There’s something magical that happens when the church bells stop ringing and families across the South begin gathering around their dining tables. It’s almost time for Sunday dinner. We’ve done over 40 episodes now of the Steel Magnolias Podcast and this topic is our number one downloaded episode. So there must be something intriguing about Sunday dinner in the south! Picture this: Imagine a porch filled with rocking chairs and people sitting in those rockers with dogs laying at the feet of those around them, screened doors pulled open and slamming shut as kids dash out to play tag with one another, glasses with perspired edges filled with ice cold sweet tea, good smells coming from the kitchen, siblings pulling out card tables to set up extra seating because there’s not enough room at the family dining table.
Southern Sunday dinners have been a staple of families across the South for generations. From fried chicken to biscuits and gravy, there are tons of delicious dishes that make up the traditional Sunday meal. What follows is a journey through nine iconic dishes that defined Sunday suppers for generations of Southern families. Be surprised by what these humble meals meant to entire communities!
Golden Fried Chicken
For the main entrée, you’re likely to see fried chicken, roast, chicken and dumplings, ham, chicken pot pie, meatloaf or brisket. Nothing says Southern Sunday dinner quite like a platter of golden fried chicken, the star that held court at countless family tables. From fried chicken to biscuits and gravy, there are tons of delicious dishes that make up the traditional Sunday meal. This wasn’t just any ordinary weeknight meal. One of the things I miss the most about the South is fried chicken. Well, that and sweet tea.
The preparation began Saturday evening, with families brining their chicken pieces overnight in buttermilk and spices. The key to this fried chicken is the buttermilk marinade. Sunday morning brought the careful ritual of coating each piece in seasoned flour before lowering it into crackling hot oil. Southern cooking is famous for fried chicken and biscuits, but there’s a whole world of regional dishes hiding in plain sight. Churches across the South knew the power of this dish, often serving it at community gatherings where everyone could partake without worry about social divisions. The tradition continued after they were emancipated, becoming rooted in many Black church-going traditions in the South where parishes would play host to the post-worship meal, explains the Chicago Tribune. Serving church dinner not only kept folks around for the service, but also helped strengthen community, where people could come together for a meal without worrying about segregation.
Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits
Honestly, no Southern Sunday table was complete without a basket of steaming buttermilk biscuits. From the cat-head biscuit (named for its impressive scale) to drop biscuits and baking powder dinner rolls , there’s something for everyone. If we had to pick a favorite though, It’d be these simple buttermilk ones. These weren’t just bread – they were vehicles for sopping up gravy, holding together tender pieces of ham, or simply melting butter on lazy Sunday afternoons. Light, fluffy, buttermilk biscuits. Who can resist them? Not me!
The art of biscuit making passed from grandmother to granddaughter, measuring flour by sight rather than scale. Oh the biscuit has to be buttery flaky and light. Families would rise early on Sunday mornings, cutting cold butter into flour until it resembled coarse meal, then gently folding in cold buttermilk. Biscuits and cornbread, yes indeed. Whether it’s made in a skillet and cut into wedges or served in rectangular hunks, a slice of cornbread is the carb of choice when you feast on fare like fried chicken and okra. The secret lay in handling the dough just enough to bring it together, then patting it out and cutting straight down without twisting the cutter. While there are a ton of biscuit recipes out there, for me simple buttermilk biscuits are always the best. Fried chicken is all protein, so you’ll want something starchy to round out your meal.
Creamy Chicken and Dumplings
When the weather turned cool or families needed extra comfort, chicken and dumplings claimed the center of the Sunday table. Chicken and dumplings is a delectably creamy and hearty stew filled with chicken, celery, peas, and carrots. Flaky biscuit-like dumplings complement the whole dish. This was soul food at its finest, transforming simple ingredients into something that could heal hearts and fill bellies for hours. Similar to my chicken and dumplings recipe with a creamy base of tender chicken and colorful vegetables, but cooked in a thick, creamy sauce – almost like a soup or chowder.
The process began with simmering a whole chicken until the meat fell off the bone. Oh, I wouldn’t miss this for anything. Chicken and dumplings is a delectably creamy and hearty stew filled with chicken, celery, peas, and carrots. Flaky biscuit-like dumplings complement the whole dish. Mothers would then roll out thin dough and cut it into irregular squares, dropping them into the bubbling broth where they puffed into tender, pillowy clouds. Definitely one of the most traditional Sunday family dinner ideas for your list. Enjoy juicy and fall-apart tenderness in an herb-infused sauce from red wine and broth. Each spoonful delivered comfort that seemed to reach straight to your soul, proving why this dish became synonymous with Southern hospitality and family love.
