Cornmeal-Crusted Catfish with Bourbon Pepper Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-16 · Updated 2026-05-16

Pan-fried Louisiana catfish coated in crispy cornmeal served with a sweet and spicy bourbon pepper sauce. This Southern-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs catfish fillets, cornmeal, all-purpose flour for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 4, about 6 oz each catfish fillets
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup Louisiana bourbon
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp, crushed black peppercorns
• for serving lemon wedges

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Instructions

1. Step 1: In a shallow dish, combine 1 cup cornmeal, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper. Mix well.
2. Step 2: Pour 1 cup buttermilk into another shallow dish. Dip each of the 4 catfish fillets into the buttermilk, allowing excess to drip off, then dredge thoroughly in the cornmeal mixture, pressing to coat evenly.
3. Step 3: Heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When shimmering hot, add the coated catfish fillets and cook for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through, with crispy edges. Remove and keep warm.
4. Step 4: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp butter. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
5. Step 5: Carefully add 1/3 cup Louisiana bourbon to the saucepan and cook for 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
6. Step 6: Stir in 1 tbsp honey and 1 tsp crushed black peppercorns, simmering for 1-2 minutes until sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
7. Step 7: Spoon the bourbon pepper sauce over the cooked catfish fillets, garnish with lemon wedges, and serve immediately.