12+ Catfish Recipes Full Of Southern Flavor

The flicker of hot oil in a cast iron skillet takes me right back to summers on my grandmother’s porch, where we’d gather for catfish night. Someone would bring in a bucket of fresh catfish, and soon the whole house would smell like seasoned cornmeal and fried hush puppies. Catfish is one of those humble staples that feels both nostalgic and endlessly adaptable—especially when you lean into Southern flavors. That’s why I never run out of ideas for catfish dinners. If you’re like me and always searching for new ways to serve up that flaky, mild fillet, these 12+ catfish recipes full of Southern flavor might become regulars at your table too.

1. Classic Southern Fried Catfish

Why You’ll Love It:

This is the trusty old favorite for a reason. It’s crispy, golden, and makes for the ultimate fish fry Friday night or summer backyard gathering. Everyone, from kids to grandparents, ends up reaching for seconds.

Serving size: Serves 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 4 catfish fillets
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup cornmeal
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Vegetable oil for frying
• Lemon wedges for serving

How to Make It:

1. Pour buttermilk over catfish fillets in a shallow dish. Let them soak for at least 10 minutes.
2. In another dish, mix cornmeal, flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
3. Heat ½ inch of oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Dredge each fillet in the dry mix.
5. Carefully lay the fillets in hot oil and fry 3–4 minutes per side, until crisp and golden.
6. Drain on a paper towel and serve hot with lemon wedges.

Flavor Boost: Add a pinch of cayenne to the coating for extra kick.

Best Pairings: Serve with coleslaw, hush puppies, and baked beans.

2. Cajun Blackened Catfish

Why You’ll Love It:

When you want bold flavor but lighter prep, this skillet-seared version hits the spot. It’s full of smoky Cajun seasonings and cooks up in minutes, perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.

Serving size: Serves 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 18 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 4 catfish fillets
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• Salt to taste
• Sliced green onions, for garnish

How to Make It:

1. Pat fillets dry, brush both sides with melted butter.
2. Sprinkle Cajun seasoning and smoked paprika generously on both sides.
3. Heat a cast iron skillet on high until very hot.
4. Sear the fillets 3–4 minutes per side, until crusted and cooked through.
5. Serve hot, sprinkled with green onions.

Swap This With That: Use tilapia or trout if you’re out of catfish.

Serving Idea: Delicious tucked in a po’boy roll with lettuce and tomato.

3. Spicy Catfish Po’boy Sandwich

Why You’ll Love It:

When your sandwich deserves an upgrade, this Louisiana classic does the trick. Crispy catfish piled into a soft baguette, dressed with spicy mayo and crisp veggies. It’s messy, satisfying, and easy to eat on the go.

Serving size: Serves 2

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 2 catfish fillets, sliced into strips
• ½ cup buttermilk
• ½ cup cornmeal
• ¼ cup flour
• ½ teaspoon cayenne
• Vegetable oil for frying
• 2 soft sub rolls
• ½ cup shredded lettuce
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 6 pickle slices
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce

How to Make It:

1. Soak catfish strips in buttermilk for 10 minutes.
2. Mix cornmeal, flour, cayenne, and a pinch of salt.
3. Heat oil in a skillet. Dredge fish in breading, fry until crisp.
4. Mix mayonnaise and hot sauce for a quick remoulade.
5. Lay fried catfish in the roll, top with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and sauce.

Flavor Boost: Add thinly sliced red onion for sharpness.

Meal Prep Tip: Fry the catfish ahead and reheat in the oven for crunchy texture.

4. Catfish and Grits with Creole Sauce

Why You’ll Love It:

This is comfort food at its best, especially for lazy weekend brunch. The creamy grits and spicy tomato-based Creole sauce make a cozy bed for seared catfish.

Serving size: Serves 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 4 catfish fillets
• 1 cup quick-cooking grits
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup Creole or marinara sauce
• ½ green bell pepper, diced
• ½ onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped parsley for garnish

How to Make It:

1. Cook grits per package directions, using water and milk; stir in butter and season with salt.
2. In a saucepan, sauté bell pepper, onion, and garlic in olive oil. Stir in Creole sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Season catfish with salt and pepper, pan-sear in a nonstick skillet until just cooked.
4. Spoon grits into bowls, top with catfish and ladle on sauce.
5. Garnish with parsley.

Serving Idea: Add a side of sautéed greens for a true Southern plate.

Common Mistake to Avoid: Don’t overcook the fish—remove from pan as soon as it flakes.

5. Oven-Baked Catfish Nuggets

Why You’ll Love It:

Bite-sized, crunchy, and a total crowd-pleaser for kids (or anyone who loves finger food). They’re baked, not fried, so they’re lighter but still deliver a good crunch.

Serving size: Serves 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 1 pound catfish fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• ½ cup cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• Dipping sauce of choice (like ranch or remoulade)

How to Make It:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. In a bowl, mix panko, cornmeal, paprika, salt.
3. Dip catfish pieces in egg, then in breadcrumb mix.
4. Lay on tray, spray tops lightly with more cooking spray.
5. Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden and crisp.
6. Garnish with parsley before serving.

