Southern hushpuppies are crispy on the outside, pillowy soft on the inside, and guaranteed to disappear as soon as they hit the table! Here’s how to make them at home—and without the usual egg and dairy.
What Are Hushpuppies?
Hushpuppies are a staple of Southern cuisine, especially at BBQ restaurants where they’re served alongside other favourites like homemade baked beans and mac and cheese. They’re made with cornmeal, flour, onion, and other ingredients that form a batter; the batter is then deep-fried, which makes the hushpuppies golden and crispy on the outside, while the inside stays fluffy and tender.
Compared to a lot of other deep fried sides and appetizers that require dredging or battering, hushpuppy batter is just dropped into the oil, so this is an easy recipe to make even if you’re new to deep frying!
Why You’ll Love This Hushpuppies Recipe
- Vegan. Unlike other recipes for hushpuppies, this one is completely plant-based, but non-vegans will never notice the difference!
- Easy to make. Just mix up the batter and drop it into the hot oil. So simple!
- Contrasting textures. I love how the crispy exterior gives way to a light, fluffy interior.
- Old-fashioned comfort food. You can’t beat that comfort food feel when you bite into a hot, crispy hushpuppy.
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Non-dairy milk – Whatever you have on hand, as long as it’s unflavoured and unsweetened.
- Apple cider vinegar – This curdles the milk to make vegan buttermilk.
- Flaxmeal – To bind the hushpuppies instead of egg.
- Water
- Cornmeal – Use yellow cornmeal for a golden color.
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar – Hushpuppies have a slight sweetness to them; not like a dessert, but similar to these vegan cornbread muffins.
- Baking powder – This helps you get that light, airy texture.
- Kosher salt
- Cayenne pepper – You can adjust the amount to your liking.
- Yellow onion – Grating the onion ensures it’s evenly distributed in the batter, incorporating smoothly.
- Vegetable oil – Or another oil you like to use for deep frying.
How to Make Hushpuppies
- Make the vegan buttermilk. Stir together the non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar.
- Make the flax egg. Stir together the flaxmeal with the water.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cayenne pepper.
- Finish the batter. Fold the grated onion, buttermilk mixture, and flax egg into the dry ingredients. Let the batter rest while you heat the oil.
- Heat the oil. Add about 1 quart of oil to a large, high-sided skillet set over medium-high heat. Heat until the oil reaches 350-375ºF. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet.
- Fry the hushpuppies. Use one teaspoon to scoop a ball of batter and use a second spoon to scrape it into the oil. Repeat to make enough hushpuppies to fill the pan without crowding. Fry for 3 minutes, flipping once or twice.
- Drain. Use a slotted spoon to remove the hushpuppies from the oil and transfer them to the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Tips for Success
- Use a thermometer. Keeping the oil at a consistent temperature is key for perfectly fried hushpuppies. A cooking thermometer can help monitor this.
- Fry in batches. Avoid overcrowding the pan when frying. This keeps the oil temperature stable and ensures even cooking.
- Flip for even browning. Gently flip the hushpuppies a few times while frying to achieve an even golden-brown color on all sides.
- Serve warm. Hushpuppies are best enjoyed warm, fresh from the fryer to experience their signature crispy exterior and fluffy interior.
Variations
- Add some heat. Crank up the cayenne or consider adding diced jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce to the batter.
- Incorporate herbs. Add fresh chopped herbs like chives or cilantro.
- Swap in another seasoning. Try Cajun seasoning or my BBQ spice rub (AKA Magic Dust) for something different.
Serving Suggestions
Hush puppies are a perfect fit for any home-style Southern dinner. Serve them alongside vegan mac and cheese, collard greens, and BBQ tofu for a comfort food meal. They also make for a great appetizer when paired with dipping sauces.
How to Store Leftovers
To store leftover hushpuppies, allow them to cool completely on the wire rack. Transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to one week. To reheat, bake in the oven at 350°F until they’re warmed through and crispy again.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
Yes, this hushpuppy recipe is freezer-friendly! Once you’ve fried and cooled the hushpuppies, lay them out on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer and freeze until solid. Then, transfer the frozen hushpuppies to a freezer bag or an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to enjoy them, there’s no need to thaw; simply reheat the hushpuppies in a 350°F oven until they are warmed through.
More Southern Vegan Recipes
- Vegan Black-Eyed Pea Salad
- Fried Green Tomatoes
- Vegan Sweet Potato Pie
- Chocolate Chess Pie
- Vegan Banana Pudding
Hushpuppies
Ingredients
- 1 cup non-dairy milk 240 ml
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 15 ml
- 1 tablespoon flaxmeal 7 g
- 2 ½ tablespoons water 38 ml
- 1 ½ cup cornmeal 175 g
- ½ cup all-purpose flour 63 g
- 2 tablespoon sugar 26 g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder 5 g
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt 3 g
- ⅕ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup yellow onion grated 40 g
- 1 quart vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Combine non-dairy milk with apple cider vinegar. Stir and set aside.
- Combine the flaxmeal with water. Stir and set aside.
- Let both mixtures sit for 5 minutes before using.
- In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Whisk together to mix.
- Add the grated onion, buttermilk mixture and flax egg. Fold together with a spatula until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated. Let the batter rest while you heat the oil.
- Heat about 1 quart of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until the oil reaches 350-375ºF (176-190ºC). Place a wire rack over a baking sheet and set it aside.
- Using two teaspoons, scoop a ball of the hushpuppy batter in one spoon and use the second spoon to scrape it off into the oil. Add about 6-7 hushpuppies to the oil at a time, being careful not to crowd your pan or cool the oil temperature.
- Fry for 3 minutes, while flipping once or twice.
- Remove from the oil and transfer to your wire rack to drain. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- The nutritional information does not include the oil for frying, most of which is discarded.
- To store: Allow to cool completely on the wire rack. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to one week. To reheat, bake in the oven at 350°F until they’re warmed through and crispy again.
- To freeze: Lay the cooked hushpuppies on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer and freeze until solid. Then, transfer the frozen hushpuppies to a freezer bag or an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, there’s no need to thaw; simply reheat the hushpuppies in a 350°F oven until they are warmed through.