Healthy Southern Recipes | EatingWell

Staff Picks

Vidalia Onion & Cucumber Salad

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For this old-fashioned Southern cucumber and onion salad, thin slices of cucumber and onion marinate just long enough to develop a touch of tanginess without any sharp bite. Serve with sweet dishes like barbecue to lend a refreshing balance.

By Virginia Willis

Southern Macaroni Salad

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Bring this quintessential Southern macaroni salad, made with whole-wheat macaroni, celery, peas and ham, to your next picnic or barbecue. It's the perfect salad to feed a crowd!

Low-Country Boil

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One pot is all you need for this easy Low-Country boil. We added green beans to the classic combination of potatoes, corn, shrimp and sausage to boost the veggie servings for a healthier crowd-pleasing meal. Dump the whole potful out on newspaper and serve with melted butter for dipping and crusty bread to round it all off!

By Devon O'Brien

One-Bowl Chocolate Cake

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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

Summer Tomato, Onion & Cucumber Salad

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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.

By Virginia Willis

Louisiana Gumbo

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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

Sweet Southern Egg Salad

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Crunchy celery, gherkin pickles and sweet onion flavor this Southern-style egg salad recipe. Serve on pumpernickel toast or a bed of lettuce.

By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Vegetarian Gumbo

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This flavorful vegan dinner is a veggie version of the Louisiana classic. It's chock-full of butternut squash, tomatoes, poblano peppers and okra, to name just a few. This vegetarian gumbo is a quick dinner packed with flavor and spice that's done in only 30 minutes. To make it a meal, serve it with cornbread drizzled with olive oil.

By Robin Bashinsky

Fried Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

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A blend of whole-wheat panko and fine cornmeal gives this healthy chicken recipe the perfect amount of crunch even though it's not deep fried. Making an easy homemade buttermilk ranch dressing recipe means you can skip bottled, which may have additives and stabilizers.

By Stacy Fraser

Peach Custard Pie

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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

Sausage Gumbo

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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

Soft Green Beans

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Modern cooking may champion barely cooked, tender-crisp veggies, but the soft and luscious ones you find in many Southern kitchens, like these super-soft green beans, make a mouthwatering healthy side dish to classic Southern barbecue.

By Genevieve Ko

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Inspiration and Ideas

36 Southern Recipes That Taste Just Like Grandma's

36 Southern Recipes That Taste Just Like Grandma's

From mac and cheese to BBQ to Hoppin' John, these recipes feature plenty of greens, beans and vegetables.

Tomato Casserole

Tomato Casserole

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Cook and activist Mable Clarke serves this craveable side dish at the monthly fish fry she started to save the Soapstone Baptist Church in South Carolina. While the cheese crackers may draw you in, it's the baked tomatoes that keep you coming back for more. When she's cooking for hundreds of guests at the fish fry, Clarke uses canned tomatoes and green chiles for this dish. Since you're likely not cooking for 400, we adapted the recipe to use fresh tomatoes.

Slow-Cooker Jambalaya

Slow-Cooker Jambalaya

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Slow-Cooker Baby Back Ribs

Slow-Cooker Baby Back Ribs

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Cajun Salmon with Greek Yogurt Remoulade

Cajun Salmon with Greek Yogurt Remoulade

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Kale, Sausage & Lentil Skillet Supper

Kale, Sausage & Lentil Skillet Supper

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Iced Mint Green Tea

Crisp and refreshing, you just may find yourself craving this beverage on a hot summer's night.

Lemon Thins

Rating: 3.54 stars

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Lemony Lentil Soup with Collards

Rating: 4 stars

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Jambalaya Stuffed Peppers

Rating: 5 stars

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Mac & Cheese with Collards

Rating: 5 stars

4
Vegan Jambalaya

All Healthy Southern Recipes

Summer Succotash Salad

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This summer salad is based on the Southern favorite, succotash, and is a fresh-tasting combination of butter beans, corn, summer squash and tomatoes. Butter beans, the same species as lima beans, are the bean of choice in the South. When they're in season you may be able to find them fresh--shell them yourself. Or use frozen butter beans, baby lima beans or even edamame.

By Virginia Willis

Soup Beans

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Like poor people everywhere, mountain people in the South thrived for centuries on food that was indigenous, inexpensive and healthful. These days “soup beans” speak instant comfort to anyone who had familial connections from Appalachia, where every garden produced shelling beans that could be eaten fresh or grown to maturity for dry beans. Serve this thick, stew-like soup with cornbread, pickle relish and diced sweet onion.

