Squash Puppies
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Inspired by classic Southern hush puppies, Squash Puppies are crisp and golden on the outside, tender on the inside, and packed with yellow squash, sweet onion, and just a touch of jalapeño. They’re easy to make, pair beautifully with anything from the grill, and will be one of the first things to disappear!
“The Squash Puppies were delicious! This recipe is a keeper!”
Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
Yellow Squash Puppies combine the best of summer produce with classic Southern comfort. Whether you’re serving them with a backyard cookout or enjoying them as a snack, they’re sure to disappear fast.
They’re:
- A delicious way to use fresh yellow squash. Perfect when your garden is overflowing, or the stand at the farmers’ market was a little too tempting.
- Full of Southern flavor. Sweet onion, yellow squash, and a touch of jalapeño create the perfect balance. They’re crispy on the outside and tender on the inside for the perfect hush puppy texture.
- Chef-tested and reliable. Detailed instructions and helpful tips ensure great results every time.
- Versatile. Serve them with fried fish, barbecue, burgers, or enjoy them as a snack with your favorite dipping sauce.
Grab some yellow squash and let’s get cooking!
How to Make Squash Puppies:
Recipe Ingredients:
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this squash puppies recipe. The exact quantities are on the recipe card below.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
- Yellow Squash: You’ll need 6 medium yellow squash, or approximately 2 pounds. Although zucchini and yellow squash are often used interchangeably, I recommend sticking with yellow squash for its buttery flavor.
- Jalapeño: The jalapeño doesn’t make the squash puppies overly spicy. It adds fresh flavor and a little warmth. It can be omitted if you’re sensitive to heat. Or, remove the seeds and white membrane for gentle heat.
- Buttermilk: Use whole buttermilk. You can use whole milk, but I recommend the tanginess of buttermilk. If you don’t have buttermilk, pour 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice into a measuring cup and add enough whole milk or half-and-half to reach the 1-cup line. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. I don’t recommend using less than 2% milk as a substitute.
- Self-Rising Cornmeal Mix: A pre-blended baking blend of cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. If you don’t do a lot of Southern-style baking, make your own using the following ratios:
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon white or yellow cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Seasoned Salt: It is possible to find seasoned salt without additives; the 365 brand at Whole Foods is simply sea salt, paprika, granulated garlic, granulated onion, celery seed, oregano, and turmeric.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Gather and prep all the ingredients.
- Combine the yellow squash and onion in a shallow saucepan. Pour the water over the squash and onion, cover, and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Cook the yellow squash and onion for approximately 20 minutes or until very tender. Add the chopped jalapeno and stir. There’s no need to cook it further — the residual heat will soften the jalapeño.
- Transfer the vegetables to a colander set over a bowl and let drain until cool enough to handle. (Excess moisture will prevent the fritters from holding together.)
- While still in the colander, mash the vegetables with a potato masher to press out additional liquid. Discard the liquid and any seeds that fall through. You should have about 2 cups of mashed squash.
- Whisk the buttermilk and beaten egg together in a small bowl. Combine the self-rising cornmeal mix, all-purpose flour, and seasoned salt in another bowl.
- To the bowl with the yellow squash, add the buttermilk mixture and the dry ingredients.
- Stir just until combined. The batter should be thick enough to hold its shape when dropped from a spoon. Set a cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet.
- Heat approximately 1/2-inch of oil to 350 degrees in a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron. Working in batches, drop rounded tablespoons of batter into the hot oil and gently flatten slightly with the back of the spoon. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until golden.
- Transfer to the cooling rack to let the fritters drain and immediately sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Serve immediately on their own or with a remoulade!
Chef Tips and Tricks:
- Cook the squash and onion until they’re very tender. You want to be able to mash the squash easily in order to achieve a tender interior.
- Although I’m not a fan of cooking squash in water, doing so rather than sautéing it in oil lets you drain the water away. Sauteeing would leave oil residue in the batter, which can make the squash puppies heavy.
- Drain the cooked squash thoroughly in a colander. Excess moisture can make the squash puppies too soft or cause them to fall apart when frying. I then mash the squash in the colander so that any watery juices and soft pulp drain away, leaving the thicker squash behind.
- Don’t overmix the batter. As with most baking recipes, stir just until everything is combined and moistened to keep the puppies tender.
- Use a small scoop such as a cookie scoop to create evenly sized squash puppies so they cook at the same rate. After they hit the oil, flatten them slightly, but don’t make them a pancake. Don’t overcrowd the pan and fry in batches so the oil temperature stays consistent.
- Drain on a wire rack set over a rimmed sheet pan. A rack keeps the bottoms crisp better than paper towels. If desired, place the finished squash puppies in a low-temperature oven at 170 degrees or the lowest setting on your oven.
- Sprinkle with salt while they’re still good and hot from the oil; this helps the salt adhere.
