In the South, cold salads mean much more than just lettuce in a bowl.
A church cookbook combines two steadfast pillars of every Southern congregation: fellowship and food.
It’s not about macarons, croissants, or coq au vin.
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Think classic dishes like hashbrown casserole, chicken bog, and tamale pie.
Whether crisp or creamy, garden-fresh or gelatinous, Southern salads are as faithful as it gets.
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
CAITLIN BENSEL; FOOD STYLING: TORIE COX
A salad?
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In a casserole dish?
Yes, yes, and yes.
Nostalgic churchgoersclean this dish easy.
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Homemade Chicken Salad
Chicken salad, made the old-school way.
Southern-Style Potato Salad
Dotdash Meredith
Church cookbooks know it would be a sin to exclude this classic.
Packed with onions, celery, sour cream, and bacon, this recipe is an essential.
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They can be used as the vessel for beautiful layered salads like this one.
Plus, it’s pretty to look at too.
Grapes add even more crunch and little sweetness to the cherished pasta salad.
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Celery, bell peppers, basil, and more give it major flavor.
Pear Salad
Though it feels so wrong, it somehowtastes so right.
This retro salad deserves to be kept in the loop, if only for posterity’s sake.
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It’s made with lettuce, canned pears, mayonnaise, Cheddar cheese, and maraschino cherries.
Marshmallow Fruit Salad
Each bite of this sweet salad will deliver plenty of nostalgia.
Another magic touch: It calls for only four ingredients.
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Classic Macaroni Salad with Ham
With only two steps, this recipe couldn’t be easier.
Picnic Egg Salad
Egg salad is the most nostalgic of spreads.
This 15-minute, 5-ingredient recipe is an easy go-to rendition.
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Like many favorite traditional recipes, it includes mayonnaise, yellow mustard, and hard-boiled eggs.
Ham Salad
Nostalgic for many, ham salad is an old-school favorite.
It has frequented many a Southern church hall, as well as their beloved cookbooks.
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Creamy Overnight Fruit Salad
We’ve all seen a crystal bowl full of creamy fruit salad.
Tomato Aspic
Polarizing?
Tomato aspic hails from a time when savory-sweet gelatin salads were quiteen vogue.
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Tangy Tzatziki Pasta Salad
This Greek-inspired take on old-school macaroni salad is church cookbook-approved.
A fresh, tangy yogurt dressing gives it something special.
This 7-ingredient recipe is a no-brainer.
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Classic Cranberry Salad
Church cookbooks don’t forget the holidays.
Think of all those Christmas potlucks.
Dianne’s Southwestern Cornbread Salad
Bring layered salads back, we say!
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This recipe features delicious cornbread, convenient store-bought Parmesan-peppercorn dressing, and smoked turkey.
Tarragon Chicken Salad
Give classic chicken salad a little makeover.
Permanent Slaw
Meet the tangy side every Southerner loves.
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A Dijon-honey vinaigrette makes this 15-minute recipe cookbook-worthy.
Crunchy apples, chopped pecans, shaved Brussels sprouts, and nutty Parmesan cheese work in perfect harmony.
Citrus Salad with Spiced Honey
Can’t have a church cookbook without it: the citrus salad.
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Spiced honey is the secret in this elevated version.
This summer salad variation perfect for a picnic.
It’s like finding a timeless dress at a vintage store.
Herbed Cucumber-and-Tomato Salad
Simple and easy, this familiar salad goes with just about anything.
The vinegar-infused marinade gives a tangy touch.
Chubba Bubba’s Broccoli Salad
You need just nine simple ingredients to pull this cold salad together.
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