Healthy Soul Food Recipes

Find healthy, delicious soul food recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Chicken & Cornmeal Dumplings

Rating: Unrated
1
This version of chicken and dumplings provides plenty of vegetables with 5 grams of fiber per serving. Dumplings are made with 1 part flour and 1 part cornmeal to make them standout from a traditional flour dumpling. This hearty dinner option is the perfect comfort meal.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

One-Bowl Chocolate Cake

Rating: Unrated
20
This easy-to-make chocolate cake is dark, moist, rich--and only dirties one bowl! Not quite as easy as boxed cake mixes, but those often contain trans fats. Our simple “from scratch” recipe gives you a home-baked cake with healthful canola oil and whole-wheat flour.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Louisiana Gumbo

Rating: Unrated
8
Chock-full of shrimp, chicken, sausage, okra and tomatoes, this flavorful stew is a staple in Louisiana. Make it a meal and serve with Real Cornbread (see associated recipe).
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Lemon Thins

Rating: Unrated
5
These lemon cookies are made healthier with whole-wheat pastry flour and they get their zippy flavor from fresh lemon zest and juice rather than lemon extract. This lemon cookie recipe would be the perfect accompaniment to afternoon tea.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Sausage Gumbo

Rating: Unrated
5
To keep it simple, we've opted for just the essential ingredients in this rendition of the hearty Creole favorite: sausage, okra, rice and a little spice.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Peach Custard Pie

Rating: Unrated
3
We use low-fat milk along with nonfat Greek yogurt in the creamy custard for this peach pie. The yogurt gives the custard a smooth texture without using cream or too many egg yolks. A slice is just as delicious served warm from the oven as it is chilled. For an added treat, serve topped with fresh blueberries.
By Jim Romanoff

Spicy Meatloaf with Collards

Rating: Unrated
3
Plenty of dark leafy greens deliver the moisture needed to balance lean ground pork and beef in this spicy meatloaf recipe. Serve any leftovers with extra ketchup as meatloaf sandwiches.
By Breana Killeen

Seafood Stew

Rating: Unrated
2
Our rich stew is made with green beans. The saffron contributes a pungent flavor and intense yellow color.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Mac & Cheese with Collards

Rating: Unrated
4
Dark leafy collards add bold flavor and boost the calcium in this healthy skillet mac and cheese recipe with a crispy topping. If you don't have collards, kale, Swiss chard and spinach are delicious substitutes.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Tomato-Corn Pie

Rating: Unrated
9
Tomatoes and corn have a natural affinity for one another: the slight acidity of tomatoes balances the sweetness of the corn. Here they partner in a delicious quiche-like pie. The dough is very forgiving and bakes up into a sturdy shell that's great for just about any savory pie or tart. Perfect for a summer brunch or try it with a tossed salad for a light supper.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Old-Fashioned Chicken & Dumplings

Rating: Unrated
6
Our revision of creamy chicken and dumplings uses whole-wheat flour for the dumplings and adds lots of vegetables to the filling. The delicious, satisfying results are packed with beneficial nutrients and dietary fiber, and because we don't use canned soup for the sauce, sodium levels are drastically reduced. To go even lighter, try the recipe with boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Real Cornbread

Rating: Unrated
13
This traditional cornbread is made without flour, isn't sweet and has a crumbly texture. You can change the adaptable recipe to suit your cornbread preference. For a variation, substitute 1/2 teaspoon baking soda for the baking powder and use buttermilk instead of milk. If you're looking for a more muffinlike texture, substitute flour for half the cornmeal.
By Sarah Fritschner

Inspiration and Ideas

Tilapia Corn Chowder

Tilapia Corn Chowder

Rating: Unrated
2
This light soup is a great way to slip fresh corn (and tilapia, of course!) into your late-summer menu. Make it a meal: Enjoy with a mixed green salad and oyster crackers.
Chicken-Fried Steak & Gravy

Chicken-Fried Steak & Gravy

Rating: Unrated
10
Can you really make a chicken-fried steak that isn't loaded with saturated fat and salt? Absolutely. We skip the deep frying, but with rich country gravy as consolation, you won't miss it. Our pan-fried, crispy cube steak has less than one-third of the fat and about 80 percent less sodium.
Pimiento-Cheese Patty Melt

Pimiento-Cheese Patty Melt

Shrimp & Cheddar Grits

Shrimp & Cheddar Grits

Rating: Unrated
8
Nutty Pimiento Cheese Balls

Nutty Pimiento Cheese Balls

Rating: Unrated
1
Oven-Fried Chicken on a Stick

Oven-Fried Chicken on a Stick

Rating: Unrated
2

Summer Tomato, Onion & Cucumber Salad

Rating: Unrated
6

Fresh wedges of tomato, thinly sliced onion and sliced cucumber dressed simply with vinegar and oil makes the most simple salad possible--think of it as the Southern counterpart to the classic Italian tomato-and-mozzarella salad. It is best enjoyed at the height of summer, when tomatoes and cucumbers are fresh from the garden.

