Lowcountry Holiday Recipes: 13 Gullah Classics From Kardea Brown’s Charleston Roots

Lowcountry holiday recipes carry the flavors of the South Carolina Sea Islands, and few cooks share them with more joy than Kardea Brown. Born in Charleston and of Gullah descent, she learned to cook beside her mother and her grandmother, who comes from Wadmalaw Island. After launching a pop-up called the New Gullah Supper Club in 2015, she became host of Delicious Miss Brown, filmed at her home on Edisto Island, and in 2025 she won Daytime Emmys for both culinary instructional series and culinary host, the first African American woman to win in both categories. Here are 13 Gullah and Lowcountry dishes in that spirit, from creamy shrimp and grits and smoky red rice to Frogmore stew, she-crab soup, chicken perloo and pecan pralines, all ready for a Southern holiday table..

Lowcountry Holiday Recipes Start With Shrimp and Grits

No dish says Charleston quite like shrimp and grits, and it is the perfect opener for a holiday brunch or a cozy Christmas Eve supper. Stone-ground grits simmer slowly with milk and butter until thick and silky, then get a handful of sharp cheddar. Plump shrimp are seared in bacon drippings with garlic, green onion and a splash of stock to make a quick pan gravy that soaks into every spoonful. Fishermen along the coast once ate it as a simple breakfast; today it headlines the fanciest Lowcountry tables..

You will need: 1 cup stone-ground grits, 2 cups milk, 2 cups water, 3 tbsp butter, 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar, 1 lb large shrimp (peeled), 4 slices bacon, 2 garlic cloves, 3 green onions, 1/2 cup chicken stock, 1 tsp lemon juice, salt, pepper, pinch of cayenne.

How to make it: 1. Simmer grits in milk and water, stirring often, for 30 to 40 minutes until creamy; stir in butter and cheddar. 2. Cook bacon until crisp, crumble, and keep the drippings in the pan. 3. Sear shrimp in the drippings for 2 minutes per side, add garlic, stock, lemon juice and cayenne, and simmer 1 minute. 4. Spoon grits into bowls, top with shrimp and gravy, then bacon and green onions.

Charleston Red Rice With Smoked Sausage

Red rice is the Lowcountry cousin of West African jollof, and it shows up at nearly every Gullah family gathering. Long-grain rice is cooked in a rich tomato base with smoked sausage, onion, celery and bell pepper until each grain turns brick red and slightly smoky. The trick is to steam it gently in the oven so the grains stay separate instead of mushy. Make a big skillet for Christmas or New Year’s Day; it holds well on a buffet, and the crispy bits at the edges always disappear first.

You will need: 2 cups long-grain rice, 12 oz smoked sausage (sliced), 4 slices bacon, 1 onion, 1 celery rib, 1 green bell pepper, 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste, 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes, 2 1/2 cups chicken stock, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp smoked paprika, salt, pepper.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 350 F. Brown bacon and sausage in an ovenproof pot, then soften onion, celery and pepper in the fat. 2. Stir in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, stock, sugar and spices; bring to a boil. 3. Add rinsed rice, cover tightly and bake 45 to 50 minutes. 4. Fluff with a fork, rest 10 minutes and serve.

Golden Salmon Croquettes for Holiday Brunch

Salmon croquettes are a beloved Southern breakfast that stretches a single can of fish into a platter of crispy, golden patties, and they make a perfect Christmas morning treat. Flaked salmon is mixed with onion, egg and a little cornmeal or crackers, shaped by hand and fried until crunchy outside and tender inside. Serve them with grits, a spoonful of hot sauce and a squeeze of lemon. It is the kind of thrifty, big-flavor home cooking that Kardea Brown celebrates on her show, where she calls her viewers cousins.

You will need: 2 cans (14.75 oz each) salmon (drained, skin and bones removed), 1 small onion (finely diced), 2 eggs, 1/2 cup crushed saltine crackers, 2 tbsp cornmeal, 1 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tsp Cajun or seafood seasoning, black pepper, oil for frying, lemon wedges.

How to make it: 1. Flake the salmon into a bowl and mix with onion, eggs, crackers, cornmeal, mayonnaise and seasoning. 2. Shape into 8 patties and chill 15 minutes so they hold together. 3. Fry in 1/4 inch of hot oil for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden. 4. Drain on paper towels and serve with lemon wedges.

Lowcountry Holiday Recipes for a Crowd: Frogmore Stew

Named for a small community on St. Helena Island, Frogmore stew is not really a stew at all but a big, joyful pot of shrimp, smoked sausage, corn on the cob and red potatoes boiled in seasoned water. Everything is drained and poured straight onto a paper-lined table so everyone can dig in. It is one of the most fun Lowcountry holiday recipes for a crowd, especially for a relaxed Christmas Eve or a New Year’s gathering. Put out melted butter, cocktail sauce and lemon wedges, and let guests help themselves.

