32 Kentucky Derby Recipes That Are All Total Winners

If you love party dips like Buffalo chicken or spinach artichoke, you’ll LOVE pimento cheese. This soft, creamy spread loaded with shredded cheddar cheese and spiked with diced pimento peppers and hot sauce can be served hot or cold (so make it ahead of time!).

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To make this a truly vegan-friendly slaw, there is neither mayonnaise nor honey in the mix. We use maple to bring out the veggies’ natural sweetness and Dijon mustard helps emulsify the oil and vinegar while adding a bit of a kick in the back of your throat. Feel free to halve the amount of mustard if you already know you don’t like spice.

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You don't need a fancy smoker to make BBQ Brisket. Instead, use your grill, and then and serve it with your favorite Southern-inspired sides like baked mac & cheese, potato salad, and cornbread.

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Nothing says cocktail party like some classic deviled eggs! They're a Southern party staple and we love making them year-round.

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Every sandwich is better in slider form, especially when it comes to the southern classic Kentucky hot brown. Just like the OG version, these are piled high with turkey breast, cheese sauce, crispy bacon, and juicy sliced tomatoes. We swapped the sliced bread for a pack of soft and fluffy King’s Hawaiian rolls to make these the perfect shareable bite for an afternoon snack, dinner, or your next Kentucky Derby party.

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Fillings for Southern tomato pies always include tomatoes, mayonnaise, plenty of cheese, and Dijon mustard, but our version's got a flavorful upgrade: chopped pimiento peppers, which lend the filling all the delicious richness of pimiento cheese dip.

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This festive sparkling drink is perfect for a low-key party cocktail hour. A sort of lightened-up mint julep, the addition of a dry sparkling wine provides a pleasant brightness and effervescence that plays well with the rich, caramelized tones of bourbon whiskey.

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In the Delish test kitchen, we believe hot crab dip belongs in the party dip hall of fame. Packed with melty cheese and sweet, tender crab meat, this rich dip is the perfect opener to any party, from New Year's Eve to Kentucky Derby celebrations. While it may seem extra fancy, it's surprisingly easy to whip up this decadent dip. Ready in an hour, this is the perfect last minute app to throw together with minimal effort, and is best served hot straight out of the oven!


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Let this pie be the first thing you make to celebrate peach season. It has a flaky buttery pie crust that is so easy and makes it worth making your own! The filling is rich with spices and hint of bourbon that really makes the pie stand out. A pie is a great way to use those peaches that are still a little too firm to eat. They will break down while cooking creating a jammy, addicting filling that isn't too soft.

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This easy crostini couldn't be easier: Simply toss canned black-eyed peas with raw chopped collard greens, bell pepper, scallions, and garlic, and toss with an apple cider vinaigrette. Pile the mix onto toasted baguette slices and top with crispy, smoky pork to complete this shareable appetizer.

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Nothings says summer more than grilling over an open flame. Except the aroma of a whisky-infused homemade barbecue sauce. The grill adds subtle smoky flavor to these tempeh steaks, almost bacon-like, but there's no meat in sight. Add a cooling, creamy coleslaw and a toasted buttered bun for the perfect summer sandwich.

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Mint juleps are often only brought up around the time of the Kentucky Derby, and we think that’s a crying (neighing?) shame! Not only does the classic frosty cup and minty flavor provide a cooling freshness on a hot day, it’s also one of the best low-effort cocktails out there. It's only 3 ingredients (if you don’t count ice), and the prep couldn’t be simpler.

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The quest for perfect fried chicken is not for the faint of heart. To complete the journey to fried chicken nirvana, we went through over 20 iterations of the recipe so that you won't have to. The final result is a simple formula: a seasoned buttermilk brine + a dip in batter + a shake in flour + a dunk into a pot of hot oil = the only fried chicken recipe you'll ever need.

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Tender Yukon Gold potatoes paired with hard-boiled eggs, celery, sweet pickles, and red onion make this Southern-style potato salad the perfect sidekick for your next BBQ.

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Craving BBQ pulled chicken? Good news—this slow-cooker recipe makes it easier than ever to create delicious, tender, and extra-flavorful pulled chicken right at home with minimal effort. To really take this recipe over the top, we added brown sugar, some Italian dressing, and bourbon to create a slightly sweet, smoky sauce that you just might want to add to all your BBQ staples. You can definitely leave it out, but we think it's the best part. 😉

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Aside from mouth-watering chicken and sandwiches that make people line up around the block, Popeyes is known for their iconic, fluffy, crisp, salty, and buttery biscuits. Made for sopping up gravy or shuttling red beans and rice from point A to point B, these copycat biscuits come crazy close to the original using a few classic biscuit baking techniques and tips.

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If you’re looking for a boozy treat to get the party started, these bourbon balls are calling your name. Made with finely chopped pecans, crushed vanilla wafer cookies, and of course, bourbon, these no-bake cookie truffles highlight the flavor of the bourbon while taming its typical burn. Warning: You won’t be able to stop at one!

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Seared until deeply browned, basted in garlicky butter, and served with a dreamy pan gravy, this steak is the perfect centerpiece for any special occasion dinner, especially for all the bourbon-lovers out there.


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Banana pudding is one of our all-time favorite desserts. It's a classic Southern recipe, and for good reason; luscious layers of pudding, whipped cream, ripe bananas, and wafer cookies are completely impossible to resist.

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Oaky and sweet, with a hint of citrus on the finish, the classic whiskey Old Fashioned is truly a bourbon lover's drink. You only need a few ingredients to make this classic cocktail—sugar, bitters, and a large ice cube—so you’ve really got to make them count. Check out all our top tips to making your Old Fashioned the best it can be.

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