When I Say I Needed Comfort, I Meant These 27 Southern Recipes That Taste Like Home

There are just some days when nothing hits the spot quite like a cozy, home-cooked meal. When I say I needed comfort, I meant these Southern recipes—the kind that wrap you up like a warm hug from grandma. Whether it’s creamy casseroles, golden fried favorites, or rich, buttery sides, these dishes are pure soul-soothing magic. Trust me, once you’ve had a taste, you’ll understand why I keep going back to them.

Crock Pot Pork Chops In Mushroom Soup

A fork with a bite of slow cooker pork chops. — Crock Pot Pork Chops In Mushroom Soup. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This recipe produces the most tender and moist bone-in pork chops! Cooked slowly in a crockpot, the marinade is a scrumptious homemade mushroom soup.
Get the Recipe: Crock Pot Pork Chops In Mushroom Soup

Fall-Off-The Bone Slow Cooker Baby Back Pork Ribs

Barbecue ribs with a bowl of sacue. — Fall-Off-The Bone Slow Cooker Baby Back Pork Ribs. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Warm Up Your Winter: Southern Classics!

FREE EMAIL BONUS: Southern staples made simply & cozy

Baby back pork ribs cooked in the crock pot are fall-off-the-bone delicious. The dry rub, slow cooker and homemade sauce make this a keeper.
Get the Recipe: Fall-Off-The Bone Slow Cooker Baby Back Pork Ribs

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 plate with two pieces of chicken fried steak with milk gravy. — 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

Slow Cooker Pot Roast With Homemade Mushroom Gravy

A plate of slow cooker pot roast with gravy, garnished with carrots, mushrooms, and potato chunks. A small dish of extra gravy lies in the background on a gray napkin. The meal is served on a white plate against a light blue surface. — Slow Cooker Pot Roast With Homemade Mushroom Gravy. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This Slow Cooker Pot Roast is made with chuck roast and veggies simmered in a thick broth, and topped with homemade mushroom gravy.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Pot Roast With Homemade Mushroom Gravy

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

Slow Cooker Ranch Pork Chops With Gravy

Pork chops on a plate covered with ranch gravy. — Slow Cooker Ranch Pork Chops With Gravy. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This ranch pork chops recipe is made in the slow cooker with just a few ingredients. Perfect golden brown pork chops in a thick and flavorful gravy.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Ranch Pork Chops With Gravy

Southern Chicken Fried Chicken With Gravy

A plate of chicken fried steak topped with creamy white gravy, served beside mashed potatoes, garnished with cracked black pepper and chopped herbs—a classic from southern recipes. A fork and knife rest on the plate. — Southern Chicken Fried Chicken With Gravy. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Crunchy, crispy Chicken Fried Chicken with a double-dipped coating and rich gravy is a Southern comfort food classic you’ll love!
Get the Recipe: Southern Chicken Fried Chicken With Gravy

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

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

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

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 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

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 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

Southern Vegan Collard Greens

A white plate filled with cooked collard greens and chopped onions, with two serving spoons placed on either side of the dish. The plate rests on a textured cloth. — Southern Vegan Collard Greens. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Southern vegan collard greens are smoky, sweet, and tangy, a classic Southern side dish made with a bit of sweet heat, vinegar, and greens.
Get the Recipe: Southern Vegan Collard Greens

Southern Fried Chicken

A bowl lined with parchment paper holds several pieces of crispy, golden-brown fried chicken, reminiscent of old school southern recipes, placed on a white surface near a red and gold napkin. — Southern Fried Chicken. Photo credit: Lauren’s Latest.

Crispy, golden, and full of flavor, this Southern Fried Chicken is soaked in buttermilk for tenderness and coated in a perfectly seasoned crust.
Get the Recipe: Southern Fried Chicken

Southern Sticky Chicken

Chicken drumsticks and thighs with golden-brown, slightly charred skin, coated in a sticky glaze, arranged in a black cast iron skillet. — Southern Sticky Chicken. Photo credit: Spicy Southern Kitchen.

Southern Sticky Chicken is a simple old-fashioned baked chicken recipe that is sweet, spicy, tangy, and so, so good.
Get the Recipe: Southern Sticky Chicken

Explore Recipes

MSN Slideshows