The 31 Best Kentucky Derby Food Ideas to Make at Home, from Pimento Cheese to Fried Green Tomatoes
Ah, the Kentucky Derby, otherwise known as “the greatest two minutes in sports.” The horse racing is exciting and all…but c’mon, you know the real reason people look forward to the event all spring long is the food and drink spread. This year, bring out all the Southern and Southern-inspired stops for the tastiest viewing party imaginable. (Psst: This year, Derby Day falls on May 4, 2024.) Presenting the best Kentucky Derby food to make at home, with 31 recipes to try—from pimento cheese and fried green tomatoes to the classic hot brown.
How to Make a Mint Julep, According to the Former Official Mixologist of the Kentucky Derby
1. Deviled Eggs, Three Ways
Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
Aka the quintessential hors d’oeuvre for a Derby party. Spice up the original with roasted garlic, crispy capers and spicy sriracha. (Or go all out with the wasabi-infused riff at number 29 on this list.)
2. Mini Chicken and Waffles
Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Set down a couple dozen of these cuties with a jar of toothpicks and they’ll vanish in 30 seconds flat—that’s the easy part. The hard part is choosing between hot sauce and syrup for dipping. (Personally, I vote both.)
3. Spring Crudités with Romesco Sauce
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Sarah Copeland
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: vegan, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
This stunning mélange of seasonal produce would also taste divine with a side of benedictine spread, a dip made with cream cheese and cucumbers that originated in Louisville.
4. Rodney Scott’s Pimento Cheese
Jerrelle Guy/Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ
Time Commitment: 10 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, make ahead, crowd-pleaser, no cook, <10 ingredients
It doesn’t get more authentically Southern than this spicy app, made from freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese and diced pimiento peppers. Follow Scott’s lead by serving it with pork skins and celery for dipping.
5. Sweet Corn Spoonbread
Damn Delicious
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, <10 ingredients
Kentucky hosts an annual spoonbread festival every fall, and it’s no surprise why. Think of spoonbread as an airier, moister version of cornbread. (This recipe calls for three forms of corn, BTW.)
6. Hummingbird Cupcakes with Pineapple ‘Flowers’
Katherine Gillen
Time Commitment: 4 hours
Why We Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Hummingbird cake—a lightly spiced banana-pineapple delight—is considered a Southern classic. Served in cupcake form, these beauties are just the sweet treat to add to your Derby Day spread. Wait for the oohs and ahhs when your guests see the dried pineapple flowers.
7. Sriracha Shrimp Skewers with Collard-Peach Salad
Eleisa Johnson/The Peach Truck Cookbook
Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Trade cold shrimp salad for a sweet-and-spicy starter that celebrates Southern produce (and summer). Fire up the barbecue if it’s warm enough or use a grill pan on the stove to char the shrimp and peaches.
8. Easy Skillet Beer and Cheddar Fondue
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, one pan
Beer cheese is a Kentucky delicacy that’s typically served with crackers and raw veggies. Honor the dish with this elevated fondue that only calls for three ingredients. (P.S.: Use a bottle of dark, flat beer for bolder flavor.)
9. Everything Chicken Wings
Mellissa Sevigny/Squeaky Clean Keto
Time Commitment: 55 minutes
Why We Love It: low carb, high protein, keto-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Buffalo wings are delicious, but sticky, orange-tinted fingers definitely aren’t. Try this three-ingredient crowd pleaser on for size instead. Bonus points for mixing your own everything bagel seasoning.
10. Hush Puppies
Grandbaby Cakes
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
They’re basically little golden-brown morsels of fried cornbread. Need I say more? Feel free to add shredded white cheddar cheese to the batter.
11. Kentucky Hot Brown
Spoon Fork Bacon
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, high protein
Invented at the historic Brown Hotel in Louisville, this open-faced sandwich is piled high with turkey breast, bacon and mornay sauce, which is basically a cheese-infused béchamel.
12. Buttermilk-Battered Pan-Fried Fish Fillets
Robert S. Cooper/A Real Southern Cook
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, high protein, kid-friendly
Whether you go with flounder, grouper or trout, one thing’s for sure: You’ll be needing a heck of a lot of homemade tartar sauce and lemon to go with it.
13. Slow Cooker 13-Bean Burgoo Stew
SkinnyMs.
Time Commitment: 9 hours and 10 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, one pot
In Kentucky, burgoo is usually a communal dish served at social events or fundraisers. Traditionally, each attendee brings an ingredient to contribute to the stew. The meats and veggies can vary, but this take stars chicken, okra, corn, potatoes and lots of beans.
14. Yogurt Biscuits with Honey Butter
Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
Southern biscuits are usually all about the butter, but this recipe swaps in tangy Greek yogurt, which will keep the dough incredibly moist. Don’t worry though, they’re brushed with honey butter before baking for good measure.
