Top 15 Southern American Appetizers

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BBQ shrimp is a traditional dish from New Orleans. Despite the name, it has nothing to do with barbecue – instead it's either cooked on the stove or in the oven. The dish is made with large fresh shrimp (shells on), butter, lemon juice, hot sauce, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. The combination is baked or cooked on the stove, and it's then traditionally served as an appetizer. BBQ shrimp are typically served with crusty french bread on the side to mop up the juices.Expand

Oysters Rockefeller is a popular American appetizer consisting of oysters served on half-shells that are topped with ingredients such as butter sauce, bread crumbs, and various green herbs such as parsley. They are then either broiled or baked. The appetizer was invented in 1899 in America's oldest family-run restaurant called Antoine's in New Orleans, when Jules Alciatore, the original owner's son adapted his father's signature dish known as escargot Bourguignon, but he replaced the snails with oysters, a local food source that was abundant in the area. Oyster Rockefeller was born, and the original recipe is still a closely-guarded secret of Antoine's.Expand

Originally invented in New Orleans' French Quarter, these oysters are baked in their shells with bread crumbs, grated cheese, onions, mushrooms, shrimp, wine, and a buttery roux. The oysters are baked until lightly browned, then served immediately, preferably garnished with chopped green onions and lemon wedges. This elegant appetizer is served in many fine dining restaurants in New Orleans, including the famous Antoine's and Arnaud's.Expand

Blackened alligator is a specialty hailing from Louisiana that is made with pan-seared pieces of seasoned alligator meat as the star ingredient. The dish is typically prepared by rubbing bite-sized pieces of alligator meat with a blend of spices and seasonings before the meat is seared or blackened in a smoking hot cast-iron skillet with a small amount of oil. Typical spices include paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, chili powder, minced onion powder, minced garlic powder, ground thyme, ground oregano, kosher salt, and Cajun seasoning. Blackened alligator bites are usually enjoyed with white rémoulade, a type of sour mayonnaise-based sauce. Paul Prudhomme, a renowned Louisiana chef, was the one who popularized the cooking technique of blackening that gives the protein a distinctive crust by first seasoning it with a mix of spices and seasonings, and then searing it in a very hot cast-iron skillet. This way the meat doesn’t dry out on the interior and at the same time develops a flavorful brown crust on its surface.Expand

Charbroiled oysters is a traditional dish originating from New Orleans. In order to make the dish, freshly shucked Louisiana oysters on the half shell are placed on the hot grill and cooked in their own juices until bubbling and the edges start to curl. The oysters are topped with a sauce consisting of butter, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, cayenne, lemon juice, and grated Pecorino Romano. Once the sauce has started to bubble, each oyster is sprinkled with grated Pecorino and garnished with minced parsley. Charbroiled oysters are typically accompanied by hot French bread and lemon wedges on the side. The dish is served immediately.Expand

Fried green tomatoes are a staple of Southern United States. The dish is made with firm, unripe, and tangy green tomatoes that are sliced, dipped in seasoned cornmeal, then deep-fried. Ideally, the tomatoes should have a crunchy crust and a succulent interior after the deep-frying. Fried green tomatoes are typically served as an appetizer or a side dish, and sometimes even as a mid-afternoon snack. They can also be used as an ingredient for sandwiches, such as the fried green tomato po'boy. The dish gained popularity in the 1980s with Fannie Flagg's novel called Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe (which was later also made into a movie).Expand

Chicken fried bacon is a tasty appetizer or breakfast consisting of bacon strips that are battered and deep-fried in hot oil, just like chicken fried steak, hence the unusual name of this dish. It was invented in the early 1990s in Texas by Frank Sodolak, who served it in Sodolak’s Original Country Inn in Snook. Traditionally, chicken fried bacon is served with sausage gravy or cream gravy on the side for dipping. When prepared correctly, the bacon should be perfectly crisp without being too crumbly.Expand

Boudin balls are a specialty of Lousiana. These tasty balls typically consist of boudin sausage meat that is shaped into balls, battered, rolled in breadcrumbs, then fried in hot oil. Boudin sausage is made with cooked rice, onions, green peppers, ground pork, and various seasonings. Although some Louisiana restaurants serve them for breakfast, it is recommended to serve boudin balls as an appetizer while they are still hot and crispy, preferably with a dipping sauce on the side.Expand

Shrimp remoulade is a traditional dish originating from Louisiana. The dish features fresh shrimp served with a creamy remoulade sauce over crispy iceberg lettuce. The ingredients for red Creole remoulade (the French one is white and based on mayonnaise) include scallions, celery, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, garlic, cayenne pepper, paprika, ketchup, and wine vinegar. The sauce is chilled, then combined with the shrimp and the dish is traditionally served as a cold appetizer in numerous Louisiana restaurants.Expand

Oysters Mosca is a famous oyster dish that's named after a New Orleans restaurant that made it popular. It's made with a combination of butter, breadcrumbs, olive oil, garlic, freshly shucked oysters, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and grated parmesan cheese. The oysters are arranged in a baking dish, then topped with the seasoned breadcrumbs and grated cheese. The combination is baked in an oven until the sauce starts bubbling and the breadcrumbs on top begin to brown. The dish is typically served as an appetizer or a main dish with crusty bread, fresh salads, or spaghetti Bordelaise on the side.Expand