By Paula Deen
Tags: classics, comfort food, southern, southern cooking
Another year has come and gone, filled with lots of visits from Paula to her restaurants to spend time with her friends and host book signings galore! Paula also had a busy year traveling with her friends at Helping a Hero, where she helps them in their mission to build homes for wounded veterans. Some additional highlights of the year included some fun family vacations, a Thanksgiving dinner with Paula Deen’s Lumberjack Feud and a Christmas tree lighting with Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen, both in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Last but not least, we can’t forget the release of her latest book, Love & Best Dishes: Recipes and Stories from the Heart. It was released for pre-sale early in the year and was officially released in October. Part cookbook & part memoir, it’s her most intimate book yet, including more than 100 recipes that were hand-picked by Paula and some never-before-seen photos and never-before-heard stories. If you haven’t yet, you can pick up a copy here!
So in celebration of the end of one year and the beginning of the next, we’re once again recapping the 10 most popular recipes of 2023 on PaulaDeen.com. There’s just no better time to reflect on the most-loved recipes of the year!
Were there any surprises in 2023’s top 10? Are you shocked by any recipes that didn’t make the list? Do you see your favorite Paula Deen recipe in our top 10 for 2023? Let us know all that and more in the comments below!
10. Sweet Potato Bake Recipe– It has been a few years since this delicious holiday side dish made the list, but it’s back, y’all! Last seen in 2019, this sweet potato casserole with a brown sugar-pecan topping is a must-have on Thanksgiving and Christmas tables across the country.
2022 ranking: N/A
9. Southern Green Bean Casserole Recipe– Paula’s green bean casserole recipe clung tightly to it’s #9 position from last year. This wonderfully classic casserole recipe is making tongues and tummies happy year after year!
2022 ranking: 9
8. Southern Biscuits Recipe– There’s just nothing like a homemade biscuit at breakfast, lunch, or dinner! Down two spots from last year, Paula’s biscuits are still one of her most popular recipes. Try pairing Paula’s Southern biscuits recipe with a fabulous homemade compound butter for an extra tasty treat.
2022 ranking: 6
7. The Lady’s Cheesy Mac Recipe– Holding strong in its #7 position, Paula Deen’s Southern mac & cheese recipe remains one of Paula’s very best recipes, and for good reason! Rich, cheesy, and comforting—what’s not to love? Kids and grownups everywhere agree that it’s a must-try!
2022 ranking: 7
6. Broccoli Casserole Recipe– Broccoli, cheese & cream of mushroom soup are a match made in heaven in Paula’s popular broccoli casserole recipe. Up two spots from last year, it’s clear that this year-round staple has received year-round love from y’all! If you’ve got 10 minutes to assemble it, you’ll have a delicious veggie casserole in under an hour.
2022 ranking: 8
5. Old-Fashioned Meatloaf, AKA, Basic Meatloaf Recipe– The only main dish to crack the top 10 this year is a timeless family favorite. Paula’s classic meatloaf recipe may have slipped a couple spots in the rankings this year, but it’s as delicious as ever! It also pairs perfectly with quite a few of the other top 10 recipes for an incredible Paula Deen dinner.
2022 ranking: 3
4. Original Gooey Butter Cake Recipe– While there is no shortage of variations of Paula’s deliciously decadent dessert, there’s something to be said about a classic! This ooey gooey butter cake is so sought-after in her restaurants that it’s now offered to-go straight from most restaurants’ Paula Deen Store. It’s no wonder that it’s holding down the #4 spot again this year.
2022 ranking: 4
3. Southern Corn Casserole Recipe– It seems y’all love Paula’s veggie casseroles, because they make up 4 of her top 10 recipes this year! This incredibly easy Southern corn casserole recipe is the ultimate last-minute side dish for the holidays. While it dropped a spot this year, it’s popularity is still sky high, y’all!
2022 ranking: 2
2. Southern Peach Cobbler Recipe– From #6 to #2—y’all really loved peach cobbler this year! It’s no surprise to us that Paula’s easy no-stir peach cobbler recipe is towards the top of this list because it’s absolutely incredible (and incredibly easy to make). It’s always one of the most popular dessert choices at her restaurants, and by popular demand, Paula even made it again this year on her popular Love & Best Dishes series on YouTube!
2022 ranking: 6
1. Not Yo’ Mama’s Banana Pudding Recipe– It’s a five-timer, y’all! For the fifth year in a row, Paula’s easy Southern banana pudding recipe comes out on top! There’s no holiday or get-together where this delicious dessert recipe isn’t a crowd-pleaser.
2022 ranking: 1
See past years’ lists here: 2022,2021,2020,2019,2018,2017,2016,2015
Paula Deen- As a young girl growing up in Albany, Georgia, Paula Deen never dreamed she would become an American icon. As a young mother, Paula was living the American dream — married to her high school sweetheart and raising two adorable boys — when tragedy struck. Her parents died, her marriage failed and she began a prolonged battle with agoraphobia. With her boys in their teens and her family near homelessness, Paula took her last $200, reached deep inside her soul and started The Bag Lady, a home-based catering company that marked the start of Deen's professional cooking career. With sons Jamie and Bobby delivering lunch-and-love-in-a-bag, beginning in June 1989, Paula turned her life around by sharing what she knew best, traditional Southern cooking.