Flavor Boost: Stir a little grated Parmesan into the breading.

Meal Prep Tip: Freeze breaded, uncooked nuggets for an easy future meal.

6. Southern Catfish Stew

Why You’ll Love It:

This one-pot meal is pure comfort for chilly nights. Packed with chunks of catfish, potatoes, and tomatoes, it’s hearty enough for Sunday supper but simple enough for a weeknight.

Serving size: Serves 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hours

Ingredients Needed:

• 2 pounds catfish fillets, cut into chunks
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups diced tomatoes (canned or fresh)
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Sliced green onions for garnish

How to Make It:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot. Sauté onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic until soft.
2. Add potatoes, tomatoes, broth, hot sauce, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Simmer until potatoes are just tender.
3. Add catfish chunks, simmer 10 more minutes until fish is cooked through.
4. Remove bay leaf, ladle stew into bowls, top with green onion.

Budget-Friendly Tip: Use frozen catfish fillets to save money.

Best Pairings: Serve with cornbread or saltine crackers.

7. Cornmeal-Crusted Catfish Tacos

Why You’ll Love It:

Southern catfish meets taco night for this fun, finger-friendly dinner. The fried fish is crunchy while the toppings keep it fresh and bright—always a hit at casual gatherings.

Serving size: Serves 4 (makes 8 tacos)

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 32 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 4 catfish fillets, sliced into strips
• 1 cup cornmeal
• ½ cup flour
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Vegetable oil for frying
• 8 small corn tortillas
• 2 cups shredded slaw mix
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• Lime wedges for serving

How to Make It:

1. Mix cornmeal, flour, chili powder, salt.
2. Dredge catfish strips and fry in hot oil until golden, 2–3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
3. Toss slaw with mayo and lime juice.
4. Warm tortillas, fill with fish and slaw.
5. Serve with extra lime.

Flavor Boost: Add a pinch of smoked paprika to the slaw dressing.

Personal Note: These are always gone before I can even sit down at the table.

8. Barbecue Glazed Catfish Fillets

Why You’ll Love It:

For a backyard cookout or simple summer dinner, these fillets get brushed with sweet and tangy barbecue sauce and baked for easy cleanup. A no-fuss alternative to grilling.

Serving size: Serves 2

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Total Time: 23 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 2 catfish fillets
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ⅓ cup barbecue sauce
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or green onion, for garnish

How to Make It:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Place fillets on a lined baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Brush generously with barbecue sauce.
4. Bake 15–18 minutes, until fish flakes easily.
5. Garnish before serving.

Swap This With That: Try peach or chipotle barbecue sauce for a twist.

Best Pairings: Great with simple coleslaw and baked sweet potatoes.

9. Catfish Nuggets in Comeback Sauce

Why You’ll Love It:

These are tailor-made for parties and game days. Bite-sized pieces coated in seasoned flour get a quick fry and then dunked in a tangy, Southern-style Comeback Sauce.

Serving size: Serves 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 2 pounds catfish fillets, cut into chunks
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup vegetable oil, for frying
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• Chopped parsley for garnish

How to Make It:

1. Combine flour, seasoned salt, and pepper in a bowl.
2. Toss catfish pieces in flour mix.
3. Heat oil in skillet, fry nuggets in batches until golden, about 3–4 minutes each. Drain on paper towels.
4. Mix mayonnaise, ketchup, hot sauce, garlic powder for sauce.
5. Serve warm with sauce.

Flavor Boost: Add a pinch of Cajun seasoning to the flour.

Serving Idea: Awesome as a party appetizer.

10. Low Country Catfish Gumbo

Why You’ll Love It:

Love a bowl that warms you from the inside out? This gumbo has a deep, savory broth with catfish, sausage, and okra. It’s soulful, filling, and perfect with rice on a rainy night.

Serving size: Serves 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes

Total Time: 1 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 1.5 pounds catfish, cut in chunks
• ½ pound smoked sausage, sliced
• 1 cup sliced okra
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup flour
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz)
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups cooked white rice

How to Make It:

1. Make a roux: cook flour and oil in a heavy pot over medium heat, stirring, until deep golden brown.
2. Add onion, pepper, celery, and garlic. Sauté until soft.
3. Add sausage, okra, tomatoes, stock, Cajun seasoning, and bay leaf. Simmer 30 minutes.
4. Add catfish, simmer another 10–15 minutes until cooked.
5. Serve over white rice.

Budget-Friendly Tip: Use just sausage and extra veg for a cheaper alternative.

Best Pairings: Cornbread or hot sauce on the side.

11. Southern Catfish Corn Fritters

Why You’ll Love It:

These crisp fritters are perfect as snacks, appetizers, or even a kid-friendly lunch. The corn adds sweetness to the flaky catfish bites—and who doesn’t love food you can dunk?

