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These crispy Catfish Nuggets are everything you want from a good ole Southern fish fry: tender, flaky catfish wrapped in a crunchy cornmeal coating with plenty of bold flavor in every bite. The fish gets a quick buttermilk soak, a well-seasoned dredge, and a trip into hot oil until golden and crisp. Serve them with my homemade Creole tartar sauce, and just know that “one more” is about to turn into five!
The Best Catfish Nuggets Recipe
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus 30 minutes to marinate
- 🥣 Cook Time: About 15 minutes
- 🧑🍳 Total Time: About 55 hour
- 👪 Serves: 6 servings
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Catfish, buttermilk, hot sauce, yellow mustard, cornmeal, flour, Old Bay, and Cajun seasoning
- ⭐ Why You’ll Love It: These catfish nuggets are seasoned to perfection, crispy, and served with a creamy Creole tartar sauce that pulls the whole thing together.
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My Southern fried catfish has a cult following – everyone who makes it, LOVES it. So, I took that same recipe, made it mini, and these catfish nuggets were born! Each piece is tender and flaky with a crunchy, well-seasoned coating that actually tastes good on its own. And let me be clear, we don’t do bland fried fish around here. Ever!
And I know you didn’t think we forgot about the dipping sauce – I make my homemade Creole tartar sauce to go with it. It’s creamy, tangy, a little sweet, and has just the right amount of spice. Mm mm mm! Serve these nuggets as an appetizer, pile them into a basket with fries, or tuck them into toasted bread for an easy catfish sandwich.
➡️ For more seafood recipes, try my crispy fried fish sandwich, crispy bang bang shrimp, or pan seared crab cakes next!
Table of contents
What Makes These Catfish Nuggets Special
- A quick buttermilk soak. The catfish gets a quick soak in buttermilk and hot sauce, which helps reduce anny fishiness while making the fish super tender.
- Seasoning in every layer. We’re seasoning the fish AND the breading! We are not tossing plain fish into barely seasoned flour and calling it a day. This gives the catfish flavor in every bite instead of leaving all the seasoning on the outside.
- Homemade Creole tartar sauce. The zesty sauce cuts through the richness of the fish and keeps the dish from feeling too heavy.
Basically, these nuggets are crunchy, tender, thoroughly seasoned, and very hard to stop eating. Consider yourself warned!
Ingredient Highlights
(The full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card below.)
- Catfish: we’re using whole boneless catfish fillets and cutting them into nuggets. This allows us to control the shape and size. Pat the fish dry before adding the buttermilk mixture so it is not carrying excess water.
- Buttermilk and hot sauce: Buttermilk gives the fish a mild tang and helps the seasoned coating adhere. The hot sauce adds flavor to the marinade, but the finished nuggets will not be aggressively spicy.
- Yellow mustard may sound unexpected, but it adds tang and helps the breading cling to the fish. Trust me, you will not end up with nuggets that taste like mustard. 😂
- Old Bay and Cajun seasoning: Using both gives the catfish a savory, peppery, slightly spicy flavor. Because seasoning blends vary in saltiness, taste yours before adding any additional salt.
- All-purpose flour and cornmeal: Flour helps the breading stick, while cornmeal gives the catfish nuggets their classic crisp, crunchy coating.
- Frying oil: Use a neutral oil suitable for frying, such as vegetable, canola, or peanut oil. You need enough oil for the nuggets to float without resting directly against the bottom of the pan.
Variations and Substitutions
- Switch up the dips: Serve the nuggets with remoulade, comeback sauce, cocktail sauce, or even make my famous seafood boil sauce to dip it in!
- Add lemon pepper flavor: Stir lemon pepper seasoning into the flour mixture, then finish the hot nuggets with fresh lemon zest. I do this with my lemon pepper wings and it is SO good.
How to Make Fried Catfish Nuggets
Step 1: Cut the catfish into nuggets. Cut the catfish into about 1½- to 2-inch pieces so they cook at an even rate.
