Y’all these are legit the best hush puppies you will ever have! These crispy cornmeal balls are beyond crispy and golden brown on the outside and tender on the inside. They are packed with so much flavor like creole seasoning, aromatic onion, herby parsley and a hint of sweetness to balance out the savory. I ain’t playing when I say this easy hushpuppies recipe is straight up addictive.
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Listen y’all, I love a good fish fry. I grew up spending my summers in Winona, Mississippi where we held an annual family reunion. I can still recall feeling the summer heat while I watched the grown-ups fry up catfish to the tune of old school soul music. What I know as a fish fry expert is that no menu is complete without hush puppies, and this is the only recipe you will ever need boos.
What are Hush Puppies?
A hush puppy is basically a small, savory, deep-fried round ball made from a cornmeal-based batter.
The texture of hushpuppies is crispy on the outside with a moist, tender center. I would compare the flavor to cornbread with extra flavor thrown in the mix that’s fried until crispy. It’s almost too good to be true!
The Lowdown of this Hush Puppy Recipe
Cuisine Inspiration: Classic Southern
Primary Cooking Method: Frying
Dietary Info: Basically Vegetarian; Can be made gluten-free with an adjustment.
Key Flavor: Crispy fried savory cornbread balls
Skill Level: Easy (No Sweat Fam!)
Super Fast and Easy Y’all!
This hushpuppy recipe comes together in a flash. You can throw this together in 20 minutes max!
Beyond Versatile
Hush puppies are the ultimate side dish because they literally go with anything and everything! From a backyard BBQ to a Sunday supper, they are right at home boos.
Textures and Flavors Galore
We seasoned these babies up with Creole seasoning to add so much flavor that you will smack your lips when you taste one. And that texture is giving honey! Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside is what we aim for.
Ingredients you’ll need to make Hush Puppies
- White corn meal: This gives such a natural cornmeal flavor that’s mild yet wonderfully gritty in this recipe.
- All-purpose flour: The flour gives our hushpuppy recipe some great structure.
- Baking powder: We want nice, light and fluffy morsels so this is gonna give that nice lift.
- Creole Seasoning and Salt: We want that flavor to be kicking so this combo adds bomb flavor on flavor ya dig?
- Granulated Sugar: Sugar is gonna balance out our savory salty notes.
- Parsley: This gives some wonderful color and freshness!
- Onion: Finely diced adds such great texture and aromatic notes.
- Egg: We gotta use this to bind our ingredients and add some richness and moisture.
- Milk: Nothing moistens the batter like this!
- Vegetable Oil: This fries our hushpuppies up until perfectly golden brown.
How to make hush puppies
What to serve with homemade hushpuppies
- Get Dipping: If you want to just serve these up as a snack, get to dipping with some remoulade sauce or tartar sauce.
- Fried Up Southern Supper: Fried chicken gizzards along with some fried pickles and fried okra are delish served along with some collard greens and candied yams.
- Cornbread replacement: These are a delish side with soups, stews, and chili. I love to have these on the table with a bowl of seafood gumbo, beef stew or red beans and rice.
Recipe Substitutions
- Cornmeal: If white cornmeal ain’t around, yellow is totally fine to use.
- Baking Powder: You can add a pinch of baking soda if baking powder ain’t around but the texture might change slightly.
- Seasoning: Cajun spice can be used instead or you can use a mix of paprika, garlic powder and seasoning salt.
- Milk: You can really use any milk you have around. Even dairy free options like oat milk or almond milk will work.
- Oil: If vegetable oil ain’t around, grab another neutral oil like canola oil or peanut oil.
Recipe Variations and Additions
- Gluten-Free: Cornmeal is naturally gluten-free but check your brand to make sure. All you have to do is replace your flour with a 1:1 ratio gluten-free all-purpose flour in this recipe.
- Cheese it Up: Just a little Monterey Jack, cheddar, mozzarella or even Pepper Jack can be added for a creamy variation.
- Spice it Up: You can really up the spice by adding just a dash of cayenne pepper or some hot sauce to the batter.
- Add Bacon: Crumble up some candied bacon for a little sweetness and texture difference.
- Add Sweet Corn: If you mix in some canned sweet corn kernels, that texture will be so bomb y’all.
- Crab it Up: Switch it up with some lump crab meat folded in. This seafood twist is too good boos!
Expert Tips and Tricks for making the best hushpuppies
- Don’t overmix boos: If you mix that batter too much, you will make those hushpuppies tough and dense. Stir the batter only up until the dry ingredients become moist.
- Keep that oil temp even: In order to make those hush puppies super crispy, make sure your oil is between 350°F and 375°F.
- Rest the batter: Giving that batter 10 minutes to sit and rest will let it set up and thicken. It will also let the hushpuppies hold their shape more.
- Scoop Evenly: I like to use a cookie scoop so I can keep the hushpuppies nice and even.
- Don’t Overcrowd: Don’t put too many in a pot. It will lower the oil temperature and make your hush puppies weighed down and soggy boos.
How to store & reheat hush puppies
Homemade hush puppies are best eaten once they are hot out that grease boos. But if you have any leftovers, let them cool down and just store at room temperature for up to three days. When you wanna reheat, pop in the oven at 350° F or in the air fryer at 325° F until heated through.
How long will hush puppies last in the fridge?
They will last for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Can I freeze hushpuppies?
Yep for sure boos. Add to a resealable plastic bag and remove the air. Make sure you label with the date. They will last for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Frequently asked questions
Fun fact but back in the day, hunters and fishermen would fry up a simple corn mixture and feed it to their dogs. These easy, cheap treats were known to “hush the puppies”.
For sure boos. You can make the hushpuppy batter ahead of time and just pop in the fridge for up to 24 hours. However if you can, fry up fresh.
You probably overmixed them or your leavening isn’t fresh. When you overmix, it prevents the batter from staying super airy. The baking powder also gives a nice lift.
Ain’t nothing like homemade hush puppies when you need some Southern side dish deliciousness. They are super versatile and work in just about any menu you can dream up. The flavors are popping, the textures are amazing, and you can easily pull the recipe together in minutes.
More Southern Bread Recipes
The Best Hush Puppies Recipe
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Ingredients
- ¾ cup white corn meal
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp no-salt Creole seasoning
- 2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
- 6 tablespoons milk
- 4 cups vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, Creole seasoning, and parsley.
- Add in egg, onion, and milk and whisk until well combined. Batter will be thick. Let batter sit for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a heavy medium sauce pan over medium heat. Once reaches 360F, scoop 1 tablespoon of batter (#60 scoop) and gently add to oil. Scoop and cook six at a time.
- Cook until golden brown on all sides, about 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Allow oil to return to 360F before cooking second batch. Serve hot.
Notes
How to store & reheat hush puppies
Homemade hush puppies are best eaten once they are hot out that grease boos. But if you have any leftovers, let them cool down and just store at room temperature for up to three days. When you wanna reheat, pop in the oven at 350° F or in the air fryer at 325° F until heated through.How long will hush puppies last in the fridge?
They will last for up to 5 days in the fridge.Can I freeze hushpuppies?
Yep for sure boos. Add to a resealable plastic bag and remove the air. Make sure you label with the date. They will last for up to 3 months in the freezer.Nutrition
This post was originally published in February 2014. It has been updated with new images and content.
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Quick, Friendly, and versaTile Hush Puppy recipe. We stuffed the hush puppies with plant based chorizo, cooked according to instructions and paired them with salad greens for a complete meal.
Thanks!
ooo love that, sounds yummy!!