27 Comforting Southern Side Dishes Like Grandma Made

Enjoy the comforting flavors of Dixieland with these hearty Southern side dishes! We’re paying homage to the beloved recipes that Grandma used to make. From creamy macaroni and cheese to tangy collard greens and buttery cornbread, each dish will bring you back to your childhood with rich flavor and nostalgia. Whether you’re hosting a backyard cookout or hoping to introduce your kids to Grandma’s home cooking, these foods will hit the spot!

Corn Casserole

This Corn Casserole is a simple side dish that will be a hit on your dinner table! It’s a hearty and comforting Southern classic that everyone loves.
Get the Recipe: Corn Casserole

Green Beans With Bacon

A skillet with sautéed green beans and bacon bits from Midwestern recipes on a wooden table. — Green Beans With Bacon. Photo credit: Seasonal Cravings.

Green Beans with Bacon is an easy side dish that your family will love. It’s savory, flavorful, and easy to make!
Get the Recipe: Green Beans With Bacon

Perfect Seasoned Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes on a baking sheet, roasted to perfection with a wooden spoon. — Roasted Sweet Potatoes. Photo Credit: Seasonal Cravings

Roasted Sweet Potatoes are the perfect fall side dish that is full of flavor and so easy to make. Make some ahead of time and eat them all week!
Get the Recipe: Perfect Seasoned Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes With Candied Maple Pecans

A delectable side dish for Christmas, featuring a spoon full of caramelized sweet potatoes and pecans. — Sweet Potatoes With Candied Maple Pecans. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

If you’re looking for a slightly different sweet potato dish for your meals, I bet you’ll love this sweet potatoes with candied maple pecans recipe.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potatoes With Candied Maple Pecans

Smoked Potato Salad With Bacon

A spoon full of potato salad on a wooden table. — Smoked Potato Salad with Bacon. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

This smoked potato salad features a combination of smoked potatoes and smoked hard-boiled eggs that take this classic salad to the next level!
Get the Recipe: Smoked Potato Salad With Bacon

Slow Cooker Red Beans And Rice Recipe

A simple and nourishing recipe featuring a combination of beans and corn, accompanied by a piece of bread. This dish is perfect for utilizing pantry staples to create a delicious and wholesome meal. — Slow Cooker Red Beans And Rice Recipe. Photo credit: PinkWhen.

Red beans and rice in the slow cooker is such an easy way to make them! It’s an easy toss and go recipe.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Red Beans And Rice Recipe

Grandma’s Southern Fried Green Tomatoes Recipe

Fried plantain slices served on a wooden platter next to green tomatoes. — Grandma’s Southern Fried Green Tomatoes Recipe. Photo credit: Erhardts Eat.

This Southern Fried Green Tomatoes recipe is quick and easy and super crispy. This appetizer can be made in an air fryer or on the stove top.
Get the Recipe: Grandma’s Southern Fried Green Tomatoes Recipe

Grandma’s Macaroni Salad

A bowl of macaroni salad with diced vegetables. — Grandma’s Macaroni Salad. Photo credit: Sweetly Splendid.

There’s a clear difference between a basic bland macaroni salad and a flavor packed Southern Macaroni Salad. With the creamiest flavorful dressing and crunchy veggies, this macaroni salad will be your new go-to summer side dish.
Get the Recipe: Grandma’s Macaroni Salad

Cornbread Dressing

A plate of traditional stuffing garnished with fresh herbs. — Cornbread Dressing. Photo credit: The Forked Spoon.

Buttery and moist with a crispy, golden crust, this Cornbread Dressing Recipe is the perfect Southern side. Super easy to make with homemade sweet cornbread, Italian sausage, celery, onion, and fresh herbs.
Get the Recipe: Cornbread Dressing

Southern Mac And Cheese

Spoon lifting creamy macaroni and cheese with melted cheese stretching from the dish. — Southern Mac And Cheese. Photo credit: Dinner At The Zoo.

This Southern mac and cheese is a macaroni dish made with two types of cheese, eggs, milk and seasonings and baked to perfection.
Get the Recipe: Southern Mac And Cheese

Fried Okra Recipe

A close-up of golden-brown fried okra garnished with parsley. — Fried Okra Recipe. Photo credit: Dinner At The Zoo.

This fried okra recipe is fresh sliced okra coated in buttermilk and a seasoned cornmeal mixture, then deep fried until golden brown.
Get the Recipe: Fried Okra Recipe

Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits

Golden-brown biscuits on a marble countertop with a bottle of milk in the background. — Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits. Photo credit: I Heart Eating.

Homemade buttermilk biscuits are light and fluffy biscuits that are made with just six ingredients. They make a tasty breakfast treat!
Get the Recipe: Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits

Southern Corn Pudding

A baked corn casserole with melted cheese and herbs in an oval dish, garnished with fresh thyme. — Southern Corn Pudding. Photo credit: Not Entirely Average.

This Southern corn pudding casserole is farm-to-table fare, accompanying everything from grilled steak to the Thanksgiving dinner turkey!
Get the Recipe: Southern Corn Pudding

Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

Prepare a scrumptious Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole ahead of time for a stress-free dinner party. Simple steps, big cheesy flavor!
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

Carrot And Pineapple Jello Salad

A molded gelatin salad on a bed of shredded carrots, served on a white plate. — Carrot And Pineapple Jello Salad. Photo credit: Jello Joy.

