The South's Most Iconic Recipes of All Time—That We'll Never, Ever Stop Making

They say that New Orleanians come out of the womb knowing how to make red beans and rice; same goes for Kentuckians with burgoo. Though there are some Southern dishes that every Georgian, Mississippian, and Tennessean alike should know, we like to give certain regions their "thing," whether it's shrimp-and-grits to the Lowcountry or chicken-fried steak to Texas. Really, Southern cooking is as diverse as those who cook it.

In almost every great memory we Southerners hold close, food was there. We'd bet large on that. All of our gatherings—from holidays to weekend cookouts—feature a long table full of plates and platters. From Hoppin' John to chicken-and-dumplings to red rice, these famous Southern soul food dishes deserve to be kept on the family table for generations to come.

Disclaimer: For sanity's sake, we left out staples like buttermilk biscuits, cornbread, pimiento cheese, squash casserole, and potlikker greens. These are understood.

Now, what's for dessert? Maybe one of these iconic Southern confections.