Serving size: Serves 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 1 cup cooked catfish, flaked
• 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
• ½ cup flour
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup milk
• 2 green onions, sliced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne
• Vegetable oil, for frying

How to Make It:

1. In a bowl, mix catfish, corn, flour, egg, milk, onions, salt, and cayenne.
2. Heat oil in a skillet.
3. Drop spoonfuls of batter into hot oil, flatten slightly, and fry 2–3 minutes per side until golden.
4. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

Meal Prep Tip: Cooked fritters reheat right in the oven.

Serving Idea: Great for packing into lunchboxes.

12. Lemon Herb Catfish Fillets

Why You’ll Love It:

When you want something a little lighter, this baked catfish keeps all the Southern spirit but feels refreshingly bright, with lemon slices and fresh herbs baked in.

Serving size: Serves 2

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 23 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 2 catfish fillets
• 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

How to Make It:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Place catfish in a baking dish.
3. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, dill, and parsley.
4. Lay lemon slices over fillets.
5. Bake 12–15 minutes, until fish is just cooked.

Flavor Boost: Add a sprinkle of crushed red pepper for an extra zing.

Common Mistake to Avoid: Don’t overbake—the fillets should be opaque and flaky.

13. Catfish Hush Puppy Balls

Why You’ll Love It:

Some nights call for pure snack food, and these hush puppy balls sneak catfish into a classic Southern treat. Great for family movie nights or potlucks—just dunk and eat.

Serving size: Serves 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 1 cup cornmeal
• ½ cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 cup cooked catfish, flaked
• 2 green onions, sliced
• Vegetable oil for frying

How to Make It:

1. Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
2. In another bowl, beat eggs and buttermilk.
3. Add flaked catfish and green onions to the wet mix, then stir into the dry mix.
4. Heat oil in a Dutch oven.
5. Drop tablespoons of batter into hot oil and fry until balls are golden.
6. Serve with honey butter.

Flavor Boost: Add minced jalapeño for a spicy kick.

Best Pairings: Serve with collard greens or black-eyed peas.

14. Catfish Piccata with Southern Greens

Why You’ll Love It:

A riff on the Italian classic, this swap uses catfish instead of chicken for a tangy, buttery main course that goes beautifully with garlicky sautéed Southern greens.

Serving size: Serves 2

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 2 catfish fillets
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ cup chicken broth
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 4 cups mixed greens (collards, turnip, or kale)
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste

How to Make It:

1. Dredge catfish lightly in flour, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Heat butter and oil in a skillet, cook fish 3–4 minutes per side, remove and keep warm.
3. In same pan, add broth, lemon juice, capers. Simmer 2 minutes to make sauce.
4. Sauté garlic and greens in a separate pan until wilted.
5. Serve fish with sauce spooned over, alongside greens.

Serving Idea: Pairs elegantly with white rice or mashed potatoes.

Personal Note: Bringing together Southern fish and Italian flavors was a surprise hit at my house.

15. Air Fryer Southern Catfish

Why You’ll Love It:

When you’re craving fried catfish but don’t want the mess, the air fryer comes to the rescue. It gives a crispy, light crust with much less oil, ready in a snap.

Serving size: Serves 4

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 4 catfish fillets
• ¾ cup cornmeal
• ¼ cup flour
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• Oil spray
• Lemon wedges for serving

How to Make It:

1. Mix cornmeal, flour, garlic powder, paprika, and salt.
2. Dip fillets in beaten egg, then dredge in breading.
3. Spray air fryer basket; arrange fillets in single layer.
4. Lightly spray tops, cook at 400°F for 10–12 minutes until golden.

Meal Prep Tip: Season and bread the catfish early, cover and chill, then air fry right before eating.

Common Mistake to Avoid: Don’t overcrowd the air fryer—cook in batches for best crispiness.

FAQ

What’s the best way to keep fried catfish crispy?

Let your fried catfish drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet, not on paper towels, so air circulates and keeps the bottom crunchy.

Can I use frozen catfish fillets for these recipes?

Yes, just make sure to thaw completely and pat dry with paper towels so they bread and cook evenly.

How do I tell when my catfish is cooked through?

Catfish is done when it flakes easily with a fork and is opaque in the thickest part. Be careful not to overcook or it’ll dry out.

Are these recipes spicy?

Most are mild, but if you like heat, many recipes suggest adding cayenne or hot sauce for a flavor boost.

Conclusion

There’s something unbeatable about Southern catfish done right—whether it’s golden-fried, simmered in a stew, tucked into tacos, or lightened up in the oven. Each of these catfish recipes leans on tradition but leaves plenty of room for your own twist, giving you a dozen-plus ways to keep dinner interesting and delicious. Don’t be afraid to experiment with flavors or swap in what you have—catfish is a forgiving, flavorful canvas for your kitchen. Save this list and try a new one next week; you might just start your own family fried fish tradition.