They Seem Simple, But These 29 Southern Recipes Got 5-Star Praise

Some dishes may look plain on the surface, but one bite is all it takes to understand why they’re so loved. It’s funny how these southern recipes seem simple but get praise from everyone who tries them, whether it’s family at the dinner table or guests at a gathering. Comforting, hearty, and full of flavor, they prove you don’t need complicated steps to make something unforgettable. Sometimes, the simplest meals really are the ones that shine the brightest.

Southern Old Fashioned Macaroni And Cheese

A spoon scooping out creamy mac and cheese from a black bowl. — Southern Old Fashioned Macaroni And Cheese. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Old-Fashioned Baked Macaroni and Cheese has a creamy base with a golden, crusty topping. Comfort food doesn’t get better than this.
Get the Recipe: Southern Old Fashioned Macaroni And Cheese

Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole Tex-Mex Style

A wooden spoon in a skillet of tater tot casserole. — Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole Tex-Mex Style. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

My All-American Summer Menu 🇺🇸

FREE EMAIL BONUS: Delicious summer recipes just in time for the season

Tater Tot Casserole combines taco-seasoned beef and crispy tater tots for Tex-Mex comfort. Even picky eaters will love this nostalgic dish.
Get the Recipe: Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole Tex-Mex Style

Southern Shrimp And Grits

A platter of shrimp and grits with two glasses of wine. — Southern Shrimp And Grits. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Southern Shrimp and Grits are a classic with andouille sausage and shrimp added to a wine and cream sauce served over cheesy grits.
Get the Recipe: Southern Shrimp And Grits

Southern Style Sweet Potato Cornbread

Cornbread baked in an iron skillet. — Southern Style Sweet Potato Cornbread. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This sweet potato cornbread is a scrumptious Southern side dish with a creamy texture and natural sweetness.
Get the Recipe: Southern Style Sweet Potato Cornbread

Southern Chicken Fried Steak With White Gravy

A bite of chicken fried steak on a fork. — Southern Chicken Fried Steak With White Gravy. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Tender, juicy, and crispy chicken fried steak is served with creamy white gravy and all of your favorite sides.
Get the Recipe: Southern Chicken Fried Steak With White Gravy

30-Minute Baked Mac & Cheese With Spinach

A spoon full of baked mac and cheese with spinach. — 30-Minute Baked Mac & Cheese With Spinach. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Baby spinach leaves are mixed into this rich, creamy gruyere and cheddar macaroni and cheese before it’s baked to perfection for 30 minutes.
Get the Recipe: 30-Minute Baked Mac & Cheese With Spinach

Southern Chicken And Dumplings With Steamed Biscuits

A bowl of hearty chicken and dumplings soup is shown. The bowl contains shredded chicken, vegetables like carrots, and two large, fluffy dumplings. The dish is garnished with chopped parsley and fresh ground black pepper, and a spoon rests on the side. — Southern Chicken And Dumplings With Steamed Biscuits. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Make this classic Southern Chicken and Dumplings. It’s made with chicken thighs, veggies, a rich broth, and steamed biscuits.
Get the Recipe: Southern Chicken And Dumplings With Steamed Biscuits

Southern Honey Biscuit

A plate of honey butter biscuits. — Southern Honey Biscuit. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Honey biscuits are light, flaky, and deliciously sweet. With a touch of honey in the dough and a honey glaze on top.
Get the Recipe: Southern Honey Biscuit

Southern 7 Layer Salad With Peas And Mayo

A bowl of seven layer salad next to individual servings. — Southern 7 Layer Salad With Peas And Mayo. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This seven-layer salad gets even more delicious after sitting overnight! It’s stacked with layers of peas, bacon, mayo, romaine lettuce, and cheddar cheese.
Get the Recipe: Southern 7 Layer Salad With Peas And Mayo

Best Southern Corn Pudding

A baked corn pudding with a serving spoon removing a portion. — Best Southern Corn Pudding. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

A Southern Corn Pudding with fresh corn is an easy side that you can prep in 10 minuets. Make it ahead of time for an easy Holiday side.
Get the Recipe: Best Southern Corn Pudding

Crispy Hot Water Cornbread

A rack of hot water cornbread with butter and honey. — Crispy Hot Water Cornbread. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This heavenly hot water cornbread recipe has the creamiest texture with a perfectly crisp exterior. An easy pantry staple favorite.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Hot Water Cornbread

Southern Keto Collard Greens

A plate of cooked leafy greens, topped with seeds, nuts, and shredded coconut, served on a white hexagonal-patterned plate—an elegant option for your Thanksgiving dinner ideas. — Southern Keto Collard Greens. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Southern Keto Collard Greens Recipe has a hint of maple sweetness & a punch of vinegar sourness for delicious collards.
Get the Recipe: Southern Keto Collard Greens

Ultra Cheesy Chili Mac and Cheese

A Dutch oven with chili mac and cheese. — Ultra Cheesy Chili Mac and Cheese. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Hearty and flavorful chili blended with creamy mac and cheese? Yes, please! This recipe for chili mac blows the other versions out of the water.
Get the Recipe: Ultra Cheesy Chili Mac and Cheese

Creamy Macaroni Salad With Cheese

A Southern-style macaroni salad made with a creamy mayo, sour cream and dijon mustard dressing. Mix with cheddar cheese to finish, and served chilled.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Macaroni Salad With Cheese