Buttery Mac and Cheese
Though mac and cheese appeared on tables nationwide, Southern families elevated it to an art form for their Sunday suppers. Everybody loves mac and cheese, but nobody does it quite like the South. This wasn’t the boxed variety that appeared during busy weeknights. Incredibly creamy, cheesy, and full of Southern flavors. Don’t skip the 3-cheese combo – mozzarella, sharp cheddar, and jack cheese – for the best-tasting Southern baked mac and cheese taste. Sunday mac and cheese demanded real cheese, heavy cream, and often a golden breadcrumb topping that crackled under the oven’s heat.
Southern cooks knew the secret lay in combining multiple cheeses to create depth and richness. This recipe still holds the top spot for the best Sunday dinner ideas. Incredibly creamy, cheesy, and full of Southern flavors. Don’t skip the 3-cheese combo – mozzarella, sharp cheddar, and jack cheese – for the best-tasting Southern baked mac and cheese taste. Sharp cheddar provided tang, cream cheese added smoothness, and sometimes a touch of Velveeta ensured that perfect, glossy melt. Families would bake their creation until the top turned golden and the edges bubbled, creating a dish that satisfied both children begging for seconds and adults savoring every creamy bite. This wasn’t just a side dish – it was a Sunday tradition that brought smiles to faces around the table.
Slow-Cooked Pot Roast
Sunday pot roast embodied the patience and planning that defined Southern Sunday cooking. If you’re after a meal that reminds you of long, laughter-filled family gatherings, look no further. Juicy, tender meat that falls apart with just a fork, it’s a main course that’s both effortless and comforting. Crockpot Slowcooker Rump Roast takes center stage without demanding constant attention, leaving you free to enjoy the company. This was the dish that filled the house with heavenly aromas while families attended church, promising a feast upon their return. This led to a still-present phenomenon: Crock-Pot Sunday dinners. Before going to church, someone can fill a Crock-Pot with all the ingredients for dinner and let it cook all day. When the family gets home from church, they already have dinner prepared.
The magic happened in the preparation the night before or early Sunday morning. This delicious bottom round roast is classic Sunday dinner! Slice it thin – it’s juicy and tender with just the right amount of seasoning. Families would sear their roast until browned on all sides, then nestle it among carrots, potatoes, and onions in a heavy Dutch oven. Definitely one of the most traditional Sunday family dinner ideas for your list. Enjoy juicy and fall-apart tenderness in an herb-infused sauce from red wine and broth. Hours of slow cooking transformed tough cuts into tender meat that practically melted off the fork, creating rich gravy that begged to be soaked up with fresh bread. Fall apart tender beef tips and gravy is one of those dishes that just yells “comfort food”. This was Sunday dinner that satisfied both body and soul.
Traditional Collard Greens
Collard greens held sacred status at Southern Sunday tables, carrying both nutrition and cultural significance that stretched back generations. These hearty leaves required time and patience to transform from tough vegetation into silky, flavorful side dishes. The Southern Fried chicken (Traditional) is so freakin gooood! I love it and had turnip greens, spinach, mustard greens mixed. Cooked the greens with smoked cajun seasoned turkey meat. Sunday mornings began with the ritual of washing each leaf meticulously, removing stems, and chopping the greens into manageable pieces.
The cooking process was an all-day affair that filled kitchens with rich, smoky aromas. In Southern cuisine, black-eyed peas are often cooked with ham and spices as a savory side. Ham hocks or smoked turkey provided the backbone of flavor, while onions and garlic added depth to the pot liquor – that precious cooking liquid that Southerners knew never to waste. Green beans normally take 5 minutes to make, but if you can cook this veggie for a little bit longer, it will make it even more incredible. Cook them for 2 hours for more tender green beans oozing with juices. Perfect with fried chicken and cornbread! Hours of slow simmering broke down the tough fibers, creating greens so tender they could be cut with a fork. The pot liquor became liquid gold, perfect for sopping with cornbread or simply sipping from a spoon.
Cornbread and Hushpuppies
No Southern Sunday supper was complete without some form of cornbread gracing the table. Biscuits and cornbread, yes indeed. Whether it’s made in a skillet and cut into wedges or served in rectangular hunks, a slice of cornbread is the carb of choice when you feast on fare like fried chicken and okra. Whether baked in cast iron skillets that created crispy edges or formed into hushpuppies and dropped into hot oil, cornmeal became the foundation for some of the South’s most beloved bread traditions. Just like fried chicken, hush puppies are another Southern staple that’s deep-fried to perfection. That’s probably why they taste so good together! Sinful, true, but totally irresistible.
