southern-style butterbeans are a budget-friendly, easy side dish. They’re most delicious when cooked with bacon, of course.
Credit: Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
Sweet potato casseroles have remained a constant on Thanksgiving sideboards in the South, but candied yams have fallen to the wayside for many. This delicious recipe is all the convincing you need to bring them back.
Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell
Delicate Southern field peas pair perfectly with smoky ham hocks for an old-school veggie side. Serve them alongside grilled pork in the summertime.
Credit: Jen Causey
This cold pasta salad is reminiscent of another Southern classic, layered salads. Simply prep the ingredients and chill until it’s time to assemble and serve.
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There was a time when you couldn’t find a ladies’ luncheon that didn’t have tomato aspic on the menu. We think it’s high time to give this retro dish another spin.
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Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Poppy seed chicken casserole has been a staple on Southern dinner tables as long as we can remember. We’re bringing it back for its one-dish ease and comfort-food taste.
Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell
You might still make corn pudding and cornbread, but do you remember fluffy spoonbread? It’s time to add it to your menu.
Credit: Alison Miksch
There aren’t many dishes more nostalgic than casseroles with a “cream of” soup on the ingredient list, and turkey tetrazzini is reminiscent of Thanksgiving leftovers at many homes. Here’s our updated spin on the beloved classic.
Credit: Greg Dupree
Tuna noodle casserole is the budget-friendly best friend of busy cooks in the South. This one requires just 35 minutes of hands-on time.
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To some, pineapple casserole might sound crazy. To others, it’s been a fixture at Easter lunches forever. Whichever side you’re on, this is a truly Southern recipe you should try.
Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner
Remember this one? Chicken-and-wild rice casserole has been a weeknight wonder in Southern homes for years, and it will never stop tasting so comforting.
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez
Once the queen of Southern luncheons and brunches, Quiche Lorraine stood atop its pedestal in the ’70s. We still love this classic egg dish for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
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Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Chicken-fried steak, served with peppery, creamy gravy, is an old-school Southern dish that’s bad for your waistline but good for your soul. It comes together in just 45 minutes.
Credit: Greg Dupree
Rice is the base for many old-fashioned Southern dishes, including this one-pot Lowcountry dinner. Everyone in your family will be begging for seconds.
Credit: Hector Sanchez
This cheesy, hearty casserole has been a mainstay on weeknight dinner tables for decades, and kids will never stop eating it up. Add garlic bread or a salad as a side.
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Coca-Cola cake is one of the trustiest cake recipes of all time. It’s chocolaty, moist, and full of soda flavor, with even more Coca-Cola in the cream cheese frosting.
Credit: Iain Bagwell
This simple, creamy pie came to be during the Depression and World War II, when “desperation pies” were made with whatever ingredients Southern cooks had on hand. You’ll fall in love with this light and silky pie.
Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Anna Hampton
Fruitcakes are a permanent fixture on plenty of Southern holiday tables, whether some generations enjoy them or not. Make one for your next holiday get-together.
Credit: Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Use blueberries fresh from the farmers’ market for this timeless and simple cornmeal cake. It would be the perfect brunch dessert.
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You may have enjoyed a similar layered chocolate dessert in the 1960s or ’70s, and we’re happy to tell you it’s back. It’s the family-friendly dessert your kids will be begging you to make time and time again.
Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Chef Damaris Phillips shared her take on a vintage jam cake, and this layered version is absolutely incredible. A slightly savory frosting balances out the sweet cake.
Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox
The beautiful presentation of a vintage sliced sweet potato pie can’t be matched. Serve each slice with a dollop of whipped cream.
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This vintage candy’s name fits it well—it’s truly divine. Whip up this classic candy to sweeten your holiday dessert tray.
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Icebox pies are a hallmark of vintage Southern desserts. This rich black-bottom recipe is no exception.
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This recipe got its start in the early 1800s, and no, it’s not a cheesecake. The layers are filled with rich lemon curd.
Credit: Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Anna Hampton
We can never resist a chocolate dessert. If you can’t remember the last time you had a decadent slice of fudge cake, then it’s absolutely been too long.
Credit: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
We gave nostalgic oatmeal cream pies a Southern makeover and added salty-sweet caramel to the mix. Wrap them up and give them as a holiday or housewarming gift.
Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Ana Kelly
This four-ingredient vintage recipe uses every part of the lemon since they were expensive and difficult to find when it was created. This pie is. best served straight out of the oven with a side of vanilla ice cream.
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
This vintage gelatin recipe was a favorite for church potlucks and family reunions in the South for decades. Make it for yourself to find out why.
Credit: Hector Sanchez
This cake’s history began more than 100 years ago, but it rose to fame after being featured in Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, one of the most famous American novels of all time. It features a peachy filling and meringue frosting.
Credit: Photographer: Jen Causey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley, Food Stylist: Ana Kelly
Refrigerated pie crust helps cut prep time for this sweet dish without sacrificing a single bit of its signature flavor. This pie is also hiding a secret ingredient: vinegar.
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Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners; Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
A “desperation pie” that tastes anything but desperate, this old-fashioned dessert is topped with a sprinkling of simple shortbread crumbles that bake into the molasses mixture. Serve with sweetened whipped cream.
Credit: Photo: Victor Protasi; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Torie Cox
According to Appalachian folklore, this cake was traditionally a wedding delicacy. Women in the community brought individual cake layers that were then stacked together.
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If the desperation pies hold a place in your heart, you can’t forget about Soda Cracker Pie. With just egg whites, sugar, crackers, and a handful of nuts, it’s amazing what Southerners can pull out of the oven.
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Nothing comforts quite like a spoon bread does. The texture, which belies its name, is more of a pudding consistency and a must on any sideboard.
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Sure, you make it to ensure good luck at the start of the year, but don’t forget about it in the early or late winter, when it still does the same hearty job. You’ll fall in love with the smoky flavor.
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Congealed salads are high on the list of classic recipes, but today’s tastes might have you reaching for another recipe card. Still, this one begs to be remembered.
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez
Beans always promise to make for a filling dish. This recipe will help you use up a leftover ham bone, and you can also stock the bones in the freezer throughout the year so you always have some on hand.
Credit: Antonis Achilleos
It’s easy to forget this homey pie when there are so many great ones out there. One bite of the smooth custard and it’s something you’ll be remembering for a good long while.
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It’s a salad with a story that brings a classy touch to the table. Fruity, light, and dressed with the signature mayonnaise, it won’t disappoint.
Credit: Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Louisianians know the pleasure of a cushaw, which swaps perfectly with pumpkin. Serve every slice with a few candied pecans and a drizzle of Vanilla Bean Custard Sauce.
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Let’s not forget to sing the praises of Hashbrown Casserole, also known as Funeral Casserole. It’s so good that it merits being made even when there isn’t a funeral.
Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Get out your punch bowl and make this throwback recipe for your next gathering. Fruit juices are spiked with two kinds of rum for a spirited and fruity cocktail.
Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Half a pear, lettuce leaves, and a dollop of mayo will take you back to celebrations of your childhood. If you haven’t made this yet, don your apron, grab a jar of maraschino cherries, and give it a whirl.
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Fred Hardy II; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
Prep your 9×13-inch pan to recreate a creamy classic that makes eating your vegetables a breeze. The crunchy, buttery cracker topping will make you fall in love.
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Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Perk up your party with an appetizer that’s sure to please the crowd. This updated recipe proves cheese balls never go out of style.
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Southerners love a cold layered salad, and this one is the perfect excuse to bring them back. It’s also a good way to use leftover cornbread.
Dining and Cooking