Golden brown and served year round hush puppies are a classic side dish that compliments southern comfort food. This cozy down-home classic is rumored to have originate from New Orleans, Louisiana.
What is a Hush Puppy?
Hush puppies are hand rolled balls of corn meal that are then dipped in batter then deep fried. They are a common side that compliments comfort dishes. You can find them at just about any restaurant throughout Louisiana. These fried bite sized balls are served with fried catfish plates, grouper plates, flounder plates (my favorite), fried oysters, fried shrimp, po boys, seafood boils, fried chicken, even barbeque.
Were Hush Puppies made in the south?
There are several conflicting stories about their origin. Southern Living wrote a fantastic article about the different legends. My favorite is about French nuns who came to New Orleans in the early 18th century. They discovered cornmeal from local Indian tribes and eventually created dough-based patties named croquettes de maise.
Another story is that fishermen would cook them with their catch. Many early southern settlers had dogs and hush puppies were an inexpensive and quick way to give man’s best friend a little snack without having to sacrifice any fish.
Why You’ll love this Recipe
- Easy. You won’t need any fancy tools like a deep fryer or air fryer or complicated ingredients because the ingredients are all readily available at the grocery store.
- Flavorful. This is down-home southern comfort food at its best. Packed with flavor in each in every bite. From the cornmeal itself with a delicate corn taste, to the dry seasoning and spices like garlic, pepper, and salt, and fresh ingredients like chives, onion, and corn.
- A versatile side dish. Pair it with a variety of fresh or fried fish, seafood dishes, burgers, sandwiches, and more.
- A filling appetizer. Looking for the perfect prelude to your meal? Hush puppies allow for a lot of room to transform the flavor. Want to serve it for a Sunday brunch with the girls? Nix the pepper, garlic, onion, chives, and corn, and add some sugar or monk fruit for sweetness with a little cinnamon, and perhaps a touch of vanilla then pair it with a sweet dipping sauce below.
How to Make Hush Puppies the Correct Way
- Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, mix together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a hint of sugar.
- Add in the Good Stuff: Toss in diced onion, jalapeño peppers, chives, and some corn for extra flavor.
- Mix in the Wet Ingredients: Stir in buttermilk and an egg until everything is well combined.
- Rest the Batter: Let the mixture sit for about 30 minutes.
- Heat the Oil: Warm up oil in a large dutch oven until it reaches 330℉.
- Fry the Hush Puppies: Carefully drop spoonfuls of the batter into the hot oil.
- Golden Perfection: Fry until they turn a beautiful golden brown and are crispy.
- Enjoy: Serve these delicious Hush Puppies with your favorite dipping sauce (keep scrolling for some amazing sauce ideas!).
Ingredients in Making Homemade Hush Puppies
I’m using yellow cornmeal. I find a good ratio to hush puppies is 1:1 ratio of cornmeal and flour. Using yellow cornmeal will offer plenty of flavor and texture to the final product. If too much cornmeal is used to make them, they will turn out more dense, or even fall apart which is why flour is typically used in combination with cornmeal to make them.
For additional rise, I’m using self-rising flour. Self rising flour uses a combination of all-purpose flour, and baking powder. It will produce hush puppies that are lighter and more airy verses using just cornmeal or all-purpose flour.
True southern recipes use buttermilk because it contains an acid that reacts to the alkaline properties of baking powder. In addition to it’s leavening power, buttermilk adds flavor, moisture, and tenderization. This is because buttermilk’s acidity breaks down proteins in flours gluten chain, resulting in better texture.
Imparting extra flavor comes from using salt, pepper, garlic, onion, and chives.
Finally, using egg is a must. It not only aids in binding the ingredients together, but it lends a richer flavor to the fried good.
Hush Puppy Dipping Sauces that will excite your taste
While eating hush puppies without a dipping sauce or cream is no crime, pairing it with one that blends or ties in to the type of cuisine it is served with will make a delicious statement. From Cajun country, to the deep south, from low country to tex-mex, the Ozarks, and beyond, you’ll find each subregion of the south serving these crispy deep-fried cornmeal balls with different dipping sauces that will tempt your taste buds with something delicious. I have traveled all over the southern United States and beyond, and can testify to each and every one of these sauces, and condiments I’ve included below.
Classic and Traditional Dipping Sauces
- Tarter sauce: This is a staple that you’re likely to find in New Orleans at places like ACME Oyster House. In fact, you’ll find this delicate fried treat most commonly served in oyster and seafood restaurants where deep fried food is on the menu.
- Ketchup: A lot of good folks enjoy plain ole’ ketchup and hush puppies together.
- Horseradish sauce: You’ll just need a little horseradish, sour cream, and any extra chives or green onions to make this sauce. My husband is a big fan of pairing these two together.
