Cornmeal

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.

Experience the joy of warm, cheesy cornbread with caramelly bursts of corn kernels.

Neither a tamale nor a pie, this cozy Tex-Mex casserole is a mash-up of beefy bean chili and homemade cornbread.

Thanks to a clever coating of nutritional yeast, cornmeal, and spices, these baked sweet potato wedges are actually crunchy.

Buttermilk-soaked catfish gets superlatively crispy thanks to a rice-flour dredge, a tasty nod to both Juneteenth and Black fish-fry food traditions.

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.

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.

These savory-sweet Venezuelan cheesy corn pancakes are endlessly customizable, making them the ultimate kid-friendly recipe or WFH lunch.

This highly portable cornbread filled with salty, creamy feta is an ideal companion to any BBQ, potluck, picnic, or other summertime gathering.

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.

Ricotta adds a buttery richness and bit of tang to this cake, but you can substitute full-fat cottage cheese.

This ode to Gullah Geechee cuisine marries crabmeat with corn kernels for a crispy party starter.

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.

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.

Making one giant pancake instead of a bunch of smaller ones means that everyone can sit down to pancake breakfast at the same time.

Don’t be surprised at how quickly this olive oil and cornmeal-enriched sheet cake will disappear.

Featuring cornmeal AND fresh corn kernels.

Quickly boiling the agave thickens it a bit; adding the strawberries while it’s still warm infuses the syrup with flavor and a pretty pink color. Blackberries or pitted cherries can be substituted if you wish!

Corn cake three-ways: fresh corn kernels, a little bit of cornmeal, plus crunchy Corn Flakes.

This will take you back to the flavor of all those canned cream-of-mushroom-soup-based casseroles, but without all the weird ingredients!