If you’ve ever been to a July church potluck in the South, you know it’s more than just a meal. It’s a celebration of comfort food, tradition, and community. From buttery casseroles to creamy salads and sweet cobblers, there’s a reason these classics always make the table. This roundup is your go-to guide for 22 Southern favorites that people always reach for first. With easy crowd-pleasers like slow cooker mac and cheese, fried corn, and peach cobbler, you’ll want to try every single one. These are the recipes that bring everyone to the table and keep them coming back.

Quick and Easy Mac And Cheese Recipe

Crock pot macaroni and cheese being scooped up with a spoon
Quick and Easy Mac And Cheese Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

My slow cooker mac and cheese recipe uses all the best things in life: butter, Velveeta, half and half, and cheddar cheese. Only 20 min. prep.
Get the Recipe: Quick and Easy Mac And Cheese Recipe

Loaded Chicken Potato Casserole Recipe

A baked casserole in a white dish, featuring diced potatoes topped with melted cheese, crispy bacon, and garnished with fresh parsley. The dish rests on a yellow and white checked cloth.
Loaded Chicken Potato Casserole Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

This easy loaded baked chicken potato casserole recipe features baked potatoes, chicken, and seasonings topped with bacon and cheese.
Get the Recipe: Loaded Chicken Potato Casserole Recipe

Zucchini Casserole

A white rectangular baking dish filled with zucchini gratin, featuring a golden-brown breadcrumb topping. The dish is placed on a green checkered cloth on a light-colored surface. The gratin appears deliciously crispy and well-baked.
Zucchini Casserole. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Zucchini Casserole is an easy side dish, made with fresh zucchini, a creamy sauce, herbs, cheese, and panko breadcrumbs. Bakes in 30 minutes!
Get the Recipe: Zucchini Casserole

Corn Casserole

A white ceramic dish filled with baked crab dip topped with melted cheese and garnished with chopped green herbs. A wooden spoon and a napkin sit nearby on a light surface.
Corn Casserole. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Baked corn casserole has a creamy texture, sweet corn, and golden cheesy topped side dish that only requires 15 minutes of prep time.
Get the Recipe: Corn Casserole

Savory Chicken And Rice Casserole

A white baking dish filled with a baked rice dish topped with several pieces of seasoned chicken and white sauce drizzles. The dish is placed on a wooden board with fresh basil nearby, and a white and blue towel underneath.
Savory Chicken And Rice Casserole. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Creamy chicken and rice casserole with coconut milk, jasmine rice, and savory herbs. Juicy chicken and creamy rice will become a favorite.
Get the Recipe: Savory Chicken And Rice Casserole

Delicious Tater Tot Hotdish

A casserole dish filled with a tater tot hotdish. The top layer consists of crispy, golden tater tots arranged in neat rows, drizzled with ketchup. Some are removed to reveal a filling of mixed vegetables and ground beef. A plaid cloth is nearby.
Delicious Tater Tot Hotdish. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Make this original tater tot hotdish recipe with ground beef, creamy mushroom soup, mixed veggies, and crispy tater tots. An easy, classic!
Get the Recipe: Delicious Tater Tot Hotdish

Sloppy Joe Casserole Recipe

A skillet with a cornbread-topped pie, one slice missing. The slice is on a white plate, garnished with jalapeño slices and cheese. Nearby are small bowls of shredded cheese and jalapeños, all on a checkered cloth over a round wooden board.
Sloppy Joe Casserole Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Sloppy Joe Casserole is a hearty mix of seasoned ground beef, tomato sauce, and a sweet cornbread topping with cheddar cheese.
Get the Recipe: Sloppy Joe Casserole Recipe

Delicious Egg Salad

egg salad masters recipe
Delicious Egg Salad. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

I have tips and personal insights to help you make an authentic copycat version of the Masters Egg Salad Sandwich.
Get the Recipe: Delicious Egg Salad

Easy Southern Peach Cobbler Recipe

homemade peach cobbler with store pie crust
Easy Southern Peach Cobbler Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Old-fashioned peach cobbler is a wonderful-tasting dessert that’s easy to make with juicy peaches, cozy spices, and a store-bought crust.
Get the Recipe: Easy Southern Peach Cobbler Recipe

Savory Green Beans

A rectangular white plate filled with cooked green beans and pieces of bacon, placed on a checked cloth.
Savory Green Beans. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Tender Southern Style Crock Pot Green Beans slow-cooked with bacon and savory seasonings for the perfect delightful side dish.
Get the Recipe: Savory Green Beans

Smoky Fried Corn

A white bowl filled with seasoned corn kernels garnished with chopped herbs is on a white surface. Surrounding it are small bowls containing more herbs and red seasoning. A striped cloth and empty white bowl with spoons are nearby.
Smoky Fried Corn. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Easy fried corn recipe made with Cajun seasoning, smoky paprika, and butter. A quick and flavorful side dish ready in 15 minutes, perfect for any meal!
Get the Recipe: Smoky Fried Corn