Step 2: Marinate the nuggets. Pat the nuggets dry with a paper towel, then soak the catfish in buttermilk and hot sauce for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Make the sauce. Stir together the Creole tartar sauce ingredients in a small bowl: mayo, relish, mustard, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, hot sauce, lemon juice, and sugar. Place in the refrigerator until the nuggets are done.
Step 4: Season and coat the catfish. Drain the fish, toss it with mustard and seasonings, then coat each nugget thoroughly in the flour and cornmeal mixture.
Step 5: Season and coat the catfish. Drain the fish, toss it with mustard and seasonings, then coat each nugget thoroughly in the flour and cornmeal mixture. Let them rest while the oil heats.
Step 6: Fry the catfish. Heat the oil to 350°F and fry the catfish pieces in batches for about 3-5 minutes total, turning as needed, until deeply golden brown, crisp, and opaque in the center. Note: Exact cooking time will depend on the size of the nuggets. Remove with a slotted spoon and place onto a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil. Pro Tip: Use a deep-fry thermometer or candy thermometer to monitor the temperature.
Expert Tips for Crispy Catfish Nuggets
- Do Not Marinate the fish too long. Catfish nuggets are small and only need about 30 minutes in the buttermilk. A long soak is unnecessary and can make the fish mushy.
- Press the Coating Onto the Fish. Do not simply drop the nuggets into the flour and immediately pull them out. Toss and gently press the mixture onto each piece so the cornmeal coating sticks.
- Let the Breaded Catfish Rest. Resting the coated nuggets for approximately 10 minutes allows the flour to absorb some moisture from the fish. The coating should look slightly damp in a few spots before it goes into the oil.
- Do Not Overcrowd the Pot. Adding too many cold pieces at once lowers the oil temperature. The nuggets need space for the hot oil to circulate around them and crisp the entire surface.
- Drain on a Wire Rack. Paper towels can trap steam underneath the nuggets and soften the crust. A wire rack allows air to circulate so the coating stays crunchy.
What to Serve with Catfish Nuggets
Turn these nuggets into a full fish-fry spread with Cajun coleslaw, creamy baked corn on the cob, and French fries. Add pickles, sliced onions, lemon wedges, and plenty of hot sauce to complete the meal.
To really up the ante, serve them with buttermilk hush puppies, Southern potato salad, or smoked gouda mac and cheese.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerate: Cool the catfish nuggets completely, then store them in a paper towel-lined airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep the tartar sauce refrigerated separately. I don’t recommend freezing the fish, they may become soggy when thawed.
- Reheating: Warm the nuggets in a 375°F oven or air fryer until hot and crisp. Avoid covering or microwaving them, which can soften the breading.
Recipe FAQs
Yellow mustard adds acidity and another layer of flavor while helping the flour-and-cornmeal breading adhere to the fish. Once fried, the mustard flavor is subtle and blends into the Cajun seasoning.
The breading may fall off if the fish is too wet, the flour is not pressed onto the surface, the coated fish does not rest before frying, or the nuggets are moved too much while frying.
To prevent this: Drain the buttermilk well, thoroughly coat each piece, allow the breaded nuggets to rest for about 10 minutes, and let the crust set briefly in the oil before turning them.
The oil was most likely not hot enough or the pan was overcrowded. When the temperature drops too low, the breading absorbs oil before it has a chance to crisp. Fry in small batches and let the oil return to 350°F before adding more fish.
The coating should be deeply golden and crisp. Inside, the fish should be opaque, moist, and easy to flake apart with a fork. Because the nuggets vary in size, smaller pieces may finish before larger ones.
I recommend deep frying these catfish nuggets for the crispiest, most evenly golden coating. Although they can be cooked in an air fryer, the breading will not develop the same texture as it does in hot oil.
