Pan-Fried Catfish with Spicy Cornbread Crust

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-15 · Updated 2026-05-15

A Southern classic featuring tender catfish fillets pan-fried to golden perfection with a spicy cornbread crust, served with a tangy homemade remoulade sauce. This American Southern-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs catfish fillets, yellow 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.

Ingredients

• 4 pieces (6 oz each) catfish fillets
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

The cast-iron skillet we’d sear this in → Best Cast Iron Skillets for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a shallow dish, combine 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper, mixing thoroughly.
2. Step 2: Pour 1 cup buttermilk into a separate shallow bowl and dip each of the 4 catfish fillets into the buttermilk, then dredge in the cornmeal mixture, pressing gently to coat evenly.
3. Step 3: Heat 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 3 minutes.
4. Step 4: Carefully add the coated catfish fillets to the skillet, cooking for 4-5 minutes on each side until the crust is golden brown and the fish flakes easily with a fork.
5. Step 5: While the fish cooks, whisk together 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp hot sauce, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley in a small bowl to make the remoulade sauce.
6. Step 6: Serve the pan-fried catfish hot with a dollop of remoulade sauce on the side for dipping.