12 Classic Southern Side Dishes Every Home Cook Should Know How to Make

12 Classic Southern Side Dishes Every Home Cook Should Know How to Make


Megan O. SteintragerFri, October 9, 2026 at 10:00 PM UTC


Growing up in North Carolina, I often skipped the main course at places like K&W Cafeteria and ordered a plate of sides instead. I’d do the same at Piccadilly when I visited family in Baton Rouge, and I still order a sides plate when I’m in the South—on the occasions I can resist the fried chicken, that is. There are just so many iconic Southern sides—saucy black-eyed peas, collards doused in pepper vinegar, crispy fried okra, candied sweet potatoes, green beans cooked down with plenty of bacon and onions, gooey mac and cheese, and cornbread—that the only way to get my fill is to forgo a main course.The recipes I’ve gathered here represent some of the South’s most beloved sides, including some of my personal favorites. Save the ones that excite you most or the whole collection, and create the classic Southern vegetable plate at home. And yes, when you’re in the South, cornbread and mac and cheese are vegetables.

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01 of 12

Braised Collard Greens With Ham Hocks


These braised collards have deep, smoky pork flavor and meltingly tender greens. For a pork-free version, you can use smoked turkey, or to make them vegetarian, I add smoky flavor with smoked paprika.

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02 of 12

Classic Southern Spoonbread


Creamy, custardy, and light, this classic Southern spoonbread bakes up like a cross between cornbread and soufflé.

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03 of 12

Bacon-Braised Green Beans


Crisp, barely steamed green beans are great and all, but when I dream of the green beans of my childhood, they’re cooked down until melting and full of onions and bacon (which I picked around during my “vegetarian” phase).

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04 of 12

Black-Eyed Peas With Ham Hock


Here’s our foolproof method for cooking wonderfully tender, creamy black-eyed peas—the perfect way to add protein and heft to a side plate.

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05 of 12

Fried Okra


Here’s how to make crispy, tender fried okra with zero slime.

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06 of 12

Southern-Style Unsweetened Cornbread


If you believe sugar has no place in cornbread, this recipe’s for you.

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07 of 12

Buttermilk Biscuits


A few simple techniques and some extra folding make the flakiest biscuits.

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08 of 12

Yellow Squash Casserole


Packed full of sweet yellow squash and topped with buttery crackers, this Southern staple is worth turning on the oven even when it’s hot.

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09 of 12

Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese Casserole


This epic mac and cheese is packed with cheddar and Gruyère for a slightly fancier spin on the classic mac casserole.

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10 of 12

Fried Green Tomatoes


Dipped in rémoulade or slathered with pimento cheese, fried green tomatoes are the best way to use unripe tomatoes.

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11 of 12

Truly Candied Yams (Sweet Potatoes)


Candied yams (sweet potatoes) are a classic of the Southern table. This recipe offers sweet potatoes that are silky, tender, and glazed in a syrupy lacquer. Believe me, they’re not just for Thanksgiving.

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12 of 12

Sweet and Savory Corn Casserole


Stella Parks’s corn casserole is simple, hearty, and comforting.

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on Serious Eats

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Source: Lifestyle