By Sarah Fritschner

Cheesy Corn Casserole

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This cheesy corn casserole is surprisingly light and fluffy, thanks to eggs and a whirl in the blender. The sweet corn batter and salty Cheddar cheese make this casserole pleasing to kids and adults alike.

Barbecue Chicken Kale Wraps

Smooth, lacinato kale (aka dinosaur kale) is topped with barbecue chicken, carrots and cabbage in this healthy, gluten-free lettuce wrap recipe. Try them for a low-carb dinner or light lunch.

By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Fried Flounder

This recipe from Mable Clarke, a South Carolina cook and activist, is the centerpiece for the monthly fish fry she started to save the Soapstone Baptist Church in her community. Juicy inside and crispy outside, it's what hundreds of people look forward to every month. Serve with lemon juice and a quick tartar sauce of mayonnaise, capers, relish and a touch of Tabasco.

By Mable Owens Clarke

Black-Eyed Peas & Okra

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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

Cauliflower Po' Boy Sandwiches with Avocado Mayo

Crunchy oven-fried cauliflower is a satisfying swap for the meat or fried seafood that typically packs this New Orleans favorite. Creamy avocado mayo and crisp cabbage slaw provide additional layers of flavor and texture.

By Erin Alderson

Tilapia Corn Chowder

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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.

By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Louisiana Catfish with Okra & Corn

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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

Old-Fashioned Chicken & Dumplings

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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

Seasoned Black-Eyed Peas

To infuse peas with flavor, simmer them with dried spices, which pack a more intense punch than fresh. Smoked paprika delivers the essence of ham hocks or bacon while keeping this classic side dish vegan.

By Genevieve Ko

Corn & Fennel Chow Chow

Meet your new favorite topper for summertime barbecue foods and winter braises alike. Generously spoon this sunshine-hued relish over anything that needs a hit of brightness, including but not limited to: burgers, hot dogs, pizza, pulled pork sandwiches, grilled vegetables, salads or even a cheese plate. No green tomatoes? Firm red tomatoes are a fine substitute.

By Vivian Howard

Bananas Foster Upside-Down Cake

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The tableside flambéing of bananas Foster sure is impressive ... if someone else is making it for you. This cake has all the flavors of the New Orleans classic in easier-to-prepare cake form that's just as stunning as the original for a healthier dessert you'll be proud to serve.

Southern BBQ Pork Bowls

Light mayonnaise and fat-free Greek yogurt help to keep this satisfying recipe low-fat.

By Diabetic Living Magazine

BBQ Chicken Sandwich

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Toss leftover cooked chicken with barbecue sauce and crunchy carrots for a quick and healthy lunch.

By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Oven-Fried Chicken on a Stick

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Here's a fun way to serve oven-fried chicken for a picnic: put it on a stick. It's fabulous served with this homemade Vidalia onion and honey-mustard sauce, but it's also great with barbecue sauce or Frank's hot sauce. This is an easy recipe to double if you're serving a crowd.

By Virginia Willis

Barley Hoppin' John

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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

Fried Green Tomatoes

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The perfect way to use up those lingering green tomatoes.

By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Tomato-Pepper Relish

The easiest, fastest way to boost a simple dish? Keep a jar of flavor-packed pickle on hand. A perfect combo of sweet and sour, this chunky tomato-pepper relish, aka "pea helper," dresses up a bowl of black-eyed peas, crowder peas, lima beans--any old legume you can think of. Hence the nickname! This makes the perfect hostess gift because it's unique and versatile. And let's face it, who doesn't want their beans to be more exciting?

By Vivian Howard

Tomato-Corn Pie

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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

BBQ Tofu Sandwich

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Though vegetarian BBQ may be an oxymoron, once you take a bite of this delicious tofu sandwich topped with coleslaw and dill pickles you won't mind the contradiction. Serve with: Baked beans and corn on the cob.

By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Old-Fashioned Peach Cobbler

Add fiber and whole-grains to this healthy, diabetes-friendly dessert by using whole-wheat flour for the biscuit top.

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

Shrimp & Cheddar Grits

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The South's version of creamy polenta, grits are easy to make on a weeknight--especially when topped with quickly broiled shrimp and scallions. Use the sharpest Cheddar you can find for these cheesy grits. Serve with: Sautéed greens and a tall glass of iced tea.

By EatingWell Test Kitchen

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