- Salad dressings: Blue cheese, ranch dressing, western dressing, thousand island dressing, Chick-fil-A sauce, or (Louisiana) Comeback sauce. Pro tip: Add a touch of garden herb seasoning, or hot sauce, or Cajun seasoning to ranch dressing to give it additional flavor.
Regional Flairs Tried and Approved
- Remoulade: This one is served in upscale New Orleans eateries. Cajun’s particularly pair these two together.
- Honey mustard: It’s great with fried chicken tenders, and it’s even better with a little Cajun or Creole seasoning added to the honey mustard sauce to give it a little kick of heat and flavor.
- Spicy mayonnaise dipping sauce: Mix your favorite mayo with a little sriracha (or a favorite hot sauce, perhaps) and black pepper.
- Pimento cheese: My southern appetite delights in dipping freshly hot and homemade corn balls in another southern delicacy; pimento cheese.
- Gravy: Leave it to Wisconsin to come up with this one. You’ll find this classic combination available at Gooonies Fish & Beer Shack food stand at the annual Wisconsin State Fair mixed with a touch of oyster sauce.
Make it Sweet Dipping Sauces to try next
- Honey butter: I’ve been to a few hip restaurants in the south that serve this delicacy with honey butter, with a touch of cinnamon, and a fruit compote on the side like blackberry, or blueberry. For a spicy twist, try hot honey. It’s widely available at the grocery store right next to regular honey as well as at Costco.
- Berry compote sauce: This is becoming a very trendy dip to serve with hush puppies. I’ve mostly found it at airy, aesthetically pleasing brunch locations that have a great vibe and a modern meets old-school eats.
How to transform savory hush puppy dough to something sweet in no time. Nix the pepper, garlic, onion, chives, and corn, and add some sugar or monk fruit for sweetness with a little cinnamon, and perhaps a touch of vanilla then pair it with a sweet dipping sauce like maple syrup or the other options listed above.
TIPS ABOUT THE RECIPE
- Chop your vegetables first – I find this saves time when assembling the recipe. Another option I utilize when short on time is using a food processor to chop the jalapenos, and onion.
- Corn is optional – whole corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned) is totally option to personal taste. No changes are needed.
- Slower fry – I tried this recipe several times and quickly decided on changing the temperature of the oil. While a higher temperature may seem more appropriate, it left the dough uncooked in the center. Setting it to a lower temperature allows the outside to brown and crisp slower, allowing for more time for the center to cook thoroughly.
- Leftovers – these crispy fried corn balls hold up well and reheat wonderfully in the air fryer or microwave. Store them on a plate or ziplock bag after they come to room temperature.
Other Recipes
- New Orleans Creole Butter Smoked Sausage Kolaches
- Red Beans and Rice
- Baked Lemon Garlic Red Snapper Fish
- Dirty Rice {From a New Orleans Local}
- Creole Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya {From a NOLA Local}
- Cornbread dressing
Traveling to New Orleans? People ask us for recommendations all the time. Check out our post…
Homemade Hush Puppies
Equipment
Ingredients
Hush Puppy Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup self-rising flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ large yellow onion finely diced
- 2 jalapeño peppers seeded and diced
- 2 tbsp chives or green onion minced
- ¼ cup corn drained, patted dry, and chopped
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- canola oil for frying (I like to use 64 oz; about 8 cups) but use anywhere between 3-8 cups
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, self-rising flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and sugar. Whisk to mix ingredients well.
- Add ½ of the chopped yellow onion, diced jalapeño peppers, and diced chives.
- Drain canned corn. Measure out ¼ cup sweet corn and place on a bed of paper towels or kitchen towel to remove extra moisture from the corn. Add corn to bowl.
- Pour in buttermilk. Add egg to bowl.
- Stir just until moistened.
- Set bowl aside at room temperature for 30 minutes. Do not stir hush puppy dough again.
- Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat to 330℉.
- Working in batches, drop spoonfuls of batter (I use 2 tablespoon cookie scoop) into the hot oil, separating any dough that clings together. Do not overcrowd the surface area.
- Fry low and slow until deep golden brown in color on all sides, crispy, and fully cooked inside.
- Transfer fried corn balls to a cooling rack to preserve crispy texture. Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve plain or with a dipping sauce (see post for ideas).
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate and it’s accuracy is not guaranteed to be exact.
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6 Responses
Can these be made in an Air Fryer?
I think they probably could be made in the air fryer, but I am not exactly sure how it would be done. This recipe is designed to make them perfectly in the oven. Feel free to try it and let me know though!
I love hush puppies. I never paid attention when my mom made them. These sound delicious!!
I hope you try and make them. They are easy and delicious!
Sounds delicious ! I’m from N. O., La. & never heard of adding Corn to the batter.
I don’t like Jalapeños so I will leave that out. I don’t believe that will change the recipe that much. Thanks !
I have seen some BBQ joints serve them with kernels of corn mixed into the batter. I still like it the classic way. Thank you for the comment!