More Seafood Recipes
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Crab Legs with Garlic Butter Sauce
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Cajun Honey Butter Salmon
Main Course
Seafood Boil Recipe with Garlic Butter Sauce
Main Course
Cajun Seafood Gumbo
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Fried Catfish Nuggets
Equipment
- Slotted Spoon
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Catfish Fillets
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- 1 tbsp Hot Sauce
- 1 tbsp Yellow Mustard
- 1 tsp Old Bay
- 1 tsp Cajun Seasoning
Breading Mixture
- 1 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Fine Ground Cornmeal
- 1 tbsp Old Bay
- 2 tsp Cajun Seasoning
- 1 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Creole Tartar Sauce
- 1/2 cup Mayo
- 2 tbsp Relish
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tbsp Hot Sauce
- 1 tbsp Yellow Mustard
- 1 1/2 tsp Cajun Seasoning
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 4-5 cups Vegetable Oil, (or any neutral oil)
Instructions
- Pat the catfish dry and cut it into 1½- to 2-inch nuggets. Add the catfish pieces to a large bowl and pour in buttermilk and hot sauce. Toss until every piece is coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 2 lbs Catfish Fillets 1 cup Buttermilk 1 tbsp Hot Sauce
- While the fish is marinating in the buttermilk, make the Creole tartar sauce. In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, relish, mustard, Cajun seasoning, sugar, garlic powder, hot sauce, and lemon juice. Refrigerate while you prepare the fish so the flavors have time to blend. 1/2 cup Mayo 2 tbsp Relish 1 tbsp Yellow Mustard 1 1/2 tsp Cajun Seasoning 1 tsp Sugar 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder 1 tbsp Hot Sauce 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- Drain the buttermilk mixture from the catfish, allowing the excess to drip off. Do not rinse the fish. Into a clean bowl, add the drained buttermilk and add the yellow mustard, Old Bay, and Cajun seasoning, then gently toss until the nuggets are evenly coated. 1 tbsp Yellow Mustard 1 tsp Old Bay 1 tsp Cajun Seasoning (Note: Drain the Buttermilk Thoroughly. You want the fish moist enough to hold the breading, but not dripping wet. Too much marinade can create gummy patches in the coating.)
- In a large shallow bowl or resealable bag, combine the flour, cornmeal, Old Bay, Cajun seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Mix well so the seasonings are evenly distributed. 1 cup All Purpose Flour 1 cup Fine Ground Cornmeal 1 tbsp Old Bay 2 tsp Cajun Seasoning 1 1/2 tsp Onion Powder 1 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- Working in batches, add the catfish nuggets to the flour mixture and toss or shake until thoroughly coated. Press the coating lightly onto the fish, then shake off any loose excess flour.
- Pour about 3 inches of oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot. Heat the oil to 350°F. A thermometer is best here, the oil needs to be hot enough to crisp the coating without burning it.
- Carefully lower the coated catfish into the hot oil without overcrowding the pot. Fry for 4 to 6 minutes, turning as needed, until deeply golden, crisp, and cooked through. The fish should be opaque and flake easily, with an internal temperature of 145°F.
- Remove the catfish nuggets from the hot oil with a spider or slotted spoon and place onto a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle with a little Cajun Seasoning, if desired. Let the oil return to 350°F before frying the next batch. Serve hot with the Creole tartar sauce and fresh lemon wedges.
Notes
- Do Not Marinate the fish too long. Catfish nuggets are small and only need about 30 minutes in the buttermilk. A long soak is unnecessary and can make the fish mushy.
- Press the Coating Onto the Fish. Do not simply drop the nuggets into the flour and immediately pull them out. Toss and gently press the mixture onto each piece so the cornmeal coating sticks.
- Let the Breaded Catfish Rest. Resting the coated nuggets for approximately 10 minutes allows the flour to absorb some moisture from the fish. The coating should look slightly damp in a few spots before it goes into the oil.
- Do Not Overcrowd the Pot. Adding too many cold pieces at once lowers the oil temperature. The nuggets need space for the hot oil to circulate around them and crisp the entire surface.
- Drain on a Wire Rack. Paper towels can trap steam underneath the nuggets and soften the crust. A wire rack allows air to circulate so the coating stays crunchy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
