Pan-Fried Catfish with Buttermilk Cornbread and Collard Greens

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-11 · Updated 2026-05-11

A Southern-inspired meal featuring golden pan-fried catfish fillets paired with moist buttermilk cornbread and savory collard greens. This southern-inspired seafood ready in about 80 minutes pairs (6 oz each) 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 520 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 pieces (6 oz each) catfish fillets
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp, divided salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 lb, stems removed and chopped fresh collard greens
• 1 piece (optional) smoked ham hock
• 3, minced garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup, for frying vegetable oil
• 1 medium, diced onion
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F. In a bowl, whisk together 1 cup cornmeal, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 2 tbsp sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt. In a separate bowl, beat 2 large eggs with 1 cup buttermilk. Combine wet and dry ingredients, stirring just until blended. Pour batter into a greased 8x8-inch pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
2. Step 2: While cornbread bakes, rinse 1 lb chopped collard greens thoroughly. In a large pot, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 diced onion and 3 minced garlic cloves; sauté for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add collard greens, 1 smoked ham hock, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. Cover and simmer on low for 45 minutes until greens are tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Step 3: For the catfish, season 4 catfish fillets evenly with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. In a shallow dish, combine 1/2 cup cornmeal and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour. Dredge each fillet in the mixture, pressing gently to coat.
4. Step 4: Heat 1 cup vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry catfish fillets for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through, turning carefully. Drain on paper towels.
5. Step 5: Serve the pan-fried catfish alongside slices of warm buttermilk cornbread and a generous helping of collard greens for a comforting Southern dinner.