Simple Southern Fried Catfish
Even if you’re not a seafood fan, you’ll want to try this Southern Fried Catfish recipe. With its clean, delicious flavor and perfectly crispy coating, it’s a simple, easy dinner that anyone can make and enjoy.
Classic Deep Fried Catfish
Does it get any more classic than Southern fried catfish dinner? Yes, but only when you pair it with a smattering of Southern side dishes, like coleslaw or hush puppies! A staple in every Southern kitchen. Beyond this recipe, I honestly have never even given seafood a fighting chance, as my mother was not a seafood person.
Fortunately, I think catfish is the least fishy-tasting fish of them all. It tastes even better (and tender) when you add the traditional crunchy cornmeal crust and a squeeze of lemon. All that’s missing is a side of crispy fries, right?
This simple fried catfish recipe without buttermilk is exactly that—simple. Add the cornmeal coating and fry the catfish fillets until golden brown. Your delicious pan-fried catfish will be crispy on the outside, flaky on the inside, and ready to eat in minutes. Now, who’s ready for a fish fry?
All You Need is 5 Ingredients!
- Catfish fillets (pond raised if possible)
- Cornmeal
- Salt
- Pepper
- Oil (vegetable oil or canola oil)
What kind of cornmeal should I use?
You can use whichever cornmeal you prefer in this fried catfish. I like white cornmeal, but my mom prefers white self-rising flour and just skips a bit of the salt since it’s already in there. You can also use yellow, plain, or self-rising cornmeal—whatever works. When in doubt, just use what you’ve got!
Bring on the Flavor!
You can enhance your cornmeal mixture by adding your favorite seasoning, along with a variety of herbs and spices for extra flavor. Here are some ideas:
- For a spicy kick, sprinkle in cayenne pepper or a teaspoon of paprika.
- Up the flavor with a tablespoon of ranch seasoning.
- Experiment with a teaspoon of Season All, Lawry’s, Old Bay, lemon pepper, hot sauce, or garlic powder for a burst of seasoning.
- For a subtle touch, add 1/4 teaspoon of celery seed. The choice is yours!
How to Make Southern Fried Catfish
1. In a large skillet, heat 1/2 inch of oil over medium-high heat. I’m using my large cast iron skillet here, but if you’re more comfortable cooking in a regular or nonstick skillet, go for it. Whatever cranks your tractor.
2. Next, pour the cornmeal into a shallow bowl. This is where you can get creative if you like. Add a bit of cayenne pepper if you want some heat to your catfish, or just season your meal with seasoned salt and black pepper. Give it a stir.
3. Dredge catfish fillets in the cornmeal mixture and press down gently. Repeat with the other side.
4. Turn the stove down to medium and place the catfish fillets into the hot oil. The most important thing to do is not to overcrowd the fillets. This will lower the temperature and result in soggy fish, which we definitely don’t want! Only fry two fillets at a time.
Pro Tip: This is where most people run into trouble. When frying, your oil should be hot enough to sear the outside but not so hot that it burns before cooking through. If the oil isn’t hot enough, the food will absorb more oil and turn out greasy. I heat my oil on medium-high for 3–5 minutes, then lower it to medium right before cooking.
5. Deep fry fish fillets until golden brown (about 3 to 5 minutes) and then turn them over to brown the other side. Once done, place fillets on a paper towel-lined plate or a wire rack to drain.
Pro Tip: If you have a big batch, I recommend placing them on a wire rack set on a lined baking sheet in a preheated 200°F oven so they remain crispy while you cook the fish in batches.
I love serving up my fried catfish fillet with lemon wedges because everything’s better with a squeeze of citrus. Trust me, it’s a real catch (wink, wink). Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Not a fan of catfish? No problem! This recipe works great with any kind of white fish.
Sure! If you’d prefer to use a deep fryer, heat it to 350°F. Once the oil is hot, drop in the catfish fillets, and let them cook for 7 to 10 minutes or until they’re golden brown. Most importantly, cool the deep-fried catfish on a wire rack to make sure they’re nice and crispy when it’s time to serve.
Yes. Here are more detailed instructions for air-fried catfish. But you want to fry the fish in a 400°F air fryer for about 8 minutes on each side.
If your fried catfish fillets are coming out mushy, it’s probably because the oil isn’t hot enough. Make sure the oil’s at the right temperature, and don’t overcrowd the pan, as it’ll bring the temp down. If they’re already mushy, pop the fillets in the oven or air fryer to crisp them back up.
What to Serve with Southern Fried Catfish
Looking to create the ultimate Southern meal? Pair your crispy fried catfish with some classic sides for a truly comforting feast. Try these delicious options:
- 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits – Because life’s too short for bad biscuits.
- Cheesy Mashed Potatoes – Say goodbye to bland spuds forever.
- Southern-Style Fried Okra – The crispy, snackable veggie you didn’t know you needed.
- Fresh Green Beans – Proof that simple and healthy can still be delicious.
- Easy Creamed Corn – Sweet, creamy, and guaranteed to steal the show.
