28 Potluck Recipes to Celebrate Black History & Culture

It's not uncommon for cultures to use food as a means to further define who they are. So I ask the question: What is "black food"? Most wouldn’t think twice if someone answered with fried chicken, collard greens, and cornbread—all examples of traditional soul food. However, each year, along with Aaron Hutcherson (of The Hungry Hutch), I coordinate a virtual potluck in celebration of Black History Month, where 28 bloggers contribute original recipes from the vast African Diaspora.

Every year I'm amazed by the sheer ingenuity, thoughtfulness, and wide cultural reach of each dish and story. From Guava short ribs (Caribbean) to mbuzi choma (East African) to chicken and sausage gumbo (Southern American), a range of traditional recipes are represented in this year’s list. While not explicitly called out, what's also represented is the influence of black migrations. The historical movement of African peoples to new destinations has led to diasporic fusions, brand-new cuisines, and a thousand rich food stories. Take, for instance, A Dash of Jazz’s "Soul Food Power Bowl," a hybrid of flavors from her mom’s Southern roots and her dad’s Nigerian roots.

What becomes more evident each year we do this potluck is that centuries of black migration have given today’s foodies a more personal yet diverse lens into their families' food customs. So when asked, "What is 'black food'?" I hesitate to answer because it appears that we're constantly in the process of redefining what that means.

To start, check out our list of participants in this year’s Black History Month Virtual Potluck, a rich representation of black culture through food:

1. Beyond the Bayou's Mackerel Balls With Biscuits & Cane Syrup

"Similar to crab cakes, these Creole mackerel balls are the perfect start or end to any day. Make sure to serve with ample amounts of hot sauce, buttermilk biscuits, and cane syrup."

2. Beautiful Eats & Things's Okra, Corn & Tomato Chicken Stew

"This recipe brings back memories of my childhood. My mom would make okra, corn, and tomato soup after getting fresh produce from the farmer's market."

3. Bsugar Mama's Red Beans and Rice

"A shorter way to make red beans and rice without compromising on flavor, this delicious comfort meal feeds a whole family."

4. Butter Be Ready's Caribbean Curry Goat with Rice and Peas

"This rich and satisfying Caribbean curry goat, best served alongside rice and peas, is cooked until tender with fresh spices and so much flavor in every bite."

5. D.M.R. Fine Foods's Spice-Roasted Chicken

"Not your grandmother's roast chicken, this spiced chicken packs a flavor punch, crispy skin, and tender, moist meat, bite after bite. It's what comfort food dreams are made of."

6. Dash of Jazz's Soul Food Power Bowl

"Colorful, flavorful, soulful power bowls are made with lemon pepper shrimp, tender collards, caramelized sweet potato, spicy okra, and fluffy yellow rice. These are packed with protein, nutrients, and energy and inspired by hybrid meals from my Nigerian-American upbringing in the Deep South."

7. Cooks with Soul's Boudin Balls

"This Cajun boudin egg roll recipe features pork, chicken liver, rice, and seasonings, and is served with a side of homemade remoulade sauce. Traditional Louisiana boudin is served in sausage casings and steamed; however, we've stuffed the meat and rice mixture in egg roll wraps and fried them."

8. Dish It with Tisha's Jamaican Curry Chicken

"This comforting chicken recipe is full of flavor and perfect for any occasion, from weeknight dinners to weekend potlucks."

9. First and Full's Homemade Peach Pie

"A flaky pie crust, filled with peaches tossed in brown sugar, cinnamon, and a little lemon juice. The filling starts to bubble, the latticed top starts to brown, and the entire house smells like Sunday after church."

10. Eat.Drink.Frolic's Bourbon and Sweet Potato Pie

"Sweet potato pie is a staple in the black kitchen, but what if we added bourbon? Yep, bourbon sweet potato pie is just as divine as the original."

