The side dish that steals the show every single time.

No fish fry is complete without a basket of hush puppies — golden, crispy little cornbread fritters with a soft, almost sweet center. The story goes that Southern cooks would toss scraps of fried batter to barking dogs to “hush the puppies.” Whatever the origin, we’re glad the tradition stuck.

What You’ll Need

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne (optional)
• ¾ cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg, beaten
• ¼ cup finely diced white onion
• 2 tablespoons finely diced jalapeño (optional)
• Vegetable oil, for frying

How to Make It

Heat 2–3 inches of vegetable oil in a deep pot or Dutch oven to 365°F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pepper, and cayenne. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg, onion, and jalapeño if using. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir just until combined — a few lumps are fine. Don’t overmix.

Using a small cookie scoop or two spoons, carefully drop rounded tablespoons of batter into the hot oil. Fry in batches of 6–8, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown on all sides — about 3–4 minutes total.

Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Season with a pinch of salt while still hot.

Serve immediately alongside fried fish, coleslaw, and plenty of hot sauce.

A Note from Belles

These are even better when you fry them in the same oil right after your trout. The flavor carries over in the best possible way.