Pan-Fried Catfish Fillets or Nuggets

Fried Catfish fillets or nuggets are an easy dinner that the whole family will love. The cornmeal and whole wheat flour mix create a delicious and fiber-rich crust that is kicked up with Old Bay Seasoning, giving it that bayou flavor.

Believe it or not, this Fried Catfish cost me just under $5 to put together and my whole family loved it. Let’s just say that catfish in mid-Missouri is not hard to come by. I don’t fry foods very often, so this shallow pan-fried version was a treat for my crew.

In fact, my son is quite the catfisherman (is that a term?). He loves to bring home his catch for me to fry.

To give these catfish fillets layers of flavor and a crispy texture, you’ll bread it by dredging in a flour mixture, egg mixture, and finally a cornmeal mixture before pan frying in a high-heat oil.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need on hand:

• White whole wheat flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
• Fine cornmeal
• Salt and pepper
• Old Bay Seasoning
• Eggs
• Avocado oil (sub: peanut oil or vegetable oil)
• Catfish fillets
• For serving: Lemon wedges and/or your favorite seafood dipping sauce

Tips for Making Fried Catfish

Now that you’re familiar with the ingredients, take note of a few other keys to making this pan-fried catfish a smash:

1. Make sure all the skin and the dark fatty tissue under the skin is removed. I bet if you ask nicely, the butcher in your grocery store would do this nasty little job for you. 🙂
2. Add flavor at every step. Season the catfish well with salt and pepper and then season each part of the dredging/breading process.
3. Use a large Dutch oven. This is my go-to pan for frying catfish because it holds a steady heat and provides some protection from oil splatters, unlike my other metal pans which can get way too hot too fast. However, a large cast iron skillet can also do the job.
4. Make sure the oil is the right temperature and keep it there. If it’s not hot enough you’ll have mushy, oily fish. If it’s too hot, you’ll burn the outside before the inside is done. I highly suggest using Avocado Oil for frying, because it has a high smoke point and is healthier than vegetable oil.
5. Serve with a squeeze of lemon on top and with your favorite dipping sauce. My kids just prefer plain ole ketchup.

If you’re wanting to serve up some fried catfish nuggets, it’s so easy to do! Simply cut the filets into 1.5-inch chunks and just follow the recipe instructions. Kids love them!

No and yes. As a freezer cooking expert (we’ve published two cookbooks and have been featured in People magazine, on Hallmark Channel, and more), I can safely say you cannot freeze fried catfish. It will get mushy and gross when thawing.

However, like our Parmesan Crusted Tilapia recipe, you CAN bread these fillets, flash freeze them (set on a sheet pan and freeze until solid), and store in a freezer bag. Then, thaw them in the refrigerator on a baking rack set over a sheet pan (cover the fillets with plastic wrap). Fry according to the recipe.