Recipe FAQs:
Fresh yellow squash gives the best texture, but yes, you can use frozen yellow squash. Be sure to thaw it completely first. Thaw it completely and drain it very well, squeezing out as much excess moisture as possible. If the squash is raw, simmer with the onion until it’s very tender as directed in the recipe. If it’s already cooked, simply mash it after draining and continue with the recipe. If you prefer not to cook the onion, substitute finely chopped scallions and stir them into the batter with the squash.
The most common cause is that the squash wasn’t drained enough. Be sure to drain it thoroughly after cooking, then mash it in the colander so any watery pulp and excess liquid drain away. The batter should be thick enough to hold its shape when scooped. If it seems too loose, stir in a little more cornmeal mix, one tablespoon at a time. Also, make sure the oil is fully heated to approximately 350 degrees before frying, as batter added to oil that’s too cool is more likely to spread and break apart.
Leftover squash puppies reheat very well in a 350-degree oven or air fryer and only need about 10 to 12 minutes. Avoid microwaving.
Yes! For the best result, freeze on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet until firm, then place in a freezer zipper-top bag. Reheat directly from frozen; simply add a few extra minutes to the reheating time stated above.
OPTIONAL ADD-INS:
- 1/2 cup grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese. Because cheese adds richness and moisture, you may need to add a tablespoon or two of cornmeal if the batter seems loose.
- Corn – 1/2 cup gives you pops of sweet corn without changing the texture.
- Scallion – Instead of the cooked onion or in addition to it.
- Cajun seasoning – In place of or alongside the seasoned salt.
- Fresh herbs such as chives, parsley, or basil.
Serve with:
- Baked Catfish Pecan Meuniere and Spicy Sauteed Greens
- Cajun Butter Shrimp
- Black-Eyed Pea Soup
- Nashville Spicy Fried Chicken Recipe
More great Southern recipes!
- Shrimp and Grits Casserole
- Crustless Southern Tomato Pie
- Easy Braised Southern Greens Recipe
- Grilled Corn Succotash
Get all my bread recipes at Bread Recipes – From A Chef’s Kitchen.
Squash Puppies
Ingredients
- 6 medium yellow squash, (2 pounds) sliced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped (1 1/2 cups)
- 1 cup water
- 1 medium jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup self-rising cornmeal mix, (yellow or white)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup whole buttermilk
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- Canola or vegetable oil, for frying
- Salt, for sprinkling over the finished puppies
Instructions
- Combine the yellow squash and onion in a shallow saucepan. Pour the water over the squash and onion, cover, and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Cook the yellow squash and onion for approximately 20 minutes or until very tender.
- Add the chopped jalapeno and stir. There's no need to cook it further–the residual heat will soften the jalapeno.
- Transfer the vegetables to a colander set over a bowl and let drain until cool enough to handle. Excess moisture will prevent the fritters from holding together.
- While still in the colander, mash the vegetables with a potato masher to press out additional liquid. Discard the liquid and any seeds that fall through. You should have about 2 cups of mashed squash.
- Whisk the buttermilk and beaten egg together in a small bowl.
- Combine the self-rising cornmeal mix, all-purpose flour, and seasoned salt in another bowl.
- To the bowl with the yellow squash, add the buttermilk mixture and the dry ingredients. Stir just until combined. The batter should be thick enough to hold its shape when dropped from a spoon.
- Set a cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet.
- Heat approximately 1/2-inch of oil to 350 degrees in a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron.
- Working in batches, drop rounded tablespoons of batter into the hot oil and gently flatten slightly with the back of the spoon. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side or until golden.
- Transfer to the cooling rack to let the fritters drain and immediately sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can use whole milk, but I recommend the tanginess of buttermilk.
- Cook the squash until very tender. It should mash easily for a tender interior.
- Cooking the squash in water lets you drain away the excess moisture. Sautéing leaves oil in the squash, which can make the batter heavier.
- Drain well. Excess moisture can make the squash puppies soft or cause them to fall apart. I like to mash the squash in the colander so the watery juices and soft pulp drain away, leaving the thicker squash for the batter.
- Don’t overmix. Stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened, keeping the squash puppies tender.
- Use a small cookie scoop to create evenly sized squash puppies that cook at the same rate. Flatten them slightly after they hit the oil, but don’t press them into pancakes. Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding and maintain the oil temperature.
- Drain on a wire rack. A rack keeps the bottoms crisp better than paper towels. If needed, keep them warm in a 170°F oven or your oven’s lowest setting.
- Sprinkle with salt while they’re still hot so it adheres to the crust.
- Reheat leftovers in a 350-degree oven or air fryer for about 10 to 12 minutes. Avoid microwaving.
- Freeze on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet until firm, then place in a freezer zipper-top bag.
- Reheat directly from frozen; simply add a few extra minutes to the reheating time stated above.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are automatically calculated using unbranded products and are estimates only. Actual results may vary based on ingredients used and portion sizes. Adjust as needed for dietary restrictions, allergies, or health concerns.
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The Squash Puppies were delicious! This recipe is a keeper!
Hi, Betty, Thanks so much and happy you loved them!! We really enjoyed these so I’m so happy someone else feels the same way! Appreciate you taking the time to come back and comment and rate.