10 of the Best North Carolina Recipes

July 26, 2019 *This post may include amazon links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

BBQ, Krispy Kreme, Cheerwine and Fresh Seafood top the list when it comes to North Carolina Food and I’ve got 10 of the Best North Carolina Recipes to share with y’all to showcase one of my favorite states!

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North Carolina is one of my favorite places to be. We lived there for a few years when Thomas was stationed at Camp Lejeune, it’s home to Wilmington/Carolina Beach which is one of my cities and we love to take day trips across the state line to NC to go shopping.

Like Virginia, North Carolina has both fantastic beaches and beautiful mountains plus tons of history! My favorite city, Wilmington, was founded around 1740! Did you know that the Mitchell-Anderson House at 102 Orange St in Wilmington was built in 1738 and is the oldest surviving building there!?

But on the other side of North Carolina you have beautiful places as well like Asheville, NC which is home to the Baltimore Estate!

So let’s see, North Carolina Food… think BBQ, Krispy Kreme, Cheerwine, Fresh Sea Food, Shrimp, Peaches, Biscuits and Gravy and more southern favorites as we dive into…..

1. DOUGHNUT BREAD PUDDING

Kick your traditional bread pudding up a notch with the addition of glazed doughnuts! Doughnut Bread Pudding replaces french bread with glazed doughnuts for an over-the-top treat. Best of all, the doughnuts do not have to be fresh. Stale doughnuts work just as well as those right out of the Krispy Kreme box.

Recipe from Big Bears Wife – Click Here for the Recipe

2. THE BEST HOMEMADE BISCUIT RECIPE

TheBEST Homemade Biscuit recipe you’ll ever try! These easy, homemade biscuits are soft, flaky, made completely from scratch and can be on your table in about 15 minutes!

Recipe from Mom on Timeout –Click Here for the Recipe

3. SAUSAGE GRAVY AND BISCUITS

Big Bear says “Pour this gravy over biscuits for the best breakfast at home you can ask for”

Recipe from Big Bears Wife – Click Here for the Recipe

4. BBQ BACON WRAPPED SHRIMP

Easy BBQ Bacon wrapped shrimp that I love making with Smokin’ J’s Fiery Foods Ninja BB Q Sauce from Asheville, NC

Recipe from Big Bears Wife – Click Here for the Recipe

5. Carolina-Style Instant Pot Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

These insanely delicious, ridiculously EASY Carolina-Style Instant Pot Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwiches are an adaptation of our crazy-popular, beloved slow cooker recipe. Inspired by our epic family beach vacations along the Eastern Carolina shore, this recipe takes just minutes to prep and is a total snap in your pressure cooker (so you can spend more time at the beach)!

Recipe from Two Healthy Kitchens – Click Here for the Recipe

6. CAROLINA COLESLAW

This creamy, sweet and tangyCarolina Coleslawis the perfect side dish to just about any meal!

7. CHEERWINE LAYER CAKE WITH EASY CHEERWINE MARSHMALLOW BUTTERCREAM

Happy 100th Birthday, Cheerwine! In honor of their Centennial, I give you theCheerwine Cakewith Easy Cheerwine Marshmallow Buttercream. Birthdays just got a bit Cheer(wine)ier!

Recipe from Pastry Chef Online – Click Here for the Recipe

8. THE BEST HOMEMADE BAKED MAC AND CHEESE

TheBEST Homemade Mac and Cheese of your LIFE. Outrageously cheesy, ultra creamy, and topped with a crunchy Panko-Parmesan topping, this mac and cheese recipe is most definitely a keeper. Three different cheese and a homemade cheese sauce to take this macaroni and cheese recipe over the top.

Recipe from Mom on Timeout – Click Here for the Recipe

9. LAZY PEACH SONKER

You are going to love thislazy peach sonker, friends. I started with a recipe for spiced peaches from my friends’ Jane Bonacci and Sara de Leeuw’s cookbook,The Gluten-Free Instant Pot Cookbook, and then I turned them into the filling for a lazy sonker.

Recipe from Pastry Chef Online – Click Here for the Recipe

10. THE LAZY SOUTHERN’S SHRIMP AND GRITS

We love shrimp and gritsbut we need quick and simple after work!This is the version that we love when we’re in a hurry or when we’ve had a super long day at work! We call this, “The Lazy Southern’s Shrimp and Grits”.

