Hush Puppies in an Air Fryer

One of my favorite side dishes, snacks. Just a fried bit of cornbread batter, seasoned with salt and cayenne, maybe with some onion, garlic and jalapeno mixed in.

This is a perfect side dish for a fried fish dinner, say catfish, or as a bread to match a chili or thick rich stew.

I’ve rebooted this from December 2012, and updated to use the air fryer, so it is a little less messy, and a bit healthier. But again, hush puppies deep fried and smeared with a bit of bacon drippings… Hard to beat.

One MIGHT, add a bit of crumbled fried bacon into the batter, just for the taste.

I say serve with butter, some folks want to serve this with honey. At the end of the day, that does not matter, just serve these.

One thing I do miss about living “up north”, people think cornbread has to have sugar, and that hush puppies are shoes.

From Wikipedia:

A hush puppy (or hushpuppy) is a small, savoury, deep-fried round ball made from cornmeal-based batter. Hushpuppies are frequently served as a side dish with seafood and other deep-fried foods.

The use of ground corn (maize) in cooking originated with Native Americans, who first cultivated the crop. Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole cooking introduced one of its main staples into Southern cuisine: corn, either ground into meal or limed with an alkaline salt to make hominy, in a Native American technology known as nixtamalization.

Cornbread was popular during the American Civil War because it was inexpensive and could be made in many different shapes and sizes. It could be fashioned into high-rising, fluffy loaves or simply fried for a quick meal.

To a far greater degree than anyone realizes, several of the most important food dishes that the Southeastern Indians live on today is the “soul food” eaten by both black and white Southerners. … Indian boiled cornbread is present in Southern cuisine as “corn meal dumplings”, … and as “hush puppies”…

Hushpuppies are strongly associated with the Southern United States. A southern hushpuppy championship is held annually in Lufkin, Texas, and they are also available throughout the United States at restaurants serving deep-fried seafood.

Hush Puppies in Air Fryer

Savory, crispy, cornbread, air fried for less grease

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Breads, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American, Global

Servings 3 people

Calories 313 kcal

Equipment

• Air Fryer

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 138 grams Corn Meal ~ 1 cup
• 190 grams Buttermilk ~ 3/4 cup
• 90 grams AP Flour ~ 3/4 cup
• 1 ea Egg Jumbo
• 8 grams Baking Powder ~ 1.5 tsp
• 6 grams salt ~ 1/3 tsp
• 2 grams cayenne pepper ~ 1/4 tsp
• 2 grams Onion Minced
• 2 grams Jalapeno Pepper Minced
• 1 clove garlic peeled, minced

Instructions

 

• Set air fryer to 400 and preheat
• Line fryer basket with foil and lube with cooking spray
• In large bowl, mix all to a stiff mix, rest 5 minutes
• Use a # 30 disher to place puppies into air fryer basket, do not crowd
• Air fry until golden and crispy, ~9-10 minutes

Notes

I’ve used jalapeno’s here, one can sub with green pepper, one can also sub with whole kernel corn.

Serve hot, with a side of butter, or serve as a side to a chili or a stew.

I have been known to add a touch of bacon fat to the mix, I have also been know to eat these ice cold out of the fridge.

Nutrition

Calories: 313kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 9gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 1053mgPotassium: 562mgFiber: 5gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 382IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 220mgIron: 3mg

Keyword Air Fry, Bread, Jalapeno, Onion

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!