23 Southern Snack Recipes: From Boiled Peanuts to Beer Cheese

Southern snack traditions developed around local ingredients from green tomatoes to Georgia pecans to Lowcountry oysters, and generational recipes for gatherings from barbecues to cookouts to potlucks. We have classic recipes for staples like Texas caviar, beer cheese, and hush puppies, plus variations on favorites like deviled eggs and pimento cheese that will stand out among any menu. Whether you’re hosting Southern guests, missing the South, or just craving a solid snack from the region, here are the irresistible Southern snacks to make next.

Want to know what to drink with them? Learn more about the perfect drink pairings for these recipes at the 2024 Food & Wine Classic in Charleston.

Boiled peanuts

Matt Taylor-Gross

By simply soaking and boiling peanuts with salt we get this classic and tasty southern snack that lasts for a week.

Beer cheese

Food & Wine / Photography by Jason Donnelly / Food Styling by Holly Dreesman / Prop Design by Addelyn Evans

This sauce is especially popular in Kentucky, where it is the centerpiece of a food festival and served by locals at parties and outdoor events. Hank White, a fifth-generation Kentuckian, shares his recipe for a sharp cheddar cheese spread made with pale beer.

Tender and crispy corn chips

Victor Protasio / Food styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop design by Christina Daley

Joe Kindred shares the secret to making tender, airy hush puppies in this recipe from his North Carolina restaurant that produces a fluffy interior with a crispy, delicate crust.

Classic Pimento Cheese

Matt Taylor-Gross / Food design by Barrett Washburne

Pimento cheese was created in New York in the late 1800s, but became popular in the South after Georgia became a major producer of pimentos in the 1930s. Now called the “pâté of the South,” the classic dip is made up of cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, and pimentos and can be served simply with crackers or toast.

Bourbon balls

Food & Wine / Photography by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Julian Hensaring / Prop Design by Julia Bayless

Bourbon balls originated at the Rebecca Ruth Candy Company in Frankfort, Kentucky in 1938 and remain popular in the South. This version combines ground chocolate cookies with bourbon, sugar and cocoa powder. F&W’s Chandra Ram sharpens the chocolate and bourbon flavors with the addition of espresso powder.

Pickled gherkins

Julia Hartbeck

Dill pickles are popular in the South, especially fried for a snack. Bobby Flay mixes Kirby cucumbers with dill and garlic, then brines them in a solution of vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and dill seeds.

Spiced nuts

Matt Taylor-Gross / Food design by Barrett Washburne

Pecans, which grow best in warm climates, are much loved in the South. Mississippi writer and television host John T. Edge spices them with cayenne, cinnamon and brown sugar and serves them in giant bowls at Southern-style parties.

Texas caviar

Jennifer Causey / Food styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop design by Claire Spollen

Also known as Cowboy Caviar, this delicious blend of black-eyed peas, tomatoes, crunchy bell peppers, jalapeño and onion can be served with chips and a bright, spicy dressing for a Texas-style snack.

Classic deviled eggs

Kelsey Hansen / Food styling by Annie Probst / Prop design by Breanna Ghazali

Give the filling of this classic cookout and potluck snack extra silky texture and rich flavor with a big dose of mayonnaise, and add acidity and brightness with spicy Dijon mustard and fresh dill.

Smoked fish dip

Greg DuPree

Smoked fish sauce is beloved throughout the Gulf States, including coastal Georgia. This recipe is inspired by the sauce at Southern Soul Barbeque on St. Simons Island, Georgia. Add flavor and texture to smoked fatty fish with mayonnaise and whipped cream cheese, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, horseradish, Old Bay, Worcestershire sauce, and a touch of hot sauce.

Southern delight with chicken liver mousse

Caitlin Bensel

Serve a variety of crowd-pleasing snacks, from tangy muscatel jam and velvety chicken liver mousse to crumbly cheddar and pepper Peaceburg cheese, elevated deviled eggs, plus pickles and gherkins, on a grazing board.

Classic cheese ball with spiced pecans

Photography by Antonis Achilleos / Food styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop design by Kay Clarke

With its irresistible salty flavor, this classic party snack is easy to prepare with cream cheese, cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, seasonings and herbs, and looks elegant on a platter with the crackers of your choice.

Fried Boudin Balls with Creole Mustard Sauce

Photography by Frederick Hardy II / Food styling by Ali Ramee / Prop design by Christina Brockman

Boudin is an integral part of Cajun culinary culture in Louisiana and Texas, with its origins dating back to the 17th century when the French and Germans settled in the area. Turn the sausage into crispy, flavorful snacks by frying pork, rice, liver, and seasonings with this recipe from Adam Dolge.

Cheddar and chive biscuits

Greg DuPree

Bake buttermilk dough over a pile of shredded cheddar cheese for a wonderfully caramelized flavor and a clever textural element. This recipe from Asheville, North Carolina, has a love affair, as good biscuits often do.

Crispy Okra for Snacking

Antonis Achilleos / Food design by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop design by Lydia Pursell

Quickly roast halved okra pods until crisp and finish with fresh parsley, mint and dill to complement the sweet, slightly earthy okra.

Crispy cookies

Photography by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Torie Cox

Turn leftover cookies into ridiculously crispy cookies with this 50-minute recipe from Chef Carla Hall.

Sweet and sour crab claws

Matt Taylor-Gross / Food styling by Amelia Rampe

Make crab claws irresistible with a sticky, sweet and sour gochujang-based sauce from Seaworthy in New Orleans.

Oysters Rockefeller with Pimento Cheese

Jennifer Causey / Food styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop design by Shell Royster

Make a Lowcountry version of classic oysters Rockefeller with this recipe from South Carolina chef John Ondo, featuring bacon, pimento cheese, collard greens, and a buttery toasted biscuit topping.

Pickled green tomatoes with bread and butter

Food & Wine / Photography by Jason Donnelly / Food Styling by Holly Dreesman / Prop Design by Addelyn Evans

Joe Dietz and Tim Brooks developed this way of preserving green tomatoes when an early frost was predicted in Lexington, Kentucky. Sweet and tart, pickled green tomatoes are ideal for appetizer plates and charcuterie boards.

Vegan Pimento Cheese

Photography by Antonis Achilleos / Food styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop design by Claire Spollen

Make this iconic plant-based snack with a creamy, savory base of extra-firm tofu, tangy brightness from pickle brine and apple cider vinegar, and umami from nutritional yeast and miso.

Cheese straws

Greg DuPree / Food styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Shell Royster

The legendary Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock created the perfect version of this Southern classic. “My experience has led me to believe that in the South, one’s preferences in cheese sticks are as much a part of one’s identity as the college football team one roots for or the church one does or does not attend,” writes Scott Peacock.

Stuffed eggs with country ham

Atlanta chef Ford Fry tops classic deviled eggs with homemade ham from Benton’s in Madisonville, Tennessee, to add a flavorful new layer.

Fried green tomatoes

Coat firm, tangy green tomatoes with breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese, then pan-fry them for a staple snack that’s crispy on the outside and warm and juicy on the inside.