Pan-Fried Catfish with Hot Water Cornbread

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Golden pan-fried catfish fillets paired with a moist, steaming hot water cornbread, a Southern classic from Memphis soul food tradition. This Southern-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 35 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 420 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.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 20 min Serves 4 Southern cuisine 420 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: In a shallow bowl, mix 1 cup cornmeal, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper. Pour 1 cup buttermilk into another bowl.
  2. Step 2: Dip each of the 4 catfish fillets into the buttermilk, then dredge thoroughly in the cornmeal mixture, pressing to coat evenly.
  3. Step 3: Heat 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry the catfish fillets for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through, then transfer to paper towels to drain.
  4. Step 4: For the hot water cornbread, in a bowl combine 1 cup cornmeal, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt. Pour 1 cup boiling water into the dry ingredients and stir quickly until a thick batter forms.
  5. Step 5: Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and spoon batter into 4 equal rounds. Cook each side for 3-4 minutes until crusty and golden, flipping carefully. Serve the cornbread warm with the catfish.

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