Easy Recipes for Classic Charleston Dishes

she-crab soup

We are so blessed to live an area rich with history and beautiful surroundings, but it wouldn’t be the same without the delicious, classic Charleston dishes our area is famous for.

If you’re new to the area or would like to find out how to make these scrumptious recipes at home, we want to share our 4 absolute favorites.

However, some of these Charleston dishes can be a little complicated, so we went on a mission to find some simpler recipes for these classics.

Bon appétit! 

Lowcountry Boil

With “Lowcountry” in the title, you know this is a uniquely Charleston meal. A delicious mixture of corn, potatoes, sausage, and shrimp thrown into a big pot of boiling water, this meal is quick to make and yields large portions.

Check out the recipe here.

Shrimp and Grits

You haven’t lived if you haven’t eaten your share of Charleston shrimp and grits! If you’re looking to make this classic recipe at home, it can seem a little daunting with all of the recipes available.

However, if you’re looking for a quintessential Lowcountry shrimp and grits, you absolutely can’t forget the bacon! We found an easy recipe that doesn’t lose the delicious Charleston taste.

Check out the recipe here.

She-Crab Soup

Often called Charleston’s signature dish, She Crab soup is an evolution of Scottish seafood bisque—a rich recipe that combines blue crab meat with a hearty cream soup that is finished with a dash of dry sherry.

Fun fact: the dish was served to President Taft in 1909 during his visit to Charleston to give him a taste of the local fare.

Locals enjoy the recipe year-round, but the soup is uniquely a holiday specialty in the Lowcountry.

Check out the recipe here.

Benne Wafers

Benne Wafers are a delicious example of the plantation era ingenuity—a recipe that only consists of a few primary ingredients: butter, brown sugar, flour, and toasted sesame seeds. They’re sweet, crunchy, and irresistible!

Tradition even says they invoke good luck!

Check out the recipe here.

Did we forget one of your favorite classic Charleston dishes?

Please share below!