You can keep it simple by serving the fried fish with a lemon wedge, vinegar, and homemade tartar sauce. Whether it’s a big gathering or a quiet dinner, these pairings will make your Southern fried catfish shine!
Storage
Store your fish fillets in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When it’s time to reheat, either place them in your air fryer or in a regular oven to ensure they’re nice and crispy once more.
You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container or plastic bag. Just make sure the bag is sealed to avoid freezer burn.
…OR transform that fried catfish into taco night greatness or the sandwich of your dreams. Waste not, snack more!
Simple Southern Fried Catfish
This crispy Southern fried catfish recipe delivers golden, flaky perfection with a well-seasoned cornmeal crust. It's quick to make and full of down-home flavor.
Ingredients
- 4 catfish fillets
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat 1/2 inch of oil over medium-high heat.
- Place the cornmeal in a medium bowl, add salt and pepper, and stir.
- Dip each fillet into the cornmeal mixture on both sides to coat.
- Turn the stove down to medium and place each fillet into the oil to cook. Turn the fillets once until golden brown on both sides (about 3 to 5 minutes on each side).
- Remove the fried fish fillets to drain on a wire rack or a paper towel-lined plate. Serve with lemon wedges, vinegar, or tartar sauce.
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1427
I know I’m late to the show here, but I couldn’t resist. I grew up in Oklahoma and every summer we had fish fries nearly every weekend. We fished for our catfish in the lakes and rivers that are dotted all over Green Country (northeast Oklahoma). Mostly the Arkansas River and Keystone Lake. You’ve just never had better tasting fish; Blues, Spoonbills, Flatheads and Channel cats. We ate them all. We either fished or noodled for them, either way they tasted great. We always served them with fried potatoes, hushpuppies, cucumbers and onions in vinegar and cole slaw.
Thanks for the memories! I must get home this summer and enjoy a good fish fry! :O)
What a wonderful memory!! I hope you are able to make it home for a visit and are able to make even more memories!!
Nothing better than Catfish, Hushpuppies or cornbread, slaw and pickled onions. Being blessed to live within a 30 minute drive of two of the best restaurants in Alabama for catfish, I don’t fix it at home a lot but reading this makes me want to hit the road to Riverside!!
Christy, you just brought back sooo many memories of our Family reunions on my Uncle Herb’s cabin . He enjoyed fishing in the White river and we had the best fried catfish! He fried his fish in a black deep kettle on top of the stove, had to have bread and milk with our fish, my mama said the same thing about the fish bones. For dessert, I was always the one child who had to sit on top the old crank ice cream maker and crank it until it became too hard for me! Good times! I just ordered your book, can’t wait to receive it. Love your site! Thanks for all your information you share, it’s lovely.
My husband and I are big seafood lovers. Our doctor would like my husband and I to eat grilled fish 5 days a week. I had wondered why I never see any fish recipes from you. If you don’t like it, you don’t like it. Looking forward to the Hushpuppies recipe.
Where is your brother’s restaurant Hickory Barn Barbeque located?
Looking forward to your new Cookbook. I will be buying several for Christmas gifts.
The first time I ate catfish was in Fla 5 yrs ago and loved it, I’ve never seen it in my city maybe in bigger centers. Many farmers up here in Canada stock trout in their dugouts which is a term for machine-made ponds on every farm to catch water forcattle. we caught some once but never again, they tasted ‘muddy’ and no wonder.
Hi Christy, love your site, but misinformation is misinformation. Pond raised fish is just about as nasty as anything other than chicken factories. Our peanut farm was rented a few years ago to a fellow who raises farm-raised catfish in a “modern” catfish operation called aquaculture. It is a pond filled with water, fingerling catfish intorduced, and fed Catfish Chow (yup-same as that Chow), aka dog food, and antibiotics and pesticides called parasiticides, until they are large enough to be commercially harvested. The problem with the farm-raised catfish and the pond-raised catfish that Papa Reed raised is the catfish excrement. Yes, all animals, fish included, do that. Without fresh flowing water, the catfish grow up in a very unclean environment, and, as you know, catfish are scavenger fish. FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) has received reports that some aquaculture producers are using chemical grade formaldehyde as a parasiticide drug for their fish. Google “aquaculture” or “fish farms”, or go to http://www.FDA.gov and search for aquaculture. And be wary of WallyWorld and Big Box Club fish; it’s mostly imported from China where there are very loose standards for cleanliness and chemicals. Read the lables carefully. Nuff said. We all need to learn more about what we are feeding our loved ones, where it comes from, and what’s in it. Say NO to farmed fish. Hope you’ll educate your readers who are now running out to purchase “pond” fish cause Christy told’em to.
You just educated ’em! Thanks for taking the time to share your input and knowledge on the subject. It’s always good to get more sides to things, especially when as much thought and intellect is put into them as you just did now.
Gratefully,
Christy
I am Christys brother. She makes fun of me but she does use some of my recipies. I think she needs to advertise a lil for my restaurant Hickory Barn Barbeque. Aint nuthin more southern than BBQ and me of course. Good luck Hoss.