20 Southern Comfort Dishes that Will Fill You Up and Then Some

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Alright, buckle up, because we’re about to take a ride through the South, and trust me, it’s a delicious one. We’re talking Southern Fried Okra so crispy, even your picky aunt will finally admit she’s wrong about vegetables. Want something sweet? Let’s just say Homemade Banana Pudding is here to make every other dessert jealous. And don’t even get me started on Southern Style Chicken and Waffles—if you haven’t had this combo yet, you’re basically living under a rock. Oh, and if you’ve never had Cream Cheese Pound Cake, get ready for a slice of heaven that’ll have you questioning your whole existence. From Smoked Oxtail that’s practically begging for a seat at your dinner table, to Auntie Rose’s Deviled Eggs (don’t even think about bringing store-bought to the party), we’ve got all the Southern staples you didn’t know you needed. Click to see why these recipes will make you want to hug your kitchen—and your grandma.

Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Sandwich

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A crispy fried chicken sandwich with lettuce and mayonnaise on a bun, served with a side of potato chips in a bowl. The sandwich and chips are on a patterned plate, creating a cozy, appetizing presentation.
Image Credit: Not Entirely Average

This Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Sandwich is a showstopper! The golden, crunchy crust combined with juicy, tender chicken creates a flavor-packed bite you won’t soon forget!

Get the Recipe: Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Homemade Banana Pudding

Serving jars filled with southern banana pudding.
Photo credit: House of Nash Eats

Homemade Banana Pudding is the Southern dessert dream—layered with ripe bananas, creamy homemade custard, crunchy Nilla wafers, and topped with a fluffy meringue. It’s the perfect balance of sweet, smooth, and crispy in every bite!
Get the Recipe: Homemade Banana Pudding

Southern Fried Okra

A small plate with a pile of fried okra on it.
Photo credit: House of Nash Eats

Fried Okra is crispy, golden, and seasoned to perfection—fried up hot and ready to be devoured. Whether you’re serving it as a side or an appetizer, this Southern classic never disappoints!
Get the Recipe: Southern Fried Okra

Carolina-style Chicken and Waffles Eggs Benedict

A knife cuts into a runny fried egg yolk on top of a stack with a breaded chicken fillet, cheese, and waffle on a white plate. The dish is garnished with herbs.
Photo credit: Not Entirely Average

Carolina-Style Chicken and Waffles Eggs Benedict redefines tradition with crispy buttermilk fried chicken on cornmeal waffles, a sunny egg, tangy Havarti, and a drizzle of hot honey. Who needs hollandaise?
Get the Recipe: Carolina-style Chicken and Waffles Eggs Benedict

Southern Oxtail Recipe (Authentic Soul Food)

a bowl of ox tails smothered in gravy and rice
Photo credit: Cooks with Soul

Southern Oxtail is a soulful dish where tender, melt-in-your-mouth oxtail stews in a rich brown gravy, with bell peppers and onions for extra flavor, all served over a bed of fluffy rice. It’s comfort food at its finest!
Get the Recipe: Southern Oxtail Recipe (Authentic Soul Food)

Banana Fritters

Fritters with banana filling piled high with powdered sugar
Photo credit: Grandbaby Cakes

Banana Fritters are packed with sweet, ripe bananas and fragrant vanilla, then fried to crispy, golden perfection. Each bite is a little bit of heaven—sticky, sweet, and totally irresistible!
Get the Recipe: Banana Fritters

Southern Style Chicken and Waffles

Three plates of waffles with fried chicken and a small dish of maple syrup and hot sauce.
Photo credit: Cooks with Soul

Southern Style Chicken and Waffles brings together crispy buttermilk fried chicken tenders and fluffy buttermilk waffles for a simple, irresistible meal. This classic combo is as comforting as it gets!
Get the Recipe: Southern Style Chicken and Waffles

Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread with Pecan Caramel Sauce

cinnamon roll monkey bread with pecan caramel sauce
Photo credit: Cooks with Soul

Get ready to indulge in Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread with Pecan Caramel Sauce—a gooey, sweet masterpiece that takes the classic cinnamon roll to a whole new level! This pull-apart beauty is drenched in rich caramel sauce and packed with layers of cinnamon goodness.

Get the Recipe: Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread with Pecan Caramel Sauce

Baked Potato Salad

A baked potato salad being stirred together before serving
Photo credit: Grandbaby Cakes

Baked Potato Salad takes everything you love about a loaded baked potato and turns it into a creamy, comforting potato salad. Packed with tender red potatoes, crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, and fresh chives, it’s a crowd-pleaser every time!
Get the Recipe: Baked Potato Salad

Auntie Rose’s Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs placed on a beige platter ready to serve as an appetizer
Photo credit: Grandbaby Cakes

Divine Eggs are the ultimate twist on a classic, with creamy Miracle Whip, zesty mustard, and a touch of sweet relish making them the best deviled eggs you’ll ever taste. Perfect for Easter, holidays, or anytime you want to wow your guests!
Get the Recipe: Auntie Rose’s Deviled Eggs

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

A cream cheese pound cake recipe on a white cake stand with a spatula pulling a slice out surrounded by berries on white background
Photo credit: Grandbaby Cakes

Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe is a Southern staple that’s stood the test of time. Passed down through the ages, this rich and buttery cake always steals the spotlight at any gathering—because some classics never need to change!
Get the Recipe: Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Banana Pudding Ice Cream

Scoops of banana pudding ice cream in a white bowl
Photo credit: Grandbaby Cakes

Banana Pudding Ice Cream is the frozen treat you didn’t know you needed, packed with smooth cream cheese, fluffy whipped cream, and sweet vanilla wafer chunks—plus those ripe banana slices for the perfect touch. It’s like your favorite dessert, but in ice cream form!
Get the Recipe: Banana Pudding Ice Cream

Southern Green Beans Recipe

A large white platter of southern style green beans with smoked turkey and potatoes on a white background
Photo credit: Grandbaby Cakes

Southern Green Beans and Potatoes get their rich, smoky flavor from slow-simmered turkey necks, turning a simple side dish into a savory, melt-in-your-mouth classic. It’s comfort food at its finest, with a hearty twist that makes every bite sing.
Get the Recipe: Southern Green Beans Recipe

Fried Catfish

Deep fried catfish with hush puppies on a white surface with lemon wedges and parsley sprinkled on top
Photo credit: Grandbaby Cakes

Southern Fried Catfish is the crispy, golden perfection you crave, with a cornmeal breading that’s seasoned just right and fried to tender, flaky goodness. It’s the kind of dish that makes you feel right at home, no matter where you are.
Get the Recipe: Fried Catfish

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel Topping

Presenting a delicious Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel Topping
Photo credit: Cooks with Soul

Southern Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping is the holiday side dish that shows up year after year, making every meal feel like a celebration. With its sweet, creamy base and crunchy pecan topping, it’s hard to resist going back for more.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel Topping

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits (Big Mama’s Recipe!)

Freshly baked buttermilk biscuits stacked on a plate with more biscuits with butter in the background
Photo credit: Grandbaby Cakes

Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits are the ultimate classic, with a soft, flaky interior that proves some traditions—like this one—never lose their charm.
Get the Recipe: Southern Buttermilk Biscuits (Big Mama’s Recipe!)

Smoked Oxtail

Presenting a delicious Smoked Oxtail
Photo credit: Cooks with Soul

Smoked Oxtail brings together the rich flavors of Southern barbecue and soul food, offering tender, smoky meat that melts in your mouth and leaves you craving more.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Oxtail

Red Eye Gravy

A ham steak with red eye gravy on a white dinner plate.
Photo credit: Grandbaby Cakes

Red Eye Gravy is a smooth, savory blend of country ham drippings, bold black coffee, and butter—this Southern classic is the perfect pour over biscuits, grits, or anything that could use a little extra kick.
Get the Recipe: Red Eye Gravy

Pineapple Cake (Lighter and Full Fat Version)

An overhead shot of a large pineapple cake with cream cheese frosting and dried pineapple flowers ready to serve
Photo credit: Grandbaby Cakes

Easy Pineapple Sheet Cake is a sweet, spiced delight packed with juicy pineapple and rich molasses flavor. Moist, tender, and just the right touch of warmth, it’s the go-to cake for potlucks, picnics, and anytime you need a crowd-pleaser.
Get the Recipe: Pineapple Cake (Lighter and Full Fat Version)

Alabama White BBQ Sauce

A jar of homemade Alabama white sauce.
Photo credit: House of Nash Eats

Alabama White BBQ Sauce takes your barbecue game to the next level with its creamy, tangy kick. Slather it on grilled chicken, pulled pork, fish, or even burgers—this sauce is the secret ingredient your grill’s been waiting for.
Get the Recipe: Alabama White BBQ Sauce

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Close-up of crispy fried chicken wings drizzled with a creamy white sauce and garnished with fresh herbs. The chicken sits on a bed of decorative parchment paper, with a side of golden French fries visible in the background.
Photo credit: Not Entirely Average

Buttermilk Fried Chicken isn’t just crispy—it’s the fried chicken that sets the bar. With a tangy buttermilk marinade for juicy, flavorful meat and a perfectly spiced, ultra-crisp crust, it leaves all other fried chicken in the dust! Serve alone or with Southern Comeback Sauce!
Get the Recipe: Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Juicy Spatchcock Cajun Smoked Turkey with Butter Injection

Presenting a delicious Juicy Spatchcock Cajun Smoked Turkey with Butter Injection
Photo credit: Cooks with Soul

Cajun Smoked Spatchcock Turkey is a game changer, packed with bold Cajun seasoning and a buttery injection that ensures every bite is juicy—this Southern-inspired turkey is a flavor experience like no other.
Get the Recipe: Juicy Spatchcock Cajun Smoked Turkey with Butter Injection

About Jenny deRemer

I am a Charleston, South Carolina-based culinary novice, an ardent authority on all things travel, a designer by trade, and the creator of Not Entirely Average. I have a weakness for farmers' markets, delight in adventures way off the beaten path, enjoy documenting my many moods through photography, and have been known to conquer the occasional yard sale with gusto!

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