12 Old-School Southern Appetizers That Should Make A Comeback

Food trends come and go, but often, the best dishes from the past make it back into the modern cooking landscape as retro classics. Good food and intense flavors never go out of fashion, and Southern cuisine is known for those things, with its ability to pair big seasonings with fresh produce to create incredibly satisfying dishes.

From cheese dreams and deviled eggs, many classic Southern appetizers could happily slide straight into a modern garden party or potluck. Most of these dishes are easy to prepare too, meaning less time in the kitchen and more time spent socializing with family and friends — what could be more traditional than that? Let's take a look at some of the old-school Southern appetizers that we think need a comeback.

Any appetizer that features cheese in its name is a winner in our book, and cheese straws are one of the best. This classic Southern appetizer is crunchy, rich, and packed with cheesy flavor. They should be served at every gathering, without question.

Cheese straws are a cross between a cracker and a savory pastry. They often feature only a few ingredients — flour, mustard, butter, and cheese — and only need to be baked for around 15 minutes, so the preparation time is fairly minimal. A dusting of cayenne pepper just as they come out of the oven will give them the right amount of heat to cut through the rich cheese. 

The presentation is entirely up to you, depending on if you are hosting a fancy soiree and need some tasty nibbles to go with the wine, or simply want some satisfying snacks for when the savory munchies hit. They can be easily shaped into twists, or kept as chunky rectangles for easy stacking in the fridge.

Make them in advance for a party, and they will keep well all day, ready to greet your guests with a crunchy treat when they arrive. The great news is that you can batch-cook a large quantity of cheese straws and freeze them ahead of time.

Deviled eggs are a classic, vintage dish that has long been a popular appetizer in the South. They are also a fantastic addition to a picnic or potluck, as long as you can keep them chilled.

While you can technically fill the hard-boiled egg whites with anything you wish, the traditional Southern recipe calls for egg yolks, mayonnaise, some sort of pickle, and a dusting of paprika on top. The ingredients are mashed together, then added back into the egg whites, creating a flavorsome bite-sized treat that combines rich textures and zingy flavors.

One of the trickiest parts of preparing deviled eggs is transferring the egg yolk mixture to the egg white, but using a piping bag to fill them makes the process significantly easier. This can help make the eggs all look similar to each other — which is important if you are planning to snap a few photos — and prevents the filling from spilling out of the sides. If you don't have a piping bag to hand, a plastic zip bag with the corner cut off makes a handy makeshift replacement. 

Once the eggs are assembled, top them with a sprinkling of herbs for an aromatic twist or a dash of hot sauce if you are in a spicy mood. They look much more impressive this way, making them a must-have appetizer at your next gathering.

Pimento cheese may not technically be a Southern invention, but it has become a quintessential Southern ingredient. Toward the middle of the last century, Georgia began rapidly producing pimento peppers, and as a result, the South adopted pimento cheese as its own.

Modern pimento cheese usually combines grated sharp cheddar, cream cheese, mayonnaise, and pimentos. (And remember: don't use pre-shredded cheese if you want it to taste authentic). While it can be enjoyed in so many diverse ways, the best way to turn pimento cheese into an appetizer is to serve elegant finger sandwiches, such as for an afternoon tea. White bread works best for these, and the sandwiches can be cut into thin oblongs with the crusts removed, making them the ideal finger food.

The ease of making pimento finger sandwiches is one of the reasons they deserve their chance in the spotlight. Whip up a big batch of the cheese, spread it on the bread, and you have a delicious appetizer in minutes. We won't be held responsible, though, if you end up eating the rest of the bowl of pimento cheese in one sitting. 

If you're a fan of cheese straws as a fun, savory snack, then you must give cheese dreams a try. They have a similar flavor profile, but with a bit more punch, and a rich texture that lives up to their name. They are pretty much miniature versions of the best grilled cheese you'll ever have tasted, and we can't get enough of them.

If you ever want to enhance the flavor of a cheese-based dish, umami-rich Worcestershire sauce or delightfully hot mustard are the way to go — or in this case, both. They add a dash of tang that cuts through the cheese and creates another level for your palate. If you want to add even more of a kick, jalapeños are a great option, and you can adjust the heat intensity by how many seeds you leave in.