You will need: 2 lb small red potatoes, 1 1/2 lb smoked sausage (cut into chunks), 6 ears corn (halved), 3 lb large shell-on shrimp, 1/3 cup seafood boil seasoning, 2 lemons (halved), 1 onion (quartered), 4 garlic cloves, melted butter and cocktail sauce for serving.

How to make it: 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with seasoning, lemons, onion and garlic. 2. Add potatoes and cook 15 minutes, then add sausage and corn for 8 minutes more. 3. Add shrimp and cook 2 to 3 minutes, just until pink. 4. Drain, pour onto a lined table or platter and serve with butter and sauce.

Hoppin’ John for New Year’s Luck

Hoppin’ John is the Lowcountry dish of black-eyed peas and rice cooked with smoky pork, and in the South it is eaten on New Year’s Day for good luck in the year ahead. The peas are said to stand for coins, and the collard greens served alongside stand for folding money. The dish traces back to the Gullah Geechee people of the Carolina coast, where rice was grown for centuries. Simmer the peas with a ham hock until tender, then cook the rice right in that flavorful broth.

You will need: 1 lb dried black-eyed peas (soaked overnight), 1 smoked ham hock, 1 onion, 1 celery rib, 1 green bell pepper, 2 garlic cloves, 1 bay leaf, 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice, 3 cups chicken stock, hot sauce, sliced green onions.

How to make it: 1. Simmer peas with ham hock, bay leaf and 6 cups water for 45 minutes; reserve 3 cups of the liquid. 2. Soften onion, celery, pepper and garlic in a pot. 3. Add rice, peas, chopped ham and the reserved liquid; cover and cook on low 20 minutes. 4. Fluff, season with hot sauce and top with green onions.

Okra and Tomatoes, a Gullah Classic

Okra came to the Carolinas with enslaved West Africans, and it remains one of the most important ingredients in Gullah cooking. Stewed with tomatoes, onion and a little bacon, the pods turn tender and sweet, and the tomatoes cut through their natural thickness. Many families spoon it over rice as a side dish or a light meal. It brings a bright pop of red and green to Lowcountry holiday recipes and pairs especially well with fried fish, croquettes or roast chicken. Frozen okra works well in winter.

You will need: 1 lb okra (fresh or frozen, sliced), 3 slices bacon, 1 onion (diced), 2 garlic cloves, 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, cooked rice for serving.

How to make it: 1. Cook bacon until crisp, remove and crumble. 2. Soften onion and garlic in the drippings for 5 minutes. 3. Add okra and cook 5 minutes, then stir in tomatoes, sugar and spices. 4. Simmer uncovered 20 minutes until tender; top with bacon and serve over rice.

Smothered Chicken and Rice, Sunday Style

Smothered chicken is the kind of Sunday dinner Southern grandmothers make without a recipe. Seasoned chicken pieces are browned until crisp, then simmered low and slow in a rich onion gravy until the meat is falling off the bone. Spooned over white rice, the gravy soaks into every grain. It is warm, filling and easy to double, which makes it ideal for a holiday weekend when family keeps dropping by. For another cozy dinner idea, see our chicken fried steak suppers.

You will need: 3 lb bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, 1 tbsp seasoning salt, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup oil, 1 large onion (sliced), 2 garlic cloves, 2 1/2 cups chicken stock, 1 tsp thyme, cooked white rice.

How to make it: 1. Season chicken, dredge lightly in flour and brown in oil on both sides; set aside. 2. Cook onion and garlic in the same pan, sprinkle in 2 tbsp of the flour and stir 2 minutes. 3. Whisk in stock and thyme, return chicken, cover and simmer 40 minutes. 4. Serve the chicken and gravy over rice.

Creamy She-Crab Soup, Charleston’s Famous Bowl

She-crab soup is Charleston’s signature soup, a rich and velvety bisque made with blue crab meat, cream and a splash of dry sherry. Traditionally it was made with crab roe from female crabs, which gave it its name and a lovely orange color. Today many cooks add a little crumbled hard-boiled egg yolk to get a similar look. Serve small cups as an elegant first course for Christmas dinner, finished with a few drops of sherry at the table and a sprinkle of chives.

You will need: 1 lb lump crab meat, 4 tbsp butter, 1 small onion (minced), 1 celery rib (minced), 1/4 cup flour, 2 cups seafood or chicken stock, 2 cups whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 3 tbsp dry sherry, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 tsp mace or nutmeg, salt, white pepper, chives.

How to make it: 1. Melt butter and soften onion and celery for 5 minutes. 2. Whisk in flour, then slowly add stock, milk and cream; simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. 3. Stir in crab, sherry, Worcestershire and mace; heat through gently without boiling. 4. Ladle into cups and garnish with chives and a few drops of sherry.