Skillet cornbread demanded proper technique – heating the cast iron pan until it sizzled when the batter hit the surface. Hush puppies are a free-form fritter made of cornmeal, usually combined with egg. The balls are dropped into hot oil and fried. This created the signature crispy crust that contrasted beautifully with the tender, crumbly interior. Here’s a fun bit of trivia: They say these balls of cornmeal batter got their name because they were once used by a cook to silence some barking dogs. Now I don’t have the tapes to confirm the story, but here’s one thing I know for sure: hush puppies taste amazing. Hushpuppies brought their own magic to the meal, those golden orbs of fried cornmeal batter that disappeared almost as quickly as they appeared on the table. If you’re curious about the name, the story goes that a frantic cook used to toss the cornmeal treats to barking dogs to silence them. We’re not sure if this is entirely accurate, but it’s a fun “fact” to throw in when you serve this savory side.
Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes served as the perfect canvas for Sunday’s rich gravies and sauces, absorbing flavors while providing comfort that satisfied the deepest hunger. While mashed potatoes aren’t technically Southern, they sure as heck taste great with the southern fried chicken. Whip up some mashed potatoes, coleslaw, and juicy fried chicken and you’ll have a feast fit for a king (or queen!). These weren’t everyday mashed potatoes rushed through on busy weeknights. It’s a classic dish that’s great with mashed potatoes. Sunday mashed potatoes demanded the best ingredients and careful attention that transformed simple spuds into clouds of creamy perfection.
The process began with selecting the right potatoes – usually russets or Yukon Golds that would break down into fluffy perfection. I love to soak up all the creamy gravy for that melt in your mouth goodness. Southern cooks knew to add warm cream rather than cold milk, preventing the potatoes from becoming gluey or dense. Butter came next, often more than seemed reasonable, creating richness that paired perfectly with chicken gravy or pot roast drippings. Country ham is salty, cured, and intensely flavorful, but what really makes it special is red-eye gravy. After frying the ham, cooks pour strong black coffee into the skillet, scraping up all the browned bits to create a thin, dark gravy. The gravy tastes salty, slightly bitter, and utterly unique. You pour it over grits or biscuits, and the combination wakes up your taste buds like nothing else. The final result was mashed potatoes so smooth and creamy they practically melted on your tongue, perfect for soaking up every drop of Sunday’s delicious gravies.
Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet potato casserole transformed humble root vegetables into Sunday dessert disguised as a side dish. From black-eyed peas to chicken pot pie, sweet potatoes, and sweet tea these are the popular soul food dish recipes you’re going to LOVE! This wasn’t the everyday preparation of simply boiled sweet potatoes. Pineapple fluff … is it a side dish or is it a dessert? You’ll have to decide this one on your own. Sunday sweet potato casserole became an elaborate creation that blurred the lines between savory sides and sweet endings to the meal.
The preparation began with roasting sweet potatoes until they practically caramelized in their own skins, concentrating their natural sugars and creating deeper flavors. These heavenly babies are made by boiling ground corn (though hominy grits, made from treated corn, are similar but distinct) and bring delight from morning till night. At breakfast, grits can be left plain or coupled with sweet and savory ingredients (whichever you like more). For dinner, they often get dressed up with cheese or are topped with shrimp to add a rich, full flavor. Once mashed smooth, families would fold in butter, eggs, and warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. The crowning glory came with the topping – some families preferred toasted marshmallows that created a golden, slightly charred cap, while others opted for crunchy pecan streusel that added texture and nuttiness. Mississippi Mud Pie is that rich, chocolatey slice of heaven that brings a sweet ending to any Southern supper. Each bite feels like a warm hug from Grandma, full of comfort and familiar goodness. It’s the dessert that turns a meal into a memorable occasion every time. This dish embodied the Southern approach to Sunday dining – everything deserved to be special, even the vegetables.
These nine dishes represented more than mere sustenance for Southern families. There’s something so special about a lazy Sunday afternoon sitting around the table and chatting, then heading out to the porch rocker to socialize with the neighbors on a warm Sunday evening. It’s that whole feeling of comfort and belonging that’s so hard to come by these days. Maybe Sunday dinner isn’t the whole answer… but it’s sure not going to hurt! They embodied tradition, community, and the understanding that meals shared with love become memories that last lifetimes. They help us to take a step back from the hamster wheel to talk, laugh, and play with those we love. It’s these shared moments that build memories and ultimately create dynamic relationships. They fill that need we all have to connect with other human beings. Though times have changed and families have scattered, the legacy of these Sunday suppers continues to remind us that some traditions are too precious to lose. What would you have guessed held such significance in a simple Sunday meal?