To make these classic Southern party bites, make up the cheese mixture with whatever added seasonings and spices you like, then spread them on top of little squares of bread before adding a second layer of bread. The genius final step is to add the mixture on top of the second piece too, creating a wonderful coating for the bread, a little like the French croque monsieur. The cheese dreams are then baked for around 15 minutes, and should be served hot to your guests, if you can resist eating them all straight from the baking tray.

If you are tasked with making sausage even tastier, there is an easy Southern-friendly way to do so: add some cheese. This appetizer has been a classic for decades, and it's not hard to see why. The rich, gooey cheese matches the rich sausage meat perfectly, and plating up the dish couldn't be easier, making it the ideal party snack if you are pressed for time.

According to some, sausage cheese balls used to be such a popular party appetizer, that sign-up sheets had to be used to prevent sausage cheese balls from exclusively being served. Classic recipes used biscuit mix, or a from-scratch version (made with flour, baking powder, and butter). The mix is then added to grated Cheddar cheese, pork sausage meat, and seasoning such as Parmesan cheese or dried herbs.

The cheese balls are easy to roll into shape before being baked for around 20 minutes, and they can be made ahead and refrigerated or even frozen, making the prep even more convenient for a party or large family event. If you thought sausage cheese balls were a retro appetizer that would be outdated, serve them at your next gathering and see how people go nuts for this Southern classic.

Ham delights are the original Southern version of ham and cheese sliders, but even better, if you can imagine such a thing. They have long been a favorite at parties and family gatherings in the South, and with such easy prep, they keep the host just as happy as the guests.

The brilliant thing about ham delights is that they are endlessly customizable. The ham is traditionally deli ham, but why not add smoked ham or prosciutto for an unusual twist? Equally, the cheese can be any variety you wish — Gouda, pepper Jack, or sharp Cheddar will all complement the ham without overpowering it.

You can add mustard, mayonnaise, and seasoning to the slider rolls before layering the ham and cheese, then sprinkle some seasoning on the top of the rolls too. Bake in the oven for around five minutes, and you will have a ridiculously tasty appetizer or party snack that is ready in no time. If you use a sheet of pull-apart slider rolls, such as Hawaiian rolls, this dish is an incredibly easy way to feed a crowd, compared to preparing individual sliders for everyone. Just be aware, they will disappear fast!

If you've never tried an aspic, it's time to put that to right by making this stunning tomato version, which is a Southern classic. Also known as a congealed salad, which sounds infinitely less appealing, aspics are a way of preserving ingredients by encasing them in a mold of gelatin. While modern cooks tend to associate gelatin with desserts, without sugar it can work just as well in savory dishes, including this unusual version of a tomato salad.

As with any salad, you can add pretty much any vegetables you wish to a tomato aspic: celery, olives, bell peppers; each version will be different in both look and flavor. Once you have a base of tomato juice, gelatin (with boiling water to dissolve it), and seasonings, you can get creative with the additions, and even recreate your favorite regular salad. Southern versions often included shrimp or chicken too, if you want to add some protein to the dish.

The seasonings are the key to taking this retro dish beyond simply tomato jelly. Worcestershire sauce lifts the earthy tomato in the same way it does a Bloody Mary, and is just as essential an ingredient here. Freshly squeezed lemon juice for zing and a pinch of sugar to enhance the sweetness of the tomatoes are also crucial additions. The preparation only takes around 15 minutes, then the aspic needs to sit for six hours, after which you will have a vibrant red jelly to serve to intrigued guests at your next gathering.

Shrimp remoulade is a classic dish deeply rooted in Southern food traditions, especially in those of New Orleans. Though remoulade originated in northern France in the 1700s, it made its way to New Orleans by the turn of the last century, and the Louisiana version became popular. Shrimp remoulade is the Southern upgrade to a regular prawn cocktail, and the zingy, spicy flavors mean it should replace your usual shrimp dish at your next fancy dinner.

The Creole remoulade sauce has a lot more character than you will find in a regular shrimp cocktail, with mustard, horseradish, and hot sauce all lifting the creamy mayonnaise. Ketchup does feature, but is not as dominant as in a regular prawn cocktail sauce, and complements the other ingredients nicely. The shrimp are poached in a flavorsome liquid before being coated in the delicious remoulade and served on crisp lettuce. The sauce can be created in advance to make on-the-day prep even easier, and give the ingredients more time to infuse.

