Healthy Cornmeal Recipes

This easy polenta takes only a few minutes of stirring before it's left to cook on its own to creamy perfection. If you have leftovers, chill them overnight in a greased pan, slice into slabs, brush with canola oil and broil until both sides begin to crisp. Serve as a side dish at supper or for breakfast with maple syrup or honey.

These air-fryer green tomatoes have plenty of crunch thanks to a crispy mixture of panko breadcrumbs and cornmeal. We serve these "fried" green tomatoes with a classic rémoulade, but any creamy dipping sauce will pair nicely.

These crispy and golden hush puppies, studded with bits of onion and jalapeño, get a healthy makeover by skipping the deep fryer. The air fryer delivers on the classic crispy crust while using just a fraction of the oil from the classic version.

Serve these crispy zucchini fritters with creamy dill-yogurt sauce during the summer when zucchinis are abundant at the farmers' market (or in your backyard garden). The key to the best fritters is moisture management. Zucchini is primarily made up of water, so this recipe starts with a two-step process of salting and squeezing the vegetable to remove as much of that water as possible. Once that simple step is done, this easy healthy recipe comes together in a snap.

Stirring chopped corn kernels into the batter and serving these homemade hush puppies with a lemony herb yogurt sauce give these tasty bites fresh flavor. Holding the frying oil at a steady 360 degrees F prevents the dough from absorbing too much.

This traditional cornbread is made without flour, isn't sweet and has a crumbly texture. You can change the adaptable recipe to suit your cornbread preference. For a variation, substitute 1/2 teaspoon baking soda for the baking powder and use buttermilk instead of milk. If you're looking for a more muffinlike texture, substitute flour for half the cornmeal.

This sage cornbread dressing can be made ahead of time for Thanksgiving. If you have it, leftover turkey stock can be used to moisten the cornbread.

These air-fryer okra "fries" are irresistibly crispy thanks to their cornmeal-based crust. Cutting the pods in half lengthwise helps the coating stick. We dip them in a creamy-spicy dipping sauce. If you really like the heat, add the optional Cajun seasoning to give them more kick.

This cheesy corn casserole is surprisingly light and fluffy, thanks to eggs and a whirl in the blender. The sweet corn batter and salty Cheddar cheese make this casserole pleasing to kids and adults alike.

Baking cornbread in a cast-iron skillet results in the ideal crispy crust enclosing a tender crumb. In this recipe, tender corn kernels provide additional texture. As with many recipes, how much sugar you like in your cornbread may depend on how your grandmother made it, so add more or less sugar to taste. Read the author's story behind this recipe: Skillet Diaries: A Cast-Iron Legacy

Mushrooms are a rich, meaty addition in this healthy cornbread stuffing recipe. Here we use oyster mushrooms, but you can use any variety you like. If you have time, bake the cornbread a day or two in advance so it has time to dry out a bit, which lets it absorb the flavors more readily.

This jazzed-up Southern cornbread dressing is made with Louisiana chef Frank Brigtsen's cornbread, which is sweet and flecked with scallions and jalapeños. If you want to streamline the dish, use store-bought cornbread.