Cornmeal
Crispy Buttermilk-Fried Catfish
The best fried catfish starts like fried chicken, with a seasoned buttermilk soak. Once fried to a golden brown crisp, serve with ketchup and this pickle-studded rémoulade.
By Kendra Vaculin
Upside-Down Cornbread
Experience the joy of warm, cheesy cornbread with caramelly bursts of corn kernels.
By Rachel Gurjar
Tamale Pie
Neither a tamale nor a pie, this cozy Tex-Mex casserole is a mash-up of beefy bean chili and homemade cornbread.
By Shilpa Uskokovic
Cornmeal-Crusted Sweet Potato Wedges
Thanks to a clever coating of nutritional yeast, cornmeal, and spices, these baked sweet potato wedges are actually crunchy.
By Shilpa Uskokovic
Lemon-Pepper Catfish Nuggets With Peperoncini Dip
Buttermilk-soaked catfish gets superlatively crispy thanks to a rice-flour dredge, a tasty nod to both Juneteenth and Black fish-fry food traditions.
By Nicole A. Taylor
Creamy Ricotta Gnocchi
This foolproof recipe for ricotta gnocchi turns out pillowy dumplings with a delicate chew. The lemon-cream butter sauce is just right for any occasion.
By Michelle Bernstein
Cornbread Cheddar Biscuits
Enjoy the best of both worlds with this savory mash-up that plays well as a side on the holiday table—or as the star that it is.
By Inés Anguiano
Cachapas
These savory-sweet Venezuelan cheesy corn pancakes are endlessly customizable, making them the ultimate kid-friendly recipe or WFH lunch.
By Gaby Melian
Cheesy Cornbread With Tomatoes
This highly portable cornbread filled with salty, creamy feta is an ideal companion to any BBQ, potluck, picnic, or other summertime gathering.
By Zaynab Issa
Sos Pwa Nwa and Mayi Moulen
This deeply comforting Haitian meal consists of sos pwa nwa, black bean sauce enriched with coconut milk, served alongside mayi moulen, a creamy cornmeal porridge flavored with garlic and herbs.
By Lesley Enston
Ricotta Cornmeal Pound Cake
Ricotta adds a buttery richness and bit of tang to this cake, but you can substitute full-fat cottage cheese.
By Roxana Jullapat
Corn and Crab Beignets With Yaji Aioli
This ode to Gullah Geechee cuisine marries crabmeat with corn kernels for a crispy party starter.
By Marcus Samuelsson
Hallacas
In this Venezuelan holiday dish, masa is filled with a shredded chicken and beef stew, then wrapped in fragrant banana leaves and steamed—like a tiny present.
By Claudia Martinez
One-Skillet Mushroom Cornbread Stuffing
This gluten-free stuffing has all the familiar aromatics and flavors baked right into cornbread batter, resulting in a crunchy, craggly, super-savory side dish.
By Andy Baraghani
Giant No-Flip Blueberry Pancake
Making one giant pancake instead of a bunch of smaller ones means that everyone can sit down to pancake breakfast at the same time.
By Carla Lalli Music
Strawberry Snacking Cake
Don’t be surprised at how quickly this olive oil and cornmeal-enriched sheet cake will disappear.
By Sarah Jampel
Brown Butter Corn Flake Cake
Corn cake three-ways: fresh corn kernels, a little bit of cornmeal, plus crunchy Corn Flakes.
By Rick Martinez
Cornmeal Jalapeño Biscuits With Mushroom Gravy
This will take you back to the flavor of all those canned cream-of-mushroom-soup-based casseroles, but without all the weird ingredients!
By Chris Morocco
Tamale Pie With Mint Yogurt
Ras-el-hanout is a Moroccan spice blend that contains several warming spices (such as cinnamon and nutmeg) with a little ginger and chile for heat. If you can’t find it, use garam masala instead.
By Andy BaraghaniPhotography by Alex Lau