While this dish has been a Southern staple for over a century, it deserves a renewed place in modern cuisine, where it could happily replace the still-loved shrimp cocktail as either an elegant lunch or a party appetizer. The subtle spice takes the shrimp dish to exciting new heights, and the creamy base keeps each mouthful perfectly in balance.

Neiman Marcus dip is named after the luxury department store where it originated, as a dish served in the on-site café. For regulars to the flagship Dallas store in the '50s and '60s, the dip created by Helen Corbitt became a Southern classic and was renamed Million Dollar Dip.

A light and fresh dip this is not, featuring mayonnaise, cream cheese, and shredded sharp cheddar as the base. Crispy bacon adds salty, smoky notes, while the sliced almonds scattered across the top provide the crunch. The elegance associated with the dip gives the illusion of a fancy appetizer, but it is incredibly easy to make. 

The ingredients are combined in a large bowl along with plenty of seasoning, and the dip is then served with some savory crackers, because apparently eating it straight from the bowl with a spoon isn't socially acceptable, no matter how much we'd like to. This vintage dip deserves a rerun as a sophisticated party appetizer that retains a glimmer of the good old days.

Also known as Cowboy Candy, this recipe features sliced jalapeño peppers pickled in a mixture of vinegar, garlic, mustard seeds, brown sugar, and celery seeds, then thickened till it forms a delicious piquant syrup.

The beauty of this condiment is that the heat from the jalapeños and the sweetness from the brown sugar continue to fuse the longer they sit in the jar, creating a flawless balance of spicy and mellow. As great as they are eaten straight from the jar, they are also an ideal accompaniment to lots of umami-rich ingredients that benefit from a sharp tang to cut through the richness. From charcuterie platters to grilled cheese sandwiches and even pizzas, cowboy candy provides a contrast of flavor to many dishes, or you can spread some cream cheese on a cracker and add a few pieces of the candied jalapeños as a topping.

Given the popularity of hot honey in recent years, candied jalapeños could fit perfectly into a modern kitchen. With the same warming balance of heat and sweet, though leaning slightly more to the spicy side, they can be used in many of the same culinary situations. You could even drizzle the syrup from the jar, which would give your dishes a Southern peppery twist without an explosion of heat.

Southern cuisine and shrimp are synonymous with each other, and pickled shrimp is another tasty way to enjoy this sweet shellfish. This appetizer sees the shrimp benefit from a short time in the pickling mixture without overpowering the delicate meat.

Pickled shrimp can usually come together in just under 24 hours, including pickling time. Not including the time in the fridge, this recipe is incredibly quick to make and uses pantry ingredients that you likely already have. The shrimp are added to a large pot of boiling water, but the heat source is turned off to ensure they don't overcook during the three minutes they spend in the liquid. Pickled or not, rubber shrimp is not an appealing prospect.

The pickling liquor is made by mixing vinegar, olive oil, fresh herbs, chili flakes, and brightness from freshly-squeezed lemon juice. During the time in the refrigerator, the flavor permeates the prawns, creating a fresh, fragrant seafood element that can either be eaten as-is or made into a more substantial dish. 

Add them as a topping for bruschetta, or to a fresh salad for a tasty lunch, or alongside other traditional Southern appetizers as a fresh contrast to heavier options. The bright flavors feel modern rather than retro, meaning they can slot into an elegant platter without feeling dated.

If you thought that all Southern cooking was complex and labor-intensive, pepper jelly and cream cheese are here to show that it isn't always the case. The perfect solution if you need a quick bite in a hurry, the so-called recipe literally has two ingredients, and the process of making it simply involves spooning one on top of the other. 

Step one: remove cream cheese from the fridge. Step two: spoon pepper jelly over the top. Optional step three: rummage in the kitchen cupboard to find the box of saltines that you definitely bought a few days ago, and spread the fantastic concoction on top.

The simplicity of this appetizer proves that delicious food doesn't need to be difficult. The pepper jelly is already packed with flavor from a mixture of different peppers, and it contrasts the cream cheese so beautifully that there is simply no need to go any further. When it comes to ideas for dinner party appetizers, this recipe is an absolute must. 

Once the jelly has been poured over the block of cream cheese, it looks elegant enough to accompany the rest of your party appetizers, with literally a few seconds of food prep. The sweet and savory balance feels very modern, and is the reason this vintage Southern "recipe" deserved a present-day comeback.