15. Shrimp Boil Skewers with Corn, Sausage and Potatoes
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, high protein
Not only do these ingenious skewers minimize mess, but they’re also coated generously with spicy Cajun butter before being grilled. That's a win-win in my book.
16. Sweet Tea Fried Chicken
Grandbaby Cakes
Time Commitment: 2 days and 25 minutes (includes marinating time)
Why We Love It: high protein, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
There’s absolutely *nothing* wrong with regular ol’ fried chicken. But using sweet tea in the brine creates a delicious contrast between the sweet meat and salty breading.
17. Grits
Grandbaby Cakes
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, one pot
Any side that calls for a whole stick of butter is a side worth serving, IMO. Serve the grits with shrimp, salmon croquettes or bacon and eggs at pre-race brunch.
18. Julia Turshen’s Skillet Cornbread with Cheddar and Scallions
David Loftus/Now & Again
Time Commitment: 55 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly
Buttermilk, sharp cheddar and spring scallions make this dish a no-brainer. The cast iron skillet takes it over the top by creating the most drool-worthy crust on the cornbread’s bottom and sides.
19. Southern Collard Greens
Grandbaby Cakes
Time Commitment: 3 hours and 15 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, one pot, beginner-friendly
You could technically skip the smoky, salty ham hock to make the greens vegetarian, but it's the key to the broth's flavor. Check the collard leaves before buying to make sure they're easy to pull away from the stem and not too tough.
20. Chicken and Chicken Sausage Jambalaya
Amy Scott/Healthier Southern Cooking
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, special occasion-worthy
A few simple tweaks (brown rice instead of white, chicken sausage instead of pork-based andouille) make this Creole classic a bit healthier than the O.G. So go ahead, have seconds—or thirds.
21. Rodney Scott’s Honey-Butter Fish
Jerrelle Guy/Rodney Scott's World of BBQ
Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
Foil packets are the secret to mess-free grilling, and this butter-drenched fish is proof. Make the rib rub ahead to save time on Derby day.
22. Pimento Cheese-Stuffed Shishito Peppers
Photo: Jon Cospito/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
These are like fancier, Southern-inspired jalapeño poppers. They come together in a flash, since the recipe calls for store-bought pimento cheese instead of homemade.
23. Creamy Louisiana Cajun Shrimp Alfredo
Brittany Conerly/Everyday Grand
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Even picky kids will have no complaints about this creamy, dreamy pasta dish. You'll want to make a double batch of the no-salt Cajun seasoning to sprinkle on chicken, ribs, fish and more.
24. Peach Cobbler
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
A timeless Southern classic if there ever was one. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (but we’re guessing you already figured that).
25. Mini Caramel Pecan Pies with Cinnamon Roll Pie Crust
Photo: Jon Cospito/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
The only thing better than digging into an ooey-gooey slice of pie is having a bunch of mini pies all to yourself. Don’t forget the whipped cream.
26. Watermelon Sweet Tea
JOHN “EDGE” KOLADISH/ED MITCHELL’S BARBEQUE
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly
Using watermelon means you can cut back on the sugar for this refreshing drink. Choose a ripe watermelon that’s deep green on the outside with a cream- or yellow-toned patch (aka the ground spot). Give that spot a hard tap—if the sound is deep and hollow, the melon is ready for slicing.
27. Fried Green Tomatoes
JOHN “EDGE” KOLADISH/ED MITCHELL’S BARBEQUE
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients
Since green tomatoes are picked early, they’re firmer in texture—meaning they can hold their shape in a deep fryer. They’re tart and soft on the inside and crunchy and savory on the outside. Serve them with a zingy rémoulade or a dollop of that pimento cheese you already made.
28. Silver Dollar Corn Cakes with Smoked Honey Butter
JOHN “EDGE” KOLADISH/ED MITCHELL’S BARBEQUE
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
These poppables are served with a homemade honey butter that’s spiked with bourbon and smoked on the grill. It’s exceptionally delicious, but if you want to streamline the process, you can just use regular butter and a drizzle of honey.
29. Wasabi Deviled Eggs
DEBORAH WHITLAW LLEWELLYN/EGG ROLLS & SWEET TEA
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
Your guests will love this punchy riff on the old-school appetizer. Since real fresh wasabi is almost impossible to find stateside, the recipe calls for paste or powder. And if you can’t find either of those, you could try horseradish in its place.
30. Baked Mac-and-Cheese Bites
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Instead of a bubbling vat of mac, serve it up bite-size so your party guests can eat as many as they please. They’re good hot or at room temperature, if you want to make them ahead.
31. Easy Mint Julep
Cookie and Kate
Time Commitment: 5 minutes
Why We Love It: <15 minutes, no cook, beginner-friendly
It simply wouldn’t be a Kentucky Derby party without one of these minty cocktails. Using maple syrup instead of simple syrup means that you don’t have to turn on the stove, plus the combination of bourbon and maple is one for the books.
