Fried Catfish with Spicy Remoulade
Have everyone running to the table when you serve up Fried Catfish with Spicy Remoulade. It’s super easy to make and loaded with flavor!
Why We Love Fried Catish
- I grew up eating my grandma’s fried catfish and this recipe lives up to all my memories of dinner at her house.
- This is a Southern favorite that can be made using whole fillets or you can cut the fish into pieces to make fried catfish nuggets.
- Catfish is great for dinner on a budget. Just grab a box of your favorite yellow rice for a side dish and you’re set!
- Remoulade sauce is the perfect dip for this fried catfish. Creamy, tangy, and spicy to pair with the crunchy, flaky fish.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Pan Fried Fried Catfish with Remoulade Sauce
CATFISH: You’ll need four catfish fillets for this recipe. If the ones at your store are on the small side, feel free to get up to 6 fillets to make sure everyone gets enough to eat. You can use wild-caught or farm-raised catfish. If using wild-caught, see the note below about soaking the fish.
BREADING: Keeping with traditional Southern fried catfish, we’re coating the fish in seasoned cornmeal breading after dipping it some buttermilk.
SAUCE: For this recipe grate the parmesan cheese yourself. This ensures that you don’t have any filler and it will melt perfectly for you.
How to Fry Catfish
Jump to RecipeSTEP 1 Pour 3-inches of canola oil into a large pot and heat to 375 degrees F. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet and set that aside. Mix the buttermilk and pickle juice in a shallow. Then mix the cornmeal, flour, and seasonings in another shallow bowl.
STEP 2 Dry the catfish fillets with paper towels. Then dip each fillet first into the buttermilk and then coat both sides in the cornmeal mixture.
STEP 3 Fry two catfish fillets at a time in the hot oil for 7 minutes, turning halfway through. Place the fried catfish don’t the prepared baking sheet so the oil can drain. Repeat with remaining fish.
How to Make Remoulade Sauce
Jump to RecipeSTEP 1 Add all of the ingredients to a food processor or blender. Puree for 15 seconds and transfer to a small bowl for serving.
STEP 2 Squeeze some lemon wedges over the catfish, then sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve warm with spicy remoulade sauce for dipping.
Tips & Tricks
- If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can substitute sour milk. Mix 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar and stir. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
- If you want your remoulade less spicy, start with 1 teaspoon horseradish and 1 teaspoon hot sauce. Mix and then add more to your taste.
- This remoulade sauce recipe makes 8 ounces and will keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container in the fridge.
- For Air Fryer Catfish: Prepared and bread the catfish fillets as directed. Place 2 to 4 fillets into your air fryer basket depending on how big it is. You don’t want to fillets overlapping. Then generously coat the fish with olive oil spray cook at 400 degrees F for 7 minutes. Carefully flip the fish over and cook at 400 for another 6 minutes until the breading is crspy and golden.
Fried Catfish FAQ
What oil is best for frying catfish?
You want to use a neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil to fry your fish.
Do you soak catfish in milk before frying?
Wild catfish can have a muddy taste. To remove that flavor, soak the fillets in some milk in the fridge for 1 hour before using. Then pat them dry and proceed as directed.
You do not need to soak farm-raised catfish before cooking with it.
Remoulade Sauce Recipe FAQ
What is remoulade?
Remoulade is a sauce made with mayo, mustard, horseradish hot sauce, and seasonings. It’s slightly spicy and pairs fabulously with seafood.
This is a classic remoulade, but you could easily turn it into Cajun remoulade instead. Swap the Dijon mustard for Creole mustard, add 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, leave out the Tabasco and the relish, and use Cajun seasoning instead of Creole seasoning.
What’s the difference between mayonnaise and remoulade?
Mayonnaise is its own condiment. Remoulade french term for a seafood dressing and is made with mayonnaise as the base. It’s similar to tartar sauce but has a more complex blend of spices and ingredients.
Other Recipes You May like
- Shrimp Scampi
- How to Cook Snow Crab Legs
- Manog & Shrimp Quesadillas
- Paremsan Crusted Salmon
- Sun-Dried Tomato & Balsamic Shrimp Pasta
Fried Catfish with Spicy Remoulade
Ingredients
Fried Catfish
- 1 pound catfish fillets (about 4)
- 1 cup buttermilk (see note)
- ¼ cup pickle juice or white vinegar
- ¾ cup yellow cornmeal
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon creole seasoning
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- Lemon wedges for serving
- Canola oil or vegetable oil for frying
Spicy Remoulade Sauce
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon dill relish
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ tablespoons creole seasoning
- 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
- 2 teaspoons Tabasco (or your favorite hot sauce)
- 2 teaspoons paprika
Instructions
- Fill a Dutch oven or a cast iron pot with 3-inches of canola oil pot. Heat oil to 375 degrees F. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet and set aside.
- Grab 2 shallow bowls and set up the dredging station. Whisk the buttermilk and pickle juice in the first bowl. Then, combine the cornmeal, flour, cornstarch, creole seasoning, onion powder, pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper in the second bowl.
- Pat the catfish fillets dry with a paper towel. Dip the fish in the buttermilk until submerged and then coat in the cornmeal mixture being sure to cover both sides. Gently press the breading into the fish to help it hold.
- Carefully place the fillets into the hot oil for 7 minutes, turning halfway through. Be careful not to crowd the pot, it is best to only fry 1 or 2 fillets at a time. Remove the fillets and place them onto the prepared baking sheet to allow excess oil to drip off. To keep the catfish hot as you cook the remaining fillets, place the baking sheet into the oven on the WARM setting.
- Make the remoulade by adding all ingredients into a food processor or blender. Puree for 15 seconds and then pour into a small bowl or ramekin for serving.
- Squeeze a lemon wedge over the fillets and garnish with some chopped parsley. Serve warm with spicy remoulade for dipping.
Notes
- If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can substitute sour milk. Mix 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar and stir. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
- If you want your remoulade less spicy, start with 1 teaspoon horseradish and 1 teaspoon hot sauce. Mix and then add more to your taste.
- This remoulade sauce recipe makes 8 ounces and will keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Nutrition includes 1 fried catfish filet and 1/4 cup remoulade.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.