Pan-Seared Catfish with Southern-Style Hush Puppy Fritters

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-27 · Updated 2026-06-27

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.

This dish features tender pan-seared catfish fillets paired with golden hush puppy fritters inspired by Southern regional flavors. This Southern US-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 35 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.

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

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Ingredients

4 fillets (6 oz each) catfish fillets
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp, divided salt
1/2 tsp, divided black pepper
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
2 tbsp for fish, plus 2 cups for frying vegetable oil
for serving lemon wedges

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Instructions

Step 1: Pat dry 4 catfish fillets and season both sides with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then add the fillets and cook for 4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tbsp granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stir in 1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, beat 1 large egg with 3/4 cup buttermilk, then combine with the dry ingredients, stirring gently until just mixed.
Step 4: Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a deep heavy-bottomed pan to 350°F. Drop spoonfuls of the hush puppy batter into the hot oil, frying in batches for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper towels.
Step 5: Serve the pan-seared catfish fillets hot with hush puppies and lemon wedges on the side.