Southern Hushpuppies are a classic side dish made with cornmeal batter and onion deep fried until they are golden brown and perfectly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.

The soft, fluffy inside of a Hushpuppy

Southern Hushpuppies

This easy recipe for Southern Hushpuppies comes straight from my grandma’s recipe box and man does it bring back a lot of memories. When we would visit Memphis in the summer my grandma and grandpa would always have a fish fry. Grandma would make cornmeal crusted fried fish, homemade french fries, and these amazing hushpuppies. Life was good!

Needless to say growing up eating homemade hush puppies from a southern grandma’s kitchen has set my standards pretty high and after all of these years I still think her hush puppy recipe is the best.

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how to make Hushpuppies

What are Hushpuppies?

Hushpuppies are made with a mixture of cornmeal, flour, onion, egg, and buttermilk and deep fried until cooked through on the inside and crispy on the outside.

It’s said the hushpuppy got its name from hunter and fishermen who would toss their dogs bits of the fried cornmeal as they cooked their catch for the day to “hush” the puppies. I don’t know if that’s true but it’s my favorite theory!

What Temperature Do You Fry Hushpuppies?

The oil temperature for frying hushpuppies should be between 350 – 375 degrees F.

How to Make Hushpuppies:

  1. Place self-rising Cornmeal, self-rising flour, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk the dry ingredients together until well combined.
  2. Add grated onion, egg, and buttermilk to the flour mixture and whisk together until the mixture comes together. Don’t over mix. 
  3. Place batter in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  4. Pour oil into a dutch oven, or large pot, until it is filled with 2 inches of oil and heat oil to 350-375 degrees F. 
  5. When the oil reaches the correct temperature drop batter by the tablespoon into the hot oil and fry. Cook for 2 minute per side or until golden brown. 
  6. Remove cooked hushpuppies from the oil with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel lined plate to remove the excess oil.
  7. Work in batches to cook all of the batter making sure not to crowd the pot.
  8. Serve hot with tartar sauce or ketchup and enjoy.

Tips for Making the BEST Hushpuppies:

  1. Grate the Onion – Grating the onion is the key to making amazing hushpuppies. I know there are recipes out there that just say to chop the onion but I think using a box grater to finely grate the onion makes all the difference!
  2. Chill Your Batter – Chilling the batter in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before beginning to fry makes it easier to scoop the batter and drop it in perfect little balls.
  3. Scoop Your Batter – I find that it is easiest to use two spoons scooping the batter up with one spoon and using the other spoon to slide the batter off of the spoon and into the oil. This keeps the shape mostly round (they will never be perfect!)
  4. Heating the Oil – To help the oil reach a steady temperature of between 350-375 degrees F. I suggest heating it over medium heat. There is a delay between shutting off the stove’s heat and the oil stabilizing so if you turn it to high heat it often overheats and you have to wait for it to cool. Use a thermometer to watch the temp and go slow.

crisp and fluffy Hushpuppies

Can You Freeze Hushpuppies?

Yes. If you want to make a bunch of hushpuppies ahead of time you can keep the in the freezer for up to three months. To do this cook your hushpuppies and let them cool completely, then wrap them in foil and store in a sealed container or plastic storage bag in the freezer.

When you are ready to use them place the frozen hushpuppies on a baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees F. for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.

perfect side of Hush Puppies for a bbq

Want More Easy Southern Side Dish Recipes?

HUSHPUPPIES
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Servings: 10
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Chill Time:: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Southern Hushpuppies

Southern Hushpuppies are a classic side dish made with cornmeal batter and onion deep fried until they are golden brown and perfectly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.
bite size Hush Puppies
Print Recipe
3.50 from 2 votes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place self-rising Cornmeal, self-rising flour, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk together until well combined.
  • Add grated onion, egg, and buttermilk to the flour mixture and whisk together until the mixture comes together. Don’t over mix.
  • Place batter in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  • Pour the canola oil into a dutch oven, or large pot, until it is filled with 2 inches of oil and heat oil to 350-375 degrees F.
  • When the oil reaches the correct temperature drop batter by the tablespoon into the hot oil and fry. Cook for 2 minute per side or until golden brown.
  • Remove cooked hushpuppies from the oil with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel lined plate to remove the excess oil.
  • Work in batches to cook all of the batter making sure not to crowd the pot.
  • Serve hot with tartar sauce or ketchup and enjoy.

Nutrition

Serving: 3hushpuppies, Calories: 136kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 18mg, Sodium: 84mg, Potassium: 129mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 55IU, Vitamin C: 0.8mg, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 0.9mg
Nutrition Disclaimer: We are not certified nutritionists. Nutrition facts are an estimate and are provided as a courtesy. They are generated by an online API which recognizes ingredient names and amounts and makes calculations based on the serving size. Results may vary.
Author: Kat Jeter & Melinda Caldwell
Course: Side
Cuisine: American
Keyword: hushpuppy recipe, southern hushpuppies, southern side dish recipe