This oven-baked catfish comes out just as crispy as if you deep-fried it without the mess, fuss, or extra oil! I love how it comes together with a quickness and gives crunchy fish fry vibes without making the whole house smell like grease. Let me show you how easy it is to "fry" fish in the oven.
And if you enjoy this recipe, you'll love my lemon pepper shrimp recipe, too!
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❤️ Why You'll Love this Recipe
Quick and Easy - You only need a few simple ingredients to make this crispy oven catfish recipe, and no fancy tools. It's beginner-friendly and comes together in just 30 minutes, so you can enjoy on a weeknight!
Crispy with Less Oil vs Fried - Instead of deep frying the fish in quarts of oil, or even pan frying, we're just coating the outside with cooking oil before sliding it into the oven to get golden and crisp with juicy, flaky insides.
My family LOVES flavorful southern main dishes. Try my shrimp & grits with andouille sausage, southern-style baked chicken, cast iron ribeye steak, chicken and sausage gumbo, and juicy roasted turkey wings for yours next!
Featured Reader Review
★★★★★
"I didn't think catfish could get very crispy in the oven but this recipe proved me wrong. The crunch factor is there and the breading is so well seasoned, I could eat mine with or without the sauce. 10 out of 10!"
-Kelly
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What You'll Need for this Recipe
Catfish Fillets--fresh or from frozen! If you're using frozen catfish, just make sure it is thawed and thoroughly patted dry first.
Cooking Oil Spray is my secret weapon for an oven-fried finish with fish, shrimp, and even chicken. You can use olive oil, avocado oil, or grapeseed oil interchangeably here.
Spices like smoked paprika, garlic powder, and a pinch of cayenne to make sure the breading is well-seasoned for flavor in every single bite of fish.
Check out the recipe card below for full ingredients list, measurements, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions!
Substitutions & Variations
Shape and Size - You can use this same method to make cafish nuggets, bites, or strips. Just start checking for doneness after about 10 minutes of baking.
Flavor - You can adjust the spice mix to your taste. Lemon pepper tastes great here, as does Cajun Creole spice blend or Old Bay seasoning.
How to Cook Oven Baked Breaded Catfish Fillets
- Step One: Mix up the ingredients for the dry breading and wet batter in separate containers. (Photos 1 and 2)
Pro Tip #1
I prefer to dip the fish into bowls; however, you can instead add the dry mix to a gallon-sized ziploc bag and shake up each fish fillet inside to coat.
- Step Two: Lay a fish fillet into the wet mixture, then flip to evenly coat it. (Photos 3 and 4)
- Step Three: Next, lay the fillet into the cornmeal mixture, pressing to coat, then flip and repeat. (Photos 5 and 6)
- Step Three: Lay the breaded fillets onto a prepared baking sheet, then spray each one with cooking oil spray and transfer to oven to bake until golden brown and cooked through. (Photos 7 and 8)
Pro Tip #2
Make sure to let the fish rest for a few minutes after baking, which allows the coating to even fully crisp and adhere to the fish without falling off!
Frequently Asked Questions
Store the cooked fish in an airtight container and refrigerate. Lasts for up to four days. I recommend reheating leftovers in the oven or an air fryer to retain as much crispy texture as possible, but you can get decent results in the microwave, too.
Yes. To freeze, wrap each fillet in aluminum foil, then place into a ziploc freezer bag or airtight freezer-safe container. Keeps for up to two months. When ready to eat, thaw in the fridge and reheat in the oven or air fryer.
How to Serve
Temperature: For the best taste, serve oven-baked fried catfish hot! It goes well with hot and cold Soul Food sides like stewed okra and tomatoes, cookout potato salad, smoky collard greens, or classic honey cornbread.
Regional Pairings: Pair catfish with spaghetti for a Mississippi-style meal, or use it for catfish po' boys or fried fish sandwiches a la Louisiana and Alabama--and don't sleep on my baked garlic parmesan sweet potato fries on the side!
And we love catfish and grits in Texas. Try my savory cheese grits or sweet potato grits.
Garnishes: Serve with fresh lemon wedges and your favorite sauces like hot sauce, zesty remoulade, tartar sauce, or ketchup.
More Favorite Fish Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
I hope you'll enjoy this easy oven-fried catfish soon and very soon. And sharing is caring, so be sure to pin this recipe for later and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
📖 Recipe
Crispy Oven Baked Catfish
Equipment
Ingredients
- non-stick oil spray about 4 tablespoons total
- ⅔ cup yellow cornmeal
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce or to taste
- 1 pound catfish fillets
- 1 lemon cut into wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil then spray with non-stick oil spray.non-stick oil spray
- Bread the Fish: Add cornmeal, flour, and spices to a deep mixing bowl and whisk together until well mixed. In another bowl, mix the eggs with the hot sauce.⅔ cup yellow cornmeal, ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon sea salt, ¾ teaspoon garlic powder, ¾ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon white pepper, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- Place each fillet, one at a time, into the egg mixture, coating both sides, then into the cornmeal mixture, tossing gently until completely coated, and onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least one to two inches between each fillet.1 pound catfish fillets
- Bake the Fish: Spray non-stick oil spray all over the tops of the fillets, making sure not to leave any dry patches of coating, then transfer the pan into the top oven rack and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown with an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. The inside of the fish should be an opaque white color and flake easily with a fork.
- Finish and Serve: Rest the fish for a few minutes, then serve with fresh lemon wedges, and condiments of your choice like remoulade, hot sauce, ketchup, and tartar sauce.*Letting the fish rest before moving and serving it allows the coating to firm up for maximum crispiness. Skipping this step can cause your fish to fall apart and not be as crunchy as you want.1 lemon
Janine says
This is my go-to recipe for catfish!!! It is absolutely delicious!!!
Jazzmine Woodard says
So glad to hear that, Janine! Thank you for your note.
Kelly says
I didn’t think catfish could get very crispy in the oven but this recipe proved me wrong. The crunch factor is there and the breading is so well seasoned, I could eat mine with or without the sauce. 10 out of 10!
Jazzmine Woodard says
I'm so glad you loved this catfish method, Kelly. Thanks for your feedback!