Cast Iron Cornbread With Sausage And Cheese

A slice of sausage cornbread on a plate. — Cast Iron Cornbread With Sausage And Cheese. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Sausage Cornbread pairs savory sausage and sharp cheddar with a sweet, crunchy exterior. It’s a meal full of Southern comfort.
Get the Recipe: Cast Iron Cornbread With Sausage And Cheese

Chili Topped with Grits

Close-up of a baked dish in a casserole, featuring a golden, herb-speckled topping. A serving has been scooped out, revealing layers of ground meat in a chili poblano tomato-based sauce underneath. The dish looks hearty and freshly made. — Chili Poblano Topped with Grits. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Cheesy Grits with Chili Poblano offers spicy poblano gravy and rich, baked grits. A comforting dish with Southern-inspired flavors.
Get the Recipe: Chili Poblano Topped with Grits

Easy Southern Tomato Pie

A close-up of a tomato pie in a white dish, with a slice being lifted out, showing layers of tomatoes, cheese, and herbs in a golden, flaky crust—a true nod to southern comfort food classics. — Easy Southern Tomato Pie. Photo credit: Lauren’s Latest.

Tomato Pie is one of the best ways to use up some of your fresh garden tomatoes. Enjoy as a savory side dish, appetizer or main dish!
Get the Recipe: Easy Southern Tomato Pie

Smothered Pork Chops With Mushroom Gravy

A skillet of pork chops with a spoon full of mushroom gravy. — Smothered Pork Chops With Mushroom Gravy. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Smothered pork chops with mushroom gravy are rich, satisfying, Southern comfort food. Thick, savory homemade gravy and tender mushrooms!
Get the Recipe: Smothered Pork Chops With Mushroom Gravy

Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

A bowl of chili made in a slow cooker topped with cheese and sour cream — Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Chili. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Slow cooker chicken chili with pablano peppers comes together in no time. Just dump in the ingredients and let the slow cooker do all the work. A healthy dinner the whole family will love.
Get the Recipe: Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

Baked Mac and Cheese with Tender Pulled Pork

A spoon full of mac and cheese with pulled pork. — Baked Mac and Cheese with Tender Pulled Pork. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

My pulled pork mac and cheese recipe is smoky, savory, and incredibly easy to make at home. It’s made with juicy slow-cooked pulled pork.
Get the Recipe: Baked Mac and Cheese with Tender Pulled Pork

Southern Style Chicken And Biscuits

A close-up of a creamy chicken and biscuit casserole, with a spoon lifting a biscuit topped with herbs to reveal the savory filling underneath—perfect for fans of comfort food recipes. — Southern Style Chicken And Biscuits. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits is Southern comfort food at its best. Buttermilk biscuits top a creamy chicken filling.
Get the Recipe: Southern Style Chicken And Biscuits

Slow Cooker Pot Roast With Carrots And Potatoes

A platter of roast beef with carrots and potatoes. — Slow Cooker Pot Roast With Carrots And Potatoes. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This fall apart, melt-in-your-mouth slow cooker pot roast recipe is complete with veggies and gravy. Classic recipe for weeknights or Sunday supper.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Pot Roast With Carrots And Potatoes

Twice Baked Mashed Potato Casserole

A spoon full of twice baked mashed potatoes. — Twice Baked Mashed Potato Casserole. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

All the flavors of a twice baked potato in a casserole. Baked mashed potatoes with cheese and green onions are the perfect side dish.
Get the Recipe: Twice Baked Mashed Potato Casserole

Cornbread Corn Pudding

This baked cornbread casserole features a custardy cornbread pudding base, mixed with toasted cornbread and fresh or frozen corn. Top with grated cheese!
Get the Recipe: Cornbread Corn Pudding

Southern Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole (No Rice)

A plate of rice covered with poppy seed chicken. — Southern Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole (No Rice). Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Chicken poppy seed casserole made with a homemade creamy filling and a crispy poppy seed cracker topping is great for a potluck or weeknight dinner.
Get the Recipe: Southern Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole (No Rice)

Tender And Juicy Coca-Cola Marinated Ribs

A plate of grilled barbecue ribs with a tantalizing glaze is displayed on a white dish. A black fork is positioned near the ribs, and a partial view of a bowl containing watermelon slices is visible in the background. The surface is light-colored. — Tender And Juicy Coca-Cola Marinated Ribs. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

These Coca-Cola Ribs are marinated overnight in your favorite soda for a super tender and juicy crockpot recipe.
Get the Recipe: Tender And Juicy Coca-Cola Marinated Ribs

Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup With Chicken Thighs

A bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup. — Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup With Chicken Thighs. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Homemade chicken noodle soup with tender chicken, fresh veggies, and herbs simmered to perfection—an easy, slow-cooked bowl of comfort.
Get the Recipe: Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup With Chicken Thighs

Southern Baked Beans With Hamburger Meat

A spoon full of baked beans with hamburger. — Southern Baked Beans With Hamburger Meat. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

These easy baked beans with ground beef are a perfect side dish for cookouts. Smoky with a sticky sweet sauce, they’re a classic.
Get the Recipe: Southern Baked Beans With Hamburger Meat

Smothered Pork Chops With Boursin Gravy

A spoon pouring gravy over pork chops. — Smothered Pork Chops With Boursin Gravy. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Seared until golden brown and served with a rich sauce, these Smothered Pork Chops with Boursin Gravy are the perfect comfort food.
Get the Recipe: Smothered Pork Chops With Boursin Gravy

Explore Recipes

MSN Slideshows