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This Southern fried catfish recipe is golden, crispy, and packed with flavor in every bite. The fish is soaked in seasoned buttermilk, coated in a cornmeal crust, and fried to perfection until golden brown and crispy crunchy and the inside is tender and juicy. It’s a comforting, soul-warming recipe that tastes just like home.
For more southern classics, try my buttermilk fried chicken and hush puppies recipe next!
Listen up, if you’ve never had good Southern fried catfish, you haven’t really lived. I’m talking about crispy outside, tender flaky fish on the inside!
This recipe is extra special to me because it’s inspired by my grandma. Unfortunately, she has dementia now and doesn’t cook anymore, and sadly, I never got the chance to write down her exact recipe. So I recreated this from memory and it tastes JUST like hers.
Fried Catfish
This fried catfish is everything I love about a good Southern fish fry – crispy, golden, well-seasoned, it checks every box. The catfish gets a quick soak in buttermilk, then it’s coated in a seasoned cornmeal dredge (because in my honest opinion, fried catfish should never be bland), then fried to perfection! That first bite gives you crunchy flavorful fish and all that bold, savory flavor you came here for.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card)
Catfish is a white fish with a mild flavor, best known in Southern cooking for its flaky, tender meat. When buying catfish at the grocery store or fishmonger, make sure that the filets are firm and translucent – this means they’re nice and fresh. They should never be mushy nor have a strong fishy smell!
For seasonings, we’re using old bay seasoning, cajun seasoning, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, and seasoned salt.
Yellow Cornmeal is the foundation of the crispy coating. Use a medium ground cornmeal instead of fine ground like how you do with my honey butter cornbread. Medium ground adds more crunch.
Buttermilk helps to remove the muddy flavor from the fish. It also tenderizes the fish too, giving it that flaky texture we all love.
Vegetable Oil – you can use any oil with a high smoke point. This includes canola oil, peanut oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil etc.
Variations
- Make it spicy by adding some cayenne pepper into the seasoning blend!
- Add panko breadcrumbs to the dredge – this makes for an even crispier crunch!
- Catfish tacos! Slice fried catfish into strips and tuck them into tortillas with slaw and hot sauce or crema.
- Use the nashville hot sauce from my Nashville Hot Chicken and drizzle it onto the fried catfish fillet after it’s done deep frying!
How To Make Fried Catfish
Step 1: Marinate the catfish. Start by soaking the catfish fillets in a flavorful buttermilk marinade with hot sauce and Cajun seasoning. This helps tenderize the fish, mellow out any “fishy” flavor, and infuse every bite with Southern-style seasoning.
Step 2: Make the crispy cornmeal dredge. While the catfish marinates, whisk together cornmeal, flour, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, Old Bay, black pepper, and kosher salt. This seasoned cornmeal coating is what gives fried catfish that crispy, golden crust.
Step 3: Coat the catfish. Remove the catfish from the buttermilk marinade, then toss it with yellow mustard before dredging each fillet in the seasoned flour and cornmeal mixture. The mustard helps the coating stick and adds a little tangy flavor without overpowering the fish.
Step 4: Fry until golden and crispy. Heat the oil to 350–375°F, then fry the catfish fillets in batches until crispy, golden brown, and cooked through. Transfer the fried catfish to a paper towel-lined plate or wire rack to drain any excess oil before serving.
Pro Cooking Tips
- Don’t let the catfish marinate any longer than 2 hours. The acid in the buttermilk will make the catfish mushy if you let it sit too long.
- After soaking in the buttermilk marinade, Pat the fish dry with a paper towel. Excess moisture will make the coating soggy and will cause the breading to fall off when frying in the hot oil.
- Use a candy thermometer to monitor the oil’s temperature. Frying at the right temperature is key to getting crispy fried fish! The oil temperature should be between 350-375 degrees F.
- Don’t crowd the pan. Fry in batches so the oil temperature stays where we need it to be.
What To Serve With Southern Fried Catfish
Serve this fried catfish recipe with everyone’s favorite southern side dishes! I’m talking soul food classics like collard greens, buttermilk cornbread, baked mac and cheese, potato salad, and candied yams.
