The Tastiest Food to Serve at Your Kentucky Derby Party
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Nothing makes a party complete like choosing the right menu, and when your party has as dynamic a theme as the Kentucky Derby, the right bites will take a beautifully planned affair from good to spectacular. Considering that the annual Run for the Roses is racing toward us (it will take place on May 4, 2024, FYI) now is the right time to start thinking ahead to all of the delicious race-themed treats that will grace the table for your watch party. So slip on your Derby dress, don your most dynamic hat, and get ready to have everyone at your shindig salivating with these Kentucky Derby food ideas.
Hot Browns
First created at Louisville's famed Brown Hotel in the 1920s (some say as a hangover cure) the Hot Brown is The iconic sandwich of Kentucky. The openface affair features sliced roasted turkey on thick toast, smothered in a rich cheesy Mornay sauce and baked until bubbling. And in case that wasn't enough, the whole thing gets topped off with bacon and a slice of tomato. Trust us, your guests won't be able to get enough.
Pimento Cheese
There's a reason they call pimento cheese the caviar of the south—no elegant, southern-themed party would dare go without it. Recipes vary, and you can certainly add any upscale touches you'd care to (artisanal cheese, fire-roasted peppers, even actual caviar) but consider cheddar, pimentos, and mayonnaise non-negotiable.
SHOP NOW Blackberry Farm pimento cheese, $84.95 for 32 oz., goldbelly.com
Bourbon Balls
Simple and delicious, bourbon balls are made from a mixture of ground cookies and nuts as well as (you guessed it) bourbon, all coated in cocoa or chocolate. Because Derby Day is nothing if not an excuse to work bourbon into your menu as often as possible.
SHOP NOW Woodford Reserve bourbon balls, $45 for sixteen, goldbelly.com
Deviled Eggs
No southern party would be complete without deviled eggs. Luckily, these hardboiled eggs with a melange of seasoned yolks are not only an easy, make-ahead appetizer, they're also an endlessly riff-able crowd pleaser.
SHOP NOW Deviled Egg Platter, $29.95, williams-sonoma.com
Benedictine
Think of this Kentucky staple as an American twist on tzatziki. Made with cream cheese, cucumbers, onion, and dill, this creamy concoction can be used for everything from spreading on sandwiches and crackers to a dip for crudite.
Biscuits
Biscuits are an ideal Derby party food, not only because they're quintessentially southern, but because they're incredibly versatile. Slather them with butter (bonus points for gravy) fresh from the oven or set out room temperature biscuits with jams, cold cuts, cheeses, and dips for a make-your-own biscuit bar.
SHOP NOW Loveless Cafe biscuits, $79.95 for thirty, goldbelly.com
Beer Cheese
Give your cheese plate a Kentucky-style makeover. This hearty cheese spread is a state favorite made from cheddar, beer, garlic, and spices. The thick texture is perfect for smearing on crackers or pretzels... or just about anything else for that matter.
Fried Chicken
Thanks to a certain colonel, there are is perhaps no food as synonymous with Kentucky as fried chicken. Whether you're serving it fresh from the fryer or chilled, picnic-style, you'll want to have plenty of this finger-licking goodness on hand for the big day.
SHOP NOW Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken for 4, $110, goldbelly.com
Pickled Shrimp
Think of these acidic, briny treats as southern-style ceviche. Once a classic preservation method, marinating boiled shrimp in a mix of lemon juice and spices takes your typical shrimp cocktail to the next level—with the added bonus that all the hard work can be done several days ahead.
Burgoo
Kentucky's most famous stew is ideal for feeding a crowd. Packed with meats (a combo of beef, pork, and chicken are common) and veggies, it's an a-litte-bit-of-everything that's perfect for soaking up all of those mint juleps you've been downing.
Hush Puppies
Made of a cornmeal-based batter, these deep fried dough balls are not only a classic southern side dish for all sorts of foods, they're also perfect for a party because they're single-serve, keep well at room temp, and are highly poppable. Serve with a side of compound butter, hot sauce, or a tasty dip, and just try to find someone at the party who doesn't want one, we dare you.
Chow Chow
Southern food can get a little heavy, which is where this famous sweet-salty-acidic relish saves the day. Made from a mix of seasonal vegetables (green tomatoes are a common one) and soaked in a brine of vinegar, salt, and sugar, chow chow can give a lift to even the richest dishes.
Derby Pie
The first version of this famous pie was made in the Melrose Inn of Prospect, Kentucky, just outside of Louisville. Though the original recipe is a closely guarded secret, you can buy the chocolate and walnut filled confections online from the family that invented them.
Banana Pudding
The south has a lot of classic dessert recipes, but banana pudding stands out as a crowd favorite no matter which side of the Mason-Dixon you're on. A creamy combo of decadent pudding, vanilla wafer cookies, and bananas, it's guaranteed to get folks coming back for seconds.
SHOP NOW Martha Stewart's Banana Pudding, $99.95 for four, goldbelly.com
Hummingbird Cake
Not familiar with hummingbird cake? (Think: Carrot cake's southern cousin, packed with chopped pineapple and bananas instead of veggies) Prepare for a treat. Topped with cream cheese icing, this sweet-tangy cake will get everyone in a party mood.
SHOP NOW Savannah's Candy Kitchen Hummingbird Cake, $84.95, goldbelly.com
Mint Juleps
The perfect thing to wash down your Derby day delicacies? The race's signature drink, the mint julep, of course! The classic cocktail is made simply of muddled mint, sugar, and bourbon with ample crushed ice; and of course, a julep wouldn't be a julep if it wasn't served in a frosty metal cup.
SHOP NOW Barfly Julep Cup, $21.09, amazon.com
Oaks Lily
While juleps might be the best known cocktail from Churchill Downs, it's certainly not the only one. The Lily is the official drink of the Kentucky Oaks—the all-fillies race that takes place the day before the Derby—but its combination of vodka, cranberry juice, lemon juice, orange liqueur, and simple syrup (yes, it's essentially a modified Cosmopolitan) is still just as delicious on Derby day.
More: Kentucky Derby Cocktails for Your Race-Day Party
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