Copycat Long John Silver's Hush Puppies Recipe
Fast food chain Long John Silver's is mostly known for serving fried and grilled seafood, but one of its most popular offerings doesn't come from the sea. Hush puppies, sometimes spelled hushpuppies, are fried balls of cornmeal that hit all the right savory and subtly sweet notes. They're one of many popular Southern appetizers worth trying, especially if you like battered and fried foods, and they're a staple on Long John Silver's menu. The origin of hush puppies and their name may be up for debate, but one thing is certain: These deep-fried bites are undeniably delicious.
Long John Silver's has quite a few locations across many U.S. states, so you may or may not be able to visit one of their locations in person to enjoy hush puppies straight from the source. But even if you can, it's still worth it to make copycat Long John Silver's hush puppies right at home, with this recipe from developer Michelle Bottalico. You'll make a batter with cornmeal, all-purpose flour, spices, and other ingredients like milk and eggs. Fresh minced onion plus onion powder add a double-dose of onion-forward flavor. Then you'll deep-fry and salt the hush puppies, and that's really all it takes. The result is a handheld bite that's perfectly soft inside and crispy on the outside — perfect for pairing with a fish fry dinner, Long John Silver's-style.
Gather your copycat Long John Silver's hush puppy ingredients
The dry ingredients you will need for this recipe are all-purpose flour, yellow cornmeal, onion powder, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar. The wet ingredients include an egg, whole milk, and minced onion. Finally, grab some canola oil or vegetable oil of your choice for frying.
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients
Place the flour, cornmeal, onion powder, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk until evenly combined.
Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients
Place the egg, whole milk, and minced onion in a separate mixing bowl and whisk to mix.
Step 3: Combine and refrigerate the hush puppy batter
Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until just combined. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 4: Heat the oil
When the batter is done chilling, heat about ½ inch of oil in a large pot until it reaches 350 F.
Step 5: Drop batter into the oil
Drop the batter 1 tablespoon at a time into the hot oil. Work in batches, leaving space between each piece, rather than overcrowding the pan.
Step 6: Fry the hush puppies
Fry the dough for about 4-5 minutes until golden, flipping halfway to cook both sides evenly.
Step 7: Drain the hush puppies
Remove the pieces from the oil and place them on a paper-towel lined wire rack to drain.
Step 8: Serve the copycat Long John Silver's hush puppies
Immediately sprinkle salt on top. Let the hush puppies cool for 3-4 minutes before serving.
What to serve with copycat Long John Silver's hush puppies
Copycat Long John Silver's Hush Puppies Recipe
These crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside hush puppies are just as good as the ones at Long John Silver's -- and you can easily make them right at home.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt (plus more for sprinkling)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 medium egg
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup minced onion
- Canola oil, for frying
Directions
- Place the flour, cornmeal, onion powder, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk until evenly combined.
- Place the egg, whole milk, and minced onion in a separate mixing bowl and whisk to mix.
- Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until just combined. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- When the batter is done chilling, heat about ½ inch of oil in a large pot until it reaches 350 F.
- Drop the batter 1 tablespoon at a time into the hot oil. Work in batches, leaving space between each piece, rather than overcrowding the pan.
- Fry the dough for about 4-5 minutes until golden, flipping halfway to cook both sides evenly.
- Remove the pieces from the oil and place them on a paper-towel lined wire rack to drain.
- Immediately sprinkle salt on top. Let the hush puppies cool for 3-4 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 403 |
| Total Fat | 21.5 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2.6 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.1 g |
| Cholesterol | 45.5 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 44.6 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.9 g |
| Total Sugars | 4.3 g |
| Sodium | 322.6 mg |
| Protein | 7.6 g |
Can I make hush puppies without deep frying them?
Although deep frying is the traditional cooking method for hush puppies, there are other options. The first alternative option is shallow frying. Rather than fully submerging the hush puppies in oil, simply pour enough oil into a frying pan or skillet to cover the hush puppies halfway or less. You'll need to turn the hush puppies at least once while they cook (more if you're using less oil) for even browning and to prevent sticking. While this method does use less oil, the hush puppies will absorb about the same amount of oil, so it's not a great solution if your goal is to make a dish with less fat.
You can also bake hush puppies. This method definitely uses less oil, but the taste and texture will be a little different. Make the batter as directed and pour it into a greased mini muffin tin. Bake at 425 F for 15-20 minutes. You could also drop rounded spoonfuls of batter into a cast iron pan and bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes. The hush puppies will be mini muffin shaped with the first method and the batter will spread out and flatten a little with the second, but the taste will still hit those cornmeal-forward, savory, and slightly sweet notes.
Finally, you can air fry hush puppies. These come out light and crispy. Line an air fryer basket with parchment paper and roll the batter into balls as best you can (or dollop spoonfuls of batter right onto the parchment) and place them on the sheet. Drizzle them with oil and air fry on 400 F for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway.
How can I customize hush puppies?
A simple way to customize hush puppies is to add spices or herbs. Creole seasoning is a fitting choice, but not the only one. Minced jalapeños or ground cayenne pepper can add heat, while fresh minced herbs like parsley, cilantro, dill, or chives can add a fresh herby flavor. For a colorful presentation, save some of the herbs to sprinkle on the hot hush puppies as soon as they come out of the oil. You can also flavor the batter with garlic powder instead of or with the onion.
For cheesy hush puppies, stir shredded cheese into the batter. Cheddar, pepper Jack, Monterey jack, and Mexican blend cheese are all good choices. Pair Mexican cheese with minced jalapeños and minced bell peppers and serve the hush puppies with salsa for a unique twist. Adding sweet corn kernels is another idea for customizing the batter. The corn adds not just a layer of flavor but some texture in each bite. While hush puppies are vegetarian and often served with fried fish, you can also incorporate fish in the actual hush puppies if you're a seafood lover. Just mix in some finely chopped shrimp or crab meat (make sure it's cooked first). Hush puppies are delicious on their own, but you can choose to serve them with a dipping sauce like Cajun remoulade, tartar sauce, ranch, or spicy sour cream for an extra level of flavor and a contrasting creamy texture.