Benne Wafers, the Lowcountry Holiday Cookie

Benne is the Gullah word for sesame, a seed brought from West Africa and long believed to bring good luck. Benne wafers are paper-thin, crisp cookies packed with toasted sesame seeds and brown sugar, and they are a classic Charleston treat. They taste like a cross between a lace cookie and brittle, and they keep for days in a tin, which makes them perfect for holiday gift boxes. Toasting the seeds first is the secret to their nutty, buttery flavor, so do not skip it.

You will need: 1 cup sesame seeds, 1/2 cup butter (softened), 1 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, 3/4 cup flour, 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt.

How to make it: 1. Toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet until golden, then cool. 2. Beat butter and brown sugar, then add egg and vanilla. 3. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt and sesame seeds. 4. Drop half teaspoons 2 inches apart on parchment and bake at 325 F for 8 to 10 minutes until golden; cool on the pan.

Lowcountry Holiday Recipes: Chicken Perloo

Perloo, also spelled pilau or pirlou, is a one-pot rice dish that has been cooked in the Lowcountry since the colonial era, when the region was famous for its rice. Chicken, sausage and vegetables simmer together, then the rice cooks right in the seasoned broth until fluffy and full of flavor. It is close kin to pilaf and jollof, and every family has its own version. Among Lowcountry holiday recipes it is one of the easiest ways to feed a big table, since everything happens in one heavy pot.

You will need: 2 lb chicken thighs, 8 oz smoked sausage (sliced), 1 onion, 1 celery rib, 1 green bell pepper, 2 garlic cloves, 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, 2 cups long-grain rice, 3 1/2 cups chicken stock, 1 tsp thyme, 1 bay leaf, salt, pepper.

How to make it: 1. Brown chicken and sausage in a heavy pot; remove. 2. Soften onion, celery, pepper and garlic in the drippings. 3. Add tomatoes, stock, thyme, bay leaf, rice, chicken and sausage; bring to a boil. 4. Cover and cook on low 25 minutes; rest 10 minutes, remove bay leaf and fluff.

Deviled Crab, Baked in Shells or Fried

Deviled crab is a festive Lowcountry party food: lump crab meat mixed with mustard, a little heat and buttery cracker crumbs, then packed into crab shells or small ramekins and baked until golden, or rolled in crumbs and fried into crunchy deviled crab balls. The word deviled simply means spicy. Coastal families often save the shells from a crab feast just to make these. They look impressive on a holiday appetizer table but come together in minutes, and they can be filled a day ahead and baked right before guests arrive.

You will need: 1 lb lump crab meat, 1 cup crushed butter crackers, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 egg, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tsp seafood seasoning, 1/4 tsp cayenne, 2 tbsp minced parsley, 2 green onions, 3 tbsp melted butter, lemon wedges.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 375 F. 2. Mix crab, 3/4 cup crumbs, mayonnaise, egg, mustard, Worcestershire, spices, parsley and onions gently. 3. Pack into cleaned crab shells or ramekins and top with remaining crumbs and melted butter. 4. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until golden; serve with lemon.

Gullah-Style Lima Beans and Rice

Butter beans, as many Southerners call lima beans, are a Gullah pantry staple, simmered with smoked meat until creamy and served over rice. The beans break down slightly and make their own gravy, so the dish is rich and comforting with very few ingredients. It is a thrifty side that tastes like home and stretches easily for unexpected holiday guests. Use frozen baby limas for speed or dried large ones for an extra-creamy texture, and finish with plenty of black pepper.

You will need: 1 lb frozen lima beans (or 1 lb dried, soaked overnight), 1 smoked ham hock or 6 oz smoked sausage, 1 onion (diced), 2 garlic cloves, 4 cups chicken stock, 2 tbsp butter, 1 tsp sugar, salt, black pepper, cooked white rice.

How to make it: 1. Simmer the ham hock with onion and garlic in stock for 30 minutes. 2. Add lima beans and cook 30 minutes (about 90 for dried) until creamy. 3. Mash a few beans against the pot to thicken, then stir in butter and sugar. 4. Season with salt and pepper and serve over rice.

Lowcountry Holiday Recipes End Sweet With Pecan Pralines

Pralines are the sweet ending of a Southern holiday spread, and in Charleston and Savannah candy makers have sold them for generations. Sugar, butter, cream and toasted pecans are cooked to the soft-ball stage, then spooned onto parchment where they set into creamy, melt-in-your-mouth candies. They make wonderful edible gifts in a tin lined with wax paper. Work quickly once the mixture turns cloudy, because it starts to set fast, and a candy thermometer makes the whole process much easier.

You will need: 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup whole milk, 4 tbsp butter, 2 cups toasted pecan halves, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp salt.

How to make it: 1. Line baking sheets with parchment. 2. Cook sugars, cream, milk and butter over medium heat, stirring, until it reaches 238 F. 3. Remove from heat, add pecans, vanilla and salt, and stir 2 to 3 minutes until creamy and slightly thick. 4. Quickly drop spoonfuls onto parchment and let set 30 minutes.