š Soul Food Christmas Side Dishes: The Ones That Really Make the Plate
From potato salad to deviled eggs to that āsideā of fried chicken, hereās every soul food Christmas side dish we shared this week, all in one place!
This week on The Soul Food Pot, we celebrated the dishes that quietly (and sometimes loudly) run the holiday tableā¦ The Christmas soul food side dishes that turn a holiday meal into a plate.
These are the recipes that get passed, requested, debated, and remembered.
The ones people ask about before they ask about the turkey.
The ones that feel like home.
And in my true Shaunda Necole & The Soul Food Pot fashion, we didnāt just share one way to make them. We shared options. Because every kitchen is different, every schedule is different, and every celebration deserves flexibility without losing the soul.
Southern soul food Christmas side dishes
So, hereās your full Christmas Side Dishes Recipe Series roundup, all together so you donāt miss a thing!
š„ Black folksā Southern potato salad ā two ways
ā¢ Classic Southern potato salad: Creamy, tangy, perfectly seasoned ā the cookout and holiday staple that never fails.
ā¢ Instant Pot Southern potato salad: A Make-It-Your-Way shortcut that delivers the same soul food flavor with less time at the stove.
š Black folksā soul food candied yams ā Make-It-Your-Way
Because candied yams are non-negotiable!
ā¢ Stovetop candied yams: Old-school, slow-simmered, and deeply flavorful.
ā¢ Oven-baked candied yams: Caramelized, buttery, and holiday-ready.
ā¢ Instant Pot candied yams: All the soul, faster timeline.
ā¢ Doctored-up canned yams: A realistic, weeknight-friendly option that still shows up with flavor.
š„¬ Soul food collard greens ā step-by-step
And no Christmas table is complete without a pot of soul food collard greens simmering on the stove (or in the pressure-cooker)!
Stovetop collard greens: Slow-simmered the traditional way ā deeply seasoned, tender, and rich with soul food flavor.
Instant Pot collard greens: A Make-It-Your-Way shortcut that delivers the same savory depth in a fraction of the time.
How to cut collard greens: My step-by-step guide to slicing greens evenly so they cook properly and soak up every bit of seasoning.
Pot likker: That savory, seasoned liquid left behind after the greens cook ā pure gold. Spoon it over rice, dip cornbread into it, or save it like the treasure it is!
š Soul food red beans and rice
My red beans and rice recipe is hearty, comforting, and deeply seasoned ā a soulful side that can easily hold its own on any Christmas plate.
š„ Soul food deviled eggs ā two ways
ā¢ Classic soul food deviled eggs: Creamy, tangy, and always the first to disappear!
ā¢ Instant Pot deviled eggs: A Make-It-Your-Way method that makes peeling and prep effortless.
š Black Folksā chicken and dressing ā plus two bonus recipes
My viral chicken and dressing recipe is a dish so beloved it blurs the line between side and main. Savory, soulful, and deeply rooted in tradition.
š« Bonus recipes included
ā¢ Southern dressing variations roundup ā because every family has their way!
ā¢ Soul food Southern fried chicken ā because in many Black households, even with a full Christmas spread, we still add a āsideā of fried chickenā¦ and nobody questions it!
ā¢ Fresh cranberry sauce ā because no Christmas plate is complete without something bright, bold, and beautiful to cut through all that rich holiday flavor.
āļø Inspired by this story? Hereās what Iāve learned:
š¬ Shaunda says:
āSide dishes are never just sides in soul food. Theyāre the heartbeat of the holiday table.ā āShaunda Necole
They carry memory, personality, and love.
Whether theyāre made from scratch, in the Instant Pot, or doctored up with intention, what matters most is that theyāre shared. Thatās legacy on a plate!
š āØ Before you go...
If youāve been loving my Soul Food Christmas Recipe Series (catch up with the Main Dishes, here), just know ā this is only the beginning!
Iām bringing all of this flavor, history, and modern soul food wisdom together in The Soul Food Pot Cookbook, coming to bookstores in 2027.
Subscribe to The Soul Food Stack so you donāt miss a recipe, a story, or a delicious milestone on this journey! ā¤ļøāØš