Classic Cornbread Recipe

A skillet of cornbread topped with crispy bacon sits next to a white plate holding two slices of the cornbread, with a fork and a red-striped towel partially visible underneath.
Classic Cornbread Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

This Southern Cornbread recipe is made with white cornmeal, bacon grease, and homemade buttermilk. Savory, golden, and crisp around the edges.
Get the Recipe: Classic Cornbread Recipe

Delicious Southern Pimento Cheese Spread

spicy pimento cheese
Delicious Southern Pimento Cheese Spread. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Make this spicy Southern pimento cheese spread from scratch with cheddar, mayo, and pickled jalapeños. A foolproof recipe.
Get the Recipe: Delicious Southern Pimento Cheese Spread

Easy Sour Cream Pound Cake Recipe

sweet buttery pound cake slices with blueberries and mint
Easy Sour Cream Pound Cake Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Augusta National’s Recipe For Sour Cream Pound Cake has a rich, buttery flavor and moist texture. Easy-to-follow steps make this a perfect pound cake.
Get the Recipe: Easy Sour Cream Pound Cake Recipe

Tangy Sloppy Joe

Tangy Sloppy Joe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

This made-from-scratch sloppy joe recipe for a crowd has a sweet and tangy sauce, easy to prepare and simmer in a slow cooker.
Get the Recipe: Tangy Sloppy Joe

Cream Cheese Deviled Eggs (Quick and Easy)

A white plate with seven deviled eggs, each topped with a smooth yellow filling and garnished with small green parsley leaves. The plate sits on a soft yellow cloth.
Cream Cheese Deviled Eggs (Quick and Easy). Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Learn how to make the best cream cheese deviled eggs, rich, tangy, and ultra-smooth. A quick and easy appetizer for holidays or any gathering.
Get the Recipe: Cream Cheese Deviled Eggs (Quick and Easy)

Tasty Macaroni Salad With Cheese

A bowl of creamy macaroni and cheese with green peas, topped with shredded cheddar cheese, served in a white dish on a yellow surface.
Tasty Macaroni Salad With Cheese. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Classic Macaroni Salad With Cheese For A Crowd is a summer time comfort food, which is great for dinners, picnics or to take to pot lucks.
Get the Recipe: Tasty Macaroni Salad With Cheese

Classic Amish Potato Salad

A bowl of creamy potato salad with diced potatoes, topped with a sprinkle of paprika. A wooden spoon is partially visible next to the bowl.
Classic Amish Potato Salad. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Whip up this traditional Amish potato salad with a creamy dressing and tender potatoes. It’s the perfect side dish for potlucks.
Get the Recipe: Classic Amish Potato Salad

Delicious 7 Layer Salad

A close-up of a layered salad in a glass bowl, featuring visible layers of bacon, cheese, creamy dressing, chopped greens, and onions. A small spoon is seen in the background next to some shredded cheese.
Delicious 7 Layer Salad. 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: Delicious 7 Layer Salad

Delicious Fried Chicken With Gravy

A plate with a piece of fried chicken covered in creamy white gravy, garnished with black pepper and parsley. It's served alongside a mound of mashed potatoes, also topped with gravy. A fork rests on the plate.
Delicious 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: Delicious Fried Chicken With Gravy

Classic Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

A pumpkin pie with a slice removed, topped with dollops of whipped cream arranged in a circle. The crust is golden brown, and the table surface features some dessert forks nearby.
Classic Sweet Potato Pie Recipe. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Southern Sweet Potato Pie is a beloved dessert, similar to pumpkin pie but even better. Serve it all year long, not just during the holidays.
Get the Recipe: Classic Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

Savory Southern Tomato Pie

A baked tomato tart in a white dish on a wooden surface. The tart is topped with sliced red and yellow tomatoes, chopped herbs, and small cheese pieces. A bunch of fresh basil and a white cloth are in the background.
Savory 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: Savory Southern Tomato Pie

24 Fun Backyard Eats That Make Outdoor Days Even Better

Pork sliders on Hawaiian buns with extra barbecue sauce and melted cheese
24 Fun Backyard Eats That Make Outdoor Days Even Better. Image Credit: Intentional Hospitality

When the sun’s out and the grill’s going, there’s only one thing on everyone’s mind, good food and great company. 24 Fun Backyard Eats That Make Outdoor Days Even Better is your go-to list for crowd-pleasing bites that are easy, festive, and full of flavor. Whether you’re planning a chill family hangout or hosting the neighborhood, these recipes bring the fun straight to your plate. From creamy deviled eggs with a tangy twist to juicy pulled BBQ chicken and zesty fruit salad, this roundup covers all the backyard favorites, plus a few you haven’t tried yet. It’s the kind of collection that turns a simple outdoor gathering into something memorable. Scroll through, and you just might end up planning a cookout this weekend. Get All The Recipes: 24 Fun Backyard Eats That Make Outdoor Days Even Better