11. Foodie in New York's Chess Pie

"Simple yet unforgettably delicious, this old-fashioned chess pie is a classic Southern staple dessert that comes together beautifully with minimal effort."

12. Domestic Dee's Fried Chicken Sliders

"These fried chicken sliders are crispy, juicy and packed with flavor. Serve them at room temperature or pipping hot, served on buns and topped with a creamy slaw."

13. Food Fidelity's Nashville Hot Shrimp Sandwich

"Nashville hot chicken meets Japanese ebi katsu burger for a spicy, succulent panko-crusted shrimp sandwich with a collard green slaw."

14. Immaculate Bites' Pimiento Cheese

"A blend of sharp Cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, and spicy pimiento peppers, this creamy cheese spread is quintessential Southern food and goes perfectly with crackers, veggies, sandwiches and burgers."

15. Kaluhi's Kitchen Pili Pili and Rosemary–Marinated Mbuzi Choma with Kachumbari

"Mbuzi choma (roast goat) and kachumbari are two meals in combination that are distinctly and loudly Kenyan. Always present in every celebratory banquet, my recipe gives it a clever twist to the Kenyan classic."

16. Food Is Love Made Edible's Smothered Okra with Chicken and Smoked Sausage

"There is no meal that makes me think of both of my grandmothers more than smothered okra. The taste and smell immediately bring me back to visiting them both here in Louisiana as we grew up in Alabama."

17. Kenneth Temple's Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

"There's nothing more New Orleanian than a good gumbo. This recipe is packed with herbs, spices, chicken, shrimp, ham, tasso, sausage, crab, okra, stock, hot sausage, roux, and of course the aroma."

18. Savory Thoughts' Haitian Patty

"Spicy, flavorful beef gets stuffed in puff pastry dough for a delectable Haitian specialty."

19. The Seasoning Bottle's Guava Short Ribs

"These braised ribs are rich, sweet, smoky, and spicy, thanks to the addition of guava paste and ancho chili powder. The key to tender short ribs is to sear them and simmer in red wine and beef broth."

20. Simply LaKita's Fried Okra

"Dredge fresh cut okra in a seasoned cornmeal and flour mixture before frying in hot oil to form a delicious, crispy, crunchy bite."

21. Sweet Tea & Thyme's Spiced Peach Shortcakes

"Spiced shortcake biscuits sop up sweet peach juice and are topped with a hearty dollop of whipped cream and candied nuts for a twist on Southern classics."

22. Meiko and The Dish's Hot Buttered Rum Biscuits

"Step aside biscuits and honey—this recipe for hot buttered rum biscuits is your new favorite. With warm cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg, just like a hot buttered rum cocktail, these biscuits will warm your heart and please your belly."

23. That Girl Cooks Healthy's Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce

"Heat seekers will love this vinegar-free version of my flaming hot Caribbean-style Scotch bonnet pepper sauce."

24. The Hungry Hutch's Cornbread Dressing

"Cornbread is mixed with sautéed vegetables and stock to make this sweet Southern side dish staple."

25. My Life Runs on Food's Southern-Style Caesar Salad

"A lighter twist on the classic Caesar salad, my version has curly kale, black-eyed peas, and corn with an anchovy-yogurt dressing. Cornbread croutons get tossed through for a sweet Southern finish."

26. Rosalynn Daniels' Beef Shank Osso Buco

"This is a great way to make easy osso buco as a one-pot dinner option."

27. Marisa Moore Nutrition's Sweet and Spicy Roasted Cabbage

"This flavorful roasted cabbage is balanced with a little heat and a touch of sweetness for a simple side dish any night of the week."

28. Whisk It Real Gud's Best Banana Bread

"This banana bread is, well, the best: moist, soft, and fluffy with a golden crusted top, BIG banana flavor that's not overly sweet. The best part? Just 10 minutes of prep and no mixer needed."

How are you celebrating Black History Month this year? Let us know in the comments below.