Recipe from Big Bears Wife – Click Here for the Recipe

Bonus Recipe

PERFECT GRITS AND GREENS BREAKFAST BOWL

This breakfast bowl is a copy cat of a breakfast I had at Corner Kitchen in Asheville, North Carolina a few years ago!

Recipe from Big Bears Wife – Click Here for the Recipe

10 of the Best North Carolina Recipes

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FAQs

What is a famous dish in North Carolina? ›

Smoky ribs, fresh-caught shrimp and plucked-from-the-tree peaches are just a few of the most-iconic treats that await in North Carolina.

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What's North Carolina's state food? ›

Fun fact: the sweet potato is the state vegetable of North Carolina. Pick up a sweet potato pie from Sweet and Cozy Bakery just outside Charlotte, then sip on Town Brewing's Sweet Carolina Pie – it's brewed with sweet potatoes, vanilla and nutmeg.

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What product is North Carolina known for? ›

Pepsi is probably the most famous North Carolina brand, even if it doesn't fall into the “foods” category. Its original name was Brad's Drink, first sold out of a drugstore in New Bern in 1898.

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What is North Carolina known for its? ›

North Carolina is known for: Its geographic and topographical diversity — from the highest mountains in Eastern America in the west to the amazing barrier islands of the Outer Banks and Cape Lookout, with the rolling hills of the Piedmont and the flat coastal plain in between.

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What is the most popular side dish in North Carolina? ›

North Carolina's Top Side Dish

The top five most popular holiday side dishes include mashed potatoes, stuffing/dressing, mac & cheese, yams/ sweet potatoes, and green bean casserole.

What is the state sandwich of NC? ›

NORTH CAROLINA: A pulled-pork sandwich

Just like Hawaii, one of North Carolina's best sandwiches is pulled pork, but make sure to smother it in a tangy, vinegar-based BBQ sauce.

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What candy is made in NC? ›

Red Bird Puffed Peppermints — Lexington

Named for North Carolina's state bird, the cardinal, these soft, crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth mints have been made by Piedmont Candy Company since 1933, when founder Edward Ebelein revived the brand from his previous business.

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What desserts is North Carolina known for? ›

Coconut Cake

Yes, that's right. According to this list, North Carolina's favorite dessert is coconut cake.

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Who is richest person in NC? ›

In North Carolina, the richest person is James Goodnight with an estimated $9.3 billion. Goodnight is the co-founder of SAS, which is an analytics software firm. In 1976, Goodnight and John Sall, another North Carolina billionaire, founded SAS. The two met at NC State University when Goodnight was a Ph.

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What is a Carolina hot dog? ›

Carolina style refers to an established set of condiments for hot dogs and hamburgers, originating in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont regions of North Carolina and South Carolina. The classic combination is chili, slaw and onions; locally, mustard sometimes replaces slaw, or is added as a fourth item.

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What fast food is NC known for? ›

List: 7 North Carolina Born Fast Food Chains

Cookout. Shutterstock. cookout. ...
Bojangles. Shutterstock. bojanglesVerified. ...
Biscuitville. Shutterstock. biscuitvilleVerified. ...
Hardee's. Shutterstock. hardeesVerified. ...
CharGrill. Shutterstock. chargrill_cary. ...
Smithfield's Chicken 'N BBQ. Shutterstock. serafindavid3. ...
Krispy Kreme. Shutterstock.

Mar 30, 2022

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What fruit is NC known for? ›

(a) The official fruit of the State of North Carolina is the Muscadine grape (Vitis genus). (b) The official red berry of the State is the strawberry (Fragaria genus).

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What soda was invented in North Carolina? ›

Pepsi. Pepsi-Cola got its start in New Bern, where pharmacist Caleb Davis Bradham invented the beverage in 1898 as a refreshing remedy for indigestion. Today, the Birthplace of Pepsi store stands at the same site where Bradham's Drug Store once operated.

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What is North Carolina's most common nickname? ›

North Carolina is known as both "The Old North State" because of its division into North and South Carolina in 1710 and "Tar Heel State." The origins of the "Tar Heel" nickname point to North Carolina's production of naval stores like tar but may also have roots in battle lingo because "the soldiers of North Carolina ...

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What did Native Americans eat in North Carolina? ›

Animal bones found in cooking pits and trash dumps show they ate deer, bear, raccoon, opossum, rabbit, turkey, and turtle. Fish and shellfish—such as clams and oysters—formed an important part of these American Indians' diets. Archaeologists made one unusual find in Onslow County in 1995.

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