One of the trademarks of a good “Soul Food” meal is the variety of delicious side dishes. Whenever I’m in a good Soul Food Restaurant, I have a very difficult time choosing from the huge array of mouth-watering side dishes offered. I can’t imagine a soul food meal without black-eyed peas, Southern-style greens, and sweet potatoes. I also love Southern Fried Apples, Fried Okra, Southern Fried Cabbage, and Southern Green Beans. The list of good Soul Food side dishes is endless.

Luckily, many of these decadent side dishes are very quick and easy. Here are some of my favorite quick and easy soul food side dishes. I’m hoping you’ll want to serve them at your Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration on the third Monday in January.

Southern Fried Apples

These fried apples add a touch of sweetness to a savory meal. They’re also good on ice cream for dessert.

6 Servings

2 Granny Smith apples
2 golden delicious apples

3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Peel the apples, cut each into 8 wedges, cut out the core, then slice thinly.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir in the apples and cook until the apples are soft, about 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 185 - Calories from Fat 57
Percent Total Calories From:
Fat 31% Protein 1% Carb. 69%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 6 g
Saturated Fat 4 g
Cholesterol 16 mg
Sodium 59 mg
Total Carbohydrate 32 g
Dietary Fiber 3 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 0 g

Vitamin A 6% Vitamin C 13% Calcium 0% Iron 2%

Southern Fried Cabbage

This quick and easy recipe is my favorite Southern vegetable dish. If I didn’t have plenty of competition from family members, I could easily consume the entire batch!

8 Servings

1 pound bacon

1 head green cabbage, (very large)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red hot pepper
1 teaspoon sugar

Cut the bacon into 1/2" slices. Fry in a large skillet until very crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan to drain. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings from the pan and add the cabbage. Stir fry the cabbage until it starts to get limp, then add the salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, and sugar. Continue frying until the cabbage is crisp tender. Stir in the reserved bacon and serve immediately.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 147 - Calories from Fat 90
Percent Total Calories From:
Fat 61% Protein 20% Carb. 19%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 10 g
Saturated Fat 3 g
Cholesterol 17 mg
Sodium 629 mg
Total Carbohydrate 7 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 7 g

Vitamin A 5% Vitamin C 101% Calcium 0% Iron 6%

Slow Cooker Southern Style Green Beans

Southerners like their green beans cooked until they are very soft and gray-green in color. Cooking these delicious beans in the slow cooker allows the vegetable to absorb the wonderful flavors of bacon and onion. I am not a fan of canned vegetables, and even though the color of the finished beans is similar to that of canned green beans, there is absolutely no comparison. Rather than salty, rubbery, and disgusting like the canned beans, these beans are tender and flavorful!

Since this recipe requires less than 10 minutes hands-on time, it may become a favorite of the cook!

6 Servings

1/4 cup cooked and crumbled bacon (the Hormel cooked and crumbled bacon in the package is fine, but don’t use imitation bacon bits)
3 tablespoons dehydrated onion flakes, or substitute 1 small chopped onion
1 pound frozen whole green beans
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon granular chicken bouillon, or 1 bouillon cube

Place the bacon and onion in the crock of a slow cooker. Add the green beans, but don't stir. Mix the water and the bouillon; pour over the beans. Cook on low 4-6 hours or high 2-3 hours. Stir just before serving.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 37 Calories from Fat 10
Percent Total Calories From:
Fat 27% Protein 18% Carb. 55%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 1 g
Saturated Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 2 mg
Sodium 244 mg
Total Carbohydrate 5 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 2 g

Vitamin A 5% Vitamin C 10% Calcium 0% Iron 4%