All Healthy Soul Food Recipes

Grits & Greens Casserole

Rating: Unrated
3
Here we've combined two favorite Southern side dishes--grits and greens--into one casserole; it's a natural choice to serve with Easter ham. Try omitting the bacon and using vegetable broth to make it a vegetarian dish.
By Katie Webster

Black-Eyed Peas & Okra

Rating: Unrated
1
This bean and okra recipe is a classic Southern side dish perfect for potlucks. Adding the okra toward the end of cooking guarantees a tender--not mushy--texture.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Collard Greens

Collard greens are meltingly tender when cooked for a long period of time. Smoked turkey in place of bacon adds the traditional smoky taste.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Chicken à la King

Rating: Unrated
5
There's no need to feel guilty over this classic creamy combination of chicken, peppers and mushrooms. Our version uses low-fat milk and flour for thickening to make it plenty rich without all the saturated fat. Serve over whole-wheat egg noodles.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Southern Kale

Kale becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender in this recipe. Assertive garlic and salty country ham stand up to kale's bold flavor.
By Sarah Fritschner

Catfish Etouffee

Rating: Unrated
2
Although the classic Cajun stew, étouffée, is usually made with crayfish, it's also delicious with catfish. The cooked butter-and-flour mixture, also called a brown roux, gives the sauce a nutty flavor. We added a bit of reduced-fat sour cream and stewed tomatoes to make the sauce rich and flavorful without a lot of extra calories or fat. Serve with brown rice.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Banana Corn Fritters

Rating: Unrated
4
Savory, smoky and slightly sweet, these are great with roast pork loin, a hearty bowl of black bean soup or barbecued chicken legs and coleslaw. Dotted with creme fraiche, they make an exotic appetizer.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Dirty Rice

Rating: Unrated
3
A Louisiana favorite, our version of this spicy dish uses whole-grain Wehani rice. Long-grain brown rice also works. Traditionally made with chicken liver, which gives it a “dirty” color, we use healthy lean chicken sausage instead.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Oysters Rockefeller

Invented at Antoine's in New Orleans in 1889, oysters Rockefeller was named for John D. Rockefeller, one of the richest Americans at the time, for its rich sauce. Antoine's has kept the original recipe secret, but basically it includes a cream sauce with spinach and other greens, flavored with Pernod or anisette. This version omits the cream sauce but is still full of flavor.
By John Ash

Iced Mint Green Tea

Rating: Unrated
2
Crisp and refreshing, you just may find yourself craving this beverage on a hot summer's night.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Deep-Dish Apple Pie

Rating: Unrated
6
With all that delicious fruit an apple pie should be healthy, but the truth is a slice can have as much as 750 calories and 30 grams of fat. For the most part, the culprit is the crust. We use whole-wheat pastry flour to add fiber and lower the saturated fat by replacing some of the butter with canola oil. The brown sugar-sweetened filling in this pie is made with two kinds of apples for the perfect balance. A slice has half the calories of a typical version and only 10 grams of fat--sweet!
By Stacy Fraser

Barley Hoppin' John

Rating: Unrated
9
Traditionally made with rice, this classic Southern dish gets great toothsome texture here from quick-cooking barley instead. Serve with a green salad.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Louisiana Catfish with Okra & Corn

Rating: Unrated
3
Purchased Cajun or Creole seasoning flavors both the catfish and vegetables in this 30-minute dinner. This dish is best with fresh vegetables, but we were pleasantly surprised at how well it turned out with frozen okra and corn. Serve with cheese grits and a green salad.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Pulled Pork

Rating: Unrated
2
The trick to making pulled pork healthy is to trim the meat well and then skim any extra fat off the sauce after cooking. Serve on a soft whole-grain bun with crisp, cool coleslaw.
By Jessie Price

Wholesome Cornbread

Rating: Unrated
3
An excellent cornbread to serve with chili.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Creamed Kale

Kale is simmered with leeks and garlic then “creamed” with flour and milk in this healthy take on creamed spinach. Serve alongside steak or roast chicken and a baked potato.
By Breana Killeen

Chicken with Black-Eyed Peas and Yellow Rice

Try this recipe when you've got a craving for old-fashioned soul food.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Southern Ratatouille

Adding okra to traditional ratatouille gives this French vegetable stew recipe Southern flair. It's delicious on the day it's cooked, but even better the next day. Serve as a side to grilled chicken or on top of thick, crusty bread.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Bourbon-Glazed Pork Chops with Hoppin' John

Rating: Unrated
4
In this one-skillet dinner recipe, Kentucky bourbon gives a kick to these sticky glazed pork chops. In the healthier black-eyed pea Hoppin' John, this easy recipe uses smoked paprika instead of traditional ham or bacon.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

The Good Farmer Cocktail

This bourbon-spiked lemonade cocktail recipe is a spirit-lifter at the end of the day. If bourbon isn't your thing, rum, gin or vodka would all make delicious substitutions.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Black-Eyed Pea Dip

Rating: Unrated
2
In this black-eyed pea dip recipe, black-eyed peas are pureed with extra-virgin olive oil, red-wine vinegar, garlic and thyme--a nice alternative to hummus. Try this protein-rich black-eyed pea dip with your favorite fresh vegetables or baked pita chips.
By Jim Romanoff

Shrimp Po' Boy

Rating: Unrated
5
This twist on the Louisiana favorite piles grilled shrimp and creamy-dressed cabbage onto a crusty bun. Bread that's soft on the inside and crusty on the outside is perfect for a Po' Boy sandwich. We grill both sides of a whole-wheat bun for that added crunch. You may need a few extra napkins to enjoy it, but this quick and easy sandwich is well worth it. Serve with: Sauteed corn and bell peppers.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Oven-Fried Green Tomatillos

This easy fried tomatillo recipe is a healthier twist on the crispy Southern favorite--fried green tomatoes. These oven-fried tomatillos make a tangy, dunkable appetizer or a decadent topping for a burger.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Black-Eyed Peas with Pork & Greens

Rating: Unrated
3
This boldly flavored spin on Hoppin' John replaces salt pork or bacon with lean pork chops. Plus we've added greens--in this case kale--a traditional accompaniment with the dish. Serve with cornbread and a glass of Spanish rioja.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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