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Photo: Alexandra Shytsman
Active Time:10 minsTotal Time:25 minsServings:4Jump to Nutrition Facts
Active Time:10 minsTotal Time:25 minsServings:4
Active Time:10 mins
Active Time:
10 mins
Total Time:25 mins
Total Time:
25 mins
Servings:4
Servings:
4
Jump to Nutrition Facts
Jump to recipe
How to Make Crispy Baked Catfish
Baked catfish is easy to make, and you can achieve a crispy outer crust straight from your oven, similar to what you would get from frying. Here are a few tips for perfect results:
Prepare Your Baking Sheet
Perfectly baked catfish is all about getting a crispy, golden crust. To do this, we prepare our baking sheet with a layer of foil and place a wire rack on top of the prepared pan. This allows air to flow under the catfish fillets while they are baking and prevents them from getting soggy. The foil liner underneath catches crumbs and helps keep the baking sheet clean.
Get Your Dredge Ready
In order for the outer coating to stick to the catfish, we pat the fillets dry with a paper towel, then dip them in a lightly beaten egg. The egg acts like a glue for the coating mixture, which is combined in a separate shallow dish. It’s flavored with Cajun seasoning and includes cornmeal for crunch. Cajun-Creole seasoning blends can be high in sodium, so if you want to limit your sodium intake look for salt-free Cajun seasoning. For the coating, we find that using fine cornmeal works best. It offers good crunch and adheres nicely to the fillets.
Don’t Forget the Cooking Spray
Cooking spray is key for perfect baked catfish. We spray it on the wire rack first to prevent the fish from sticking when it’s turned, then we spray it on top of the fish itself. The light coating of oil gently fries the outer coating of the fillets in the hot oven. We wantbothsides of the catfish to be crispy—we don’t call it “crispy” for nothing!—so we flip the fillets halfway through cooking. Don’t forget to spray the other side of the fillets for a nice, even crust.
Alexandra Shytsman
What to Serve with Crispy Baked Catfish
Catfish has a mild flavor that pairs well with just about anything. Tartar sauce and a squeeze of lemon are all you really need to brighten up this easy dish, but you can serve it with a spicy hot sauce-based dip if you want to turn up the heat. A simple green salad is a perfect accompaniment, but a creamy coleslaw that offers good crunch will work well too.
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)IngredientsCooking spray½cupfine plain yellow cornmeal¼cupall-purpose flour1tablespoonsalt free Cajun seasoning1large egg4(5 ounce)catfish fillets½teaspoonsaltTartar sauce and lemon wedges (optional)
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)
Ingredients
Cooking spray
½cupfine plain yellow cornmeal
¼cupall-purpose flour
1tablespoonsalt free Cajun seasoning
1large egg
4(5 ounce)catfish fillets
½teaspoonsalt
Tartar sauce and lemon wedges (optional)
DirectionsPreheat oven to 450°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and top with a wire rack. Coat the rack with cooking spray.Stir cornmeal, flour and Cajun-Creole seasoning blend together in a large shallow dish. Whisk egg in a separate shallow dish.Pat fillets dry with a paper towel and sprinkle evenly with salt. Working with 1 fillet at a time, dip in the egg to coat, letting excess egg drip back into the dish. Then dredge in the cornmeal mixture, turning to coat both sides. Transfer to the prepared rack on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining fillets. Coat the tops of the fillets with cooking spray.Alexandra ShytsmanBake until crispy and golden, 15 to 20 minutes, turning the fillets over and coating with cooking spray halfway through. If desired, serve with tartar sauce and lemon wedges.Alexandra ShytsmanOriginally appeared: EatingWell.com, November 2020; updated October 2022
Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and top with a wire rack. Coat the rack with cooking spray.Stir cornmeal, flour and Cajun-Creole seasoning blend together in a large shallow dish. Whisk egg in a separate shallow dish.Pat fillets dry with a paper towel and sprinkle evenly with salt. Working with 1 fillet at a time, dip in the egg to coat, letting excess egg drip back into the dish. Then dredge in the cornmeal mixture, turning to coat both sides. Transfer to the prepared rack on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining fillets. Coat the tops of the fillets with cooking spray.Alexandra ShytsmanBake until crispy and golden, 15 to 20 minutes, turning the fillets over and coating with cooking spray halfway through. If desired, serve with tartar sauce and lemon wedges.Alexandra Shytsman
Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and top with a wire rack. Coat the rack with cooking spray.
Stir cornmeal, flour and Cajun-Creole seasoning blend together in a large shallow dish. Whisk egg in a separate shallow dish.
Pat fillets dry with a paper towel and sprinkle evenly with salt. Working with 1 fillet at a time, dip in the egg to coat, letting excess egg drip back into the dish. Then dredge in the cornmeal mixture, turning to coat both sides. Transfer to the prepared rack on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining fillets. Coat the tops of the fillets with cooking spray.
Bake until crispy and golden, 15 to 20 minutes, turning the fillets over and coating with cooking spray halfway through. If desired, serve with tartar sauce and lemon wedges.
Originally appeared: EatingWell.com, November 2020; updated October 2022
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Nutrition Facts(per serving)232Calories7gFat11gCarbs30gProtein
Nutrition Facts(per serving)
- Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.
