Pan-Seared Catfish with Southern Style Remoulade

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-25 · Updated 2026-06-25

A regional southern U.S. inspired catfish dish featuring crispy pan-seared fillets topped with a tangy, spicy remoulade sauce. This Southern U.S.-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 27 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 350 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 fillets (6 oz each) catfish fillets
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp prepared horseradish
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• 1 tbsp capers, chopped
• 2 tbsp green onions, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

The pan we’d use for this → Best Nonstick Cookware for 2026: Top 5 Skillet Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a shallow dish, combine 1 cup cornmeal, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Dredge 4 catfish fillets (6 oz each) in this mixture until fully coated.
2. Step 2: Heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 3 minutes. Add the catfish fillets and cook for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through, with crispy edges. Remove from heat and keep warm.
3. Step 3: For the remoulade sauce, whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp prepared horseradish, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp hot sauce, 1 tbsp chopped capers, 2 tbsp finely chopped green onions, and 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley until smooth and well combined.
4. Step 4: Plate the catfish fillets and spoon a generous 2 tbsp of the remoulade sauce over each fillet before serving.