Soul food describes food traditionally eaten by African Americans of the Southern United States. Being poor, only the cheaper, less desirable ingredients were affordable; offcuts of meat, offal, catfish, chickens they raised, and only certain vegetables.
Dishes or ingredients common in soul food include:
- black-eyed peas
- catfish (normally fried with cornbread breading)
- chicken (often fried chicken with cornbread breading)
- chitterlings
- collard greens.
- cornbreads.
- ham hocks
- yams (often candied)