Although the name might suggest otherwise, this Southern classic is prepared with shredded cabbage that is sautéed and braised in butter until tender. It is usually accompanied by bacon, onions, and occasionally sliced apples. Fried cabbage can be enjoyed as a meal on its own, but it is traditionally served as a side dish to complement jacket potatoes, fried chicken, or cornbread.
MOST ICONIC Fried Cabbage
Spoonbread is a dish that is popular throughout the American South, usually consisting of ground cornmeal, milk, butter, and eggs. The whole thing is flavored with salt and sugar, then baked in an oven like a pudding. It is often served as a side dish, sometimes accompanied by gravy or various sauces.
The name spoonbread is derived from the fact that the dish is typically scooped from the baking vessel by using a big spoon. It can additionally be enriched with cheese and vegetables in order to have more flavor. Regarding spoonbread's origins, Sarah Routledge links it to Native Americans in her 1847 cookbook called The Carolina Housewife, Jeff Smith says that Virginia spoonbread was a staple during the Revolutionary War in his 1987 book The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American, while some claim that it can be traced to an Indian porridge known as suppone or suppawn.
MOST ICONIC Spoonbread
Louisiana's comfort food is nicely represented in red beans and rice, a dish that is traditionally prepared on Mondays, with the aroma of red beans drifting through the neighborhoods. The dish originates from the New Orleans Creole kitchens of the 1700s and the 1800s.
The beans are typically cooked over low heat throughout the day, with additions such as ham hock and Andouille sausage. When served, the beans are spooned over hot rice, and the whole thing is often spiced up with some hot sauce.
MOST ICONIC Red Beans and Rice
View moreCowboy beans or chuckwagon beans is a traditional dish with unknown origins. However, it is especially popular in the American Southwest and a staple of Texan cuisine. The dish is usually made with a combination of pinto beans (alternatively: red kidney beans, black beans, or white navy beans), ground beef, smoked meat, and a sweet and tangy sauce made with different ingredients such as barbecue sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, garlic, onions, or Worcestershire sauce.
Cowboy beans are a staple at parties, barbecues, and potlucks in the region. Interestingly, the dish can be seen in Mel Brooks' famous Western parody Blazing Saddles (1974).
MOST ICONIC Cowboy Beans
Chili cheese fries is an American dish with elusive origins. The dish consists of french fries that are topped with chili and grated cheese. There are many origin stories connected with chili cheese fries, although none of them can be 100% confirmed.
Texans claim that a 16-year-old Don A. Jenkins invented the dish when he was eating lunch at the local Dairy Queen in Tomball, Texas. In Michigan, it is believed that the dish was invented by two local waitresses who simply combined the ingredients.
MOST ICONIC Chili Cheese Fries
MAIN INGREDIENTS
A staple of Southern fried food in the United States, hushpuppies are an extremely popular snack consisting of deep-fried cornmeal batter. The batter is sometimes enriched by the addition of onions, garlic, corn, and peppers. Regarding the origins of the dish, there are as many theories about it as there are recipes for the hushpuppies.
One of the most popular theories states that hunters and fishermen would feed the fried cornmeal to their dogs and command them to "hush, puppies", so the dogs would not disturb their prey. Another, similar theory states that Confederate soldiers would also feed it to their dogs so that the enemy soldiers wouldn't hear the dogs' barking.
MOST ICONIC Hushpuppy
View moreMAIN INGREDIENTS
A popular side dish called fried okra is a must-have at any Southern festivity, and almost every Southern cook has a favorite recipe. Okra is usually coated with cornmeal or flour and shallow-fried in oil. It is sometimes served with ranch dressing, used for dipping the fried okra in it.
Serve with
MOST ICONIC Fried Okra
View moreMAIN INGREDIENTS
Fried green tomatoes are a staple of Southern United States. The dish is made with firm, unripe, and tangy green tomatoes that are sliced, dipped in seasoned cornmeal, then deep-fried. Ideally, the tomatoes should have a crunchy crust and a succulent interior after the deep-frying.
Fried green tomatoes are typically served as an appetizer or a side dish, and sometimes even as a mid-afternoon snack. They can also be used as an ingredient for sandwiches, such as the fried green tomato po'boy. The dish gained popularity in the 1980s with Fannie Flagg's novel called Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe (which was later also made into a movie).
MOST ICONIC Fried Green Tomatoes
View moreMAIN INGREDIENTS
Belonging to the Brassica oleracea family, collard greens are a type of green leafy vegetable that is characterized by thick leaves with tough stems and a slightly bitter flavor that is eliminated through cooking. This vegetable has long been appreciated in the traditional cuisine of the American South, and it has been recognized as the official state vegetable of South Carolina on June 2, 2011.
Even though collard greens are commonly eaten raw and can easily lend themselves to various cooking methods - steaming, frying, or sautéing - the most traditional way to enjoy them in the South is slow-cooked in water or broth along with smoky cured meats such as ham hock, bacon, ham, pork jowl, or smoked turkey wings or legs.
Serve with
MOST ICONIC Collard Greens
View moreDirty rice is a Cajun dish consisting of rice, chicken liver and gizzard, onions, bell peppers, and celery. The dish got its name from its color, imparted by the liver and broth. In the past, it was consumed as a main dish, but nowadays it is often served with a salad or as an accompaniment to gumbo or jambalaya.
Today, most cooks use ground pork or beef instead of the liver and gizzards.
MOST ICONIC Dirty Rice
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