13 Nostalgic South Carolina Comfort Foods That Bring Back Sunday Supper
Sunday suppers in South Carolina were never just about filling your stomach. They were about gathering around a table crowded with mismatched bowls, passing plates until your arms got tired, and sneaking second helpings when nobody was looking.
Every dish carried a story, usually told by someone’s grandmother who swore her recipe was the only right way to make it.
These comfort foods built memories one bite at a time, and they still show up on tables across the state today.
1. Chicken Bog
Pee Dee comfort arrives in a single pot where chicken simmers alongside rice and smoked sausage until everything turns silky and impossibly rich. The grains absorb every bit of flavor, creating a dish that sticks to your ribs and your memory.
Loris throws a Bog-Off every October, turning this humble meal into a full-blown celebration. I remember my cousin arguing that her version was superior because she added extra black pepper, and honestly, she might have been right.
Families guard their recipes like treasure maps, tweaking spice levels and sausage choices to make each pot their own.
2. Charleston Red Rice
Tomato-bright rice gets baked with bacon or sausage, onions, peppers, and generations of Lowcountry memory in every spoonful. This Gullah Geechee staple colors coastal kitchens with its bold hue and even bolder flavor.
The rice absorbs the tomato base while the meat adds smoky depth that makes you reach for seconds before you finish your firsts. Some cooks add a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity, others swear by extra garlic.
Either way, this dish shows up at church picnics, family reunions, and any Sunday worth remembering.
3. Shrimp and Grits
Creek shrimp meet warm grits in a Lowcountry union so natural that locals order it purely by instinct.
What started as a breakfast plate has evolved into an anytime meal that restaurants and home cooks both claim as their specialty.
The grits should be creamy enough to coat your spoon, and the shrimp should taste like they just left the water.
My grandmother used to say you could judge a cook by their grits, and she was never wrong about that.
Butter makes everything better here, along with a little bacon grease if you’re doing it right.
4. Hoppin’ John
Black-eyed peas and rice get cooked with pork in this Gullah dish tied to good-luck tables and New Year traditions that refuse to fade.
Eating it on January first supposedly brings prosperity, but honestly, it tastes good enough to serve year-round.
The peas turn tender while the rice soaks up all that savory pork flavor, creating a side dish that often becomes the main event.
Some families add collards on the side for extra luck, which also happens to taste fantastic.
Sunday spreads across South Carolina wouldn’t feel complete without a pot of this simmering somewhere nearby.
5. Hash and Rice
Long-cooked pork stew gets spooned over rice at every respectable barbecue line, with regional styles ranging from organ-rich Lowcountry versions to smoother Midlands pots.
This is comfort food that requires patience, slow heat, and a willingness to let flavors meld for hours.
The hash itself varies wildly depending on where you are in the state, but the rice stays constant as the perfect base.
I once watched two pit masters debate hash recipes for thirty minutes straight, and neither one budged an inch.
That stubbornness is part of what makes this dish so beloved across South Carolina.
6. Perloo
One-pot rice dishes get elevated with chicken or seafood and aromatics in this Carolina comfort cousin to jambalaya.
Perloo, also called pilau or perlo depending on who’s spelling it, defines South Carolina rice cookery better than almost anything else.
The rice absorbs broth and seasonings while proteins add substance, creating a complete meal that requires only a single vessel. Coastal versions lean toward shrimp or crab, while inland cooks favor chicken or sausage.
My aunt makes hers with chicken thighs and swears the dark meat makes all the difference in flavor and moisture.
7. Okra Soup
Tomatoes, okra, butterbeans, and sometimes shrimp or smoked meat simmer into a gentle, spoonable stew with deep Gullah roots.
The okra thickens everything naturally while adding its distinctive flavor that people either love intensely or avoid completely.
Butterbeans contribute creaminess, and tomatoes bring bright acidity that balances the richness of any meat you add.
This soup improves after sitting overnight, which makes it perfect for Sunday cooking and Monday reheating.
Serve it with cornbread for soaking up every last drop, because leaving any behind feels like a genuine waste.
8. Collard Greens with Potlikker
Greens get slow-simmered with pork until they turn melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the broth becomes liquid gold that deserves its own bowl.
Collards hold such importance in South Carolina that they earned the title of official state vegetable.
The potlikker carries all the nutrients and flavor that seep from the greens during cooking, making it too precious to pour down the drain. Smart cooks save cornbread specifically for soaking up this savory broth.
I’ve watched family members argue over who gets the last ladle of potlikker, and those debates can get surprisingly heated for something so humble.
9. Field Peas with Snaps
Crowder or pink-eye peas get stewed with snapped green beans in a humble bowl built specifically for rice, cornbread, and quiet Sunday afternoons.
The combination sounds simple because it is, but that simplicity carries generations of Southern cooking wisdom.
Field peas cook until creamy, while the snaps add texture and a slight vegetal freshness to balance everything out. Some cooks add a ham hock for smokiness, others keep it vegetarian and let the peas shine alone.
Either approach works beautifully as long as you season properly and give everything time to become tender and flavorful.
10. Butter Beans
Lima beans cook low and slow with ham hock or bacon until they become soft, savory, and ready to soak up gravy like their job depends on it.
These beans anchor the vegetable side of countless Sunday plates across South Carolina.
The ham adds smoky depth while the beans contribute their distinctive buttery texture, that gives them their more appealing nickname.
Some families prefer theirs with a little pot liquor, others cook them down until they’re almost creamy.
My grandfather used to eat them straight from the pot while pretending to check if they were done, fooling absolutely nobody at the table.
11. Tomato Pie
Ripe summer tomatoes get tucked into a savory pie with cheese and mayo, creating a Lowcountry table favorite that appears when garden vines run heavy with fruit.
The combination might sound odd to outsiders, but one bite converts most skeptics immediately.
The mayo and cheese form a rich, tangy topping that complements the sweet acidity of peak-season tomatoes perfectly.
You need to salt the tomato slices first to draw out excess moisture; otherwise, your crust turns soggy.
This dish celebrates tomato season in the most delicious way possible, turning simple ingredients into something memorable and comforting.
12. Boiled Peanuts
Soft, salty, and perfect for nibbling while the roast rests, these legumes earned the distinction of being named the official state snack.
Boiled peanuts represent a roadside rite of passage and a porch companion that tastes like summer in the South.
Green peanuts get boiled in heavily salted water for hours until they turn tender and addictive in a way that’s hard to explain to anyone who hasn’t tried them.
I’ve seen people eat an entire bag without realizing it, shells piling up like evidence of their devotion.
They’re messy, salty, and completely worth the effort of cracking each shell open for the treasure inside.
13. Lady Baltimore Cake
Tall, white-frosted layers hide fruit-and-nut filling in this Charleston showstopper that transforms Sunday dessert into a full ceremony.
The cake demands attention both in preparation and presentation, rising high with pristine frosting that practically begs for a celebration.
The filling typically includes raisins, figs, and pecans folded into a fluffy frosting base that adds texture between tender cake layers.
Making this requires time and patience, which is exactly why it appears at the most important family gatherings.
When someone brings out a Lady Baltimore cake, you know the occasion matters, and you better save room, no matter how full you are.