The beloved mid-century carrot and pineapple jello salad remains a Southern potluck favorite. It’s a versatile recipe for dessert or side-dish!
Get the Recipe: Carrot And Pineapple Jello Salad

Southern Cheese Grits

A bowl of creamy polenta with a drizzle of olive oil, served on a decorative floral plate. — Southern Cheese Grits. Photo credit: Gypsy Plate.

Cheese Grits are the ultimate Southern side dish. This creamy and comforting corn porridge is great with any meal of the day.
Get the Recipe: Southern Cheese Grits

Southern Pineapple Casserole

Baked pineapple crumble in a decorative dish. — Southern Pineapple Casserole. Photo credit: Simply Happy Foodie.

Southern Pineapple Casserole is a classic side dish often served on Holidays. Sweet pineapple and salty crackers make this pineapple cheese casserole yummy!
Get the Recipe: Southern Pineapple Casserole

Southern Style Green Beans

Close-up of a dish with green beans and sliced onions. — Southern Style Green Beans. Photo credit: Chicken Fried Kitchen.

Southern Style Green Beans are an easy to make Southern comfort food that pair perfectly with meatloaf or smoked turkey and mashed potatoes.
Get the Recipe: Southern Style Green Beans

Delicious Shrimp Creole Recipe

A pan of shrimp cooked in a rich and chunky tomato-based sauce, garnished with herbs. — Delicious Shrimp Creole Recipe. Photo credit: Healthy Fitness Meals.

This Shrimp Creole recipe brings the flavor of Louisiana into your home with this delicious dish. It’s quick and easy to make!
Get the Recipe: Delicious Shrimp Creole Recipe

Grandma’s Coleslaw

A bowl of creamy coleslaw garnished with a parsley leaf. — Grandma’s Coleslaw. Photo credit: Dana’s Table.

Coleslaw is the perfect summer side dish! Classic coleslaw recipe with green cabbage and carrots tossed in a tangy and creamy dressing.
Get the Recipe: Grandma’s Coleslaw

Slow Cooker Collard Greens

A bowl of cooked collard greens with bits of bacon and garlic, served on a table with a napkin and wooden spoon nearby. — Slow Cooker Collard Greens. Photo credit: The Short Order Cook.

Tender slow cooker collard greens are perfectly seasoning for a Southern side dish. This comfort food classic is easy to make & delish.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Collard Greens

Pan Fried Potatoes & Onions

Diced potatoes sautéed to a golden brown in a skillet, garnished with parsley. — Pan Fried Potatoes & Onions. Photo credit: The Short Order Cook.

Crispy pan fried potatoes & onions are a Southern classic recipe that’s great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. All you need is a skillet & 30 minutes.
Get the Recipe: Pan Fried Potatoes & Onions

Sweet Cornbread Cast Iron Skillet

Two slices of corn bread on a white plate. — Sweet Cornbread Cast Iron Skillet. Photo credit: Fit Mama Real Food.

Chilis and soups need this sweet cornbread cast iron skillet recipe! Baking in a hot skillet gives each piece of cornbread crispy edges.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Cornbread Cast Iron Skillet

Buttermilk Cornbread

Freshly baked, golden-brown cornbread squares arranged closely. — Buttermilk Cornbread. Photo credit: Homemade Hooplah.

With a delicious blend of buttermilk, cornmeal, and sugars, this subtly sweet and spongy buttermilk cornbread is an iconic side dish for any dinner or holiday.
Get the Recipe: Buttermilk Cornbread

Sweet Corn Hush Puppies

A close-up of golden-brown hushpuppies served with a dollop of creamy sauce. — Sweet Corn Hush Puppies. Photo credit: The Soccer Mom Blog.

Hush Puppies are a Southern favorite: soft balls of cornbread that’s fried until golden brown. Delicious with honey butter!
Get the Recipe: Sweet Corn Hush Puppies

Grandma’s Potato Salad Recipe

A bowl of potato salad topped with sliced hard-boiled eggs and paprika. — Grandma’s Potato Salad Recipe. Photo credit: An Expression of Food.

This potato salad with hard boiled eggs is a Southern classic! It makes a great side for picnics, potlucks, or BBQs!
Get the Recipe: Grandma’s Potato Salad Recipe

Easy Corn Maque Choux Recipe

A bowl of sautéed corn with diced red peppers and sliced green onions. — Easy Corn Maque Choux Recipe. Photo credit: Pinch And Swirl.

The only recipe you’ll ever need for Corn Maque Choux! A delicious Cajun side dish from Louisiana that pairs perfectly with so many meals!
Get the Recipe: Easy Corn Maque Choux Recipe

Hannah Healy

Healy Eats Real | Website | + posts

Hannah Healy is the founder of Healy Eats Real, a health and wellness website that provides healthy recipes and helpful information on wellness. Hannah is the published author of The Ultimate Paleo Cookbook. Her work has been featured on Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, Redbook, fitness and MSN.