You can also keep it simple and serve with french fries, coleslaw, and remoulade sauce or a homemade tartar sauce – kinda like fish and chips. Don’t forge to serve with a few lemon wedges, too!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use frozen catfish, just make sure it’s completely thawed and patted very dry before seasoning. Excess moisture can make the coating soggy and prevent it from crisping up properly.
Soaking the catfish in buttermilk for at least 30 minutes helps tenderize the fish and reduce any “fishy” taste. It also helps the coating stick better for a crispier crust.
Cornmeal gives Southern-style fried catfish its signature crunchy texture and golden color. You can use flour only, but the crust will be softer and less crunchy.
The oil should be between 350°F and 375°F for perfectly fried catfish. This temperature ensures a crispy crust without overcooking the inside.
Yes, you can make fried catfish without deep frying, and it’ll still be delicious. Shallow frying in about ½ inch of oil will give you a crisp crust while using less oil overall. You can also bake the catfish on a wire rack at a high temperature (around 425°F) or use an air fryer for a lighter version. While the texture won’t be quite as crispy as traditional deep frying, the flavor will still shine through.
More Southern Recipes
Main Course
Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Main Course
Seafood Boil Recipe with Garlic Butter Sauce
Main Course
Crawfish Boil Recipe
Main Course
Nashville Hot Chicken Recipe
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If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below! You can also tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and hashtag #britneybreaksbread so I can celebrate your beautiful creations!
Fried Catfish
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or Large Skillet
- Wire Rack
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Catfish Fillets
Buttermilk Brine
- 1 1/2 cups Buttermilk
- 2 tbsp Hot Sauce
- 1 tbsp Cajun Seasoning
- 2 tbsp Yellow Mustard
Dry Batter/Dredge
- 1 1/2 cup Cornmeal
- 1 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 tbsp Cajun Seasoning
- 1/2 tbsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tbsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Old Bay
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 4-5 cups Vegetable Oil
Instructions
- Combine buttermilk, hot sauce, and Cajun seasoning in a bowl and submerge the catfish. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. 1 1/2 cups Buttermilk 2 tbsp Hot Sauce 1 tbsp Cajun Seasoning 3 lbs Catfish Fillets
- While the catfish are sitting, In a large bowl or ziploc bag, combine dredge ingredients – 1 1/2 cup Cornmeal 1 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour 1 tbsp Cajun Seasoning 1/2 tbsp Garlic Powder 1/2 tbsp Onion Powder 1 tsp Old Bay 1 tsp Black Pepper 1 tsp Kosher Salt Mix everything together and set aside.
- Add vegetable oil to a large cast iron skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Heat the oil to 350-375 degrees F. Use a candy thermometer to ensure the temperature of the oil is correct. 4-5 cups Vegetable Oil
- Remove the catfish from the brine into a clean bowl. Add yellow mustard and mix together until all of the fish are coated, then dip the filets in the flour mixture/dredge, ensuring everything is fully coated on all sides. Place onto a wire rack or baking sheet while the oil is heating. 2 tbsp Yellow Mustard
- Add 1-2 fillets to the skillet at a time and cook for 4-6 minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove from the oil and place onto a paper towel-lined plate to remove any excess oil.
Notes
- Don’t let the catfish marinate any longer than 2 hours. The acid in the buttermilk will make the catfish mushy if you let it sit too long.
- Don’t crowd the pan. Fry in batches so the oil temperature stays where we need it to be.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love Catfish fried or baked. This is a great recipe. What sides would you recommend?
Hi Patrick! I would recommend the soul food classics – collard greens, buttermilk cornbread, baked mac and cheese, potato salad, and candied yams. You can also keep it simple and serve with french fries, coleslaw, and remoulade sauce or a homemade tartar sauce – kinda like fish and chips. Don’t forge to serve with a few lemon wedges, too!
Awesome, very crunchy.
Thanks, Shawn!
I’d give this recipe a million stars if I could! They were so crunchy and juicy just like you said! This is my new go to recipe for fried catfish, I’d like to try it out with other fish too!
My goodness, thank you so much!